BallantinesPR

Experience New Mexico:
Hands-on Cultural Heritage Tour Through the Land of Enchantment

Sante Fe, New Mexico, June 29, 2009 – The New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs invites you to join us for an exclusive tour of New Mexico’s exceptional museums and historical monuments — most especially, the New Mexico History Museum, a brand-new addition to Santa Fe’s historic downtown. The Museum joins a treasure trove of explorations — from Indian treasures to space exploration, world-class folk art to not-so-dead dinosaurs… the essence of New Mexico is celebrated everyday at our museums and cultural centers.

We would like to offer you the opportunity to customize this FAM tour, based on your specific interests. Below you will find an itinerary that includes artists’ workshops and lecture series. In addition to these scheduled events, we have listed some of New Mexico’s most treasured museums and monuments. We encourage you to review the listings and choose 3-4 facilities to add to your itinerary.

We understand the conditions that some publications place upon their contributors. If you have any concern regarding this, please contact us and we will work to accommodate your needs.

ITINERARY:

Day 1:
Upon your arrival in Albuquerque, you will be met by a representative from Ballantines PR and shuttled to your hotel. After checking in to your hotel, you will meet local tourism representatives for a welcoming reception.

6-9pm – National Hispanic Cultural Center Art Class: Intermediate Papel Picado with Catalina Delgado Trunk
This class will move on from tissue paper to archival paper. Students will create a lantern or a piece suitable for framing. 

Day 2:
Tour New Mexico Museums and Monuments

Photographic Processes of the 19th Century in Santa Fe: Through the Lens lecture series
Photographer Barbara Lucero Sand leads a gallery walk-through of “Through the Lens: Creating Santa Fe,” the photographic exhibition of the City Different’s development as a city, while noting the technical changes that developed at the same time.

Day 3:
Tour New Mexico Museums and Monuments

5:30-7:30pm – Palace Guard: Champagne on the Rooftop
Be among the very first to enjoy an elegant starlight party on the rooftop of the new History Museum. Indulge in champagne, hors d’oeuvres and behind the scenes tours of the long-awaited, newest jewel in the Museum of New Mexico crown. Led by Palace of the Governors staff.

Day 4:
Tour New Mexico Museums and Monuments

Day 5:
Afternoon flights depart Albuquerque

NEW MEXICO MUSEUMS AND MONUMENTS
Please choose 3-4 sites to add to your itinerary

New Mexico History Museum

The New Mexico History Museum and Palace of the Governors
The nation’s newest Museum joins the nation’s oldest government building on the campus of the New Mexico History Museum. Explore more than four centuries of the stories that made the America West — from indigenous peoples to Spanish colonization, the Mexican Period, the Santa Fe Trail, World War, the Manhattan Project, and present-day life in New Mexico. 
http://www.nmhistorymuseum.org/ 

The Palace, originally constructed in the early 17th century as Spain’s seat of government for what is today the American Southwest, was designated a Registered National Historic Landmark in 1960 and an American Treasure in 1999.
http://www.palaceofthegovernors.org

National Hispanic Cultural Center

Jemez State Monument

National Hispanic Cultural Center
Located in ALbuuqerque’s historic and culturally vibrant Barelas neighborhood along the banks of the Rio Grande, the National Hispanic Cultural Center showcases Latino art and culture from throughout the world.
www.nationalhispaniccenter.org

Museum of International Folk Art
To experience the color and excitement of the world’s cultures, we will go to the Museum of International Folk Art and see an unparalleled collection that includes toys, textiles, household goods and religious art.
www.internationalfolkart.org

Jemez State Monument
Jemez State Monument Heritage Area is one of the most beautiful prehistoric and historic sites in the Southwest. It includes the stone ruins of a 500 year old Indian village and the San José de los Jemez church dating to 1610. The heritage center contains exhibitions that tell the story of the site through the words of the Jemez people. A 1,400-foot interpretive trail winds through the impressive site ruins.
http://www.nmmonuments.org/inst.php?inst=6 

FAM tour includes complimentary airfare within the US, ground transportation, lodging, activities and most meals. Itinerary is subject to change.

If you’re interested in participating in this trip, please contact:

Anna Wacks
Ballantines PR
505 216 0889
anna@ballantinespr.com
www.ballantinespr.com

Creativity and Customer Focus Delivers for Santa Fe Sage Inn

Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce
2009 Business Award Recipients

Santa Fe, New Mexico – The Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, the City of Santa Fe and the Santa Fe Community College joined forces this year to present the 2009 Business Excellence Awards. The awards were presented at the Chamber’s Annual Banquet on May 28, 2009. The Santa Fe Sage Inn was awarded the 2009 Business Excellence Award for a business with 21 or more employees.

The local owners of the Santa Fe Sage Inn had a vision that the property would provide guests a downtown lodging option that was comfortable and affordable. The Santa Fe Sage Inn attracts guests who are interested in spending their hard-earned dollars visiting Santa Fe’s wonderful museums, restaurants and art galleries, while also finding value oriented lodging in the Heart of Santa Fe. To accomplish the vision, the owners have invested over $2 million in renovations and upgrades to the property. The owners and management team have also significantly invested in sales and marketing, guest satisfaction, creative hotel packages and promotions, as well as the development of a dedicated, professional and friendly staff.

In this very difficult economy, this strategy has delivered successful results.  The Santa Fe Sage Inn’s customer focus has resulted in higher revenue so far in 2009 than the same period in any other previous year.

From 2004 through 2008, the property has experienced revenue growth of 300% with an average of over 30% annual growth. Staff has gone from 12 employees to over 25, and all this has been accomplished with an annual average daily rate of under $80 per night. A bargain for Downtown Santa Fe!

Example of the property’s creativity, partnerships and value are evident in their packages.

The Santa Fe Sage Inn is excited to offer our guests the “Georgia O’Keeffe” Package that includes:

• Two Night Accommodations
• Two Tickets to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
• Complimentary Shuttle Service to the Museum
• Welcome Gift
• Healthy Start Breakfast

Rates start at $154.00 Based on Double Occupancy

The Santa Fe Sage Inn knows that the key to their success is talented and hardworking employees, commitment to community and delivering excellent customer service in the heart of Downtown Santa Fe.

The Santa Fe Sage Inn is the 5^th largest hotel in Santa Fe, New Mexico with 157 rooms. The Santa Fe Sage Inn is an excellent choice for affordable lodging in downtown…connecting guests to the heart of Santa Fe.  The Santa Fe Sage Inn offers attractive, comfortable rooms with a wealth of complimentary amenities including a “Healthy Start” breakfast, exercise facility, guest laundry, parking, wireless high-speed internet and downtown shuttle services.  The Santa Fe Sage Inn is located only six blocks from the historic plaza and across the street from the Railyard Park dining and shopping district. www.santafesageinn.com

Contact:
Cynthia Delgado
Market Development
Cell Number: 505-670-3002
Email: cmdelgado@att.net

Rachel Silva
Ballantines PR
Rachel@ballantinespr.com
505 216 0889
www.ballantinespr.com

ila Spa Launches in the U.S. at the
Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills

Los Angeles, CA, June 29, 2009 – Now guests visiting the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills can enjoy a range of innovative spa therapies by ila, the ‘new generation’ skincare brand from England. ila has gained international status with their unique, luxury organic skincare line and bespoke spa treatments.  Currently found in the most prestigious spa locations around the world, including Chewton Glenn and Grayshott Spa in England, Shangri-La Hotel in Tokyo, Ananda Spa in India and many others. In Los Angeles, this award-winning English brand will offer a unique spa menu that uses only the finest natural ingredients from international producers who farm and harvest the raw ingredients in harmony with nature.

The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills is located in a quiet palm-lined residential neighborhood just minutes from world-renowned Rodeo Drive and Robertson Boulevard shopping. It features a world-class spa and leisure activities, luxurious accommodations and modern meeting facilities.

In harmony with the Four Seasons Hotel’s accommodating concept, the philosophy of ila
centers around delivering a unique spa experience complete with innovative treatments designed to be both restorative and uplifting. By hand-blending the plants, herbs and essences that are specifically chosen for their synergistic effect, ila ensures that their finished products contain only the purest and most vital of nature’s ingredients. The spa treatments harness the potent beneficial properties of these natural raw ingredients to promote a deep sense of well-being, whilst restoring balance to the body and mind, and enhancing natural beauty.

ila’s treatments are executed by the Four Seasons Hotel’s highly skilled therapists who are specially trained to channel a flow of healing energy during each treatment. That flow of healing energy is integral to good health and natural beauty.

Guests at the Four Seasons Hotel will be able to enjoy an array of ila treatments such as ‘Body Wrap for Bio-Energising’, which draws toxins from the cells and etheric body, and the Ananda Facial, which rejuvenates and regenerates skin cells.

Below are the Ila spa treatments that will be offered at the Four Seasons Hotel in LA:

Body Wrap for Bio-Energising
The body wrap begins with a body scrub. The wrap that follows works in the same way as a body scrub but is a yet more powerful treatment as it draws deeper toxins from the cells and etheric body. It deeply revitalises the skin, lymphatic system and bio-energy field and can promote profound healing in the energy body.

Manipura Full Body Massage
Manipura means beautiful, shining jewel in Sanskrit. It refers to the solar plexus (naval) chakra, our centre of fire and sun energy that ignites our health and vitality. This treatment works by stimulating and balancing the solar ‘sun’ vitality within us, through reflexology and marma massage, lymphatic drainage and applying Himalayan herb poultices applied to the 10 petals of the solar plexus. This is a unique body massage combining various techniques to harness and restore the vitality of the body.

Ku Nye
A Tibetan massage to balance the five elements and restore a harmonious flow of energy and vitality. A blend of five essential oils chosen to balance the five elements combines beautifully with Tibetan techniques of cupping, kneading and acupressure with hot herb poultices.

Ananda Facial
Ananda means bliss, the quality of the third eye, in Sanskrit. This treatment begins with a foot soak, grounding the client and preparing them for their ila treatment. The techniques used in this facial open up the energy centres of the face working with the blissful higher energy in the body. This is a healing and reviving treatment that brings deep feelings of bliss and peace as well as beautiful skin and glow.

For further information about ila spa, please go to www.ila-spa.com.

Media inquiries may be directed to:
Erika Maya
erika@ballantinespr.com
Ballantines PR
Tel: 310 454 3080
Cell: 310 850 0309
Fax: 310 943 1978
www.ballantinespr.com