News Cancun ENERO 2012 Eat and Drink in Cancun Dishing Out Details of the First Cancun-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival Élyse Lambert, named Best Sommelier of the Americas in Buenos Aires in 2009 and co-director of the Cancun-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival, visited Cancun to meet with major wine distributors in the area, including European Winery, Constellation Brands / Mondavi, Ferrer & Associates and Tattinger, among others. Taking place March 15-18, 2012, the Cancun-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival is gearing up to be an impressive event, promising to change the way guests interact with chefs and presenters. Festival attendees will enjoy events such as Bulli Beyond: The Future of the Kitchen, Dinner Gala Tribute to Mexico, Dinner in honor of Chef Ferran Adria, seminars, spirit and wine tastings, cooking demonstrations by star chefs and The Villa Group’s Gourmet Chefs. The best restaurants, gourmet shops and distributors of wines and spirits will also showcase their products. Oasis Hotels & Resorts launched a series of concerts that will take place at their various hotels with performances by top performers, including the legendary R & B group Kool and the Gang on January 12. Guests staying at Oasis the night of the concert will automatically receive complimentary tickets to the event. On January 21, the Brazilian sensation Carlinhos Brown will offer a magical performance with his unique style of samba- reggae music, influenced by the sounds and spirit of the Mexican Caribbean. Palace Resorts is proud to present Jon Secada and Enrique Iglesias, two of the most famous stars in Latin music, live in concert at Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort. Secada, the three-time Grammy Award-winning artist, famous for his single "Just Another Day," will serenade guests this Valentine’s Day. Guests staying at any Palace Resorts’ property in Cancun or Riviera Maya for five nights or more will receive two complimentary tickets to the concert. Then on March 10, Spanish superstar Enrique Iglesias will rock the stage, performing hits from his latest album, Euphoria, which won a Billboard Award for Best Latin Album. Guests who book a seven-night stay, and stay between March 4-16, at the Hotel Beach Palace, Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort, Playacar Palace Sun Palace or Le Blanc Spa Resort, will receive 2 complimentary tickets to the show. Christian Cota will present his latest collection at the 2012 New York Fashion Week, held February 9-16. Inspired by the style and culture of Cancun, the designer’s collection of mostly cotton and linen apparel includes metaphors and symbols relating to the turquoise water and beaches of the destination, as well as stones and elements of Mayan culture. On February 11, Cota’s stunning designs will be paraded down the runway, showing the world the designer’s artistic expression – and his interpretation of the beauty and elegance of the Mexican Caribbean. 2012 is a year of growth and renewal for Cancun, exemplified by the addition of three new hotels: Secrets the Vine Cancun, Peninsula Hotel Riu Palace and La Quinta Inn Cancun. Opening August 2012, the dazzling Secrets the Vine Cancun, with 495 rooms and 6 à la carte restaurants plus a buffet, will be home to a Secrets Spa by Pevonia, offering hydrotherapy and an experience inspired by underground limestone caves. This summer, the Peninsula Hotel Riu Palace will also open its doors to travelers who want to experience the perfect combination of a relaxing vacation experience and adventurous fun. The hotel will feature 562 rooms, swimming pools, Jacuzzi, sun terrace, and the Renova Spa wellness center with assorted treatments, massages, gym, and steam bath. The hotel will offer guests tennis courts, games for all ages, including the Riuland activity center for kids, live shows, music, and water sports to keep the whole family active and entertained. The La Quinta Inn Cancun, opening February 2 nd , will have 132 rooms and 39 suites. Attracting mostly business travelers, the hotel will also offer all the amenities leisure guests want. The hotel is also pet friendly! Carnival at Oasis Oasis Hotels & Resorts kicks off its concert series Live @ Palace Resorts Jon Secada and Enrique Iglesias Romance Cancun Ake Christian Cota in Style Cancun inspires the runways of New York Fashion Week New Hotels on the Horizon Secrets the Vine, Riu Palace Península and La Quinta Inn Cancun Christian Cota is already becoming Mexico's most internationally- recognized fashion designer, selling his pieces worldwide in places like Italy, Dubai, Kuwait, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, United States and Mexico. For his next collection, his vision was inspired by the his home country’s most beautiful destination, Cancun. After studying at the renowned Parsons School of Design, Cota began his career in fashion working as an assistant to designer Angel Sanchez. In 2007, Cota started his own label, Christian Cota. The designer quickly rose to fame after Gossip Girl star Blake Lively began wearing pieces from his collection. The concert series at Oasis Hotels & Resorts will continue throughout the year with performances by disco legend Gloria Gaynor, rapper Wiz Khalifa, pop star Kelly Rowland and the world- renowned DJ Erick Morillo. Recently, the hotel announced that global superstars The Blues Brothers Band and international sensation Pitbull have also been added the schedule. Oasis Hotels & Resorts will announce even more performing artists in the coming months.