December 30, 2011
2011 Fun Facts
As the month of December comes to a close so does the year 2011. Some events were epic, some were hilarious. Take a look back at some events that shaped this year.
- The world watched the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29.
- Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher broke up.
- The epic franchise of the Harry Potter movies came to an end. Fangirls everywhere weeped.
- Charlie Sheen became known for winning, ending his spot on Two and a Half Men.
- Angry Birds appeared on iPhones everywhere.
- Planking (or the “Lying Down Game”) is an activity consisting of lying face down in an unusual or incongruous location. This became widely popular.
- Superhero movies were front an center in entertai nment. This year we had Thor, Captain America and The Green Lantern.
- Oprah and Regis Philbin left televison.
- We lost Arch West, the inventor of Doritos. His contirbution to our daily snack life will never be forgotten.
- The Lion King came back to theaters for a limited time.
Whether good or bad, the events that happened in 2011 shaped our year and set a base for 2012 to begin. We look forward to 2012 and the are excited for the adventure it will being us.
December 29, 2011
Heaven on Earth
-by Dina Auger, Festiva Adventure Club Loyalty Program Member
Our first visit to Rangeley Lake Resort was pure “Heaven” to us! It was relaxing, peaceful and a great time for family bonding. My husband is in the Navy and seemed to always be deployed for one reason or another. Rangeley Lake Resort gave us the best “family time” we could ask for. In fact we liked it so much we bought another week. Shortly after that, Festiva bought out the resort and we converted over to the point system. This gave us even more time to enjoy what we consider “Heaven on Earth”.
We have spent most of our stays in the summer months at Rangeley. We love to hike
the many trails that surround the lakes. From the top of Bald Mountain to the Majestic Angel Falls, our hikes show us so much of the beauty of the area. Our new family tradition is to take the short 7-mile drive to Smalls Falls, not just for the beauty, but the kids really love jumping off the rocks into the lower pool. The water is cold, but so refreshing!
Swimming down at the resort’s own dock area is always fun. The kids can canoe, paddle boat, swim or fish. We have had some great times down on the lake, including the times we 
rent a pontoon boat and cruise around the lake. My favorite thing to do is to take pictures. I love going out and looking for moose and other wildlife to photograph. I have captured some of our most cherished family memories at Rangeley Lake Resort!
The staff at Rangeley is very accommodating and friendly; the cabins are well cared for, cozy and wonderfully decorated! The town of Rangeley has its own rustic flair too. Small town friendliness mixed with great restaurants and fun shops to browse make this tiny town center a must visit for us each year.
We have stayed at RLR in the winter as well. It is so fun to see all the snowmobilers riding on the lake. Snow shoeing and cross-country trails are in abundance as well. We love to head up the hill a short way to Saddleback Ski Area. It is so nice to be able to ski all day, take in the winter views from the top of the mountain, and be able to be “home” in 10 minutes and relax in the hot tub or by a cozy fire.
We love Rangeley Lake Resort so much that even when we had to move to the West Coast, we still made time to get to Rangeley for our summer vacation! We are now back on the East Coast, compliments of the US Navy, and we look forward to spending many more vacations in Rangeley, Maine.
22nd Annual Portland Bridal Show
January 7 & 8, 2012 | Saturday 6pm – 9pm | Sunday 11am – 3pm
$10 admission, tickets good for entire weekend!. $5 admission to the VIB Lounge Saturday night. Free for grooms on Saturday night. Located at the Holiday Inn By the Bay, , 88 Spring Street ,Portland, ME 04101
While you are in the Portland area, head over to Riverside Street and stop by Festiva Adventure Club to enter to win $25,000 in cash. While there, you can learn how to take your dream honeymoon for a completely affordable price. Just for viewing our 120 minute presentation, you can walk away with Flagship Cinemas gift cards, dinner certificates, a 2 night Marriott stay and more. Call Festiva Resorts at 800-695-0200 to set up your tour today!
December 28, 2011
New Year’s Resolution
New Year’s Day is just around the corner and with that comes the dreaded New Years resolution. Many of us make a promise to change something in our lives starting January 1. The most popular resolutions include quitting smoking, exercising more, losing weight, improving your finances, improving your education, improving your job and being less stressed.
Did you know that only 12% of people succeed in completing their New Years resolution? Make a one you can keep this year by vowing to take a vacation. Not only is that a fun resolution to complete but it can improve your health by making you less stressed. So this New Years make a resolution that you can keep and that will benefit your life.
Festiva Adventure Club has been helping people get the most out of their vacations for the past 10 years. With over 24 resorts, 4 cruise club destinations and the Festiva Adventure Club you are sure to find a vacation to fit your needs. Visit Festiva Adventure Club’s website to learn more or call 888-695-0200 to schedule a tour today!
December 27, 2011
90′s Night
Ready for some real fun? Maybe you just want to kick it old school for a night? Either way you should be headed down to Bull Feeney’s. Every Thursday night will be 90′s Night with Hello Newman playing all your favorites from back in the day! The fun festivities will be kicking off at 9:30 and will run all night long until 1am! Come down and try a night out. You never know you could have so much fun that it could be a weekly routine! Maybe bring the whole gang and cut loose for the night! Never been to Bull Feeney’s? You are in for a treat! Bull Feeney’s is an authentic Irish pub and restaurant. Not into Irish food? That’s okay, there is a wide selection of steaks and seafood as well as their Irish grub. They also have the most extensive list of premium single malt scotch and Irish and Bourbon whiskeys. So whether you are there for the fun of 90′s Night, some great dinning or the awesome drinking selection you will have a great time!
Love getting out and cutting loose? Why not do it more often? While you are in Portland why not swing by Festiva Adventure Club located at 190 Riverside St. Check out the 120 minute presentation and learn how much fun you can have and for how little. Festiva Adventure Club has resorts ranging from Maine to the Caribbean so whatever your vacation style Festiva has something for you! Call 1(888)695-0200 to set up a reservation today!
December 26, 2011
Deck the Halls at Victoria Mansion!
Love going out and experiencing new things? Why not head over to Victoria Mansion and check out the holiday decorations and the amazing details that the mansion has to offer. Holiday tours will be running through to January 8th. They run from 11 am to 4:30pm. Admission is $15 for adults, $13.50 for Seniors and AAA members, $5 for Students ages 6 to 17, children under the age of 6 are free and there is a family rate available for $35 which includes 2 adults and up to 5 children ages 6 to 17. This years theme is Deck the Halls: the Carols of Christmas. Each room 
will be elaborately decorated to reflect a different Christmas Carol from the Victorian period. If you haven’t been to see the Victoria Mansion all decked out it is defiantly worth a trip.
Love getting out into the world and experiencing new things? Why not stop over to Festiva Adventure Club located at 190 Riverside St while you are in Portland. Festiva has resorts anywhere you like to vacation. There are the white sand beaches of the Caribbean and even Moose and log cabins in Rangeley Maine. Festiva Adventure Club has been around for over 10 years and has the experience you can trust. View the 120 minute presentation and learn how you can do all this and for how little! Call 1(888)695-0200 to set up a reservation today!
December 23, 2011
Hanukkah Cooking
All the fuss of the holidays can be streffful but one great thing is the FOOD!
Christmas cookies and pies, Hannukah latkes and challah. I just want to eat everything! Here is one of my favorite recipes, Latkes. For those of you who are unfamiliar, boy will this be a treat.
Latkes are traditionally eaten during the Hanukkah festival. The oil for cooking the latkes is symbolic of the oil from the Hanukkah story that kept the Second Temple of ancient Israel lit with a long-lasting flame that is celebrated as a miracle.Despite the popularity of latkes and tradition of eating them during Hanukkah, they are hard to come by in stores or restaurants in Israel, having been largely replaced by the Hanukkah doughnut.
Latkes can be made with veggies for a side to your meal or a snack. They can also be made sweet for a dessert.
Ingredients
- 2 cups peeled and shredded potatoes
- 1 tablespoon grated onion
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 cup peanut oil for frying
Directions
- Place the potatoes in a cheesecloth and wring, extracting as much moisture as possible.
- In a medium bowl stir the potatoes, onion, eggs, flour and salt together.
- In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until hot. Place large spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the hot oil, pressing down on them to form 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick patties. Brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. Let drain on paper towels. Serve hot!
You can’t go wrong with these crispy hot potato pancakes. Serve with applesauce, sour cream and chopped green onions! Happy Hanukkah!
December 22, 2011
New Year’s Eve Bash at SPACE Gallery
Go big for 2012!
Ring in New Year’s Eve with SPACE Gallery’s spectacular New Year’s Eve event, featuring large-scale installations by artists John Sundling, Colin Sullivan-Stevens, Alicia Eggert, and Mike Fleming. Champagne toasts, curated wines, craft cocktails, tasty treats, good friends, and other fun surprises await!
Savor the Turkish and Middle Eastern rhythms of Okbari. Step into the future with the handmade electronica of Computer at Sea. And revel as the unstoppable brothers Nathaniel and David Meiklejohn team up for an audio/visual blowout to ring in 2012.
$50 for an individual ticket, or contact to purchase a virtual table of 10 for $400. Visit the facebook event page.
Sponsored by: Coffee By Design // David Wood Clothiers // Might & Main // Old Port Wine & Cigar // Shouthouse // The Portland Phoenix // The Contemporaries at the Portland Museum of Art
Saturday 12.31.2011, Starts at 9:00PM, Ends at 1:00PM, $50/$40 before December 1/$400 for a virtual table of 10, 21+
Love parties and fun energizing events? While you are in the Portland area why not stop by Festiva Adventure Club and view a quick 120 minute presentation. Learn how much fun you can have for less money. Festiva has resorts up and down the east coast ranging from Rangeley Maine to the Caribbean. Call 1(888)695-0200 to set up a reservation today!
December 21, 2011
The Maine Mall
Doing last minute Christmas shopping? The Maine Mall is the place to be!
Check out sales like getting $5 off a Build-A-Bear purchase, up to 50% off at Journey’s or the buy-one, get-one deals they have at dELiAS.
If the deals weren’t enough here are 3 reasons to love The Maine Mall
1.) They keep up with trends and have all the stores you love… including Maine artists and manufacturers!
2.) Responsible: Waste is sorted at satellite recycling center, mall shopping cuts car emissions and gas usage for shoppers, GGP (the mall owners) support Habitat for Humanity and American Red Cross as well as local organizations, and our retailers have corporate philanthropy partnerships.
3.) Santa’s here, surrounded by the Maine Garden Railroad Society’s latest display. Bring in your little one to have his or her picture taken with him!
Click here for the Maine Mall holiday hours
364 Maine Mall Road South Portland, Maine 04106 207-774-0303
Love saving money? While at the Maine Mall saving on Christmas presents, stop by Festiva to save on vacations. Festiva Adventure Club at 190 Riverside Street is right here in Portland two exits away from the Maine Mall on 95. View a 120 minute presentation on Festiva’s exciting vacation opportunities and learn how to vacation for the rest of your life in style while keeping your budget in mind. As a thank you for stopping in, you can receive travel certificates, dinner certificates, Irving gas cards and more. Give Festiva a call at 888-695-0200 to set up a tour today!
All photos taken from The Maine Mall Facebook page
December 20, 2011
Bob Marley
Want a little more comedy in your life? Why not head over to the Merrill Auditorium to see Bob Marley live! Not sure of who Bob Marley is? Are you under the impression that he may be a reggae singer? Bob Marley is a great comedian from right here in Maine! He has a down east sense of humor. This will be Bob’s 12 annual holiday show at the auditorium. There will be a couple of different performances. He will be at the Merrill Auditorium Thursday December 29th through Saturday December 31st. Tickets for the event will be $48 including the $5.50 service charge. Bob Marley has been featured on comedy central and a whole bunch of the late night talk shows. This will defiantly be a show to attend!
Love having a blast with your loved ones? Why not do it more often! While you are in Portland for Bob Marley why not swing by Festiva Adventure Club 
located at 190 Riverside St. Festiva has been around for over 10 years and has the experience you can trust. Festiva Adventure Club has resorts ranging from Maine to the Caribbean. So whether you like white sand and palm trees or the lake and some evergreen tress Festiva has what is right for you, and you won’t believe how affordable it can be! Call 1(888)695-0200 to set up a reservation today!
