Avila Beach, CA – Just steps from the sand, framed by rolling hills and infused with a laid-back seaside chic, the Avila Lighthouse Suites resort offers an ideal setting for an elegant destination wedding, any time of year. Whether it’s an intimate ceremony directly on the beach or an indoor oceanfront reception, the Avila Lighthouse Suites will accommodate the desires of those who dream of a seaside wedding.

The town of Avila Beach is known for its unparalleled climate, white-sand beaches and inviting hospitality, making it the perfect place to say “I Do.” This quaint beach town is also home to a rich array of wineries, fine restaurants, and magnificent resorts, including the Avila Lighthouse Suites. This beautiful seaside resort offers a relaxing atmosphere, breathtaking oceanfront views, first class service, and marvelous wedding packages that are sure to please any bride and groom on their special day.

Couples who choose to hold their ceremony at the Avila Lighthouse Suites have the option of tying the knot on the warm sandy beaches of Avila, immersed in the sights and sounds of the grand Pacific Ocean – or on the Avila Lighthouse Suites’ private Sun Deck. The Sun Deck is also the perfect place for a sunset reception where guests can enjoy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. Both the Water’s Edge and Sun Deck options can accommodate up to 100 guests and include traditional wedding décor. Whatever the location of choice, the resorts’ expert staff and first class accommodations are sure to treat guests to a fun, intimate and unforgettable celebration.

Once all festivities have come to an end, the bride and groom are welcome to unwind at the on-site Spa Central Coast and enjoy a full menu of relaxing and rejuvenating services including seaweed body wraps, couples’ massages, infrared sauna detoxifications and a variety of signature treatments. The Spa is staffed by highly trained technicians who use top-of-the-line products to melt stress and promote balance before and after the wedding – when it’s needed most!

For those that crave a little excitement, newlyweds can head over to the Avila Beach Golf Resort to hit the links at the local championship course or explore some of the local wineries, including Morovino Winery, Alapay Cellars, and the recently-opened Cuvee Champagne Bar.

To request a private tour of the Avila Lighthouse Suites property and learn more about current ceremony and reception packages, please contact the Event Sales Manager at (805) 627-1900 or by email at weddings@avilalighthousesuites.com.

About Avila Lighthouse Suites

Part of the Martin Resorts collection of boutique hotels on California’s Central Coast, the Avila Lighthouse Suites hotel is an oceanfront property overlooking unspoiled white-sand beaches on California’s Central Coast. Surrounded by breathtaking ocean views and within minutes of some of the best wineries and restaurants in the world, this hotel provides well-appointed accommodations for travelers seeking distinctive style, comfort, and convenience in the heart of The Golden State. For more information or to book your stay at Avila Lighthouse Suites, visit www.AvilaLighthouseSuites.com or call 800-372-8452.

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CONTACT:     Linda Parker Sanpei

                        Parker Sanpei& Associates

                        linda@ParkerSanpei.com

                        (805) 543-2288

The International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association’s prestigious award recognizes the best of the best in wines, brews, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages around the world.

The award nomination was carefully evaluated and recommended by IFWTWA’s Excellence Awards Committee and approved by IFWTWA’s Board of Directors.

“We are proud to give Mi Suk Ahn this award,” says Maralyn Hill, IFWTWA President. “She demonstrates the professional standards that represent the best in the wine and spirits industries. With her creativity and knowledge, Ms. Ahn and other professionals in her class set new expectations.”

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October 28, 2011 (Monterey, CA)—“This is my ninth harvest in the area and it has been unlike any that I can recall,” says Executive Director for the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association, Rhonda Motil of Monterey County’s 2011 growing season. “The growers have all handled Mother Nature’s curve balls with the patience and expertise indicative of our winegrowing region.”

While growers and vintners throughout Monterey County admit that this has been an out-of-the-ordinary year, lovers of the area’s elegant and well-balanced wines will be pleased to learn that the strange growing season has yielded overwhelmingly good quality across its nine AVAs.

“Climactic events like a wet spring, late rain in June, a milder-than-usual summer, and a big rain storm in early October presented us with many challenges, but the fruit coming into the winery is superb,” said Matt Shea, Vineyard Manager of Bernardus Winery in the Carmel Valley. “The long summer coupled with adequate soil moisture created the perfect conditions for Pinot Noir on the Central Coast. The loose clusters, small berries, low yields, and long hang time will equate to concentrated wine with lots of depth and flavor.”

Bernardus Winemaker, Dean De Korth, concurs: “I’ve heard some dramatic stories from our friends in other regions, but we were fortunate that several of the storms that plagued them bypassed us with little to no impact on our grape quality. All our Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir grapes were picked under beautiful conditions prior to the main rains in early October, and they’re all coming in at optimal sugar and acid levels with delicious, concentrated flavors.”

De Korth echoes a sentiment heard among several Monterey County growers: that the benefits of a long, mild growing season are particularly evident in the region’s Pinot Noir crop. “Pinot Noir excels in minimal diurnal swings – the less fluctuation in temperature, the better,” said Andy Mitchell, Director of Vineyard Operations at Hahn Winery in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. “The 2011 vintage certainly bears that out. We’re seeing full flavors, with brix and acid levels in wonderful balance across our Pinot Noir fruit. In prior years, we’ve had to wait for either the sugars or the acids to come into balance, but this year, everything came together to full maturity at once.”

While wine quality for the 2011 vintage is predicted to be high, volume will be an issue. “Our Pinot Noir crop was 50% lighter than usual,” says Mitchell. “You can count on great concentration, but it will be at the expense of the wine’s accessibility.”

In the southerly San Antonio Valley AVA, Lockwood Oaks Vineyard owner, Joyce Yates, speaks to the quality-versus-quantity issue. “My crop is coming in as good, if not better than, last year. The phenols, acids, tannins, and flavors are excellent. Although the quantity isn’t what we’d like to see, overall, this vintage was terrific quality-wise. There’s no question, we can count on 2011 being a terrific vintage for wines from this area.”

Bringing together the talents and resources of its members, partners and the community, the MCVGA promotes and supports their leadership in the art, science and business of wine. Founded in 1974, the Association is a non-profit organization representing over 75 vintners and growers in Monterey, California. Additional details are available by visiting www.montereywines.org or by calling (831) 375-9400.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL, PARKER SANPEI & ASSOCIATES 805.543.2288

linda@parkersanpei.com

The IFWTWA 2011 Scholarship Award competition, open to non-members only, took the IFWTWA Scholarship Award Evaluation Committee on armchair journeys from Peru to Croatia, and Maui to Virginia, showcasing extraordinary writing talent. Two writers took the top prizes: Anja Mutic for the Professional Journalism Award and Hope Nardini for the Emerging Writer Award.

Anja Mutic has traveled to more than 60 countries in search of great stories. Her winning Professional Journalism entry, “Falling in Love with Truffles on Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula,” takes place in the country of her birth. The story, first appearing in The Washington Post in 2010 as “Fungal Love,” reflects a vivid sense of place against the backdrop of one of the region’s prized culinary assets—truffles—and includes characters ranging from foragers to chefs. Mutic’s readers become enamored with this delicacy right along with her on her journey through the Istrian countryside.

Hope Nardini won in the Emerging Writer category for her entry, “First Person Dispatch: What Are You Doing Here?,” first published on matadornetwork.com. Nardini’s entry marks the third consecutive IFWTWA Scholarship Award winner from Matador. “What Are You Doing Here?” takes place in rural Peru and raises the question of whether one can make a sustaining change in the lives of children living in conditions of isolation and poverty, in this case by teaching computer skills. Nardini tells a poignant and inspiring story from her perspective as a teacher, offering a window into a world far away from the one most travelers see.

Look for these winning articles to appear in Global Writes, the IFWTWA online magazine, in 2012.

The IFWTWA Scholarship Award includes a one-year membership in IFWTWA, all membership benefits, an award certificate signed by the IFWTWA President and Scholarship Awards Committee Chair, a cash award, a radio interview on Blog Talk Radio, publication in Global Writes, and widely distributed announcements.

“I am thrilled at the high caliber of competition entries this year,” says Maralyn Hill, IFWTWA President. “On behalf of every IFWTWA member, I extend a sincere congratulations to both Anja and Hope. We are very exited to welcome these talented writers into the organization.”

Second and third place winners in each category will receive a Certificate of Recognition: Cynthia Clampitt, second place in Professional Journalism for “All in a Day’s Work,” a day in the life of a busy chef; Ben Keene, third place in Professional Journalism for “Thailand Uncorked” about Thailand’s fledgling wine scene; Desirée Bilon, second place in Emerging Writer for “Shotgun Wedding Bells Ring in Maui,” about Maui as a wedding destination; Kristin Vukovic, third place in Emerging Writer for “A New Yorker’s Pilgrimage to Amritsar’s Golden Temple” about the author’s journey in India.

The IFWTWA 2012 Scholarship Award contest is accepting entries from non-members through August 1, 2012 in the Professional Journalism and Emerging Writer categories. Guidelines and an online entry form are on the IFWTWA website.