This just blew in from across the pond, so we had to share.  For all of you sexy ski bunnies, Telluride Ski Resort in Colorado is holding its annual Women’s Ski Week March 6-11, 2010, partnering with Capella Telluride to create a great meeting of minds for women around the US.

Accommodations at Capella Telluride can be a little steep (think Blue Diamond) at $495/night, but Capella, founded by the ex-CEO of the Ritz, promises never to let you down.  There are three package levels through Telluride Ski Resort for the various events planned ($480, $780 or $945).  Elements include ski passes, lessons, rentals, spa credits, meals at Capella, and a lecture by author Rebecca Shambaugh (“It’s Not a Glass Ceiling, It’s a Sticky Floor”), who will be kicking off her book tour for her latest piece “Leadership Secrets of Hillary Clinton.”

We support anything that helps enlighten men and women to reality that all people, regardless of gender, class, race, or expertise on the slopes, ought to be treated equally. No glass ceilings, no sticky floors, no icy conditions.

Hear us roar – just like that toasty fireplace.

Information on Capella Telluride is available at www.CapellaTelluride.com and details on Telluride’s Women’s Ski Week and the three package options can be found at http://www.capellatelluride.com/telluride-womens-week.php.

When I dream, I like to dream big. The St. Regis Bora Bora comes to mind.

Bora Bora is, hand’s down, one of the most beautiful places in the world. Bar none. The water, valleys, and peaks mimic Avatar-esque proportions. Imagine a fantasy realm with vibrant sea creatures lit up by the night sky as they playfully zip between your toes.  Yes, this is Bora Bora and that’s not even the half of it. As there are several hot properties in the vicinity, this week, we’ve chosen to highlight The St. Regis Bora Bora because it boasts the largest, chicest, most luxurious Royal Estate on this glorious motu (and, occasionally, we like to get uber-ritzy).

First and foremost, the technology is state of the art.  The look… beyond one’s wildest expectations.  It’s something of a reality meeting a dream, offering even a bit more than you may have even dreamt.  Quite frankly, true paradise.  From the welcoming arms of the actual water village location to the interiors of the villas, gardens, restaurants, bars and spas, everything is transcendent.  There are over water villas, 1500+ sq. ft., with views to die for and Premier Over-water Villas, with nearly 2,000 sq. ft.  That’s bigger than our Editor’s flat in London, fellas.  Premier Over-water Villas also have private terraces with covered gazebos and outdoor showers (since who wouldn’t want get nakey with views of the motus in the distance?).  Yes, you can even whirlpool suspended over  the lagoon with a view of the main island of Bora Bora.

Not enough for you?  Then I’ll skip a few more levels and get straight to The Royal Estate.  It’s 13,000 sq. ft of unimaginable luxury and debuts as the largest suite in French Polynesia surrounded by lush gardens and its own private white sand beach.  You just must see it to believe it.

St Regis Bora Bora Hotels: The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort – Hotel

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/stregis/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1743

We are always looking for better, easier and smaller ways to save space when packing for that amazing vacation or even business trip.

While at an event in Los Angeles recently, I took a quick run through a pre -Golden Globes event at the beautiful Peninsula Hotel, scouting treasures that add an element of the new while ever seeking the perfect fit for our goal, the travel kit.

I found it tucked in a nook of one of the suites chock full of spa products. Now, I find spas the ultimate gift we give to ourselves at any given destination, but I was not fully prepared for the dream travel kit to be packaged in a small turquoise outlined white terry bag.

An array of treatment serums, masks, exfoliating creme, body gels and lotions were tucked inside, every one of them designed to do exactly what they said they’d do but with the added and most important detail that so personally appeals to me: No list of ingredients that are unrecognizable. Nothing synthetic, no petro-chemicals, no parabens, no lauryl sulfate and no animal testing. It is a company dedicated to a holistic skincare regime.

As I perused the  array of product, I was told about the Sphatika spa in New York City.  I made a mental note to get there sometime during the year, but could not ignore my readers who are always looking for products that travel and do the work! When I asked about traveling with product,  Salina, the lovely woman working at the event, lit up and pulled out a small white bag designed to tuck into place taking up so little room it shocked me.  The bottles hold no more liquid than is allowed on board and with the essential things needed to take care of skin business.

The kit holds 7 items and, though it doesn’t run cheap, is money well spent.

Retails $158

www.sphatika.com

Macau. It may sound like the call of the wild and, for many a lusty gambler, it certainly might be, but for others, like our latest and greatest Jaunt Magazine Contributor, Sarah Ivens, it’s just what the spicy Brit ordered.

It’s easy to imagine Macau, the Chinese special territory to the south of the mainland, as the Vegas of Asia. And it truly is. All our billionaire buddies from the Strip have invested here (MGM, Hard Rock, The Wynn), turning this once quiet island into a glamorous destination – a hedonistic holiday away from the hum-drum.

But there is another side to it too – a side that is worth exploring and can add a much needed breather from the 24/7 showiness of life in the big hotels.

Macau is a world heritage site, filled with tiny village squares, walled gardens and a plethora of temples that act as beacons for the locals among the craziness. The most charming of all is the A-Ma temple at Barra Point. The temple is dedicated to the seafarer’s goddess, a poor lady who was refused passage on the boats of the rich ship-owners. Only a lowly fisherman took pity on her and took her on board.

The story goes that a massive storm brewed and every boat was wrecked except the fisherman’s tiny boat. When the fisherman and his charge got to shore in Macau, A-Ma disappeared, reappearing as a goddess on the boulder-strewn hill where the fisherman then built her temple.

The temple dates from the early 16th century and is an enchanting maze of tiny gardens and moon gates, winding paths leading up the hillside to various places of worship. The Chinese believe that god is not jealous, and that you should take all the good advice and good help you can get your hands on. Hence the temples here encourage worshippers to give thanks not only to Buddhist and Taoist gods, but to your ancestors and nature too. It’s a wonderful way to view the world and the A-Ma temple reflects that. Visitors are warmly received and photos are allowed. You can buy joss sticks from the temple keeper to light and offer your own prayers. At weekends you can watch a Lion dance, when local dancers dress up and perform the ritual of warning away bad vibes from the temple entrance and bringing the good luck in. It’s enchanting.

Back in a less spiritual world, the best place to stay in Macau is The Venetian. It’s the second largest building in the world (only a flower market in the Netherlands beats it), with beautiful suites, a see-it-to-believe-it golf course on the roof of the 8th floor and of course the ubiquitous mini Venice, complete with Gondola rides. Every high end store you can think of have set up shop here, happy to help the high rollers spend their winnings. While women can get pampered in the spa (where a cosmetic surgery clinic is opening soon – they really have everything under one roof here), soccer-mad husbands can check out The Manchester United Experience, an interactive museum that propelled my husband into a state of bliss. The Cirque do Soleil are in residence, with a new show called Zaia: which offers its own message about respecting Mother Nature and being kind and decent to your fellow man.

www.venetianmacao.com

Ivens, founding editor in chief of OK! Weekly in America, is the best-selling author of the lifestyle guides, ‘A Modern Girls’ Guide to…’ and the travel and adventure book ’No Regrets’ (Broadway Books, $14).  A born and bred Londoner who now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, we’re thrilled to have this high falootin’ travel babe on board!

Managing Editor, Candace Poole, spent a busy week of Golden Globe hopping and reports back to us with her ‘treats from the suites.’

I’ve often said, “In my next life, I’ll grow the grapes that make all the dates in my life worthwhile.” For myself, a winery is a sacred place so, when I caught wind of the Eagle Castle Winery in Paso Robles, just a three hour drive from LA, I was planning my next trip. This particular winery is situated high on the hills of Paso Robles and looks like a path to heaven. A vintner is not only a seller of wine, but one whom truly wants to serve a product that pleases.  A unique person is one who desires to give their very best.

Meeting briefly with some of the staff from Eagle Castle, I was once again shown that the idea of serving is alive and well. Jeannie Beattie, the Marketing and Publicity Director, was warm and friendly, inviting me to taste the wines they were presenting at a pre-Golden Globes charitable gifting event called ‘Madison & Mulholland’ artfully put on by Jane Ubell-Meyer, CEO of Madison & Mulholland. The lively, fun-filled atmosphere was a welcome break from the usual flurry of celebs and throngs of journalists that frequent crowded Award Season Gifting Suites. Following my introduction to Ms. Beattie, I had a chance to meet with Executive Chef, Ryan Swarthout, from The Crown Room (located at the winery), a sweet young man who seems at top of his game. After feeding me a bite of Dungeness Crab Cake, I was all in!  An elegant woman nearby suggested to close with their 2007 Gold Medal winning Chardonnay ($18) as I made a mental note to drive up the coast for a taste of their 2008 Syrah Rosé ($14) which won BEST of SHOW – 2009 at the San Diego International Wine Competition. A bouquet of strawberries, spice, and a multi-award winning rosé… what’s not to love? I was also privy to the inside scoop on their 2008 Viognier ($25), reminiscent of a tropical breeze and pineapple with a hint of apricot to liven up the palette. The first in a series of new discoveries, I’ll be sure to re-visit.

More to follow on Paso Robles as, just like every frustrated writer, I’m long overdue for another Sideways-like adventure where I wax poetic about the virtues of Pinot Noir.

Eagle Castle Winery ~ A Flagship Winery on the Central Coast of California.

www.eaglecastlewinery.com