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Kualoa Ranch, a 3,800-acre emerald swath of Oahu's Windward Side, has appeared on screens large and small many times. Its impossibly lush valleys and steep green mountains play supporting roles in the "Jurassic Park" series, "50 First Dates" and "Windtalkers," as well as the TV series "Lost," "Magnum, P.I." and "Hawaii Five-0," among others. But it took a former chef from Santa Cruz to shine a unique spotlight on Kualoa's agricultural bounty. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Call it deep spring cleaning, or maybe an unscheduled facelift: After winter mudslides swept through Montecito and the nearby Four Seasons in Santa Barbara, the latter closed for nearly five months for restoration and repairs. The iconic hotel that debuted in 1927 as the Biltmore reopened June 1 with its Spanish Colonial charm intact - and a fresh glow for summer. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Don't text on your cell phone or focus on your digital camera while crossing the street in Honolulu - as of late last year, you'll be subject to a $35 fine, as well as the vagaries of traffic. Fortunately, there are plenty of new distractions for visitors to Oahu and the other Hawaiian Islands this year. Some highlights: [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Given that Waikiki's old Pacific Beach Hotel was mostly known for its massive aquarium and Japanese clientele, it's fitting that the final touches of its $115 million transformation will come from a sushi master, "Iron Chef" Masaharu Morimoto. Morimoto Asia Waikiki, the signature restaurant of the recently renamed Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach, is set to open Feb. 15 on the second floor of the high-rise hotel, while his more casual Momosan Waikiki, serving small plates and ramen along with craft beer and sake, is expected to open on the street level in March. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Logging of Douglas firs helped build Vancouver's economy. The Douglas, an Autograph Collection hotel in the city's new entertainment complex on False Creek, adds a handsome, forest-themed plank to its modern moneymaker: tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Thanks to the Beatles, thousands of visitors head to Liverpool every year to visit Strawberry Fields, Penny Lane, the Cavern Club and other landmarks tied to the Fab Four. Less well-known is the city's claim to more museums and galleries than any other in the United Kingdom, outside of London. Create your own magical mystery tour by exploring a few of the most distinctive exhibition halls and the beautifully renewed civic spaces between them. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In what may sound like a scenario from a Dan Brown novel, the German Templar Society built housing and a school for its community in western Jerusalem in the late 19th century. This summer, after years of restoration, two of its buildings and a new main structure opened as the Orient Jerusalem, an opulent hotel that reflects East and West as much as past and present. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ian Schrager, co-founder first of New York's infamous Studio 54 and later the boutique hotel industry, made his mark in San Francisco in 2001 with a radical remodel of the Clift Hotel and its renowned Redwood Room. Some considered the renovation almost as big a crime as the long-ago tax evasion for which he served time - and recently received a pardon from former President Barack Obama. Visitors to the Big Apple looking for relatively affordable yet stylish digs may forgive all after experiencing Schrager's latest concept, the Public hotel. In lieu of bellmen and turndown service, you'll pay a lower rate for a Manhattan address with buzzworthy bars and restaurants close at hand. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Three fixtures of Monterey County's dining scene have introduced new looks, new menus and, in two cases, new names within the past six weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

To prepare a Bay Area foodie getaway, pick a scenic Wine Country village. Add a multi-Michelin-starred restaurant, sprinkle with gourmet stores, and finish with a stylish boutique hotel to sleep off the evening's excess. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]