Roundup: Dalai Lama visits Santa Barbara; Offbeat Traveler photos of the Yellow Treehouse; L.A.’s Century Plaza Hotel to be leveled?

California | The Dalai Lama is in Santa Barbara today and will speak at UC Santa Barbara on ethics and the nature of mind. His California stop is the beginning of a week long U.S. tour that will also include New York and Boston. In anticipation of his visit, monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery made mandalas at UCSB’s University Art Museum. See the photo gallery: Monks in Santa Barbara create a colorful welcome for the Dalai Lama.

Offbeat Traveler | This week the Offbeat Traveler takes a look at the Yellow Treehouse restaurant in New Zealand (pictured above). The treehouse is located in a redwood forest 45 minutes north of Auckland near Warkworth. Only those who have reservations get to know the exact location and are allowed on the premises. Right now the restaurant is booked up for dinner but is available for special events — wedding, anyone? You can see how the treehouse was built and read the blog from Tracey, the hostess on their website.

Los Angeles | What’s going to happen to L.A.’s Century Plaza Hotel? The Los Angeles Conservancy has placed Century Plaza on its list of endangered buildings. Will it get leveled to make room for new development? Read: Century Plaza Hotel faces demolition.

— Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel & Deal blogger

[Photo: Top: Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times; bottom: Lucy Gauntlett]

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This entry was posted on Friday, April 24, 2009 at 9:24 am by Jen Leo and is filed under California, Celebrity, Good Morning, News, Tips & Advice, Pacific & Australia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.