TripAdvisor awards cite 2 California hotels among its U.S. top 10

Two California hotels made TripAdvisor's top U.S. hotels list, and several properties near Disneyland Resort won high marks as best hotels for families in the website's 2015 awards announced this week.

TripAdvisor's 2015 Travelers' Choice awards also honored Gili Lankanfushi Maldives in the Maldives as the best hotel in the world and Thailand's Place luxury boutique villas in Ko Tao as the best luxury hotel in the world.

The top 10 U.S. hotels:

--The Langham Chicago

--The French Quarter Inn in Charleston, S.C.

--Bardessono in Yountville, Calif.

--The Grand Del Mar in San Diego

--Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, N.C.

--The Oxford Hotel in Bend, Ore.

--21c Museum Hotel in Bentonville, Ark.

--Villas of Grand Cypress in Orlando, Fla.

--Tivoli Lodge in Vail, Colo.

--The Inn at Lost Creek in Telluride, Colo.

Four Anaheim area hotels ranked in the best family hotels category: the Candy Cane Inn (No. 4), the Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground (No. 6), the Best Western Plus Park Place Inn-Mini Suites (No. 20) and Residence Inn Marriott Anaheim Resort Area/Garden Grove (No. 24).

The Peninsula Beverly Hills placed No. 13 for best luxury hotel and No. 23 for best hotels.

There are many categories to peruse among the awards, such as best small hotels, best B&B and inns, and best bargain hotels. Award winners are based on millions of reviews on the site, and the quantity and quality of the submissions.

TripAdvisor also offered price guidelines culled from average cost of hotels listed on its website. Top hotels run about $357 a night, family hotels about $250 a night, luxury hotels about $482 a night, and bargain at $91 a night.

Info: 2015 Best Hotels in TripAdvsior Travelers Choice Awards

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Home of the Day: Taste of the Old World in Santa Barbara

Set behind iron gates and marked by a decorative fountain, this Italianate-inspired home backs the More Mesa preserve on more than an acre with a formal garden, large outdoor entertainer's spaces and a pool. Elaborate tile flooring, patterned ceiling reliefs, stone fireplaces and wood-paneled wall treatments lend an Old World quality to the 6,728-square-foot floor plan. Among modern amenities is a soundproof screening room.

Location: 4689 Via Roblada, Santa Barbara, 93110

Price: $6.495 million

Year built: 2006

House size: 6,728 square feet, five bedrooms, 6.5 bathrooms

Lot size: 1.48 acres

Features: Hardwood and tile flooring, beamed and honeycomb ceilings, decorative molding, wall treatments, formal living room with stone fireplace, dining hall, country-style chef's kitchen, soundproof theater room, library/study, covered patio, entertainer's space, pool, formal gardens, greenhouse

About the area: There were 12 single-family homes sold in the 93110 ZIP Code last month at a median sales price of $930,000, according to DataQuick. That was a 24.4% drop in median price year-over-year.

Agent: Harry Kolb, (805) 452-2500, Sotheby's International Realty

To submit a candidate for Home of the Day, send high-resolution color photos via Dropbox.com, permission from the photographer to publish the images and a description of the house to neal.leitereg@latimes.com.

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

SkyMall files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

SkyMall, the company that produces in-flight catalogs located on nearly every domestic flight, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Thursday, after struggles to reach passengers who were turning to smartphones and tablets during flights.

SkyMall LLC, in papers filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Phoenix, stated that it had evaluated the company's alternatives and determined that the filing was in the best interests of the company and its creditors.

Delta Airlines, American Airlines and U.S. Airways are included in the company's list of creditors holding the 20 largest unsecured claims.

In the petition, SkyMall estimated its assets range from $1 million to $10 million and that its liablities range from $10 million to $50 million.

The in-flight catalog reaches an estimated 650 million travelers each year. In 2013, SkyMall lost $3.2 million from May to September 2013, as reported by its parent company, Xhibit Corp., an Arizona marketing firm.

SkyMall has been struggling to deal with the increased use of mobile digital devices on planes, which provide potential customers with other distractions besides its catalog. In 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration eased restrictions on the use of portable electronic devices, allowing passengers to keep smartphones and tablets powered up during takeoffs and landings. Plus, most passengers are able to access wireless Internet access.

SkyMall Chief Executive Kevin Weiss said last April that he was ready to invest more in online sales.

"Like everything else, we have to evolve," he said.

To increase online sales, the company planned to spend $2.5 million on technology improvements over the next few years, which included an upgraded website as well as an app that would allow readers to point their smartphone camera at an item in the catalog and buy it straight from their phone.

This article will be updated.

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

8:46 a.m. Adds details about SkyMall's creditors and strategy.

This article was first published at 8:04 a.m.

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

SkyMall files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

SkyMall, the company that produces in-flight catalogs located on nearly every domestic flight, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Thursday, after struggles to reach passengers who were turning to smartphones and tablets during flights.

SkyMall LLC, in papers filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Phoenix, stated that it had evaluated the company's alternatives and determined that the filing was in the best interests of the company and its creditors.

Delta Airlines, American Airlines and U.S. Airways are included in the company's list of creditors holding the 20 largest unsecured claims.

In the petition, SkyMall estimated its assets range from $1 million to $10 million and that its liablities range from $10 million to $50 million.

The in-flight catalog reaches an estimated 650 million travelers each year. In 2013, SkyMall lost $3.2 million from May to September 2013, as reported by its parent company, Xhibit Corp., an Arizona marketing firm.

SkyMall has been struggling to deal with the increased use of mobile digital devices on planes, which provide potential customers with other distractions besides its catalog. In 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration eased restrictions on the use of portable electronic devices, allowing passengers to keep smartphones and tablets powered up during takeoffs and landings. Plus, most passengers are able to access wireless Internet access.

SkyMall Chief Executive Kevin Weiss said last April that he was ready to invest more in online sales.

"Like everything else, we have to evolve," he said.

To increase online sales, the company planned to spend $2.5 million on technology improvements over the next few years, which included an upgraded website as well as an app that would allow readers to point their smartphone camera at an item in the catalog and buy it straight from their phone.

This article will be updated.

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

8:46 a.m. Adds details about SkyMall's creditors and strategy.

This article was first published at 8:04 a.m.

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

TripAdvisor awards cite 2 California hotels among its U.S. top 10

Two California hotels made TripAdvisor's top U.S. hotels list, and several properties near Disneyland Resort won high marks as best hotels for families in the website's 2015 awards announced this week.

TripAdvisor's 2015 Travelers' Choice awards also honored Gili Lankanfushi Maldives in the Maldives as the best hotel in the world and Thailand's Place luxury boutique villas in Ko Tao as the best luxury hotel in the world.

The top 10 U.S. hotels:

--The Langham Chicago

--The French Quarter Inn in Charleston, S.C.

--Bardessono in Yountville, Calif.

--The Grand Del Mar in San Diego

--Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, N.C.

--The Oxford Hotel in Bend, Ore.

--21c Museum Hotel in Bentonville, Ark.

--Villas of Grand Cypress in Orlando, Fla.

--Tivoli Lodge in Vail, Colo.

--The Inn at Lost Creek in Telluride, Colo.

Four Anaheim area hotels ranked in the best family hotels category: the Candy Cane Inn (No. 4), the Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground (No. 6), the Best Western Plus Park Place Inn-Mini Suites (No. 20) and Residence Inn Marriott Anaheim Resort Area/Garden Grove (No. 24).

The Peninsula Beverly Hills placed No. 13 for best luxury hotel and No. 23 for best hotels.

There are many categories to peruse among the awards, such as best small hotels, best B&B and inns, and best bargain hotels. Award winners are based on millions of reviews on the site, and the quantity and quality of the submissions.

TripAdvisor also offered price guidelines culled from average cost of hotels listed on its website. Top hotels run about $357 a night, family hotels about $250 a night, luxury hotels about $482 a night, and bargain at $91 a night.

Info: 2015 Best Hotels in TripAdvsior Travelers Choice Awards

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Argentina's president 'convinced' prosecutor did not commit suicide

Argentine President Cristina Fernandez says she's "convinced" an Argentine special prosecutor who accused her of a coverup did not commit suicide last week.

Special prosecutor Natalio Alberto Nisman had accused Fernandez of involvement in a coverup relating to the 1994 bombing of a Jewish cultural center. In a letter published Thursday, Fernandez denied his accusations, but questioned why he would commit suicide.

Nisman died of a gunshot wound to the head and a .22-caliber firearm was found nearby, prosecutor Viviana Fein told reporters earlier this week. Fein did not disclose whether homicide or suicide was suspected and said the investigation is continuing.

Fein noted there was no immediate sign of another person's involvement in Nisman's death.

However, Fernandez questioned why Nisman would commit suicide when he was preparing to present evidence Monday to the nation's Congress about his allegation. Fernandez also questioned why Nisman would borrow a gun to commit suicide when the 51-year-old had two weapons registered in his name.

Nisman's death came after he accused the president, Foreign Minister Hector Timerman and other officials of making a deal to cover up an alleged involvement of Iranians in the 1994 bombing in Buenos Aires, which killed 85 people.

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Kenechi Udeze happy to be back at USC as assistant strength coach

As USC players made their way toward the field for the start of off-season conditioning early Thursday morning, Kenechi Udeze strode purposefully alongside them.

Udeze, the former USC All-American defensive end and first-round NFL draft pick, recently joined the staff as an assistant strength and conditioning coach.

"I feel great to be back home," Udeze said.

Udeze was the 20th overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2004 NFL draft. He was diagnosed with leukemia in 2008 and retired in 2009.

Udeze was an assistant strength coach at the University of Washington for three seasons, interned with the Seattle Seahawks and worked as a coaching fellow for the Vikings. He joined the University of Pittsburgh staff as an assistant strength and conditioning coach in 2014.

Udeze worked with Ivan Lewis, USC's strength and conditioning coach, at Washington and said "when the opportunity presented itself" to return to USC, he could not resist.

Udeze marveled at the two-year-old McKay Center and said he was looking forward to helping the Trojans and his alma mater. He recalled his own transformation from an out-of-shape freshman to a fit and powerful draft-eligible junior.

"You want to make an impact wherever you are," he said, "but really, I think it kind of hits home a little more because you see yourself in these young men.

"As clueless as they may be coming from high school, like I was, it's really good to give them what they need."

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Easy dinner recipes: Cooking tips and three ideas for steak lovers

The next time you're going to throw some steaks on the grill, take them out of the refrigerator to give them time to shake off the chill before cooking. "Tempering" the meat allows it to cook more evenly, so the inside can actually cook as the outside works up a nice char. Place your steaks or other meats in a cool, safe spot indoors to take off the chill, 20 or so minutes for thin cuts and longer if you're cooking something big.

Bistecca fiorentina: You'd be hard-pressed to find a steak more massive than this porterhouse. Famous Italian butcher Dario Cecchini calls for leaving his Bistecca fiorentina, or, Tuscan steak (a whopping 2 1/2 pounds and 2 inches thick) out five to six hours before grilling. Sure, you do have to remember to remove it from the fridge ahead of time, but properly tempered, this beauty -- a magnificent sight to behold on the grill -- cooks up in roughly 30 minutes.

Cote de boeuf: A thick, 2-pound, bone-in rib steak, some coarse sea salt and pepper. It doesn't take much more to make a perfect main course. The steak grills up in minutes, but do remember to take it out of the fridge early enough (a couple of hours for a steak this size) to take off the chill before cooking. You can find the recipe below.

Grilled flank steaks with chimichurri sauce: For something a little less, well, large, consider flank steaks with fresh chimichurri sauce. The sauce -- a little garlic, red wine vinegar, oil, fresh herbs and a touch of lemon juice -- comes together in almost no time, and those steaks will grill up in minutes. You can find the recipe below.

GRILLED FLANK STEAKS WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Total time: 25 minutes / Servings: 6

Note: Set the steak out about an hour before grilling to allow it to come to room temperature.

CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

2 cloves garlic

1 cup coarsely chopped parsley, firmly packed

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup olive oil

5 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

With the food processor running, drop the garlic through the food tube to chop. Add the parsley, oregano and fresh mint and pulse several times to mince. Add the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and salt and pulse a few times to achieve a coarse puree. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt as needed. (The recipe can be prepared to this point 2 hours in advance and held at room temperature.)

GRILLED FLANK STEAK

1 (1 1/2 - to 2-pound) flank steak

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Chimichurri sauce

1. Pat the flank steak dry on both sides with paper towel. Season each side with a generous one-fourth teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper.

2. Just before cooking, brush each side with about 1 tablespoon chimichurri sauce. Grill over a hot fire, cooking about 1 minute on each side, then turning the steak 90 degrees and cooking the same side an additional minute before flipping the steak over to give each side nice grill marks. Repeat with the other side, cooking the steak a total of 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Rest the steak 5 minutes before slicing. Cut across the grain and on a deep bias, in wide, thin slices. Serve, passing remaining chimichurri sauce on the side.

Each serving: 353 calories; 28 grams protein; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 26 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 56 mg. cholesterol; 636 mg. sodium.

Love cooking as much as I do? Follow me @noellecarter

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Easy dinner recipes: Cooking tips and three ideas for steak lovers

The next time you're going to throw some steaks on the grill, take them out of the refrigerator to give them time to shake off the chill before cooking. "Tempering" the meat allows it to cook more evenly, so the inside can actually cook as the outside works up a nice char. Place your steaks or other meats in a cool, safe spot indoors to take off the chill, 20 or so minutes for thin cuts and longer if you're cooking something big.

Bistecca fiorentina: You'd be hard-pressed to find a steak more massive than this porterhouse. Famous Italian butcher Dario Cecchini calls for leaving his Bistecca fiorentina, or, Tuscan steak (a whopping 2 1/2 pounds and 2 inches thick) out five to six hours before grilling. Sure, you do have to remember to remove it from the fridge ahead of time, but properly tempered, this beauty -- a magnificent sight to behold on the grill -- cooks up in roughly 30 minutes.

Cote de boeuf: A thick, 2-pound, bone-in rib steak, some coarse sea salt and pepper. It doesn't take much more to make a perfect main course. The steak grills up in minutes, but do remember to take it out of the fridge early enough (a couple of hours for a steak this size) to take off the chill before cooking. You can find the recipe below.

Grilled flank steaks with chimichurri sauce: For something a little less, well, large, consider flank steaks with fresh chimichurri sauce. The sauce -- a little garlic, red wine vinegar, oil, fresh herbs and a touch of lemon juice -- comes together in almost no time, and those steaks will grill up in minutes. You can find the recipe below.

GRILLED FLANK STEAKS WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Total time: 25 minutes / Servings: 6

Note: Set the steak out about an hour before grilling to allow it to come to room temperature.

CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

2 cloves garlic

1 cup coarsely chopped parsley, firmly packed

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup olive oil

5 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

With the food processor running, drop the garlic through the food tube to chop. Add the parsley, oregano and fresh mint and pulse several times to mince. Add the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and salt and pulse a few times to achieve a coarse puree. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt as needed. (The recipe can be prepared to this point 2 hours in advance and held at room temperature.)

GRILLED FLANK STEAK

1 (1 1/2 - to 2-pound) flank steak

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Chimichurri sauce

1. Pat the flank steak dry on both sides with paper towel. Season each side with a generous one-fourth teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper.

2. Just before cooking, brush each side with about 1 tablespoon chimichurri sauce. Grill over a hot fire, cooking about 1 minute on each side, then turning the steak 90 degrees and cooking the same side an additional minute before flipping the steak over to give each side nice grill marks. Repeat with the other side, cooking the steak a total of 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Rest the steak 5 minutes before slicing. Cut across the grain and on a deep bias, in wide, thin slices. Serve, passing remaining chimichurri sauce on the side.

Each serving: 353 calories; 28 grams protein; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 26 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 56 mg. cholesterol; 636 mg. sodium.

Love cooking as much as I do? Follow me @noellecarter

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Kenechi Udeze happy to be back at USC as assistant strength coach

As USC players made their way toward the field for the start of off-season conditioning early Thursday morning, Kenechi Udeze strode purposefully alongside them.

Udeze, the former USC All-American defensive end and first-round NFL draft pick, recently joined the staff as an assistant strength and conditioning coach.

"I feel great to be back home," Udeze said.

Udeze was the 20th overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2004 NFL draft. He was diagnosed with leukemia in 2008 and retired in 2009.

Udeze was an assistant strength coach at the University of Washington for three seasons, interned with the Seattle Seahawks and worked as a coaching fellow for the Vikings. He joined the University of Pittsburgh staff as an assistant strength and conditioning coach in 2014.

Udeze worked with Ivan Lewis, USC's strength and conditioning coach, at Washington and said "when the opportunity presented itself" to return to USC, he could not resist.

Udeze marveled at the two-year-old McKay Center and said he was looking forward to helping the Trojans and his alma mater. He recalled his own transformation from an out-of-shape freshman to a fit and powerful draft-eligible junior.

"You want to make an impact wherever you are," he said, "but really, I think it kind of hits home a little more because you see yourself in these young men.

"As clueless as they may be coming from high school, like I was, it's really good to give them what they need."

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More