cinema - Blogs - Tripatini2024-03-29T10:03:15Zhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/cinemaBulgari Exhibit “Divas of the 50s and 60s” at Tuscany's Castel Monasterohttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/bulgari-exhibit-divas-of-the-50s-and-60s-at-tuscany-s-castel-mona2014-02-12T15:05:46.000Z2014-02-12T15:05:46.000ZNicholas Kontishttps://tripatini.com/members/NicholasKontis<div><p><a href="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Bulgari-Library.jpg"><img width="800" height="533" alt="Bulgari - Library" src="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Bulgari-Library.jpg" /></a></p><p> </p><p>Recently at the Castel Monastero, in the rolling hills of Tuscany’s Chianti region, the famed medieval, five-star one-of-a-kind hotel hosted a Bulgari art exhibit of famous actresses of the 50s and 60s. The famed Italian jewelry house, Bulgari has brought back a star-studded collection of esteemed precious stones worn by dynamic divas of the 50s and 60s. On screen goddesses who personified an era of elegance, style and taste. The Bulgari exhibit included photos of Italian starlets Sophia Loren, Claudia Cardinale, Gina Lollobrigida, and other divas of a bygone era who were featured along with the Bulgari jewels worn by the silver screen, elegant ladies.</p><p> </p><p><img width="800" height="533" alt="Bulgari photos - Sophia Loren" src="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Bulgari-photos-Sophia-Loren.jpg" /></p><p> </p><p>The always timeless Sophia Loren</p><p></p><p><a href="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Bulgari-photos-Ingrid-Bergman.jpg"><img width="800" height="533" alt="Bulgari photos - Ingrid Bergman" src="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Bulgari-photos-Ingrid-Bergman.jpg" /></a></p><p> </p><p>Swedish beauty - Ingrid Bergman was one of the immortal goddesses featured in Bulgari jewels</p><p> </p><p>Bulgari has long been on the cutting edge of haute couture and fashion, featuring a collection of the rarest, bold colored gems worn by the women who best summed up an era of decadence and indulgence. Multi colored necklaces, bracelets and earrings worn by the alluring, irresistible, muses of the golden age of cinema.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Bulgari-photos-Dali-Gina...jpg"><img width="800" height="533" alt="Bulgari photos - Dali - Gina.." src="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Bulgari-photos-Dali-Gina...jpg" /></a></p><p> </p><p>A rare photo of the eccentric Spanish painter - Salvador Dali with the elegant, Italian starlet- Gina Lollabrigida</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Bulgari-Me-sitting-in-lounge-claudia-anita.jpg"><img width="800" height="533" alt="Bulgari, - Me sitting in lounge claudia anita" src="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Bulgari-Me-sitting-in-lounge-claudia-anita.jpg" /> </a></p><p> </p><p>The stunning and classic Claudia Cardinale, and La Dolce Vita director, Federico Fellini with Swedish on screen Goddess – Anita Ekberg.</p><p> </p><p><img width="800" height="1200" alt="Bulgari photos - JEWELS" src="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Bulgari-photos-JEWELS.jpg" /></p><p> </p><p>The collection is timeless and precious. Showing off an epoch that can only be summed up as “La Dolce Vita.”</p><p></p><p>Read more about the Bulgari exhibit at Castel Monastero on the hotel website: <a href="http://www.castelmonastero.com">www.castelmonastero.com</a></p><p></p><p></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><font face="Calibri" size="3"> </font></p><p style="line-height:14.25pt;"><span style="color:#333333;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:10pt;">About the Author: Nicholas Kontis - Travel Expert and Founder of World Travel List</span></p><p style="line-height:14.25pt;"><span style="color:#1f497d;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:10pt;">Born on the one of the most beautiful Islands in the world, Santorini, Greece and raised in America’s culture capital of San Francisco.</span> <span style="color:#333333;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:10pt;">Nick Kontis started out as a world traveler at an early age traveling back and forth between California and</span> <span style="color:#333333;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:10pt;">Greece every summer. But it was a backpacking trip around the world at age 24 that proved to be a life changing experience. After traveling by car, train, plane, bike and, boat around the world, it would be this trip of a lifetime that would lead to a life as a travel entrepreneur and world traveler. Nick has been on both radio and television. Featured on Arthur Frommer’s television show, and referred by Lonely Planet writers</span> <span style="color:#1f497d;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:10pt;">as a leader in discount airfares.</span> <span style="color:#333333;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:10pt;">Frequently mentioned as the “father of around the world airfares.” Arthur Frommer once said, “If Jules Verne were alive today he would use Nick to go around the world in 80 days.” Nick and his various travel companies</span> <span style="color:#1f497d;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:10pt;">and agents</span> <span style="color:#333333;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:10pt;">have sent over 10,000 people</span> <span style="color:#1f497d;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:10pt;">around the world.</span> <span style="color:#333333;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:10pt;">Now</span><span style="color:#1f497d;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:10pt;">,</span> <span style="color:#333333;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:10pt;">Nick promotes travel through his World Travel List and ‘Trip Rambler’ by World Travel List. Having traveled to over 80 countries Nick hopes to inspire others to travel the world. Follow Nick's "passion for travel" on the World Travel List.</span></p><p style="line-height:14.25pt;"><span style="color:#1f497d;font-family:Calibri, 'sans-serif';font-size:11pt;"><a href="http://trip.worldtravellist.com/"><font color="#0000FF">http://trip.worldtravellist.com</font></a></span></p><p style="line-height:14.25pt;"><span style="color:#1f497d;font-family:Calibri, 'sans-serif';font-size:11pt;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/worldtravelist"><font color="#0000FF">http://www.facebook.com/worldtravelist</font></a></span></p><p style="line-height:14.25pt;"><span style="color:#1f497d;font-family:Calibri, 'sans-serif';font-size:11pt;"> </span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><font face="Calibri" size="3"> </font></p><p></p></div>License to Snorkel: James Bond on Mexico's Yucatan Coasthttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/license-to-snorkel-james-bond-on-the-yucatan-coast2013-07-01T18:12:51.000Z2013-07-01T18:12:51.000ZIberostar Hotels & Resortshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberostarHotelsResorts<div><p><a title="By Ezarate (Own work) [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons" href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AIslaMujeres.jpg"><img alt="IslaMujeres" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/IslaMujeres.jpg/1024px-IslaMujeres.jpg" width="1024" /></a></p><p><br /> Looking back at the 23 James Bond movies made so far, it’s hard to pick one that is widely considered by fans and critics alike to be the best. But chances are that <em>License to Kill</em> is unlikely to be too many people’s favorite: Considered to be one of the weakest movies by the critics, Tom Hibbert of Empire described Timothy Dalton’s performance as “quite hopeless” while <em>Entertainment Weekly</em> slammed the movie’s Bond girl Pam Bouvier as “a nagging pest”. Others however have defended the movie, claiming it is one of the most faithful to the Bond in Ian Fleming’s novels.<br /> <br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008774853,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="300" class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008774853,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008774853?profile=original" /></a>The production of <em>License to Kill</em> was fraught with problems from the beginning. While every previous Bond film had been produced at UK studios, a change in tax laws had meant that it was no longer feasible to use the British Pinewood studios and so an alternative had to be sourced. The problems continued post-production with the original name for the film, License Revoked, considered a poor choice in the US. As a result all marketing materials had to be re-created to reflect the change of movie title.<br /> <br /> <strong>Isla Mujeres<br /></strong> <br /> Much of <em>Licence to Kill</em> was set in <a title="Mexico" href="http://www.iberostar.com/EN/Mexico/hotels-Mexico.html">Mexico</a>, with Mexico City playing the part of the Republic of Isthmus. Underwater filming meanwhile took place around Isla Mujeres near Cancun on the Yucatan coast. The island, although undergoing much development in recent years, remains a charming retreat from the busy coastal resorts it faces on the mainland.<br /> <br /> For those on a <strong>Mexican vacation,</strong> Isla Mujeres is an easy day trip from Cancun, with visitors able to visit Dolphin Discovery or take Whale Shark tours in the summer months. Renowned for its clear waters and excellent snorkeling and scuba diving, it is no wonder that the production team chose to film their water-based sequences on Isle Mujeres.<br /> <br /> <strong>A Bond Farewell<br /> <br /></strong> <em>License to Kill</em> was something of a watershed for the James Bond story. It was Dalton’s final appearance as Bond before being replaced by Piers Brosnan. Others, too, made their Bond farewell in this film, including Robert Brown as ‘M’ and Caroline Bliss as Moneypenny.<br /> <br /> Whatever the merits of the movie, however, few can argue that one of its stars was the stunning <strong>Yucatan peninsula</strong> and its underwater marvels.<br /> <br /> Live your own James Bond adventure at Iberostar’s stunning <strong><a href="http://www.iberostar.com/EN/Mexico/hotels-Mexico.html">Yucatan resorts</a></strong>… or just veg on the beach. With a plethora of fun activities for kids and adults alike, it truly is up to you.</p><p> </p><p><br /> <span class="font-size-1"><em>From <a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com/page/29/" target="_blank">PassportToIberostar.com</a></em></span><br /> <span class="font-size-1"><em>Images | <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AIslaMujeres.jpg">Ezarate</a>, Wikipedia</em></span></p><p></p><p></p></div>Costa Rica Stars in New Hollywood Film 'After Words'https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/costa-rica-after-words2015-08-21T16:25:54.000Z2015-08-21T16:25:54.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008986866,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="150" class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008986866,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008986866?profile=original" /></a>Costa Rica has become the darling of the international news media even more than usual lately.</b> The popular tropical vacation destination is being featured in everything from <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/11785437/British-Airways-launches-new-flight-to-Costa-Rica.html" target="_blank">news articles</a> to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V48XULwdYg" target="_blank">cute commercials</a><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2226630/?ref_=ttmd_md_nm" target="_blank"></a>.<br /> <br /> Well, roll out the red carpet and get the spotlight ready, because <b>Costa Rica</b> is about to <b>premiere to the world in a new Hollywood feature film</b>.<br /> <br /> <b>Releasing today,</b> <strong>the new romantic feature film <em><a href="http://level33entertainment.com/After_Words.html" target="_blank">After Words</a></em>,</strong> starring <b>Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden</b> (<em>Fifty Shades of Grey</em>, <em>Pollock</em>, <em>Mystic River</em>), and <b>Goya and Platino award winners Oscar Jaenada</b> (<em>Cantinflas</em>, <em>Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides</em>), <b>shows off Costa Rica's now famous</b> <strong>beauty</strong> and fun-loving, relaxed way of life.<br /> <br /> <b>Level 33 Entertainment</b> is releasing the new <b>feature film made in Costa Rica</b> at an <b>exclusive screening in New York City</b> today, then releasing worldwide thereafter.</p><p></p><p><br /><iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aBSBvAoHKN4?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe><br /><br /><br /></p><p></p><p><br /> <br /> Costa Rica’s lush rainforest and beaches provide the romantic backdrop to the story. <b>“After Words” was filmed on location in July 2012</b> on the Pacific Coast <b>at</b> <b><a href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</a> eco-community south of Manuel Antonio</b>, in Quepos and <strong><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/national-parks.html" target="_blank">Manuel Antonio National Park</a></strong>, the <b>Tarcoles River</b>; and on the Caribbean coast at <b>Puerto Viejo and Tortuguero</b>. <br /> <br /> This will be <b>Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living’s</b> first <b>Hollywood feature film premiere</b>. “I’m really excited that this movie is finally coming out! We had a great time with the film crew on the day they were here. It will be so nice to see the film,” commented Guillermo Piedra Gonzalez, Portasol's general director. “The film is really positive about Costa Rica. As a matter of fact, it ties in with the Costa Rican Tourism Board’s campaign of <b>‘<a href="http://www.savetheamericans.org/" target="_blank">Save the Americans</a>’</b>, all about working too much and not enjoying life,” Piedra added.<br /><br /></p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008987055,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="550" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008987055,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008987055?profile=original" /></a><br /> <br /> Written by Joel Silverman</b> and <b>produced and directed by Juan Feldman</b>, the romantic drama <b>stars Marcia Gay Harden</b> <b>as Jane,</b> <b>a highly introverted librarian who loses her job</b> due to budget cuts and spirals downward into depression. Jane contemplates suicide and decides to <b>see something beautiful before she dies – beautiful, tropical Costa Rica</b>. Once in Costa Rica, she meets a <b>charismatic young tour guide named Juan (played by Oscar Jaenada)</b>, who makes his living off the many single female tourists who come on vacation. Together, they embark on an adventure around the many sights of Costa Rica, and eventually fall in love. Jane comes to appreciate the profound meaning of the <b>essential Costa Rican phrase <em>pura vida</em></b> (“pure life”), which may change her plans to “end it all” in paradise.<br /> <br /> <b>At Portasol, the film crew spent one day filming key scenes</b> – a love scene at one of Portasol’s waterfalls, hiking in the jungle and lunch at a restaurant. Portasol’s pool area was transformed into the mini-restaurant; and Portasol’s manager, Alex Chinchilla, got to play the role of waiter. A <b>“</b><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=066tbmovQsY" target="_blank">Behind the Scenes</a>” short film</b> of the experience was professionally made by Armando García of ICO Productions in Costa Rica.</p><p><br /> Piedra said that director Juan Feldman and writer Joel Silverman <b>chose Portasol for its <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/bio-reserve.html" target="_blank">wild tropical rainforest</a>, <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/la-cazuela-park.html" target="_blank">waterfalls</a> and proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park</b>. Besides being the perfect location, another reason was <b>the property’s excellent internet connection</b>. “The film crew was uploading the scenes they were shooting directly from their cameras to computers on site and to their server in the USA to have multiple back-ups of the filming,” explained Piedra.</p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008987883,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="550" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008987883,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008987883?profile=original" /></a><br /> How was it to meet and play host to Hollywood movie stars?</b> Said Piedra: “Oscar was really focused on his work. Marcia was really nice and outgoing, down-to-earth and fun. She went into our kitchen when our cooks were making their lunch, and started talking to the ladies about their recipes. She said she would like to come back to Costa Rica with her kids. We welcome her back anytime!”<br /> <br /> <b>Once released into theaters, <em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2226630/?ref_=ttmd_md_nm" target="_blank">After Words</a></em> also will be available on demand</b> via iTunes, Amazon, CinemaNow, Blockbuster, Comcast, DirecTV, Dish, Google Play, iNDemand, PlayStation, Vubiquity, VUDU, and Xbox.<br /> <br /> New York online film critic Harvey Karten in his movie review for <a href="http://www.shockya.com/news/2015/08/16/after-words-movie-review/" target="_blank">Shockya.com</a> summed up the movie and Costa Rica nicely: <b>“Hip travelers know that the best place to go on vacation is to Costa Rica.”</b></p><p></p><p><a href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank"><img width="550" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008988467,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008988467?profile=original" /><br /> <br /><br /><em>About Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</em></a></p><p><em><br />Visit the Costa Rica vacation destination that movie stars prefer – the <b>unique, <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/community/responsability.html" target="_blank">sustainable eco-development</a> of Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</b>.</em> <br /> <br /> <em>Set on <b>1,335 acres of pure rainforest on</b> <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/project-location.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast</a>, Portasol’s location is ideal – near national parks, uncrowded tropical beaches, top whitewater rafting rivers and wildlife-rich jungle. Looking to <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/destinations/want-unique-eco-community-costa-rica-property-investment/" target="_blank">invest in real estate in Costa Rica</a> or enjoy a <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/news-blog/183-why-choose-portasol-for-your-costa-rica-vacation-destination.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica vacation rental</a> for your holiday? <b>Portasol offers it all – </b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging/costa-rica-vacation-homes-for-rent-casa-de-paz.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica vacation accommodation</a> and <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/properties/costa-rica-property-management.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica properties for sale</a>.</em></p><p></p><p></p></div>Little Italy and Beyond: The New York City of 'The Godfather'https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/new-york-city-the-godfather-little-italy2014-11-19T21:01:28.000Z2014-11-19T21:01:28.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-618" alt="Little-Italy" src="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Little-Italy.jpg" width="1200" height="1200" /></p><p><br /> <em>by Marita Acosta</em><br /> <br /> Just this week came word that the Corleones' mansion in <strong>New York City</strong> is up for sale. Well, you know...the place where it was filmed...to the tune of $2.89 million. More details on the house below, which has entered pop-culture immortality as a key part of the Big Apple stomping grounds of the notorious fictional Mafia family, becoming a classic travel circuit for millions across the world. And not only are the wiseguys of this powerful movie trilogy based on <b>Mario Puzo’s</b> novel unimaginable without the Big Apple, but they themselves have also become an inextricable part of this city’s lore – and have provided plenty of local spots for <i>Godfather</i> fans to visit, evoking the scenes and spirit of this simultaneously vile, noble, tragic, and violent cinematic <b>Mafia</b> clan.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b7/TheGodfatherAlPacinoMarlonBrando.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b7/TheGodfatherAlPacinoMarlonBrando.jpg" class="align-right" alt="TheGodfatherAlPacinoMarlonBrando.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:13px;">When it comes to Italians in New York, most will immediately think of </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Little Italy</b><span style="font-size:13px;">, toward the more southerly precincts of Manhattan island. But though you can still come say you </span><b style="font-size:13px;">saw it on Mulberry Street</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> (to paraphrase </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Dr. Seuss</b><span style="font-size:13px;">), </span><b style="font-size:13px;"><i>la piccola Italia </i></b><span style="font-size:13px;">has been shrinking for many years, partly due to the expansion of adjacent </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Chinatown</b><span style="font-size:13px;">, to the point where fewer than 5 percent of Little Italy’s denizens remain of Italian heritage. Nevertheless, the time and place that most evoke New York’s Italians in general (and the Corleones – and even </span><b style="font-size:13px;">the Sopranos</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> from across the river in </span><b style="font-size:13px;">New Jersey</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> – more specifically), is Mulberry between Canal and Broome Streets during “da Feast,” aka the </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Feast of San Gennaro</b><span style="font-size:13px;">, 11 days in September organised around the September 19 celebration of Naples’ patron saint (the celebration will mark its 100th anniversary in 2016).<br /> <br /></span> <span style="font-size:13px;">Whether in September or at any other time of year, other landmarks you shouldn’t miss along Mulberry include 104-year-old </span><b style="font-size:13px;">St. Patrick’s Church</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> (263 Mulberry St.) whose interior was especially decorated for </span><i style="font-size:13px;">The Godfather</i><span style="font-size:13px;">’s classic baptism scene (actual relatives of director Francis Ford Coppola were used as extras). Afterward stop off for some refreshment at the century-old </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MulberryStBar" target="_blank" style="font-size:13px;">Mulberry Street Bar</a><span style="font-size:13px;"> (176½ Mulberry St., between Broome and Grand), setting for the scene in </span><i style="font-size:13px;">Part III</i><span style="font-size:13px;"> where </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Vincent Corleone</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> (</span><b style="font-size:13px;">Andy Garcia</b><span style="font-size:13px;">) shares a drink with his sister Mary. And don’t leave the premises without trying a cannoli, that fried stuffed pastry classic from Sicily immortalised by </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Vito Corleone</b><span style="font-size:13px;">’s lieutenant Peter Clemenza (Richard Castellano) in the unforgettable line, “Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.” But of course New York has five boroughs, and </span><i style="font-size:13px;">The Godfather</i><span style="font-size:13px;"> trilogy makes use of locations from at least three, including:<br /> <br /></span> <b style="font-size:13px;">The Bronx</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> Several scenes were shot in the</span><b style="font-size:13px;"> Belmont</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> section of the West Bronx, most notably the one where Michael whacks </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Virgil Sollozzo</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> and corrupt cop </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Captain Mark McClusky</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> at the old </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Luna Restaurant</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> at 3531 White Plains Road just off Gun Hill Road (near the </span><b style="font-size:13px;">New York Botanical Garden</b><span style="font-size:13px;">, by the way).<br /> <br /></span> <b style="font-size:13px;">Queens </b><span style="font-size:13px;"> Across the East River from Manhattan and accessible via free ferry from Manhattan’s southernmost tip, Queens is best known in the </span><i style="font-size:13px;">Godfather</i><span style="font-size:13px;"> canon for </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Calvary Cemetery</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> in </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Maspeth/Woodside</b><span style="font-size:13px;">, where </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Vito Corleone</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> was laid to rest.<br /> <br /></span> <b style="font-size:13px;">Staten Island</b><span style="font-size:13px;">, the slightly more outlying island borough south of Manhattan, accessible via free public ferry (below) from </span><b style="font-size:13px;">South Ferry</b><span style="font-size:13px;">, Manhattan’s southernmost point; getting there is part of the fun (as is the iconic view of the </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Statue of Liberty</b><span style="font-size:13px;">). You can find the aforementioned Vito’s stone manse at 110 Longfellow Avenue, which along with 120 Longfellow was the site of scenes from </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Connie Corleone</b><span style="font-size:13px;">’s wedding was where the Godfather finally bought the farm from a heart attack in the garden out back.<br /> <br /></span></p><div><p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-627" alt="EagleEyez on Flickr" src="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/EagleEyez-on-Flickr.jpg" width="778" height="438" /></p><p><b><br /> Manhattan</b> Lots of choices here, including the <b>New York Eye and Ear Infirmary</b> at East 14 St. and 2nd Ave., site of Vito’s hospital scenes. In addition, check out <b>Ellis Island</b>, an interesting and often moving museum and historic site which years past processed most European immigrants to the United States, including <b>Vito Andolini</b>, named after his hometown by a confused immigration bureaucrat (<b>Marlon Brando</b> is sublime here). Then, just east of Little Italy, in the <b>East Village</b> between cool eateries and edgy little boutiques you’ll find the <b>Museum of the American Gangster </b>(78 St. Marks Place), above a onetime speakeasy frequented by <strong>Al Capone,</strong> <b>Lucky Luciano</b>, and much more recently the “dapper don,” <b>John Gotti</b>. Over in the West Village, follow that up with lunch, dinner, or a hush-hush drink at <b>Employees Only</b> (510 Hudson St.), a restaurant/bar inspired by the speakeasies of <b>Prohibition</b>.</p><p><br /> Now, is all that an offer you can’t refuse, or what?</p><p></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-1"><em>images | 2 Paramount Pictures, 3 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/eagleeyez/">EagleEyez</a><br /></em></span></p><p></p><p></p></div></div>When Tenerife Became the Battleground of the Godshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/when-tenerife-became-the-home-of-the-gods2013-07-11T12:00:00.000Z2013-07-11T12:00:00.000ZIberostar Hotels & Resortshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberostarHotelsResorts<div><p><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ARoque_Cinchado_al_Parc_Nacional_del_Teide.Tenerife.jpg.JPG" target="_blank"><img width="1024" class="align-center" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/13/Roque_Cinchado_al_Parc_Nacional_del_Teide.Tenerife.jpg.JPG/1024px-Roque_Cinchado_al_Parc_Nacional_del_Teide.Tenerife.jpg.JPG?width=1024" alt="1024px-Roque_Cinchado_al_Parc_Nacional_del_Teide.Tenerife.jpg.JPG?width=1024" /></a></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9296576685,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="200" class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9296576685,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9296576685?profile=original" /></a>Sometimes when you watch a lousy movie, the only compliments you can muster are about the scenery. For many people this was the case with the 2010 remake of <em>Clash of the Titans,</em> widely criticized for the quality of the 3-D graphics as well as the dubious plot. In fact, the landscapes of the <a title="Canary Islands" href="http://www.iberostar.com/EN/Canary-Islands/hotels-Canary-Islands.html">Canary Islands</a> were the only feature of the film to have emerged with credit. Even the actors spoke very highly of their own surprise in discovering the natural diversity and dramatic views across Gran Canaria, <a title="Tenerife" href="http://www.iberostar.com/EN/Tenerife/hotels-Tenerife.html">Tenerife</a> and Lanzarote, where the filming took place.<br /> <br /> <strong>Clash of the Titans<br /> <br /></strong> The movie takes several strands of Greek mythology and blends them to create a story. The hero Perseus is destined to save the people of Argos and avenge the deaths of his parents by slaying Kraken, the monster belonging to Hades. His mission takes him into the underworld where he fights and kills the legendary Medusa, taking her head as the only thing that can kill the otherwise invincible Kraken. The body count piles up for both man and beast, while creatures fly over Canarian coastlines, fight atop the islands’ famous volcanoes and make their way through the pine trees that cover a large part of Tenerife.<br /> <br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008775687,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="200" class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008775687,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008775687?profile=original" /></a><br /> Throw in a mixture of death, love, betrayal, revenge and honour and you get the idea. Critics panned the movie yet it had enough success with its fans to warrant a 2012 sequel, <em>Wrath of the Titans</em>, also a Greek mythology pastiche and also location-filmed on Tenerife.<br /> <br /> <strong>More Than Beaches in Tenerife<br /> <br /></strong> As for Tenerife and its neighburing islands, the local people are delighted with the international exposure they've received. Known by many for being a year-round beach destination, relatively few visitors leave the resorts of <strong>south Tenerife</strong> to experience the interior of the island. Yet for those on <strong>holiday in Tenerife</strong> who take a trip to explore the forests and the gorges of the island there are plenty of surprises to delight them.<br /> <br /> The island is becoming increasingly known for the activities on offer, with hiking, cycling and kayaking all popular ways to explore the hidden parts of Tenerife. Perhaps you won’t see the flying horse Pegasus pass over your head while you’re wandering through the forest, but you never know – it might just be a visitor on a zip line!</p><p> </p><p><br /> <em><span class="font-size-1">from <a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com" target="_blank">PassportTo.Iberostar.com</a></span></em><br /> <em><span class="font-size-1">Images: Wikimedia</span></em></p><p> </p></div>'Fiddler on the Roof' and Croatiahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/fiddler-on-the-roof-and-croatia2013-03-02T15:37:55.000Z2013-03-02T15:37:55.000ZIberostar Hotels & Resortshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberostarHotelsResorts<div><p><a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com/page/22/ViolonSurLeToit.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/ViolonSurLeToit.jpg/800px-ViolonSurLeToit.jpg?width=500" width="500" class="align-center" alt="800px-ViolonSurLeToit.jpg?width=500" /></a></p><p><strong><br />From Stage to Screen<br /> <br /></strong> <span style="font-size:13px;">Best known as a Broadway musical, </span><em><strong style="font-size:13px;">Fiddler on the Roof</strong></em><span style="font-size:13px;"> has been delighting audiences for almost half a century with its blend of boisterous and mournful melodies. </span><strong style="font-size:13px;">The Tony award</strong><span style="font-size:13px;"> winning story of Tevye, the humble milkman with five young daughters and a feisty wife, has played out thousands of times on the stages of Broadway, London’s West End and in theatres all around the world.<br /> <br /></span> <span style="font-size:13px;">With such a popular stage play it was inevitable that a movie version would be made and in 1971 Norman Jewison directed a highly successful big screen adaptation of the <em>Fiddler</em> story. Jewison’s film featured most of the well-loved songs while the famous musician Isaac Stern provided the haunting violin solos.<br /> <br /></span> <strong style="font-size:13px;">Location, Location, Location<br /> <br /></strong> <span style="font-size:13px;">The choice of filming location was an interesting one. The story is set in Anatevka, a small shtetl (village) in Czarist Russian not far from Kiev. While now part of Ukraine, at the time of filming the area was deep into the Soviet Union and not the most practical place to shoot an American-made movie. A setting was needed that would resemble that turn of the century look of a Eastern European village. In addition a synagogue had to be constructed as part of the set that was a faithful reproduction of a 1905 Ukrainian synagogue; Robert Boyle, the production designer of <em>Fiddler</em>, looked at over 100 Ukrainian synagogues in his quest for absolute authenticity.<br /> <br /></span> <span style="font-size:13px;">The small towns of Lekenik and Mala Gorica near Croatia's capital Zagreb</span><span style="font-size:13px;"> were chosen to represent Anatevka and for the duration of the movie makers’ presence in town were transformed into 1905 Russian villages. In truth, such a transition was probably not as complicated as its sounds. The buildings of Lekenik were made of wood and very much in the style of the houses that would have stood in Ukraine at the start of the 20</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size:13px;"> century. The production team took advantage of the fact that things change very slowly in the rural landscapes of Eastern Europe.<br /> <br /></span> <strong style="font-size:13px;">Visiting Croatia Today<br /> <br /></strong> <span style="font-size:13px;">Take a </span><strong style="font-size:13px;">vacation in Croatia</strong><span style="font-size:13px;"> now and you’re likely to enjoy the finest, most modern hotel facilities and some of the Mediterranean’s finest seafood. But if you take a trip into the rural inland areas of Croatia, you may find your mind going back to another age; to a time where five daughters were proving more than a handful for a certain troubled milkman!<br /> <br /> </span></p><p><span class="font-size-1"><em>Photo | <a title="Wikimedia" href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ViolonSurLeToit.jpg" target="_blank">Morburre</a> </em></span><br /> <br /> <span class="font-size-1"><em>[adapted from a post on our blog <a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com" target="_blank">PassportToIberostar</a>]<br /><br /><br /></em></span></p></div>An Italian Town That Put the Spaghetti in 'Spaghetti Western'https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/an-italian-town-that-put-the-spaghetti-in-spaghetti-western2013-01-29T18:53:04.000Z2013-01-29T18:53:04.000ZIberostar Hotels & Resortshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberostarHotelsResorts<div><p><a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com/2011/11/spaghetti-western-italy/spaghetti-westerns-italy-nicksarebi-on-flickr/" target="_blank"><img src="http://passportto.iberostar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Spaghetti-westerns-Italy-nicksarebi-on-Flickr.jpg?width=640" width="640" class="align-center" alt="Spaghetti-westerns-Italy-nicksarebi-on-Flickr.jpg?width=640" /></a></p><p><br /> Rather like the best 1970s disaster movies or the science fiction B-movies of the 1960s, the <strong>spaghetti western</strong> still boasts a strong and dedicated following many decades after the last movie was produced and the dust, quite literally settled. And like these other genres, even those who look back fondly at the age of sharp shooters in dusty saloons remember the films not so much for their artistic merit as for the joy they brought to a whole generation of young <strong>movie fans</strong>.<br /> <br /> <strong style="font-size:13px;">What Were Spaghetti Westerns?<br /> <br /></strong> <span style="font-size:13px;">While the original westerns were filmed in the American Southwest, spaghetti Westerns such as the famous </span><em><strong style="font-size:13px;">A Few Dollars More</strong></em><span style="font-size:13px;"> were shot in cheaper locations in Europe. The Spanish deserts of <strong>Andalusia, Spain</strong> were a popular filming location, as was Cabras in western <strong>Sardinia, Italy</strong>. </span><a title="Sardinia" href="http://www.iberostar.com/EN/Sardinia-hotels/Iberostar-Carlos-V.html" style="font-size:13px;"></a><span style="font-size:13px;">The Italian film director </span><strong style="font-size:13px;">Sergio Leone</strong><span style="font-size:13px;">, known as the father of the spaghetti Western genre, had long been fascinated with the American Old West and in the 1960s embarked on his grand project of recreating the Hollywood western genre of movie but with a relatively tiny budget.<br /> <br /></span> <span style="font-size:13px;">The tiny village of </span><strong style="font-size:13px;">San Salvatore di Cabras</strong><span style="font-size:13px;"> was transformed into a Mexican desert outpost, complete with saloon bar and the obligatory swinging doors. Movies were churned out at an impressive rate, quantity clearly taking precedence over quality. It was reported that western Sardinia was the perfect location for Leone’s productions, not only for the arid landscapes that resembled the American Southwest but also for some of the shady characters that were known to live in this part of Italy.<br /> <br /></span> <strong style="font-size:13px;">The Legacy of Sergio Leone<br /> <br /></strong> <span style="font-size:13px;">Cabras now is a small sleepy town that is a pleasant drive south of the popular </span><strong style="font-size:13px;">Sardinian resort</strong><span style="font-size:13px;"> of <strong>Alghero</strong></span><span style="font-size:13px;">. A visit to Cabras will provide a flavor of Italy of course, but will probably feel a million miles from the American badlands of sharp-shooting cowboys.<br /> <br /></span> <span style="font-size:13px;">True to form for an enterprise that was focused on low costs, most of the buildings put up by the movie makers are long gone. But look closely and you might still find one or two of those Mexican façades belonging to another time and another place. Perhaps the </span><strong style="font-size:13px;">Wild West</strong><span style="font-size:13px;"> of Sergio Leone is still alive in Sardinia after all!<br /> <br /> <br /></span></p><p><span class="font-size-1"><em>Photo | </em></span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/34517490@N00/"><span class="font-size-1"><em>nicksarebi</em></span><br /> <br /> <span class="font-size-1"><em>[</em></span></a><span class="font-size-1"><em>Originally posted on <a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com" target="_blank">PassportToIberostar.com</a>]<br /> <br /> <br /></em></span></p></div>Lights, Action...Social Media: Movies and Travelhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/lights-action-social-media-movies-and-travel-12013-01-31T22:00:00.000Z2013-01-31T22:00:00.000ZKaleel Sakakeenyhttps://tripatini.com/members/KaleelSakakeeny<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008749884,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008749884,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="522" alt="9008749884?profile=original" /></a></p><p>A funny thing happened on the way to the movies.<br /> <br /> <strong>Forty million international movie-goers opted to travel to a place where a movie they loved was shot.</strong><br /> <a href="http://www.traveldailynews.com/news/article/52784/40-millions-international-tourists-chose" target="_blank">Travel Daily News</a> (TDN) reports that these travelers made their travel plans and chose their destinations based on a movie they saw in 2012. Obviously, as TDN says, filming in a destination is "clearly a very efficient driver for attracting new visitors."<br /> <br /> <strong>Makes sense. As <a href="http://mashable.com/2010/11/29/social-media-movie-marketing/" target="_blank">Mashable</a> reported, old Hollywood had its star system and magazines. New movieland has its Twitter, Facebook and multiple mobile devices.</strong><br /> <br /> Although movies have always shown trailers, studios are now using Facebook and Twitter to show their trailers, creating special web sites to screen the previews, and creating "viral alternate realities," using location-based services.<br /> <br /> And "crowdsourced screening locations" is another way the movie industry can turn a $15,000 dollar-to-make <em>Paranormal Activity</em>, into a $150 million dollar success. Movie execs at Paramount used Facebook to get fans to ask for a showing of the movie in their areas.<br /> One million fan requests snowballed into major box office receipts.<br /> <br /> But, what's cool is how movies boost travel and tourism.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://tci-research.com/" target="_blank">TCI Research</a>, which helps the tourism and travel industry with marketing and branding, noted that regions and cities that make movie-making easy through tax credits and support, will reap travel rewards by attracting first-time visitors, young travelers and multi-generational travelers.<br /> TravelSat. which benchmarks a destination's competitiveness, noted that since 1 in 10 visitors out of a hundred, would chose a destination based on a movie they saw, stronger links between the movie and travel and tourism industries makes big sense.<br /> <br /> Even though using movies to promote a destination is a relatively indirect marketing strategy, in comparison to a vigorous, more direct Social Media marketing campaign, it's an effective one, especially among the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries.<br /> <br /> <strong>What are the stand-out movies that most contributed to tourism's coffers?</strong><br /> <a href="http://www.aswetravel.com/movies-that-created-tourism-boom/" target="_blank">As We Travel</a> cited a few that created a tourism boomlet.<br /> <br /> • <em>Mamma Mia!</em> did wonders for Greece, and <em>Lord of the Rings</em> and <em>Narnia</em> gave New Zealand tourism a huge boost.<br /> It seems the mayor of the Greek island of Skopelos, the setting for Mamma Mia!, said the phones didn't stop ringing after the movie's debut, and the tourism surge actually had the locals concerned about destruction of the island's beauty and quality of life.</p><p>• The small town of Forks, Washington, the scene of the <em>Twilight Saga</em>, experienced <strong>a huge 1000% increase in lodgings</strong> as a result of the movie, and <em>The Beach</em> caused such a massive increase in tourism in Thailand, the area suffered serious coral reef damage and overfishing.<br /><br /> The impact of travel and tourism on a destination is a mixed blessing. <span style="font-size:13px;">Granted, the economies benefit; often the ecologies suffer. The increasing popularity of ecotourism, in part, is a reaction against the inevitable upset huge numbers of travelers cause.</span><br /> <br /> There is no shortage of opinions about the affect other movies have had on choosing a destination. Many say <em>In Bruges</em> was a big motivator to visit Belgium (I loved it) and <em>Braveheart</em> did wonders for Scotland.<br /> <br /> On the other hand, we're glad to see Turkey recovered from the devastatingly negative impact <em>The Midnight Express</em> had on its travel and tourism industry.</p></div>Don Quixote and the Movie That Never Washttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/don-quixote-and-the-movie-that-never-was2013-02-05T23:45:47.000Z2013-02-05T23:45:47.000ZIberostar Hotels & Resortshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberostarHotelsResorts<div><p><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMoulins_La_Mancha-edit.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Moulins_La_Mancha-edit.jpg/800px-Moulins_La_Mancha-edit.jpg?width=800" width="800" class="align-center" alt="800px-Moulins_La_Mancha-edit.jpg?width=800" /></a></p><p><br /> The name of Don Quixote is known around the world, even if the story behind the name is perhaps not so familiar. Written 400 years ago by <strong>Miguel de Cervantes</strong>, the novel describes the colorful adventures of <strong>Don Quixote of La Mancha</strong>, a retired country gentleman from the western La Mancha region of central <strong>Spain</strong>, who lives out a fantasy life based on the many romantic books he has spent his years reading. He battles imaginary enemies (famously including the windmills of La Mancha) and fights for the honor of Dulcinea, a neighboring farm girl who is completely unaware of her role as Quixote’s lady love.<br /> <br /> <strong style="font-size:13px;">Taking Don Quixote to the Big Screen<br /> <br /></strong> <span style="font-size:13px;">Such a marvelous story was always going to appeal to movie makers and it was no surprise when in 2000 </span><strong style="font-size:13px;">Terry Gilliam</strong><span style="font-size:13px;"> chose to make a movie about Don Quixote but with a modern twist. In Gilliam’s modern adaptation an advertising executive, trapped in another time, is mistaken for Quixote’s sidekick and has to take his place in his fantasy world.<br /> <br /></span> <span style="font-size:13px;">Little did Gilliam realise how much his own vision of a movie spectacular would resemble Quixote’s departure from reality. He started off with grand plans that would cost $40 million to produce. Even when this was scaled back to $32 it was still slated to become one of Europe’s biggest ever blockbusters. He chose a famous cast list that would be headed by Jean Rochefort, one of France’s leading movie stars. Rochefort spent seven months learning English in preparation for the project.</span></p><p><br /> <strong style="font-size:13px;">A Real Disaster Movie</strong></p><p><strong><br /></strong> <span style="font-size:13px;">Yet when filming started, everything that could go wrong did go wrong. A flash flood changed the color of the rocks in the landscape, destroying any continuity between shoots. Fighter jets passing overhead constantly caused disruption to the sound recording. Worst of all, Rochefort could not ride a horse without severe pain and was soon diagnosed with a double herniated disc. In despair, Gilliam abandoned the production leading to many legal wrangles over lost investments.</span></p><p><br /> <span style="font-size:13px;">During the last ten years several rumors have spread about a possible resumption of production. Things did get moving in 2009 with <strong>Robert Duvall</strong> cast as Quixote, but funding was pulled and the production collapsed again.</span></p><p><br /> <strong style="font-size:13px;">On the trail on Don Quixote</strong></p><p><strong><br /></strong> <span style="font-size:13px;">One day, Don Quixote may well ride across the big screen for the world to enjoy, perhaps even in 3-D. For now however, if you take a trip across the wilderness of the Andalusia </span><span style="font-size:13px;">interior or through the plains of La Mancha, you might stop and wonder about Don Quixote and his make-believe world. If you do see him, keep him away from the windmills!</span></p><p><br /> <br /> <span class="font-size-1"><em>originally posted on <a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com" target="_blank">PassportToIberostar.com</a></em></span><br /> <br /> <span class="font-size-1"><em>photo | </em></span><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMoulins_La_Mancha-edit.jpg"><span class="font-size-1"><em>Wikimedia Commons</em></span><br /> <br /> <br /></a></p></div>'Like Water For Chocolate' - Celebrating an Enduring Passion for Mexican Foodhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/like-water-for-chocolate-celebrating-an-enduring-passion-for2013-01-01T17:34:53.000Z2013-01-01T17:34:53.000ZIberostar Hotels & Resortshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberostarHotelsResorts<div><p><a title="By AlejandroLinaresGarcia (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons" href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMakingHotChocoVillaEtla3.jpg"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/MakingHotChocoVillaEtla3.jpg/800px-MakingHotChocoVillaEtla3.jpg" alt="MakingHotChocoVillaEtla3" width="800" /></a></p><p><br /> <em>by <a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profile/AndyJarosz" target="_blank">Andy Jarosz</a></em><br /> <br /> If ever a movie has perfected the ability of making its audience hungry it’s surely this Mexican classic. Released as <em>Como Agua para Chocolate</em> (Like Water for Chocolate) in 1992 and based on the 1989 novel of the same name by Laura Esquivel , the story is set in the 1910s in revolutionary <a title="Iberostar Mexico" href="http://www.iberostar.com/EN/Mexico/hotels-Mexico.html">Mexico</a>. It features sweeping landscapes, smoldering passions (literally) and the most bitter family politics, yet the central theme of traditional <strong>Mexican cooking</strong> and its power to evoke the wildest deep emotions is never far from center stage.<br /> <br /> <strong>Like Water for Chocolate<br /> <br /></strong> In the movie, the main character Tita falls in love with her heartthrob Pedro. They want to marry, but as the youngest daughter, tradition dictates that she must remain single and look after her mother until she dies. Pedro is instead forced to marry Tita’s older sister, and to make matters worse, they all live under the mother’s roof. Tita quite literally throws her passions into her cooking and as the household’s head chef, she sets about creating dishes that spark the most uncontrollable emotional outbursts among the family members.<br /> <br /> “Like Water for Chocolate” offers an insight into <strong>Mexican history</strong> and the traditions of Mexican family life 100 years ago, even if this insight flits between reality and a very colorful fantasy. The movie won an Ariel Award from the Mexican Academy of Film, but its greater achievement was in giving prominence to the wonders of traditional Mexican cuisine to the wider world.<br /> <br /> <strong>A Taste of Mexican Food<br /> <br /></strong> As the title suggests, chocolate is a central ingredient in Mexican cooking, used not only in making desserts but also in many savory favorites. In its dark bitter form chocolate makes a natural addition to meat dishes and sauces. Perhaps no traditional Mexican dish is more celebrated than ‘mole’, a rich sauce that is often served with meat and rice. Chocolate is a popular ingredient in mole, usually added at the end of cooking in order to preserve its taste to the fullest.<br /> <br /> One of the highlights of a vacation in Mexico is without doubt the tremendous variety of food on offer. Take the time to sample mole and be sure to have a sip of the Mexican drinking chocolate. And if you’ve enjoyed this dramatic<strong>chocolate film</strong> before your trip, you’ll be aware of what passions the tastes of Mexico might ignite inside you!</p><p><br /> <iframe width="960" height="720" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Vqm8_GjKDBc?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <em>Photo | <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMakingHotChocoVillaEtla3.jpg" target="_blank">AlejandroLinaresGarcia<br /> <br /></a> [originally posted on our blog <a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com/" target="_blank">PassportToIberiostar.com</a>]<br /> <br /> <br /></em></p></div>Tunisia As Backdrop for 'Star Wars'https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/tunisia-as-backdrop-for-star-wars2012-12-20T14:31:24.000Z2012-12-20T14:31:24.000ZIberostar Hotels & Resortshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberostarHotelsResorts<div><p><a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/3899025587_b6fd0131c3_z.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://passportto.iberostar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/3899025587_b6fd0131c3_z.jpg?width=640" width="640" class="align-center" alt="3899025587_b6fd0131c3_z.jpg?width=640" /></a></p><p><br /> When <strong>George Lucas</strong> first created the <strong>Star Wars trilogy</strong>, he likely never never imagined that the films, set in <strong>Tunisia,</strong> would draw in thousands of fans yearly to the country to this day. Many Star Wars fans have already found their way to the deserts of southern Tunisia, 'in a galaxy far far away’ that set the scene for one of history's most famous films <strong>.<br /> <br /></strong> As the producer and director of the trilogy, George Lucas traveled to exotic lands to find the perfect setting for his epic space opera film. Tunisia’s sprawling deserts, bizarre landscapes and peculiar underground dwellings are what drew George Lucas to this North African country.<br /> <br /> Years later, he commented, “When I was searching in 1977 for a place to make the first <em>Star Wars</em> movie I found Tunisia the ideal country for filming: beautiful countryside, unique architecture and a very high level of technical sophistication.” </p><p><strong><br /> Film locations in Tunisia<br /> <br /></strong> <a href="http://www.iberostar.com/EN/Tozeur/hotels-Tozeur.html" target="_blank">Tozeur</a> makes for an excellent base to visit the nearby Star Wars film locations. Just outside of town is the film set of Mos Espa, where visitors can explore its gates, pod-racing arena, gallery and market. Walking through the set, it’s easy to confuse illusion with reality. Just 23km out of town, you’ll find the Star Wars Canyon, which was also featured in other movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark and The English Patient.<br /> <br /> But for those who are looking to get beyond the film locations, Tozeur itself is worth a visit. An oasis set amidst a jungle of palm trees, this is the gateway to the<strong> Sahara Desert</strong>. Explore the desert on camelback or take in the hypnotic atmosphere of the desert.<br /> <br /> The fictional planet of Tatooine, home to Anakin and Luke Skywalker, actually got its name from a real inland city in southern Tunisia called Tataouine (pictured above). Most of the scenes featuring Tatooine were shot in the hills and villages surrounding this town.<br /> <br /> After following the Star Wars trail, kick back on the island of <a href="http://www.iberostar.com/EN/Djerba/hotels-Djerba.html" target="_blank">Djerba</a>, best known for its resorts and beaches. Town is just a hop away from Toshi Station and Ben’s hermitage which was used as the house of Obi-wan Kenobi.<br /> <br /> For those planning a <strong>Tunisia vacation</strong>, indulge yourself in some outer space fantasy while lounging by the beach. We're sure George Lucas would like that.</p><p><br /> <br /> <em><span class="font-size-1">Originally posted on our <a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com" target="_blank">Passport To Iberiastar blog</a>.</span></em><br /> <br /> <em><span class="font-size-1">Photo | </span></em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mamnaimie/3899025587/" target="_blank"><em><span class="font-size-1">mamnaimie</span></em><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /></a></p></div>Robert De Niro's Love Affair With the Dominican Republichttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/robert-de-niro-s-love-affair-with-the-dominican-republic2012-11-13T14:05:00.000Z2012-11-13T14:05:00.000ZIberostar Hotels & Resortshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberostarHotelsResorts<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008740501,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008740501,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" class="align-center" alt="9008740501?profile=original" /></a><br /> <br /> <em>by <a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profile/AndyJarosz" target="_blank">Andy Jarosz</a></em><br /> <br /> Double agents, high drama, betrayal and plenty of high-tech gadgetry. <em>The Good Shepherd</em>, directed by <strong>Robert De Niro</strong> and released in 2006, had all the magic ingredients of a classic spy film. With <strong>Matt Damon</strong> and <strong>Angelina Jolie</strong> providing the obligatory glamor it was no surprise that the movie became a box-office success. What is perhaps less obvious, even to those who may have watched <em>The Good Shepherd</em> on more than one occasion, is that many of the scenes were shot in the <strong>Dominican Republic</strong>.<br /> <br /> <strong>De Niro and the Dominican Republic</strong><br /> <br /> De Niro had already spent time in the DR during the filming of <em>Godfather Part II</em> when the island served as a substitute for the inaccessible Cuba. Now working as the director of this high-octane spy thriller, he chose the Dominican Republic again as the backdrop for the Cuba scenes, as well as some of the other more exotic sequences.<br /> <br /> When De Niro came to the island to choose the most appropriate locations for the movie he certainly didn’t go unnoticed. In fact he met with President Leonel Fernández in Santo Domingo and toured the old quarter, carefully looking for the streets that would best fit his image of Havana. He also toured the more rural parts of the island to find scenery that could be used for the Congo scenes; again, viewers would be unaware that the movie scenes were in fact a long way from the real African jungles that were being portrayed.<br /> <br /> <strong>Celebrity Island</strong><br /> <br /> During the filming of the De Niro movie, the local people were said to have been very excited at the frequent sightings of Angelina Jolie, Matt Damon and Robert De Niro himself wandering through their neighborhoods. De Niro himself is said to have become very fond of the Dominican Republic and looked at ways in which to invest in the local tourism industry.<br /> <br /> On the one hand it does seem a little bit sad that in these De Niro films the Dominican Republic is pretending to be someplace else. On the other hand it is a great endorsement of the rich variety of exotic landscapes and historic buildings that any visitor can enjoy on a vacation in the Dominican Republic.<br /> <br /> <br /> <span class="font-size-1">Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73416633@N00/" target="_blank">Flickr/colros</a></span><br /> <br /> <br /> <em><span class="font-size-1">This post original ran on our blog <a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com" target="_blank">PassportToIberostar.com<br /> <br /> <br /></a></span></em></p></div>The 60th San Sebastián International Film Festivalhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/60th-san-sebastian-international-film-festival-september-21-292012-09-19T01:24:45.000Z2012-09-19T01:24:45.000ZDebbie Rodriguezhttps://tripatini.com/members/DebbieRodriguez<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008731871,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008731871,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="550" alt="9008731871?profile=original" /></a></p><p> </p><p>The <b>60th San Sebastián International Film Festival</b> will take place September 21 to 29 in Spain's northern Basque region. The primary focus of Spain’s A-list <b>festival</b> is to serve as a showcase for each year's most innovative films. The festival seeks to make a positive contribution to developing culture and the film industry. The festival is accredited by the <a href="http://www.fiapf.org" target="_blank">International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF)</a>, in the “competitive non-specialized film festivals” category.<br /> <br /> Nicholas Jarecki's film <em>Arbitrage</em>, starring Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon, will open the <b>60th San Sebastián International Film Festival</b>. Both actors have previously won the festival's Lifetime Achievement Award and will attend the European premiere of Jarecki's debut.<br /> <br /> Dustin Hoffman will be honored with the fifth and final Donostia Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s f<b>estival</b>, where the Academy Award-winning actor will present his directorial debut in the film <em>Quartet</em>.<br /> <br /> Oliver Stone, Tommy Lee Jones, Ewan McGregor and John Travolta will receive the Donostia Awards at this year’s <b>festival</b>.<br /> <br /> Oliver Stone’s latest film, <em>Savages</em>, will premiere at the <b>festival</b>. <em>Savages</em> features a cast that includes John Travolta, Benicio Del Toro, Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Salma Hayek, Emile Hirsch and Demian Bichir. John Travolta and Benicio Del Toro will accompany Stone at this year’s f<b>estival</b>.<br /> <br /> The <b>San Sebastián festival</b> is known for its glamour and fine filmmaking. The list of celebrities and film makers attending the <b>festival</b> since its early days is memorable, including Federico Fellini, Gloria Swanson, Alfred Hitchcock, Kirk Douglas, Jean-Luc Godard, Deborah Kerr, Leslie Caron, King Vidor, Monica Vitti, Anthony Mann, Bernardo Bertolucci, Anhony Quinn, Audrey Hepburn, Francis Ford Coppola, Fritz Lang, Francisco Rabal, Robert Altman, Howard Hawks, Elizabeth Taylor, François Truffaut, Orson Welles, Steven Spielberg, Richard Burton, Gina Lollobrigida, Harrison Ford, Roman Polanski, Jacqueline Bisset, George Peppard, Sydney Pollack, Peter O'Toole, Charlton Heston, Glenn Close, Anjelica Huston, Sophia Loren, Mel Gibson, Keanu Reaves, Matt Dillon, Antonio Banderas, Bertrand Tavernier, and many more.<br /> <br /> The <b>San Sebastián Film Festival</b>, held in one of Europe's most welcoming, quaint cities, offers stunning landscapes surrounded by the city and picturesque Basque beach town. San Sebastián plays an important part in the <b>festival</b>'s devotion toward rediscovering cinema, while offering its visitors delightful beaches, excellent cuisine, and great cinema! The <b>festival</b> will take place at Teatro Victoria Eugenia located at Plaza de Okendo. For details, visit <a href="http://www.sansebastianfestival.com/"><b>www.sansebastianfestival.com</b></a> or contact <a href="mailto:ssiff@sansebastianfestival.com"><b>ssiff@sansebastianfestival.com</b></a><b>.</b> <br /> <br /></p></div>An Offer They Couldn't Refuse: Santo Domingo Becomes Havana For a Dayhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/an-offer-they-couldn-t-refuse-santo-domingo-becomes-havana-for-a2012-05-04T14:30:00.000Z2012-05-04T14:30:00.000ZIberostar Hotels & Resortshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberostarHotelsResorts<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008701298,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008701298,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="350" class="align-right" alt="9008701298?profile=original" /></a></p><p><em>by <a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profile/AndyJarosz" target="_blank">Andy Jarosz</a></em><br /><br />The "Godfather" trilogy comprises without a doubt three of the most celebrated movies of all time. Almost 40 years after the release of the first <strong><em>Godfather</em> movie,</strong> the plots, the characters and the memorable lines are well known to a huge fan base, many of whom were born even after Francis Ford Coppola directed the final movie.<br /> <br /> <strong>Havana Hotel Scene<br /> <br /></strong> While the characters in the Godfather trilogy may have been able to ‘arrange’ pretty much anything, the movie production team did not enjoy such unlimited powers. An important scene in the original Mario Puzo book takes place at a <strong>hotel in <a title="Iberostar Cuba" href="http://www.iberostar.com/EN/Cuba/hotels-Cuba.html" target="_blank">Cuba</a>, </strong>Havana’s mob-owned Hotel Capri, where Michael (Al Pacino) is staying while trying to build a good relationship with the pre-revolutionary government so that he may be left alone to conduct his ‘business.’ (The image above, by the way, is not the Capri, but rather the Centro Gallego, or Galician Social Club, representing the glamor and elegance of Havana in its heyday).<br /> <br /> <strong>A Cuban Hotel in the Dominican Republic?<br /> <br /></strong> During the film shoot, Cuba was very much off-limits for any American production. An alternative location needed to be found. Enter El Embajador in Santo Domingo, the capital of the <a title="Iberostar Dominican Republic" href="http://www.iberostar.com/EN/Dominican-Republic/hotels-Dominican-Republic.html" target="_blank">Dominican Republic</a>. This grand 1950s hotel was considered a close match to the Capri in Havana and so was chosen as the ideal substitute.<br /> <br /> If Coppola thought that moving the Cuban scenes to the Dominican Republic would solve his problems he was soon to get another shock. On arrival in <strong>Santo Domingo</strong>, Al Pacino developed pneumonia and had to be given time to fully recuperate, delaying the shoot by a whole month. The filming was finally completed and the resulting second movie in the Godfather series is considered by many fans to be the best of the trilogy.<br /> <br /> <strong>Dominican Republic in the Movies<br /> <br /></strong> The original decision to shoot the Cuban scenes in the Dominican Republic was part of a planned strategy by the owners of Paramount pictures to use the country as a cheap and attractive location. Their ambitions never really came to fruition, with the Godfather remaining to this day as the best-known international movie to have been filmed here.<br /> <br /> Perhaps for those on a <strong>Dominican Republic vacation</strong> that’s just as well. After all, if you’re looking for a relaxing break in the sun, you don’t want to share your hotel with a movie crew – especially if they’re dressed as gangsters!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <em><span class="font-size-1">This post originally ran the the blog Passport to Iberostar.</span> </em></p></div>'Against All Odds' and Football With a Maya Twisthttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/against-all-odds-and-football-with-a-maya-twist2012-05-08T13:17:02.000Z2012-05-08T13:17:02.000ZIberostar Hotels & Resortshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberostarHotelsResorts<div><p><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008697288,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008697288,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" class="align-center" alt="9008697288?profile=original" /></a><br /><br />by <a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profile/AndyJarosz" target="_blank">Andy Jarosz</a></em><br /><br />An out-of-favor American football player turns up in <strong>Cozumel </strong>in search of a girl. They fall in love amid danger, dirty deals and murder. Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward add the necessary sparkle while a soundtrack featuring the well-known Phil Collins title song ensures worldwide success. <br /><br /><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008697679,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008697679,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="256" class="align-right" alt="9008697679?profile=original" /></a>But it may be the spectacular locations on the<strong> Yucatan peninsula</strong> chosen for 1984's “Against All Odds” that really steal the show. Chichen Itza, recently listed as one of the "Seven Wonders of the World," forms a spectacular backdrop for the movie’s pivotal scene, where modern-day football is compared to the<strong> ball games</strong> once played at this ancient site.<br /><br /><strong>Maya Ball Games, Anyone?<br /><br /></strong>You thought American football was rough on the players? Maya <em>pelota</em> was a brutal game with a particularly gruesome finale and is considered to have been an important part of <strong>Maya culture</strong>. The game was played on a T-shaped ball court, examples of which can be found at sites across Mexico and Central America. Players would wear heavy leather padding across their chest, arms and knees, along with a stone belt with which they would make contact with the ball. The aim of the game was to keep the ball (similar to a <strong>soccer ball</strong> but far heavier) from touching the ground and this was done by using the elbows, knees or hips. Points were scored if the ball was hit against a stone ring on the side of the court (above right, in the picture).<br /><br />Exactly how the game was played is largely unclear, yet perhaps it’s the gruesome ending of a Maya <strong>football game </strong>that is most disputed. Many believe that the losing captain was beheaded and his life offered as a sacrifice to the gods. Others suggest that it was in fact the winning captain who was sacrificed; after all, it was important to offer the most valuable gift to gain favor with the deities. That someone was killed at the end of a game is the one thing that’s not in doubt.<br /><br /><strong>Visiting Ball Courts at Chichen Itza and Coba<br /><br /></strong>Apart from being an admittedly high-risk sport, the ball games were also an integral part of religious observance during the centuries of pre-Columbian <strong>Maya civilization.</strong> Every community of significance had a ball court, and easily accessible examples can be found in both <strong>Chichen Itza</strong> and <strong>Coba</strong>. Both sites are within easy reach of the resorts along the Yucatan coast, and make for a great day trip from <a title="Playa del Carmen" href="http://www.iberostar.com/EN/Mexico/hotels-Mexico.html" target="_blank">Playa Paraiso</a> or <a title="Cancun" href="http://www.iberostar.com/EN/Cancun-hotels/Iberostar-Cancun.html" target="_blank">Cancun</a>.</p><p><br /><br />Photos | <a href="http://www.501places.com/" target="_blank">Andy Jarosz</a>, Columbia Pictures</p></div>Morocco a Favorite Backdrop for Action-Adventure Movieshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/morocco-a-favorite-backdrop-for-action-adventure-movies2014-04-11T15:03:20.000Z2014-04-11T15:03:20.000ZIberostar Hotels & Resortshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberostarHotelsResorts<div><p><em><br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008692289,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008692289,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" class="align-center" alt="9008692289?profile=original" /></a><br /> by Susana Alosete</em></p><p>When you think about films associated with <a href="http://www.iberostar.com/EN/Morocco/hotels-Morocco.html" target="_blank" title="Iberostar Morocco">Morocco</a>, your mind can’t help but shift to black and white, as the faces of<strong>Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart</strong> appear along with the soundtrack of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034583/" target="_blank">“Casablanca.”</a> However, this mythical movie was shot entirely in California, though it has left us with the memory of a romantic but dangerous Morocco.<br /> <br /> Many movies have been filmed in this African nation, which prides itself on its own version of Hollywood or, as we Spaniards would say, its own Almería in the age of Westerns. One city in particular stands out for its popularity amongst American film productions which frequent the famous <strong>Atlas Studios:</strong> the city of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouarzazate" target="_blank">Ouarzazate</a>. This city is unique in that it combines its location in a valley with its proximity to both mountains and desert, with photogenic adobe houses that have acted as the set for a variety of films, including <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056172/" target="_blank">“Lawrence of Arabia”</a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250223/" target="_blank">“Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra.”</a> The film crews for other productions such as <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100594/" target="_blank">“The Sheltering Sky”</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120616/" target="_blank">“The Mummy”</a> (pictured above) and our beloved 007 in<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093428/" target="_blank">“The Living Daylights”</a> have also wandered these same streets<em>.<br /> <br /></em> Set in the south of the country, <strong>this city is a must-see for film lovers</strong> who, in addition to recreating scenes from their favorite flicks, can enjoy the spicy Moroccan cuisine and delicious mint teas (just be careful not to fall into the pot like Obelix!).<br /> <br /> As in many other movie towns, visiting the studios is a tourist attraction in itself, and though it doesn’t have the typical attractions you may find in other <strong>movie-themed parks</strong>, lovers of classic cinema may evoke their silver screen memories and imagine Elizabeth Taylor dressed as Cleopatra exiting the temple in the luxurious recreation of <strong>Egypt </strong>in<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056937/" target="_blank">Joseph Leo Mankiewicz’s film</a>, which was also shot here.<br /> <br /> As with any city so close to the desert, summer is not really the best time to visit. But since we can’t always choose our vacation dates, just remember to load your suitcase with light, white clothing and end your day with a refreshing swim at any of the beaches you’ll find only a few kilometers away on Morocco’s gorgeous coast.</p><p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <span class="font-size-2">Photo | <a href="http://www.universalstudiosentertainment.com/the-mummy-tomb-of-the-dragon-emperor/" target="_blank">Universal Pictures</a></span></p><p><span class="font-size-2"> </span></p><p><span class="font-size-2"><a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com/2011/08/capture-the-magic-of-adventure-films-in-morocco/" target="_blank">This post originally appeared on PassportToIberia.com</a></span></p></div>Paris Movie Walks Update: "Inception" With Leonardo Di Capriohttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/paris-movie-walks-update2010-11-30T21:53:40.000Z2010-11-30T21:53:40.000ZMichael Schuermannhttps://tripatini.com/members/MichaelSchuermann<div><p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;display:block;text-align:justify;"></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,52,95);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;line-height:22px;"><img width="716" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008584654,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="" /></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align:left;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;display:block;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,52,95);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;line-height:22px;">(After the book <a href="http://parismoviewalks.co.uk/about-the-book/">Paris Movie Walks</a> came out last year, I've discovered several more sites that I want to share with my readers. Inception is one of them. For others, feel free to read them in my <a href="http://parismoviewalks.co.uk/category/updates/">official site</a>.)</span></p><p style="text-align:left;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;display:block;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,52,95);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;line-height:22px;">Just before <strong>Inception</strong> came out, when anything everybody had ever seen from it were a few clips and a print synopsis, it was hailed, even by journalists from serious newspapers as a masterpiece, a thinking man’s adventure entertainment, half reflection on the nature of human consciousness, half action flick.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;display:block;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,52,95);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;line-height:22px;">They really should have known better because once the movie was actually released, this initial enthusiasm quickly evaporated. It was plain for all to see that the producers, inevitably unable to square this particular circle and, faced with the need to go for big-box-office schlock or philosophical profundity, had called in the guys from the pyrotechnics department.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;display:block;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,52,95);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;line-height:22px;">The Guardian’s movie critic awarded it in the end three out of five stars, which was probably par for the course.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;display:block;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,52,95);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;line-height:22px;">There is, however, one scene in the film that has survived the general disappointment to become almost iconic, and many more people than those who watched the actual movie will have seen it pop up in various places, from news footage to features about the latest movie technologies and even heavyweight documentaries about the workings of the human mind.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;display:block;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,52,95);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;line-height:22px;">This scene, shot in <a href="http://parismoviewalks.co.uk/beyourownparisguide/amazon-twitter" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(47,77,140);font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Paris</a> but engineered in London, is where Leonardo DiCaprio takes his young assistant – the girl whose role is to ask questions on behalf of a puzzled audience – to a street cafe in<a href="http://parismoviewalks.co.uk/reccomends/amazon" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(47,77,140);font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Paris</a>. Or does he?</span></p><p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;display:block;text-align:justify;"></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,52,95);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;line-height:22px;"><img width="540" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008584886,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="" /></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,52,95);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;line-height:22px;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,52,95);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;line-height:22px;">This “Café Debussy” – around which the whole city of <a href="http://parismoviewalks.co.uk/beyourownparisguide/amazon-FB" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(47,77,140);font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Paris</a> eventually begins to fold up as though it was made of papier-mâché – is actually located on the corner of Rue Bouchut and Rue Cesar Franck in the15<sup>th</sup> arrondissement, a few blocks south of the UNESCO building (Metro: Sevres Lecourbe).</span></p><p style="text-align:left;"></p><p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;display:block;text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,52,95);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;line-height:22px;">In “reality”, however (please note the inverted commas: you can never be sure these days), the “Café Debussy” is an Italian corner deli that was converted by the filmmakers. (On <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=1NS&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=da%20stuzzi%20paris&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl" style="color:rgb(47,77,140);font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;"><strong>Google Maps</strong></a>: Da Stuzzi or Italia Mia, 6 Rue César Franck, 75015 Paris, France.)</span></p><p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;display:block;text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,52,95);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;line-height:22px;">As though there were not enough street cafes in Paris. Ah, Hollywood.</span></p><p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;display:block;text-align:justify;"></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,52,95);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;line-height:22px;"><img width="721" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008585461,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="" /></span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,52,95);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;line-height:22px;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,52,95);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;line-height:22px;">And while you are purchasing your salad or Italian bread: ask yourself whether you can remember how you actually got there. When you hear Edith Piaf singing Je Ne Regrette Rien, you can be sure your dream is nearly over.</span></p><p></p><p></p><p></p></div>More Than 50 Years After 'Jaws', Martha's Vineyard Is Still Quite a Catchhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/marthas-vineyard-massachusetts-attractions-jaws2020-05-28T02:30:00.000Z2020-05-28T02:30:00.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><h6 class="aligncenter"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}11018480481,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}11018480481,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="11018480481?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/edgartown-harbour-142947256?src=NpiBm_d-mI7OZvdwpRBV0A-1-28" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Vidu Gunaratna</span></a></em></h6><p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><strong><em>by Marita Acosta</em></strong></span></p><p><br />Some time ago I happened to run across that toothy old classic <strong><em>Jaws</em></strong> online, and as I watched, the impossibly picturesque maritime settings and endless beaches awakened in me a nostalgia for the light, colours, sounds, and tastes of summertime holidays. It was then I discovered that the film's fictional <strong>Amity Island</strong> is actually ritzy <strong>Martha's Vineyard</strong>, <strong>Massachusetts</strong>, a 45-minute to hourlong ferry ride from <strong>Cape Cod</strong>.<br /> <br /> <br /> Come summer, one of the <strong>USA</strong>'s most exclusive (and expensive) holiday destinations regularly appears in the tabloids and other media thanks to plenty of literary and entertainment celebrities, as well as high-level politicians such as <strong>Barack Obama</strong> and <strong>Bill</strong> and <strong>Hillary Clinton</strong>.</p><p>And a good deal of its charm is the same that attracted director <strong>Steven Spielberg</strong> to this 227-square-kilometre (87-sq.-mile) island all those years ago. Several prime examples:</p><p style="text-align:justify;padding-left:30px;"><strong>Edgartown</strong>, the Vineyard's largest settlement, whose docks appear several times in <em>Jaws</em>. Just outside town is <strong>South Beach State Park</strong>, where the opening sequence was shot - friends who make a bonfire on the beach at night and a girl takes a dip, making her the first victim gobbled up by the titular great white shark. And by the way, Edgartown's <strong>Independence Day</strong> parade is a slice of pure Americana!</p><p style="text-align:justify;padding-left:30px;">In <strong>Vineyard Haven</strong> (aka <strong>Tisbury</strong>), the island's main port, the house of the fiction police chief <strong>Brody</strong> can be found at 267 East Chop Drive. It's also home to some quaint pubs worth a visit, like the <strong>Black Dog Tavern</strong> (20 Beach Street Extension).</p><p style="text-align:justify;padding-left:30px;"><strong>Joseph A Sylvya State Beach</strong> in the town of <strong>Oak Bluff</strong> is where some of the movie's most famous scenes were filmed - terrified pandemonium following the shark attack on <strong>Alex Kintner</strong>? This utterly charming beach town has preserved its gingerbread houses dating back to the 19th-century days when whaling was its residents' main occupation. And check out the vintage "<strong>Flying Horses</strong>" carousel!</p><p> </p><h6 class="aligncenter" style="text-align:justify;"><em><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/gay-head-lighthouse-referred-aquinnah-lies-134412977?src=fJRW1VdFvOkfvA5DdpikXw-1-7" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Allan Wood Photography</span></a></em></h6><p><br /> As a lighthouses buff, I particularly love the ones here on the Vineyard. <strong>Gay Head Light</strong> (built 1799) in the town of <strong>Aquinnah</strong> also makes a handful of appearances in the movie, and a stroll across the imposing nearby cliffs is a lovely experience (First Lady Jackie Kennedy loved the area so much, she had a house built here).</p><p style="text-align:justify;">From the mainland, you can get out here by air as well as ferry; it's a 45-minute flight from Boston. But the classic option is one of the ferries that leave from towns including <strong>Woods Hole</strong> (which also appears briefly in <em>Jaws</em>), <strong>Falmouth</strong>, <strong>New Bedford</strong>, and <strong>Hyannis</strong>. You can bring a car over if you like (from Hyannis), but keep in mind that getting around the Vineyard is quite manageable with a mix of walking, biking, scooters, taxis, and buses.</p><p><br /> For families, film buffs, beach bunnies, Americana aficionados - or any combination of the above - the Vineyard is a real summertime treat.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><br /> More information: <a href="http://www.mvy.com/" target="_blank">MVY.com</a>, <a href="http://mvol.com/visiting-mv/" target="_blank">MVOL.com</a>.</p><p><br /> <br /> </p></div>