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TRAVEL & EVENTS
AsianVoiceNewsweekly
31
14 - 20 March 2020
It is a quaint little Californian city lapping on the shores of the Pacific Ocean and one that you imagine about while leafing through Nicholas Sparks’ romance novel. If nothing the former Spanish colony will most definitely remind you of the Greek Santorini cityscapes. Winding alleys, tucked white houses, and acres of beach coastline make this Southern Californian place an ideal summer destination for visitors. Visas, flights and currency guide However, September-October are touted as the perfect months for tourists to take a dip in the lukewarm Pacific waters with a mild breeze harbouring over the pier. Santa Barbara is usually a day-trip planned during a dreamlike Californian getaway. Beach schnapps, summer dresses, indulging in gelato ice-creams under a canopy of trees with toes dipped in the ocean water, is casually spent lazying on after a hectic trek at the Yosemite National Park. Direct buses from Greyhound operate from as minimal as $16 per person from other Californian cities into Santa Barbara. However, if you wish to swoop in directly into the city then frequent flights operate from London Heathrow to Los Angeles, California or even San Francisco with a round-trip starting from as little as £550 per person. 1GBP=
Sun tanning in Santa Barbara 1.29 USD* (at the time of writing) and whilst Santa Barbara will appear to be a regular quaint Californian city, it actually is quite expensive. The City is celebrated as the American Riviera because of its Spanish colonial revival architecture, heritage, food and wine scene, breathtaking pier and wait for it water sports adventures. From the farmers’ market to the little trinket stores to the popular Spanish Church, Santa Barbara is a simple yet charismatic Spanish beauty. Walking down the Sterns Wharf Every beach city boasts of yachts, piers and sailboats. The Sterns Wharf is a rough wooden pier lined with souvenir shops, snack vendors and shacks at the southern end of the State. The Wharf also boasts of a proud history. It is built in 1872 serving as the oldest operating wooden wharf in California. The Sea Centre at the Wharf is essentially for kids which means you can take a hike down the pier with your children. Although the first 90 minutes at the Wharf is free, time spent at the pier is later on chargeable with a nominal fee. Exploring artefacts at the Antique Alley The Antique Alley is located just down the road from the pier and nestled amidst Spanish and
Indian cafe. Like any other antique store, this place houses collectibles from pre World War 1 era. Expect to spend an entire afternoon thumbing through warrior jewellery, postcards from faraway, dated musical vinyl records and fairytale costumes. Pro-tip: If you visit the city during Halloween then you might in for a little surprise with the colourful wigs, masks and other prolific accessories. Old Mission Santa Barbara The Old Mission was established on December 4 (the feast day of St Barbara), 1786, as the 10th California mission. Of California’s original 21 Spanish Colonial missions, it’s the only one that escaped secularisation under the Mexican rule. Now it is believed to be the only active parish church in the city. The selfguided tour starts in the pretty garden before heading to the cemetery (where Juana María, the Chumash girl made famous in Scott O'Dell's 1960 children's novel Island of the Blue Dolphins was buried behind the tower). Other guided tours in Santa Barbara include wine tasting sessions starting from 130 USD, food, wine and nightlife bar hopping sessions which start from as minimal as $100. If nothing be prepared to pack your swimming trunks, bikini bottoms and beach towels for cliff jumping, diving and kayaking.
Whats on 1. (B)old Words: Poetry for Dementia, When: Monday 16 March, Venue: Southbank Centre 2. Crossing Boundaries, When: 1 Apr 2020, Venue : National Poetry Library, Level 5, Blue side, Royal Festival Hall, Price: £7 per ticket 3. 2010: Crossing Cultures, When: 22nd April, Where: Royal Festival Hall, Price : £14-65 4. Ravi Shankar Centenary, When: Tuesday, 7th April, Where: Royal Festival Hall, Price: £35 - £60 5. Krishnaa - Fire to Frost by Abhinava Dance Company, When: 22nd March, Where: Queen Elizabeth Hall, Price: £22 6. Ahir Shah: Dots, When: 31st March, Where: Purcell Room, Price: £10 7. Mangalam, When: 07th April, Where: Royal Festival Hall, Price: Free
The Long Goodbye Award-winning actor, musician, story teller and activist Riz Ahmed will be performing in an emotional live music show, The Long Goodbye, which will merge rap music and theatre, exploring his complicated relationship with Britain. The Long Goodbye, commissioned by Manchester International Festival, is described as “an electrifying journey into our here and now – a close-up look at the breakup of a toxic relationship with the country we call home,” and will feature new songs from the actor. It is written and will be performed by Ahmed and directed by writer, director and dramaturg Kirsty Housley, with creative direction from Andrea Gelardin. Riz Ahmed will perform The Long Goodbye for three nights only, from 26-28 March 2020 at Manchester’s atmospheric former railway station, Mayfield.
COMPETITION
If you want to win a pair of tickets for the 27 March 2020 show of The Long Goodbye, answer this simple question. Which movie did Riz Ahmed star in 2018? a. Venom b. The Avengers: Infinity War c. Aquaman
The winner will win 2 tickets of Riz Ahmed's show on 27 March 2020 at the Manchester International Festival. The winner's name will be announced in our 21 March issue. Your answer needs to reach us by 16 March 2020 via email to rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com with your full name, phone number and address. The winner will be chosen from the right answer in a lottery basis.
BRING HOME THE SONY PS4 PLAYSTATION THIS SUMMER Sony's PlayStation 4 console has now been refurbished into a 'PS4 Slim' variant. Alongside the design upgrade, it has a fantastic console and a larger collection of games.Performance increases lie primarily with power draw and energy efficiency, and according to Sony, the latest model reduces power consumption by 28% compared to its earlier variants.
: le from Availab .95 £299 Editor: CB Patel Chief Executive Officer: Liji George Managing Editor: Rupanjana Dutta Deputy Editor: Urja Patel Journalist: Priyanka Mehta Advertising Managers: Kishor Parmar Head - New Projects & Business Development: Cecil Soans Advertising Sales Executive: Surendra Patel
A more significant addition, and a definite advantage especially for pro gamers, is the option to switch between the controller's Graphic Designers: Harish Dahya & Ajay Kumar Customer Service: Ragini Nayak Tel: 020 7749 4080 Email: support@abplgroup.com Leicester Distributors: Shabde Magazine, Shobhan Mehta Mob: 07846 480 220
Bluetooth connection and a wired USB data connection with the PS4. Previously, the USB connection would only supply charge, leaning on the Bluetooth connectivity regardless of whether it was plugged in or not. The feature should also make a welcome addition for PC gamers who want to use the DualShock 4 with their rig, as there's now no Bluetooth dongle required. The light bar also marks as one of the notable changes to the new controller. There's now a slight
translucent strip in the touchpad, which allows you to see the colour your controller is set to. This makes it convenient for the gamer, saving them from twisting the pad upwards to see which player colour you're set as.
FEATURES ● Improved
power efficiency ● PS Plus a great deal with greater fames ● DualShock 4 better than ever
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