With one of the highest numbers of galleries per capita in the nation, Scottsdale features a vast array of visual art from around the world. Old Territorial Indian Arts is one of the oldest galleries in Scottsdale, featuring Indian arts and crafts, while Trailside Galleries has an excellent reputation for its traditional Native American and Western art. Although Indian and regional art is heavily represented in Scottsdale, there are plenty of galleries offering broader representation, such as Scottsdale Fine Art.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed so it’s best to venture into the scene with their well-choreographed ArtWalk. Every Thursday from 7 p to 9 pm over the last 30 years, Scottsdale’s galleries have thrown their doors wide open for visitors. For a special treat, look for special ArtWalk events that are well worth planning your trip around.

Downtown Scottsdale now has a handy interactive map and “ArtWalk the Line” street markers throughout the art district to help you along your way.

The city’s museums are equally impressive. Get your artistic bearings with a trip to the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Explore its five galleries, outdoor garden and ever-expanding permanent collection. Then ease into the Southwest’s true specialty. Drop by The Heard Museum North, which has an internationally renowned collection of Native American artifacts and fine art.

If architecture is of interest, then no trip to Scottsdale is complete without visiting Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, which is often considered one of his masterpieces. Located on 600 acres in the Sonoran Desert, Wright built Taliesin West in 1937 as his winter home, studio and architectural campus. It is now home to the international headquarters of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

“Art itineraries” can be arranged for Owners at The Rocks Luxury Residence Club by the dedicated concierge team. Simply contact the concierge at concierge@therocksclub.com for more information.

The closing date for votes is midnight EST, Friday, February 24. One vote per person is allowed. The winner will be announced at Fractional Summit Europe 2012 on Monday, February 27.

Please support Timbers Resorts by casting your vote here.

Timbers Resorts is honored to be included with The Sebastian – Vail and Castello di Casole among the nominees! We’d sincerely appreciate your support in voting for our properties in their respective categories.

With prizes like the three described below, it’s no surprise that tens of thousands of readers share their opinions of destinations, hotels, airlines, and cruise ships on the annual survey. To join them, read the contest rules, take the 2012 survey and you’ll be on your way!  Limit one vote per person. Voting ends April 30, 2012.

THE PRIZES:

GRAND PRIZE: This year’s grand prize winner and guest will spend three over-the-top nights in Vegas’s LEED Gold–certified Aria, home to Sage, one of the city’s best new restaurants—a trip worth $10,000.

SECOND PRIZE: The second-prize winner and guest will travel to the Canadian Rockies by train, spending each of four nights at a different Fairmont hotel along the way—a journey valued at $8,500.

THIRD PRIZE: The third-prize winner and guest will choose an island escape to visit on a trip for two worth up to $7,500.

Featuring an array of categories including Hotels + Resorts, Cruise, Air Travel, Spa + Wellness, and Tours, you have a voice as you cast your choice for as many nominees as you’d like. The winners will be featured in T+L’s annual World’s Best Awards issue in August 2012 and all respondents will be entered for a chance to win a $10,000 dream trip to the destination of your choice! First and second prize winners will also receive once-in-a-lifetime vacations. Two third prize winners will each receive American Express gift cards worth $1,000.

The Sebastian – Vail is among the hotels included on the ballot. We invite and encourage all Timbers Resorts Owners, friends and family to take a moment and vote for The Sebastian and help spread the word! Here are six simple steps to navigate your way through the voting:

1. Click here to vote + fill out the one-page form to get started
2. Check the box marked “Hotels”
3. Check the box marked “United States”
4. Check the box marked “Colorado”
5. Under Vail, check the box marked “The Sebastian – Vail”
6. Fill out the one-page survey and submit!

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and support The Sebastian!

As the Northern Hemisphere hits winter’s midway point, we thought we’d share enchanting scenes from our Caribbean property, The Preserve at Botany Bay – A Signature Development of Timbers Resorts. Taken this past week, these images from our West End retreat offer an escape from the cold weather on the mainland. Spanning 397 acres on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Botany Bay is an oasis for wildlife, vibrant reefs, sandy coves, whitecapped bays and an abundance of orchids and other flora. We invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy the photo gallery.

Wrap your scheduled Tuscan getaway around a passionately festive Italian Carnival event and post up at Castello di Casole for an assuredly memorable vacation. To jump-start your trip planning, below are four of the country’s most spectacular Carnevale parties.

Venice – The Carnevale in Venice lasts over two weeks and is undoubtedly the country’s largest, most all-out Carnevale celebration. Every night the city’s streets and canals transform with entertainment. Residents and guests don elaborate masks and costumes and wander the streets participating in activities, which include extensive parades, a carnival for children, and impressive fireworks.

Putignano – People have been celebrating Carnevale in Putignano since the 12th century, so the associated rituals are steeped in history. Not only is it one of the world’s oldest Carnevale celebrations, but it also is the longest, stretching over two months. Religious celebrations, performances, and the obligatory Carnevale parades, often happening daily, comprise the Carnevale di Putignano. At the end of the marathon Carnevale season, residents meet the start of Lent coming off a rich feast and night of dancing and partying.

Viareggio – Viareggio’s Carnevale along the Tuscany coast is lesser-known internationally than Venice’s offering, but those in town coordinate an extravagant, dramatic celebration for the holiday. In fact, it is one of the biggest Carnevale events in the country. Huge paper mache floats are the main attractions in the parades, for which admission is charged (but worth the extra cost). Festivals, concerts and elegant masked balls round out the events of the season.

Ivrea – In Ivrea, one of the country’s most interesting Carnevale celebrations takes place, and it involves many, many oranges. Following a Carnevale parade throughout the town in Piedmont, people gather to duke it out in an orange-throwing battle in the heart of town. The season concludes with scarli burning, or setting fire to huge poles in each district’s square.

D. R. Stephens: Offering a unique experience for serious Cabernet Sauvignon lovers, D. R. Stephens hosts tastings in their private home in the hills just east of St. Helena.  Tastings are available by appointment only, Monday through Friday.

Antica Napa Valley: The storied Antinori family’s Antica Napa Valley is truly a special, ultra-exclusive experience.  Standing atop Soda Canyon Road, the property offers an amazing view.  They have an extensive cave network and a comfortable tasting room to enjoy their Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Sangiovese.  Tastings are available by appointment only, Monday through Friday.

Donum Estate: With some of the most excellent Pinot Noir from their estate vineyard in the Carneros area, Donum also features a Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley.  Donum does not advertise that they are open to the public, but will welcome special guests of the Orchard by appointment only, Tuesday through Saturday.

Anomaly Vineyards: Located in St. Helena, Anomaly offers a private, personalized tour and tasting at their estate property.  Anomaly is nestled against the hills of the Napa Valley and specializes in high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon produced in limited quantities, currently at less than 1,000 cases annually. Orchard owners are invited to enjoy complimentary tastings, available by appointment only.

Hunnicutt: Featuring a brand new facility with caves and an indoor/outdoor tasting experience, Hunnicutt offers a fun, comfortable setting to taste their excellent wines.  Tastings are available daily by appointment only.

For more recommendations or to book your visit to one of the wineries above, contact Jesse directly at 707.299.4785 or jgeremia@theorchardatcarneros.com.

1. The rhythm of making the first turns on freshly groomed powder first thing in the morning.
2. The way the snow sparkles with billions of little lights on a cold sunny morning.
3. The silence and peace that engulf the pine forest after big snow.
4. Heavenly Daze ski run when I’m the only one on it.
5. The headlights of the Bombardier snow cats grooming high on the mountain before sunrise.
6. The brilliant cobalt blue sky highlighting a snow covered Colorado blue spruce tree.
7. The variety of snow flakes the land on my jacket while riding the chair lift.
8. The way the snow covers the tiny branches of the aspen trees after a storm.
9. Having a complete yard-sale crash in powder and laughing out loud.
10. The exhilarating feeling that comes when a blast of “Champagne Powder” hits me in the face!

For more tips and insights into skiing Steamboat’s family-friendly slopes, contact the concierge at One Steamboat Place - concierge@onesteamboatplace.com or 970.870.5100.

Valentine’s Day is for lovers, and whether your love calls for something playful or romantic, February 14 is a day for getting little details right. If you’re with us at a Timbers Resorts private residence club this holiday, we have a few ideas for how to celebrate:

Saint Valentino

Nothing says Valentine’s like the birthplace of the day itself. That would be Italy. At least, historians think the holiday has its roots here, probably sometime in the third century around Rome. There are several candidates for the St. Valentine in question, but each of them was almost certainly a martyr for the heart. If you happen to be taking in the week at Castello di Casole, then you can pay homage to your love in Tuscan style, and might we recommend treating your special someone to Old World elegance with a private in-residence dinner at your farmhouse.

Write it Up to Love

On the other hand, the Valentine’s Day card, as we know it in the present, is an American invention dating back to 1847. Esther Howland received an ornate Valentine’s card from England, and she realized she could replicate the experience with mass-produced greetings of its kind. The country fell in love with her idea, and now Valentine’s Day is second to only Christmas for the most cards bought and sold in the U.S.A.

Toast Love

If you’re with us in the States, maybe relaxing at The Orchard at The Carneros Inn, then head over to Sonoma for the day. Treat your love to a festival of senses; it’s olive season and the area celebrates. Take a tour of The Olive Press and sample what they’re making, then splurge on a trip into the heart of the vineyard-valley, treat yourselves to a couple’s one-day pass. From the Audelssa Winery to a stop at Wellington Vineyards, sip your way through Valentine’s this year.

The Warmth of Love

Or, if you’re on the ski trails of Snowmass, there’s plenty to heat up a winter Valentine’s evening from the comfort of The Timbers Club. After an afternoon of fresh powder runs, you could bundle your loved one into a Snowcat and ride up to Lynn Britt Cabin, a rustic restaurant nestled on the slopes. Settle in for a touch of Colorado elegance, winter dining in a mountain style. Featuring regional, seasonal cuisine — think pheasant, buffalo, bass — the menu focuses on fresh ingredients and Lynn Britt often treats its guests to entertainment. It’s a fun twist on the typical table for two.

Whatever you do this Valentine’s Day, we hope it’s something special. And we’ll leave you with some words from Thomas Hood. The English poet
probably won a heart or two with this sentiment, for who wouldn’t like their love to softly sigh: “Oh, if it be to choose and call thee mine, love, thou
art every day my Valentine!”

By Car: The obvious solution is to hire a driver from a luxury transportation company like Napa Tours and Transportation. “Their drivers are essentially concierges on wheels and possess a wealth of knowledge on the wineries and restaurants in Napa,” praises Jesse Geremia, Manager of The Orchard at The Carneros Inn. Whether taking a wine tour, shopping, or doing just about anything else, these drivers will always get you where you’re going, safely and in style.

By Air: A hot air balloon at sunrise is hands down the most beautiful way to see Napa. Napa Valley Balloons takes you on an hour long flight followed by breakfast and celebratory champagne. Pick up and drop off are included, of course.

By Foot: You may not cover quite as much distance on foot but after a few days of wine and cheese, exercise may definitely make its way onto your agenda. Skyline Wilderness Park has a fantastic network of hiking trails only 15 minutes away from The Orchard. Or else you can take a break from the wine country and see the majestic redwoods at Muir Woods in Mill Valley.

By Horse: There are plenty of options for equestrians in Napa, as well. Make an excursion to Five Brooks Stable near Point Reyes (45 minutes from The Orchard) or to Triple Creek Horse Outfit in Kenwood (30 minutes from The Orchard). Be sure to pre-book.

By Boat: For a more active excursion, try kayaking with Kayaks Napa Valley. They can customize the trip according to interest and skill level so it’s a great activity for families, athletes, and everyone in between.

By Train: For a unique experience, take a ride on the lavishly restored Napa Valley Wine Train, which takes riders on a three hour journey from Napa to St. Helena and back. Enjoy a wine-paired lunch or dinner and visit one to two vineyards while enjoying spectacular views. It’s not too late to sign up for their special Valentine’s Day outings.

If you’re on a family trip instead of a romantic getaway then head over to TrainTown Rail Road Rides where you can ride an old school steam train through 10 acres of woods. The 20-minute ride makes a stop at a miniature town and petting zoo before ending at a mini carnival with six rides including a ferris wheel and carousel.

To learn more about the Private Residence Club at The Orchard at The Carneros Inn, Contact Us online or call 888.400.9831.