by Lisa Trottier, Sunset senior travel editor

When the superposh Aman Resorts opened their first U.S. hotel in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, 11 years ago, it was clear they knew something about the habits of the American jet-setter. This week, they open their second U.S. project. But this one’s a bit more of a head-scratcher.

Amangiri, they’re calling it, a collection of 32 suites fit for a CEO who’s taken the golden parachute. And they’ve put it on a 600-acre swath of Utah desert 25 minutes outside Page, Arizona. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Page, but I have. And it ain’t no Jackson.

No one loves the desert of Southern Utah like Sunset does—it’s tops in our book. But having camped in this country many times, I can’t help but chuckle when I picture the guests of a $600/night hotel (that’s the discounted opening rate, by the way) mingling with the beer-chugging houseboaters on Lake Powell or pulling into a strip mall in Page to hook up with a tour of Antelope Canyon.

There’s no arguing with the views. I mean…wow. But will this arid corner of the world, so remote and desolate that polygamists like to hide out in it, really become a playground for the world’s superrich? If so, the Aman visionaries are smarter than I am. They’re certainly gutsier.

Curious? Check out more photos on Amangiri’s website.

by Harriot Manley, Sunset contributor

For anyone who has taken the 27-mile boat ride out of San Francisco Bay's Golden Gate to the Farallon National Wildlife Refuge, a trio of remote, mostly rock islands, you probably agree it’s amazing—with roughly a quarter-million sea birds squawking from the cliffs and swirling overhead. That's not to mention seals, sea lions, orcas, and porpoises, plus grey, blue, and humpback whales, and (yes) great white sharks churning the cold waters. You probably also agree once is enough, given the often unfortunate stomach-related consequences of bumping through ocean swells for hours on end.

Now, there’s relief, and it isn’t in the form of a Dramamine pill. The Point Reyes Bird Observatory, a long-standing scientific presence on the island, has joined with the California Academy of Sciences to install a live, solar-powered web-cam on the refuge’s Southeast Farallon Island. According to PRBO, the live camera feed, scheduled to begin today, June 8, at calacademy.org/webcams/farallones, will be accompanied by animal identification guides, Farallones history, and research and conservation information.

“Since the islands aren't accessible to the general public, the webcam will be a valuable tool not only for scientists, but for casual observers too,” says Dr. Jack Dumbacher, lead scientist on the project. “The wildlife observations from this webcam will assist with research, guide conservation decisions, and hopefully inspire citizens to care about this valuable resource right in San Francisco’s backyard.”

by Elizabeth Jardina, Sunset researcher

On the very western edge of Hawaii's westernmost island, you'll find a plush, 3-mile-long strip of golden sand.

Kauai's Polihale State Park reopened weekend before last. Heavy rains closed it in December, and stuck by a budget crunch, the state department of land and natural resources said it didn't have the funds to repair the washed-out road.

That's where a group of dedicated island volunteers came in. In a few weeks, using donated materials and labor, the volunteers regraded the road and helped repair broken water fixtures, as well as cut back overgrown vegetation and removed trash.

Visiting Kauai last week, I hadn't planned to head out to Polihale until we were in the state building to get a permit to hike part of the legendary Kalalau Trail. Everyone else in the office was a local, getting a permit to camp at Polihale. It went on the to-do list.

It is true, I am no conoisseur of beaches; a smidge of melanoma on my left arm removed 10 years ago—a dark, malevolent comma—left me resigned to the reality of vacations coated with a ghostly smear of sunscreen.

Those people who go on beach vacations wearing ridiculously protective hats and excessively technical clothing, the kind with built-in SPF 45? Hi. That's me.

So at a truly magnificent beach like Polihale, I'm a teetotaler on a Wine Country getaway: aware that the vineyards are pretty, but without a true devotee's understanding.

On the other hand, if I were the sort of person who liked to, for example, lie on a beach, towel warmed by the sun, feeling the softness of fluffy sand under me, perhaps reading a trashy novel, conveniently adjacent to a cooler of frosty beverages, I'd head for Polihale posthaste.

Because, the other people at the beach that day were living the life: Tents set up on the sand, families gathered for afternoon picnics, kids splashing in the water. There's only one spot in Polihale where it's safe to swim, Queen's Pond, a tiny pocket of reef-protected aqua water, calm as a bathtub, surrounded by crashing waves.

For Hawaiians, the area is more than a spot for family beach fun. The cliffs on the far north end of the beach, three miles from Queen's Pond, were considered a jumping off point for spirits as they left the corporeal world. 

So, let's recap: soft golden sand, aqua water, sunshine nearly all the time, a laid-back attitude, a lack of tourists. Ready to go?

There's only one thing in your way: A dirt road, 3 miles and change, that snakes through the brush, till you take a left at the big monkeypod tree (I swear, these are the real directions). We did it in a rented convertible, which, while not recommended, did get us there with the car and ourselves unscathed.

Polihale State Park: Free, open daily, official website here.

By Trina Enriquez, Sunset copy editor

Ever since Lisa Taggart wrote about the chibi taiyaki (small, golden, fish-shaped cakes made to order with fillings such as Nutella, chocolate, vanilla, or red bean, plus a catch of the week) at Sweet Breams in San Mateo, California, for the March ’09 Northern California issue of the magazine, I’ve sort of taken to haunting the place. And joined its Facebook fan page. And initiated as many friends as possible into the cult of Tiny and Tasty.

While I wait for my school of 12 fish, I look over works by resident artists Cat Oshiro, Andrew Uy, and Simon Tran, and took to coveting Uy’s Miso Panda print until word came that it was sold out—argh! But this Saturday, April 18, Sweet Breams is hosting its first group art show, Meet Me Under the Cherry Blossoms, featuring new works by the 3 artists and 11 of their friends. Spanning genres from “psychedelic acrylics” to “urban lifestyle,” their newest digital illustrations, drawings, and paintings will debut at this exhibition, which takes its name from the beauty of sakura, or Japanese cherry blossoms. (To extend the festivities, check out the Sunset story on SF's J-town and head to San Francisco.)

Be sure to stop by the shop between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Saturday, meet and chat with some of the artists, and order a school (or three) of taiyaki while you’re at it. (At $5.50 a school, so worth it, seriously—and don't forget about Sweet Breams' secret menu.) A digital illustration from CatmAndru! (aka Andrew Uy) will be raffled off during the reception. If you can’t make it, the artists' works will be on display in-store through May 27.

Click on any of the artists’ names below for a sneak preview and more info.

Cat Oshiro
Simon Tran
Andrew Uy
Martin Hsu
Liz Lorini
Gem Mateo
Jeramie Tolentino
Rob Beckstrom

Chibi taiyaki photo courtesy of I Heart Sweet Breams

by Amy Anderson, Sunset editorial intern

Keeping up with my Twitter updates is getting a little overwhelming. First it was just my college friends documenting their lives. Now it's businesses, newspapers, and even fictional television show characters who post on a daily basis. Even Sunset is doing it!

Twitter is a social networking site that lets users write what's going on in their lives and follow the updates of people who interest them. The catch is that each post (called a "tweet") can only be up to 140 characters long. You can write your tweet through the web, an instant message or even a text on your cell phone.

But there are some benefits to the massive influx of updates I'm getting every day. Hotels, rental car companies, airlines, and travel sites are joining the Twitter revolution and posting exclusive deals and inside scoops for their followers. Check out some recent Twitter-based steals:

Fairmont Hotels, which has luxury lodging all over the West Coast, tweets regularly with company updates, specials, and giveaways. They just gave one lucky follower a free night in the Lexus Hybrid Living Suite at Fairmont Washington, D.C. The Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles is giving away one night stays on their Twitter page through April 18. Napa Valley Marriott has Twitter contests every Monday and give out wine and hotel stays.

Southwest Airlines is big on social networking sites, and their Twitter is no exception. Find everything from humorous links to flight updates and contests. Virgin America has caught on too, updating with company news and deals regularly.

Portland recently became the first city in the country to put the qualities of a visitor's center on Twitter--a Twisitor Center! Users can ask specific questions about Portland by adding the code #inpdx to the end of their post. Travel Portland staff members and other followers of the site will respond with advice. If you're not familiar with how Twitter works, Travel Portland also has a new user's video that will help you get started.

Feeling a bit Twittered out? CheapTweet makes the money-saving life easier by accumulating the best Twitter promos and giveaways and posting them all on one site. Get advice from New York Times Frugal Traveler blogger Matt Gross, who used Twitter on a recent trip too.

To sum it up in 140 characters or less: Thrifty and web savvy travelers can find deals for their next escape on Twitter--and work on being concise writers at the same time!

by MacKenzie Geidt, Sunset assistant travel editor

First I read that San Francisco's Tonga Room may close, which is bad enough.  THEN I hear that the tiki totem in Capitola has been stolen!  Apparently even the tiki isn't safe from bad news these days.

Some of you may have read yesterday's Santa Cruz Sentinel and come upon this headline: "Beloved tiki swiped from Capitola Esplanade Park".  Looks like we've got ourselves a tiki heist!  The 3-foot tiki totem was noticed missing from its shoreline perch on Sunday, March 22, and is still missing in action.  (Doesn't the tiki bandit realize what kind of bad juju stems from stealing a tiki?! Don't they remember the Brady Bunch Hawaiian episode?!)

I was dismayed to hear this news, but I was positively distressed to read the paper's sub-headline: "Totem's mention in Sunset Magazine may have prompted thief." And reading further, the woman who reported the missing tiki made a claim that someone may have been prompted by the Sunset article on Capitola and "nabbed the tiki to make a quick buck."

It's true that our March issue featured Capitola as one the West's 20 BEST small towns. We paid homage to the charms of this Mediterranean jewel right in our backyard: the amazing Gayle's Bakery & Rosticceria, Paradise Beach Grille, Cava Wine Bar, Capitola City Beach, Shadowbrook Restaurant, and the Inn at Depot Hill.  We've got nothing but love for Capitola!

Now to address the weak claim that our homage may have served as inspiration for the crime: Nowhere in the article do we either picture, or even explicitly mention the tiki totem. We state that "The tiki gods smile on the capitol of perfect surf," but there's NO mention of the actual tiki statue in the photos or text.  Now, I'm no Nancy Drew, but since the tiki's initial erection was clouded with controversy (read the Sentinel article for details), it seems far more likely that the heist would've been fueled by a residual tiki dissenter from the days of the City Council debacle.

In any case, the tiki must be returned! Clear Sunset's good name and pacify the tiki gods! You can even call the anonymous tip line if you have information on its whereabouts: 831-475-2791.

In the meantime, I don't know about you, but I could use a tropical cocktail! Check out Sunset editor-at-large Peter Fish's round-up of the West's best tiki bars. Or stay at home and use Sunset's favorite mai tai recipe, and keep your fingers crossed for the tiki's safe return.

by MacKenzie Geidt, Sunset assistant travel editor

You might be stressed about paying for your kid's college tuition (I don't even have a kid yet and I'm stressed about it), but the good news is that certain educational endeavors are still affordable.  Not even just affordable, but an incredible value. Take, for example, the $5  tuition for the beginner's home brewing class at Culver City Home Brewing Supply Co.  As you should know from Sunset's awesome One Block Diet project, making your own (of everything) is the way to go. Sunset's Team Beer has inspired us all (and I can vouch for the taste...homemade tastes better).

But if you're feeling daunted by the prospect and need some hands-on guidance, take this class!  Beginner classes are the first Thursday and third Thursday of each month from 6:30-9:30pm.  There's a class this Thursday, March 5th, and you don't even need to sign up in advance!  And you can actually apply that $5 towards any brew kits if you decide you want to buy one.  So now you have one more reason to visit one of LA's coolest neighborhoods: Culver City.  If you wanna grab dinner beforehand, check out Akasha Restaurant, one of the hot spots on Culver Blvd, and read our interview with Chef Akasha before you go.

And after you brew it, here are some of our favorite Sunset recipes for cooking with beer:
Beer Rye Bread, Grilled beer-cooked sausages, and Lime chile beer