LA Times Travel Show Demise

Judging by the looks of it, the LA Times Travel Show has flown off into the sunset.

The event is not listed on the newspaper's signature event page.

The event is usually in January so it'd be past time for the event page to be updated.

It has been in decline for the past several years but it's still a surprise to see it end.

Maybe it will be revived in the future but for now, it's MIA.

All Nippon Airways Offers Patina Restaurant Menu Items

As you may have seen from my Wide Lantern and GP Food Porn Blog, All Nippon Airways is partnering with Los Angeles' Patina restaurant to offer California-French cuisine to LAX passengers to Japan.

Here are some photos of what will be offered.

Here is the December-Feb 2015 menu items:

And here’s whats cooking for March-May 2015.

Here are some other amenities including in the Business Class for ANA flights from LAX to Japan. Access to lounges is also included.

World's Tallest Live Cut Christmas Tree Lighting

Need to get in the mood of the holidays? Head on down to the Citadel Outlets on Nov. 8. Yes, it’s the much-anticipated 13^th Annual Tree Lighting Concert. Why do over 20 thousand attend? Well, it’s the lighting of the World's Tallest Live Cut Christmas Tree (115-ft), with the World's Largest Bow atop the Citadel wall. There’s also a free, outdoor concert headlined by country star Jana Kramer, The Voice's Christina Grimmie, YouTube sensation Cimorelli, pop boy band After Romeo and X Factor's Josh Levi.

Here’s more:

Presented by AMP 97.1 and FOX 11, television personalities Tony McEwing and Maria Sansone and radio personality McCabe will host the night's events. Immediately following the concert performances, Tony & Maria will direct attention to center court where guests will be invited to participate in a countdown leading up to the lighting of the World's Tallest Live Cut Christmas Tree.

The Citadel Outlets' record-breaking tree is an impressive 115 feet tall and is sourced from the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. It spans 20 feet longer than an NBA basketball court and stands at twice the size of the famous Hollywood Sign. In addition, the center's Christmas tree is 40-feet taller than the Rockefeller Christmas Tree in New York City. In addition to hosting the World's Tallest Live Cut Christmas Tree, Citadel Outlets is also home to the World's Largest Bow.  Sitting atop the iconic Citadel wall overlooking the 5 Freeway, the World's Largest Bow is 36 feet wide by 21 feet tall with 18 loops and two 72-feet long tails that drape down the front of the building. Over 4,000 cans of red paint and primer and one half-ton of glitter were used to cover the striking accouterment.

Event attendees are encouraged to bring gift donations for Children's Hospital Los Angeles. To maintain safety and well being of CHLA patients, only new and unwrapped toys will be accepted. Please note that CHLA cannot accept stuffed toys or toys with small pellets or beans. All donations should be non-toxic, free of sharp edges and cannot promote violence and/or aggressive behaviors. Thanks to generous supporters CHLA is able to gift approximately 80,000 toys per year.

Previous headline performers to grace the Citadel Outlets' stage include Jesse McCartney (2013), Ariana Grande (2012), Big Time Rush (2010), Justin Bieber (2009), Ashley Tisdale (2009), Demi Lovato (2008) and many more.

Citadel Outlets is located just off the Interstate 5, just 10 minutes south of downtown Los Angeles, at Atlantic Blvd North at100 Citadel Drive, Suite 480 Los Angeles, CA 90040. For more information please visit www.citadeloutlets.com. For updates on the tree lighting ceremony and holiday concert, please follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/CitadelOutlets.

This year's star-studded line-up includes:

After Romeo - The Los Angeles-based, five-person boy band reached number one on the MTV music charts with Free Fall. After Romeo's songs have been playing on-air Radio Disney and have reached number six on their countdown. Hits singles include Love on Lock, One Night and Save Some Snow.

Josh Levi - The Houston native triple threat began dancing, singing and acting at age five. Levi had a recurring role on NBC's hit series "Friday Night Lights." In 2013 he began focusing on his singing career and also competed in season 3 of X Factor where judge extraordinaire, Simon Cowell stated, "we might just be looking at the next big star."

Cimorelli - Winners of 2013 Teen Choice Awards for Choice Web Star, Cimorelli is a six-woman band comprised of sisters with a passion for singing. With almost 3 million subscribers on YouTube and music deal with Universal Records, Cimorelli is enjoying a meteoric rise. They are set to release their latest EP, Renegade, on October 27, 2014. 

Christina Grimmie - The American singer/songwriter finished in third place on Season 6 of NBC's The Voice. Grimmie's studio version of her performances reached top 10 on iTunes charts. She released Must Be Love early in July and has been touring with previous contestants of The Voice.

Jana Kramer - The Country-singing sensation and One Tree Hill star's hit "Why Ya Wanna" reached number 3 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart and has grown in popularity ever since.  In 2013 Kramer won Top New Female Artist at the American Country Music Awards. She is currently on tour performing her new songs Deal Breaker, Pop That Bottle and Don't Touch My Radio. 

Loew's Hotels Poor Sanitation Standards

Having visited two Loew's properties in a short amount of time, I now have concluded that the hotel chain has poor sanitation standards.

I've been to Loew's Hollywood Highland many times for conventions.

Case 1: When they lay out glasses for water, they don't provide a Used tray/table/area. There's no place to put them, and during sessions--I was just at SMPTE 2014--they don't bus. So people return the glasses to the same area where they got unused ones from.

I grabbed a used glass and was about to pour water and drink from it until I realizing it had water in it.

GROSS!

Case 2: The person cleaning the restroom right before the opening night reception was using a mildewy mop. It was stifling. If they're not going to sanitize the mop, think what their standards for cleaning are.

Now I must say that the receptions are handled very well--although timing of bringing out food could be better. But not much of a complaint there.

It's the sanitation I'm concerned about.

Case #3 At the Cabana Bay Orlando, I arrived to my room and the bathroom smelled mildewy. That's the last thing you want to encounter. And even after cleanings, it was the same thing. The miad obviously is using the same mildewy cloth/sponge for cleaning. Yeah, it might look clean--mine really didn't--but if those are their standards, what can you expect about the rest of the room? Bed bugs?

GROSS!

And did you see the tv news magazine report on how maids use cloths they used for the bathroom to clean your drinking glasses? Disgusting, right? Well, it's not much of a jump to think that happened at my stay.

I wrote to Cabana Bay. They apologized but when I encountered something similar at Motel 6 on the BORDER of Mexico, they were more motivated to make up for the problem. Cabana Bay probably is used to complains--my rate was a bargain at $100 per night--so they don't really make an effort for remedy.


Given the state of cleanliness and sanitation, if you visit Loew's, that's what you'll get.

Boundless Tastes at Cromwell's Bound bar

At the new boutique hotel The Cromwell Vegas, there’s an intimate bar called Bound. Created by the Cocktail Maestro, Salvatore Calabrese, it’s reminiscent of a British library. 

It may be intimate but expect some of the world’s most exclusive bottles, some only found at Bound.

At a recent event at Mixology 101 in LA, Calabrese, creator of the World’s Most Expensive Cocktail, treated guests to a sample of his creations: Breakfast Martini, Madame Moka , Negroni Svegliato. Nothing but the best was expected from the esteemed mixlogist, and these multi-layered tasting wonders did not disappoint.

Calabrese also had a hand in creating the menu for Mixology 101 so some of his creations will be available at the Grove LA. But for a complete experience, hop on down to Bound at the Cromwell.

I’ve never tasted anything like his coffee drinks. The Madame Moka was absolutely incredible.