#escorted_vacation

[travel-shopping]

Meet the Buenos Aires Designer Whose Shoes Have Transformed Tango

There's no visit to Argentina's capital without experiencing tango. It is both music and an unmistakable dance, perhaps the most sensual dance in the world.

Our Monograms tour of Buenos Aires included an incredible tango dinner show at El Viejo Almacen that took our breath away! A Monograms agenda allows for plenty of free time to explore our own interests (in addition to an orientation tour of the city that includes the world's widest boulevard, the cemetery where Eva Peron (immortalized in the musical Evita, and song 'Don't Cry for me, Argentina!' is interred, and tastes of the country's obsession with soccer as well as its famous way with beef and wine).

And in Buenos Aires, at the top of my personal agenda was a studio/ showroom visit to Comme il Faut, to meet the designer whose glamorous shoes single-handedly elevated tango to being as elegant as it is passionate.

Our Monograms guide gave us helpful, local expert's advice about the best way to get to the tucked-away 'Rue des Artisans' in BA's old neighborhood, where whitewashed buildings, wrought iron trim, black awnings, and jardinières on the street made me feel like I really was in Paris. No wonder Buenos Aires is called 'The Paris of South America'.

Parts of Buenos Aires may evoke Paris, but the soundtrack is all tango.And for me, the chance to meet Comme il Faut's designer and founder, Alicia Muñiz, whose limited edition shoes are wearable trophies for tango dancers and women of elegance around the world, was a personal highlight of Buenos Aires.

In this video, I share her passion for tango, her inspiration, hard work and entrepreneurial spirit that transformed tango shoes for a new generation of professional and everyday dancers, and built a creative business… from the 'foot' up.

By: Lynn Elmhirst, Producer/ Host, BestTrip TV

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Copyright BestTrip.TV/Influence Entertainment Group Inc or Rights Holder. All rights reserved. You are welcome to share this material from this page, but it may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[local-events]

Europe's Capital of Music Celebrates the 250th Anniversary of This Musical Genius

You may only listen to classical music once in a while, but we’ll bet this composer’s name rings a bell.

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Germany, but spent his professional career and passed away in the music capital of Europe. 2020 is the 250th anniversary of the birth of the composer, who in spite of becoming ill and deaf, was considered one of the greatest musical talents of all time. And Vienna is celebrating his life and works.

The Austrian capital was the epi-center of musical creativity throughout most of the era that gave us classical music’s greatest moments. Most of Beethoven’s groundbreaking premieres took place in Vienna’s iconic venues. Many of them remain today (like Vienna's State Opera House above © WienTourismus/ Christian Stemper), and Vienna continues to set the stage of the world’s rich classical music scene. Every night in the city, around 10,000 music fans are treated to live classical music at the great music institutions that debuted Beethoven’s greatest works.

In the year that marks 250 years since Beethoven's birth, Vienna celebrates the artist and his long-lasting legacy of classical music with the slogan Beethoven Belongs to Everyone.

© Schaub-Walzer / PID

 Digital Beethoven

 The Vienna Tourist Board has developed a voice application for the Amazon and Google voice assistants for the 2020 Year of Beethoven. Users discover an interactive audiobook on the life and work of Ludwig van Beethoven. Recordings of all Nine of his Symphonies performed by the Wiener Symphoniker provide the soundtrack.

 The Vienna Tourist Board and the Austrian National Tourist Board also worked together to develop a smart audio guide integrated into a pair of special sunglasses. Ludwig van Beethoven takes wearers on an acoustic tour of Vienna and New York with the help of Bose frames featuring integrated loudspeakers and the new #RelatedToAustria app. In Vienna, visitors can borrow the glasses for free from the Tourist information office on Albertinaplatz.

 Beethoven Live in Vienna

 In the 2020 Beethoven year more than ever, Vienna’s orchestras and music institutions celebrate the genius composer with a full calendar of performances.

 The Vienna Philharmonic holds a Beethoven cycle at the Vienna State Opera’s Gustav Mahler Hall. The series of ten chamber music evenings runs until mid-June 2020, presenting all of the master’s vocal works.

 The Wiener Symphoniker plays many of the Beethoven performances at the Wiener Konzerthaus: the packed program for 2020 is bookended by his Ninth Symphony on New Year’s Day and a final rendition of “the Ninth” on New Year’s Eve, and includes an open-air event with public viewing areas in the Beethoven cities of Bonn (his birthplace) and Vienna.

 The Theater an der Wien, where Beethoven was engaged and lived for a time, will be the venue for a production of Fidelio, taking Beethoven’s operatic work back to the place where it was first performed.

 In 2020 the Musikverein will be celebrating Beethoven as well, along with the ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester and the Wiener Akademie orchestra – in which all the performers play original instruments, recording all of Beethoven’s symphonies and piano concerts for posterity. You can research live performances during your visit to Vienna, as well as anniversary recordings, here:

 Vienna Philharmonic, www.wienerphilharmoniker.at

Vienna State Opera, www.wiener-staatsoper.at

Wiener Symphoniker, www.wienersymphoniker.at

Wiener Konzerthaus, www.konzerthaus.at

Theater an der Wien, www.theater-wien.at

Musikverein, www.musikverein.at

ORF Radio Symphonieorchester, rso.orf.at

Orchester Wiener Akademie, www.wienerakademie.at

 Beethoven in Art

Don't miss exhibits, projects and installations featuring a Beethoven theme at Vienna’s museums and art galleries in 2020:

Beethoven moves, Mar 25-Jul 5, 2020, Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, www.khm.at

Inspiration Beethoven. A Symphony in Pictures from Vienna 1900. May 30, Sep 21, 2020, Leopold Museum, MuseumsQuartier Vienna, www.leopoldmuseum.org

Beethoven. World of the Man and Spark of the Gods, Dec 19, 2019-Apr 19, 2020, National Library, State Hall, Austrian National Library, www.onb.ac.at

The Great Triad of Viennese Classical Music: Haydn - Mozart - Beethoven. Similarities - Parallels - Opposites, Feb 13, 2020-Jan 27, 2021, Mozarthaus Vienna, www.mozarthausvienna.at

House of Music. The Museum of Sound, www.hdm.at

Beethoven Museum, www.wienmuseum.at

Pasqualati House, www.wienmuseum.at

Secession, www.secession.at

Collection of Historic Musical Instruments, Hofburg, Neue Burg, www.khm.at

  © John Baldessari; Courtesy of the artist, Sprüth Magers and Beyer Projects

 Beethoven in Photos

Ludwig van Beethoven moved to Vienna to advance his career in the Music Capital with the renowned Haydn when he was only 22, and lived out his life there. So there are many monuments to the famous composer in Vienna. You’ll want to post images of all things Beethoven during your visit, including these famous Beethoven locations.

Beethoven Memorial in Beethoven Park Beethovenplatz, 1030 Vienna

Unveiled in 1880, this monument was paid for in part by one of Beethoven’s high-profile colleagues from the world of music. A committed Beethoven fan, Franz Liszt used the proceeds from his last public concert on March 16, 1877 (marking the 50th anniversary of Beethoven’s death) to complete the memorial.

Beethoven Museum - Probusgasse 6, 1190 Vienna, www.wienmuseum.at

In Beethoven’s day, Heiligenstadt was a popular spa destination beyond the old city walls, although today it’s part of the city. He retreated here as therapy for his ailments. The Beethoven Museum opened in one of his former residences.

 Pasqualati House Mölker Bastei 8, 1010 Vienna, www.wienmuseum.at

Baron von Pasqualati provided cheap lodgings for his friend Beethoven to use, which the composer returned to on multiple occasions.

Theater an der Wien - Linke Wienzeile 6, 1060 Vienna, www.theater-wien.at

This theater was an important venue for concerts of all descriptions. Several of Beethoven’s works made their debuts here, including his violin concerto and Fidelio – his only opera.

Beethoven’s grave - Central Cemetery, Simmeringer Hauptstrasse 234, 1110 Vienna

Beethoven lies in rest in a grave of honor next to Franz Schubert’s final resting place, with a memorial to Mozart – who was buried elsewhere – installed between them.

© Schaub-Walzer / PID

  Include Austria's magnificent capital on a tour of the country's many charms, or visit Vienna during a port of call on a Danube river cruise.

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Copyright BestTrip.TV/Influence Entertainment Group Inc or Rights Holder. All rights reserved. You are welcome to share this material from this page, but it may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[sightseeing-travel]

4 Royal Family Hangouts in London

The latest Royal news has us all abuzz and reminds us it's time to book a trip to England's capital and home of the British Royal Family. We may not be invited to the latest gathering, but here are 4 places we can immerse ourselves in Royal history and put into context the images we see of the ceremonial events and appearances of the most famous family in the world.

 Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is outside of central London, but this thousand-year-old royal residence has been at the center of royal-lovers' attention recently. This is where the world was introduced to the new baby Archie of Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex, as well as the location (in the stunning gothic St. George's Chapel, pictured) of their marriage a year previously, as well as the wedding of Prince Harry's cousin (daughter of Prince Andrew) Princess Eugenie.

Windsor Castle is considered one of the few remaining 'working palaces' left in the world. It was built as a fortress in the 11th century after William the Conqueror successfully led the Norman invasion of England. You may think of Buckingham Palace as the premiere home of kings and queens, but Windsor Castle is the longest-occupied palace in Europe.  It's the Queen's weekend home when she's in London - said to be her favorite – and a venue for hosting state visits.

Don't miss: the view of Windsor Castle from the 3-mile, tree-lined Long Walk, giving you a real sense of the scope and grandeur of Windsor Castle and Great Park, as well as the chance to see some of the friendly members of a 500-strong herd of Red Deer in Deer Park.

 Buckingham Palace

When anyone says 'Buckingham Palace', chances are the picture that pops into your head is a scene on 'that' balcony. It's one of the best opportunities to see members of the Royal Family together in public, for the annual Trooping of the Colour (celebrating the Queen's symbolic birthday) or for less-frequent events like Royal Weddings – the last one balcony wedding kiss was between Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge on their wedding day. 

With 775 rooms, Buckingham Palace is the Sovereign's London residence and headquarters (the 'offices' of 800 people!), the center of state occasions, like visits from foreign heads of state, as well as national celebrations and mourning. Within the grounds are the largest private gardens in London, which are the venue for the Queen's famous Garden Parties. They are the largest functions at the Palace, where up to 8000 people are invited to attend each of three every summer.

The State Rooms are open to visitors for most of August and September and occasionally at other times of the year. Even if you are not able to tour the inside of Buckingham Palace, or snag an invitation to a Garden Party, you can still get a glimpse of the façade and that famous balcony on the East Front.

Don't miss: The Changing of the Guard in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace. The Queen's personal Guard maintains a formal presence around the Palace in their unmistakable scarlet uniforms, and 'shift change' is equally elaborate. The ceremony is held at 11:00 am every day from April to July and four times a week in the winter.

 Kensington Palace

Or 'K.P.' is the least impressive from the outside of the London royal residences, with its low, red-brick 17th century architecture. But it's in a fantastic location off Kensington High Street's shops, and is surrounded by a fabulous garden. Kensington Palace's black, wrought-iron gates are seared into the memories of many of us as the site where over a million bouquets of flowers were left outside the London home of Diana, Princess of Wales in tribute following her death.

Now, some apartments in Kensington Palace are the official London residences of Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge and their children, as well as other members of the royal family. Others are offices for royal charities. The State Rooms are open to the public, which display paintings and objects from the Royal Collection. 

Don't Miss: There are four themed routes to follow, including one displaying iconic pieces of Diana's wardrobe, including the blue velvet gown the princess wore when she danced with John Travolta in the White House in 1981.

 The Tower of London

The Tower of London is not currently a royal residence but its official name is Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London. Like Windsor Castle, the Tower dates back a thousand years to William the Conqueror. It was built as a feared stronghold of the monarch, and in its early years, did serve as a sovereign's home. With its name-sake Tower, turrets, moats and pivotal location on the Thames river, the Tower of London serves up the picture of the iconic 'castle' of our imaginations. The Tower also served as a prison – right up until 1952! Famous prisoners were executed at the Tower, and naturally ghost stories abound.

The Tower has served as an armoury, treasury, menagerie (zoo), as the Royal Mint, and still today houses and guards the Crown Jewels of England, including the orb, scepter and crown only used during the coronation of a new monarch as well as jewels worn by the Queen and family members on formal occasions on a more regular basis. You'll recognize many of them. They are on public display at the Jewel House.

Don't miss:  some of the most famous jewels in the world. The regalia contain 23, 578 gemstones, including the largest clear cut diamond in the world (Cullinan I) and the Koh-i-Noor, at an inimaginable 105 carats.

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Copyright BestTrip.TV/Influence Entertainment Group Inc or Rights Holder. All rights reserved. You are welcome to share this material from this page, but it may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.