V ISFOR VIRGINIA. VINO, ALSO.
THESE days it seems there are more “wine weeks” than there are actual weeks in the year, so the onus falls on you to be choosy. While some seem a little dubious, others are all too easy to underestimate. Virginia Beach falls in the latter – their inaugural event takes place Sept. 23-30. As the fifth top wine-producing state in the nation, the only question is, what took them so long?Expect tastings, special menus and more (vbfun.com).
ECO-LUXEINORLANDO
ORLANDO’SGrande Lakes Resort is known for being a decadent escape from the fray, but the resort (where you’ll find both Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott hotels) wants to get its guests back to the land. Grande Lakes Outfitters is offering family two-hour kayaking or canoeing trips down Shingle Creek to scope out wildlife ($80/adults, $50/kids; grandelakes.com).
INTERNETS AT 30,000 FEET (TAKE 2)
THEY said it couldn’t be done – actually, it could, they just failed miserably at getting the Internet to take off, as in, on a plane. Boeing’s ill-fated Connexion program had a brief day in the sun before disappearing late last year; now stepping up to the plate is American Airlines -next year, they’ll start testing air-to-ground broadband WiFi on 15 transcon Boeing 767-200s, before making it available to everyone. For a fee, of course (aa.com).
BYE, BYE, REGENT, HELLO WHO?
IF the folks at once-proud Regent Hotels &Resorts still plan on making a big comeback, they’d better do something (anything!) to prove it. The latest news, that they’re out of their contract in South Beach after one very disappointing year, isn’t helping. Spanish operator Vincci is stepping in as management; the popular Table 8 restaurant is staying. This should be interesting viewing (vinccihoteles.com).
GETTOTHEPUNTA!
DID you ever wake up and say to yourself, “All that’s missing in Punta Cana is a Ritz-Carlton”? Dreams do come true: A hotel and residences are slotted for the Dominican Republic resort, circa 2010. It’ll be part of the exclusive Cap Cana development, currently underway.