About 360 MAGAZINE

360 MAGAZINE is an award-winning international publishing on popular culture and design. We introduce avant trademarks to efficacious architects. We are a LGBTQIA2S+ friendly publication--officially recognized by the NGLCC. Our core demographic ranges from 19 to 39-year-old college-educated trendsetters within their respective international communities. The pages in this art book satisfy their strong interests including music, art, travel, auto, health, fashion, tech, philanthropy, design, food and entrepreneurship. It's an introspective digital/print/tablet portrait series, which encapsulates artists/brands/entities who embody the true essence of our publication- empowerment, equality, sensuality and most important of all, humanity within a global society.

Android Apps

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When a developer leaves a mistake in application code, it can create a security vulnerability that criminals may exploit.

According to the data presented by the Atlas VPN team, 63% of Android applications had known security vulnerabilities in Q1 2021, with an average of 39 vulnerabilities per app.

Gaming apps had the most vulnerabilities out of all Android app categories. A whopping

96% of top free games apps were found to contain vulnerable components. Additionally, 94% of top-grossing games apps and 80% of top paid games apps also had vulnerabilities.

Despite the fact that financial apps require some of the most personally sensitive data, vulnerabilities were also discovered in 88% of banking apps, 84% of budgeting apps, and 80% of payment apps.

Education apps have the most high-level vulnerabilities

Not all vulnerabilities are equal. While some may just be minor issues that do not pose any active threat to the user, other vulnerabilities can cause serious repercussions. Let’s delve deeper into the different types of Android security vulnerabilities registered since 2018.

Education apps had the highest number of exploitable Android vulnerabilities with possible fixes as of the first quarter of 2021— 43%. Meanwhile, apps in the top games category had the biggest number of exploitable Android vulnerabilities with no available fixes — 6%.

Overall, 44% of the Android app vulnerabilities were classified as high-risk, meaning they represented a tangible threat.

Ruth Cizynski, the cybersecurity researcher and writer at Atlas VPN, shares her thoughts on the situation:

“Given that the Google Play store applications have been downloaded millions of times, it is safe to say they pose significant security risks to Android users. ”

To read the full article, click here.

How Pop Culture affects the Marijuana Industry

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Pop culture has had a huge effect on the marijuana industry, which many people are unaware of this. Music affects the market–especially when artists in pop culture are proclaiming their love for weed. Simultaneously, they are also influencing cannabis usage among young adults. The more popularized marijuana becomes, the more of an impact it will have on other industries– like healthcare, agriculture, and law enforcement.

In recent years, the cannabis industry has exploded with new products and research. One of the most interesting developments is how pop culture can affect this industry. For example, Snoop Dogg has released a line of marijuana called “Leafs by Snoop” to provide medical marijuana to patients in need. Furthermore, high-profile celebrities like Rihanna have been outspoken about their use of cannabis for medicinal use. So, without further ado, here’s how pop culture affects the marijuana industry.

The Cannabis Industry Is Growing

The 20th century has opened the gates to a multitude of revolutionary ideas including cannabis, which is now accepted as a part of pop culture. In 2021, cannabis is estimated to have an average global consumption of 26.4 billion, and is apparently worth 20.5 billion dollars. This increased popularity is due to its legalization. As a result, a creative phenomenon known as “pot tourism” has gained recognition. More than that, it has led to many products being available–such as bongs, dry herb vaporizers, and dab rigs–sold by a variety of online stores like Grasscity, and many more. Cannabis users visit pro-cannabis shops to help fulfill their desires of free cannabis usage. As such, the popularity of recreational drug usage has caused decreased alcohol usage, as recorded in recent consumption rates. This is good, because cannabis acts as an intervention to help alcoholics defeat their addiction. Cannabis brands have also started to use popular phrases in their advertising campaigns in a bid to be more relatable with their audience. A contemporary example of such is the term “420,” which has been used a lot in both pop culture and ads.

Celebrities Change Your View On Weed

Marijuana companies are now sponsoring events, as a result of consumer growth of marijuana. The most famous examples are the 1969 Woodstock festival, and events like Coachella. Marijuana companies have even started sponsoring sports teams–even the infamously stern NFL decided to allow cannabis sponsorships. Aurora even sponsored a concert of Phantogram at the Danforth Music Hall.

In a world filled with uncertainty regarding the legality of cannabis, the endless sponsorships deserve a lot of credit in the war for legalization. Celebrities have played a large role in using their higher status to promote and normalize recreational drug usage. Snoop Dogg, the rapper, has been spotted in various public events casually smoking a joint and actors like Seth Rogen public advocate and practice smoking marijuana. The effect of this normalization is the potential for cannabis to change the mindset of the masses.

More Companies Are Entering The Cannabis Market

Despite the social war for cannabis usage, there are many companies that stick their neck out for its legalization. The reason for this is because legalization would allow for the increased consumption of drugs–which, of course, results in more business. Either way, it advances the fight for legalization and advocates a benefit for cannabis’ usage. The rapidly growing competition and money that is generated from this product allows for a much wider marijuana market to be normalized. The government has the potential to regulate the market for cannabis, separating the line between medical and recreational drugs, but making way for relatively free consumption.

It is quite evident that the use of cannabis definitely is affected by pop culture, which has paved the way for the industry to grow exponentially over the last few years. The celebrities and well-known figures, as well as many companies, are now influentially advocating for cannabis usage in the industry. More weed means more money, and even the government is noticing this. Hence, this is why cannabis is becoming more legalized in a lot more states. In the next decade or so, we are bound to see change and improvement in the industry.

Louis York Releases Latest Single, “Headphones”

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Grammy-nominated duo, Louis York, has released their latest single, “Headphones,” which is available now wherever you find great music. The track, released through the group’s label, Weirdo Workshop, reminds us all of the healing power of music and art. Over the past few years, the news cycle has been both informative and agonizing – we’ve experienced polarizing politics, social unrest and a global pandemic. “Headphones” explores the power and healing qualities that uniquely apply to music and the connective energy between sound and the human spirit, especially in tough times.

“Life has been challenging for us and everyone we know, so music has been essential. It’s been the only thing keeping us from going crazy,” says the duo. “We want ‘Headphones’ to represent a song’s ability to help during the darkest times. Right now, people should be paying close attention to their mental health so we’re offering up a melody and a message that might heal someone the way music has been healing us.”

Releasing alongside the track is the song’s poignant music video directed by Aaron Greene. Louis York wanted to create a visual that captures the emotions that this song is all about. The concept was meant to illustrate the feelings of loneliness, despair and confusion followed by the comfort and freedom that great music brings out. The song and video are all about personal connection with music.

About Louis York:

Louis York is the multi-GRAMMY nominated songwriting and production duo comprised of Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony. The genre blending team is responsible for some of the biggest chart-topping hits by Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Miley Cyrus, Jazmine Sullivan, K. Michelle, Christina Aguilera, Ne-Yo, Mary J. Blige, John Legend, Jason Derulo, among many others. The talented team moved from Los Angeles to Nashville to open their Weirdo Workshop – an all encompassing company and label that produces music for other artists and musicians, including themselves. After creating Weirdo Workshop, in 2015, the two joined forces behind the mic for the first time in their careers with the goal of exploring how to bring communities together while celebrating originality and differences through the arts. Their first EP trilogy, Masterpiece Theater: Act I, Act II, Act III and it’s first single, “Clair Huxtable,” were a hit with fans and set the stage for a string of other popular singles such as “Things I Should Have Said,” “Slow Motion,” “Don’t Play,” and many others. Louis York has been featured by Billboard, Los Angeles Times, BET, MTV, VH1, The Fader, among others, as well as making their Grand Ole Opry debut in 2020 and have performed as special guests on the TODAY Show. They have also taken part in the esteemed TEDx Nashville program and are sought after speakers, panelists and hosts for events such as GRAMMY-U, the National Museum of African American Music, Leadership Music and Leadership Nashville, and many others. Through their own Weirdo Workshop programs, Deep Fried Veggies, the two are intently focused on speaking to high school and college students about music, business and life; and Tiny Book Club develops and engages discussion that broadens perspectives, creates cultural awareness and provides human connections and interaction around impactful pieces of literature.

ANNOUNCING HVS CONSERVATORY

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A New Post-Secondary School for Vocalists

In DTLA’s Historic Garland Building

A NEW KIND OF VOCAL EDUCATION

PREPARES THE NEXT GENERATION OF ARTISTS

FOR A CAREER IN LOS ANGELES’ COMPETITIVE MUSIC INDUSTRY http://hvsconservatory.com

Auditions will be held this fall for February 2022 enrollment.

HVS Conservatory: Where today’s students become tomorrow’s stars.

Hollywood Vocal Studios and Adreana Gonzalez are proud to announce the founding of Hollywood Vocal Studios (HVS) Conservatory—a post-secondary school for aspiring professional vocalists—located in Los Angeles’ historic Garland Building.

HVS Conservatory seeks to fill a major gap in modern music education. There are a number of music schools across the East Coast that cater to classical techniques and musical theater performance, but none are dedicated to the modern solo vocalist. Singers interested in honing their skills in the competitive recording industry currently have no blueprint to success, nor opportunities for group mentorship and instruction. HVS Conservatory aims to fill these gaps and has partnered with a number of esteemed recording industry professionals to bring world-class music education to the epicenter of the business—Los Angeles, CA.

HVS Conservatory students will be taught, mentored, and critiqued by a who’s-who of prominent music industry professionals dedicated to helping develop and nurture young voices. Utilizing the preferred vocal technique of luminaries like Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson, the HVS Conservatory faculty will combine their cutting-edge technical knowledge with years of real-world experience in order to help young artists develop both strength and savvy. Jeffrey Skouson is one of the industry’s preeminent vocal coaches and founder of the Institute of Vocal Advancement and will be heading the vocal department. Skouson counts Imagine Dragons, The Killers, and Panic! At The Disco among his regular clientele. Director of Performance Ron Harris is a renowned producer, coach, and A&R rep, who has helped shape the careers of stars like Fergie, Christina Aguilera, and Grammy-winning producer Trevorious (Lizzo’s Cuz I Love You).

“The modern music industry is a challenging business to navigate, HVS Conservatory will be the place to learn not only how to navigate it… but how to do so successfully.” Founder Adreana Gonzalez goes on, “It’s time Los Angeles gives as much in education to its rising leaders, as it does to the stage of entertainment and we’re so happy to lead the way.”

HVS Conservatory was founded by Adreana Gonzalez—an esteemed and multitalented professional, who has spent the past two decades working with professional vocalists. She is a fixture of the Hollywood scene and counts a wide range of industry insiders as friends and colleagues. She has worked with celebrities like Will Ferrell, Jessie Reyez, Graham Patrick Martin, Lexi Ainsworth, and many more. Now, she hopes to take the knowledge and experience she gained both as a performer and teacher, and use it to help inform the futures of the world’s top vocal talents.

Visit the HVS Conservatory website for more information.

Blythedale Children’s Hospital Adapts New Children’s Book

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On Tuesday, July 20, 2021, Blythedale Children’s Hospital in Valhalla, New York, commemorated the upcoming 31st anniversary of the “Americans with Disabilities Act” (July 26), with onsite activities with clinicians, patients, and special guests.

More than 50 patients from Blythedale’s Day Hospital, Mt. Pleasant Blythedale School and Inpatient program joined neurodiverse author Lindsey Rowe Parker (Richmond, VA) in the reading of her new children’s book Wiggles, Stomps, and Squeezes Calm My Jitters Down. The story follows a young girl with heightened sensory experiences through her day with fun, interactive sounds, and motions.

“Seeing everyone’s reaction to the book was awesome,”said Lindsey Rowe Parker, author of Wiggles, Stomps, and Squeezes Calm My Jitters Down. “I feel like when theysaw the character in the book struggling with some of thesensory differences it was relatable. When you seesomebody experiencing the world differently than you,give a little bit of empathy, ask questions, don’t judgeand try to embrace it.”

The Hospital’s Speech Pathology & Audiology Department, “Blythedale Bookworms” (coordinated through the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy program) and the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Task Force teamed up to identify books with diverse protagonists and get them into the hands and homes of patients as part of a literacy outreach campaign for kids with varying abilities.

“Inspired by the Americans with Disabilities Act movement, we are also adapting some of the books at Blythedale to increase access for all kids who may have physical, cognitive or verbal differences that make a standard book inaccessible,” said Abigail Crane, Blythedale Speech-Language Pathologist. “We physically dissect the actual book which increases the child’s ability to have communicative impact while also making stories come alive in a new way.”

Some examples include page turners or cotton balls used tomake it easier for kids with physical limitations to manuallyturn the page, Velcro tabs attached to pages with removablelaminated core words, texture added for tactile feedback,and more. Watch the full video.

Blythedale’s onsite public school district, Mt. Pleasant Blythedale Union Free School District, also marked the anniversary of the ‘Americans with Disabilities Act’ with a capstone project completed by some of its high school students (who are also Day Hospital patients at Blythedale).

16-year-old Meghan Lyles of Wappingers Falls, New York (Dutchess County) researched and presented to her 12th grade class about the significance and impact of this landmark 1990 civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. Meghan was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and has undergone numerous surgeries for scoliosis related to her spine.

“This project is about how we can all help people with disabilities, like myself, to achieve their dreams and reach their full potential,” said Meghan. “The ‘Americans with Disabilities Act’ is important to me because I know I wouldn’t want to be treated differently just because I have a disability, so why would anyone else?”

Norwegian Cruise Line Announces “EMBARK – The Series”

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The third episode of the five-part docuseries provides a behind-the-scenes look at how onboard and shoreside team members are coming together to prepare for a defining moment in the brand’s 55-year history. The episode showcases how NCL is preparing for its great cruise comeback with contactless technologies designed to enhance the guest experience and support elevated health and safety protocols as well as highlight new product offerings and experiences. Viewers will also have a first look at the Company’s new cruise terminal at Port Miami, an iconic beacon on the Miami skyline.

This “All Hands on Deck” episode also follows executives including Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and Harry Sommer, brand president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line, as they visit Norwegian Gem to discuss the upcoming renovations to the ship. Norwegian Gem will be the first ship to sail from the new NCL terminal in Port Miami, when she returns to service on Aug. 15, 2021.

“The last year has been an incredible journey, and we are beyond ready to welcome our guests back in just a few weeks when Norwegian Jade becomes the first ship in the fleet to return to service,” said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Our return has been 500 days in the making, and now we are putting the finishing touches on every detail of the guest experience to ensure we come back in the best and safest way imaginable.”

“All Hands on Deck” will stream live on Thursday, July 29 at 8 p.m. ET here and on their Facebook. Viewers will also find the first two episodes of “EMBARK – The Series” and the full suite of EMBARK with NCL episodes, spotlights and stories highlighting the passionate people and partners of NCL on the site.

NCL will commence voyages beginning July 25, 2021 in Europe and Aug. 7, 2021 in the U.S. The Company’s restart efforts continue in partnership with local governments and are guided by the robust protocols of the SailSAFE™ health and safety program, which at its cornerstone includes that all crew and guests must be fully vaccinated to embark voyages through Oct. 31, 2021. Working with the leading experts of the SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council, the robust protocols will regularly be evaluated and modified as needed, making science-based decisions to protect guests, crew and the destinations it visits. As protocols evolve and additional information becomes available, updates will be published here.

Travelers seeking the latest details about NCL’s redeployment should click here.

For more information about the Company’s award-winning 17-ship fleet and worldwide itineraries, or to book a cruise, please contact a travel professional, call 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784), or visit here.

L’FREAQ Shares Showgirl

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Today, LA-based dark-synth pop artist, L’FREAQ, shares battle cry title track, “Showgirl,” from her sophomore EP, Showgirl, due out on September 23, 2021 via Position Music. Furthering the story from the debut single and music video for “Gimmick,” it’s clear that the upcoming EP is absolutely stacked with metaphor, all-star fashion, witchy vibes and an important message about the role media plays with children — especially young women. L’FREAQ is turning trauma into triumph, tapping into her heart and getting out of her head.

From puppet to powerhouse (just like in The “Gimmick” video), L’FREAQ breaks free of the monotony and shreds through the brainwashed stereotypes, as she literally shreds on a guitar. “Gimmick” showed L’FREAQ embodying themes of resiliency in a time of self-doubt, combining heart-pounding beats with passionate lyrics about believing in the power that everyone inherently owns and nobody else can take away. It also emphasizes L’FREAQ’s expansive “robust range (Refinery29),” which is also on full display in her recent live and unplugged version of “Gimmick.” This new track follows in those footsteps and takes it further into a deeper love of music, family and personal freedom.

On the title track, L’FREAQ says:

“My mother on I have been on an incredible journey together. She is my collaborator, photographer, and inspiration. I was about 8 years old when my parents divorced which sent me into a deep spiral of sadness, and shortly after that, she started dating a musician who was an all-around bad character. This made my relationship with music complicated and eventually forced me to rediscover why I love it. The experience of being beholden to him from around age 8-18 was incredibly difficult, but my bond with my mother actually strengthened through this and I wrote this as a battle cry for her “hold your hands up to the sky, feel the freedom as you cry POWER.” This song is a testimony to my relationship with my mother, a dedication to my delicate youth, and a reminder to anyone who needs it to stand in their deservingness and power.”

Having recently performed for Backline’s “Set Break” live stream alongside Alanis Morissette, Tom Morello, Ben Folds, Sara Bareilles and more to raise funds and awareness for mental health services to be distributed to music industry for free, L’FREAQ has been a champion for her community. This song is another chapter of that consistent commitment to rise up and bring people with her.

L’FREAQ, continues to remain an open book of emotions for fans as she lays out her own experience with rejection and struggles with mental health. L’FREAQ belts, “Got the courage to be vulnerable, got the guts to wear the crown, cause I dare to bare it all, I refuse to water down,” as a testament of truthfulness and self-confidence even when it’s hard. Intimacy on this level allows L’FREAQ to push the storyline forward when it comes to believing in dreams as a reality, especially in the face of adversity. NYLON says, “Look at L’FREAQ, draped in jewels and Cleopatra-esque eye makeup; then look a little harder. Behind the artifice, integrity abounds.”

L’FREAQ is all about being inclusive, and she is outspoken when it comes to defending the underdog. As an ally of everyone on the spectrum of gender and sexuality, bullies, racists and sexists are not allowed in L’FREAQ’s kingdom. She also shows her love for those closest to her, by highlighting their work: namely her fashion photographer mom, Kelly Cappelli (as seen in Vogue), who does all the photography and artwork for L’FREAQ.

The new release follows L’FREAQ’s debut EP, Weird Awakenings, which played with themes of self-discovery, as well as her 2021 single “Make Me Move.” Armed with a full book of poetry, L’FREAQ took pieces of her work and composed songs with Mike Irish, who also produced and mixed the EP at Shifted Recording Studios. The EP was mastered by Stuart Hawkes at Metropolis London Music. They took their time in discovering a sound that felt genuine, one that explored all the raw places she had been longing to find. Together, they created a modern amalgamation of L’FREAQ’s dark, thoughtful poetry and her raw musical instincts, which inevitably alchemized into songs that are all at once aggressive, sensual and moving.

Having shared a stage with ABBA, India.Arie and Jakob Dylan, it’s important to note her live performance prowess, even without tour dates on the books (speaking of longing). L’FREAQ played a packed NYC performance debut at SoHo House, and channeled Britney Spears (especially during her ferocious “Toxic” cover”), Nick Cave and Beats Antique vibes. The Deli Magazine later dubbed her “NYC’s Favorite Emerging Artist.” She’s also currently playing Amy Winehouse in Las Vegas show “27”, and has been featured on the news several times for her iconic portrayal of Winehouse, who inspired her to sing in the first place, leaving audiences moved to tears from the experience.

With over 500k streams, 240K plays on YouTube, and songs featured in “Riverdale,” Playboy, Netflix’s “Dating Around,” “Good Trouble,” “FBI,” “The Voice,” “City on a Hill” and more all born from her 5-song debut EP, it’s safe to say this follow-up EP is highly anticipated. Stay tuned for more visual components to follow, along with brand new singles. Showgirl is on the way.

Jenna Kyle × Ojos

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LA-based indie-pop artist, Jenna Kyle shares the title track, “Ojos,” from her debut EP today, along with a lyric video. This new bop is the second single from the Ojos EP, will arrive on September 3, 2021. The track represents a new era for the Los Angeles-based singer/ songwriter, producer and live electronic artist, who has actively been leaving her mark as one of the 2% of female music producers in the industry. Jenna Kyle supports women’s rights and LGBTQ equality and stands with The Ally Coalition.

On the new single, Kyle says, “Ojos is the first song I wrote and produced myself. It’s surprising how few women are producing music still, but the doors are definitely open and there’s a strong group of us out here doing it! I vacillate between feeling enraged that there are so few women in the profession, while simultaneously feeling proud to help hold the torch for the next generation of female producers coming up, all while battling the imposter syndrome many of us feel when saying “I am a producer, I produced this myself!”

One of the ways Kyle has explored her newfound producer prowess is to integrate a multicultural world aesthetic that is so uniquely her own. Jenna Kyle’s forthcoming EP is influenced by her travels over the past several years and her long time partnership and collaboration with Brazilian / Argentine drummer Bruno Esrubilsky (Mitski, Hedwig and The Angry Inch, The Band Joseph), which contributed to a globally-minded sound and an influx of Spanish and Portuguese lyrics.

She adds, “Over the past few years, pre-Covid, we toured through Southeast Asia, Europe, and visited South America every few months to be with family. I was immersed in the music and rhythms while meeting so many wonderful people. Language barriers can provide a new opportunity to communicate. You don’t need to understand every word I say to know what I mean. Exploring writing lyrics and poems in Spanish, which I’ve studied through college and since I was a kid, and Portuguese, which is a newer language for me, opened up a more creative process; there’s more room for experimentation within the new rhyme schemes. I don’t get as caught up on a word being cliche. Ojos and all my new music feels like an opening of sound and mind as a direct result of the freedom from self-imposed language constraints, and deepening my skills as a producer.”

The track caught the attention of DJ/producer Sinego, who created a dark, organic house mix of “Ojos,” called La Noche Mix which will be released July 28. This collaboration highlights Kyle’s love of production and connection and takes the track to new places.

The debut single from the EP, “Tell Me,” is also streaming everywhere now along with a new video. “Tell Me” is a capstone of Kyle’s experience of trying on different personas and processes and the video explores the way people present themselves to the world. Kyle co-produced the new single with BAILE(Anjunadeep) and Grant Zubritsky (Verite, Nick Murphy) mostly remotely in their respective Brooklyn studios.

The accompanying music video emerged as an exploration with director Jay Harwood, art director Gina Schiappacasse and choreographer Cesar Brodermann. Kyle strikes somewhat contorted poses in a rotating lineup of wearable art pieces, masks, and headpieces by Brooklyn staple artists including PJ Linden and Max Steiner, nodding to the Tik-Tok and Instagram obsession culture weߣre all trapped in, as she sings ironically “Tell me what to wear, tell me what to think, tell me what to feel inside.”

After a handful of singles, Kyle is carving out her pocket of indie-pop that’s rooted in self-expression with a context that she defines. Her music is a permission slip for others to find their inner voice and go deeply into the heart space that seeks no confirmation or praise, where the goal is to express and not impress. Stay tuned for Ojos, the debut EP, due out this September.

White Villas Reopens in Turks & Caicos

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The Turks and Caicos Islands have always been synonymous with luxury, relaxation, and adventure. And now they are also one of the few places in the Caribbean that have received a designation of Alert Level 1 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the lowest possible Covid-19 risk level. The wish list vacation destination is eager to welcome guests back to experience their trademark white-sand beaches and azure blue waters, free from pandemic anxieties.

With 65 percent of the destination’s population having received at least one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and 55 percent of the adult population being fully vaccinated, Turks and Caicos can proudly say that it is one of the most inoculated countries in the world. This is welcome news for the team behind White Villas, the collection of private villas with an all-inclusive style experience.

“The desire for decompression, family connection, and new experiences is stronger than ever. Travel is on everyone’s mind,” says Simon Hénault, owner of White Villas. “We’re thrilled that Turks and Caicos islands are considered a CDC Level 1 destination, one of the very few in the Caribbean.”

White Villas is the ideal option for travelers who want to ease their way back into simple, safe, and stress-free travel. In addition to full kitchens and private pools, guests have direct access to car rentals and boat excursions, private chef services, spa treatments, an outdoor movie theater and gym, and a long list of outdoor adventure activities. Visitors get the comfort, privacy, and warmth of staying with close friends and family, with all-inclusive simplicity and high-end amenities.

The White Villas team ensures that friends, couples, and families all have a safe, unique, and nurtured return to travel experience.

For more information on the CDC’s Travel Health Notices, please visit cdc.gov.

For more information on White Villas, please visit whitevillas.net.

Images can be found here.

Sustainable Practices In Downtown Napa

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Downtown Napa is home to more than 40 tasting rooms, 80 eateries, 60 boutiques and shops and a variety of lively art displays all within walking distance of one another. Aside from convenience, Downtown Napa also gives travelers an opportunity to minimize their carbon footprint. Here are some ways local hospitality businesses offer sustainable practices for visitors.

Car-Free Travel:

Not only is Downtown Napa wine country’s most walkable destination, but visitors don’t even need a car to get here in the first place – an ideal way to reduce overall environmental impact. The Napa Valley Wine Train offers a car-free San Francisco Bay Area connection with the San Francisco Bay Ferry, so travelers can hop on, sit back and enjoy a traffic-free scenic ride to the train station in Downtown Napa.

Attractions and Lodging:

To eliminate plastic water bottles, Andaz Napa provides guests with reusable, BPA-free aluminum PathWater bottles that can be refilled at the property’s filtered water stations. The hotel also continues to focus on purchasing local and sustainable products for its food and beverage offerings. Additionally, the housekeeping staff is always on a mission to turn off electric devices in each unattended guest room.

Archer Hotel Napa provides access to local and regional wines and produce through its in-house sustainable food guidelines. The hotel follows low water consumption measures, recycling and reusing practices, utilizing an eco-friendly dry-cleaning service and more. The property also has an ongoing partnership with One Tree Planted, a non-profit organization with a focus on global reforestation, and Proud Source Water, a Certified B Corporation spring water provider.

As the first Northern California bed-and-breakfast to be certified by the California Green Lodging Program, The Inn on First uses low-flow water sources, composts kitchen and garden waste, provides stainless steel water bottles and reusable glassware for guests. To reduce packaging and shipping, all food is also made from scratch. Each room features a personal air conditioning unit with an occupancy sensor, thermostat-controlled heat source and ceiling fans, among other eco-friendly amenities.

Napa River Inn located within the Historic Napa Mill is the original green building in town, which opted to build upon its historic roots keeping the original structure intact. Additionally, the bricks that make up much of the building were formed with clay from the Napa River. Embracing an eco-friendly way of life, Napa River Inn also sources bath amenities locally, recycles cooking oil into bio-diesel and offers charging pumps for electric vehicles on-site.

The Westin Verasa Napa is part of the California Green Business network and features oxidizers in rooms, low flow showerheads, composting, food dehydrating practices and sustainable purchasing. They’ve also eliminated plastic straws and implemented bio-fuel recycling, repurposing of linens, LED high-efficiency lighting, recycling training and more.

Recently revealed Napa Valley Welcome Center at First Street Napa features lights operated on timers, a water-saving toilet and sinks. All information provided to tourists is now fully digital. Additionally, the mercantile shop makes an effort to source local, handmade items.

Food and Drink:

Angèle Restaurant & Bar attempts to only use local purveyors and farms to create its delicious French dishes. To eliminate plastics, the restaurant switched to paper and corn straws, as well as wooden or corn silverware. Additionally, the restaurant composts all food and paper waste.

The Dutch Door is a zero-plastic takeout cafe, dedicated to compostable containers, flatware and cups. The Dutch Door strives for zero food waste, choosing to sell out of items daily instead of discarding them. About half of the cafe’s menu is vegan, and they also order local produce and source meat from no-feed farms.

Gran Eléctrica utilizes bio-fuel recycling and partners with Napa Valley Recycling to properly compartmentalize all waste for maximum sustainability. The restaurant only uses recycled items including paper straws, paper hand towels, to-go containers and printed menus, all of which are fully compostable. Whenever possible, Gran Eléctrica only sources food items from local farms. The restaurant also grows peppers, squash, cilantro, mint, edible flowers and various herbs on-site to reduce the need to purchase additional produce. Additionally, staff is trained to never waste food, but instead tasked with pickling and dehydrating certain items. The owners also encourage their employees to carpool or bike to work.

Monday Bakery serves its treats and drinks in compostable packaging and also offers compost, recycle and garbage bins within the shop for customer use. The company was awarded the JD Fullner Recycling Leadership Award in 2019 by the City of Napa.

Oenotri maintains a 5-acre culinary garden just a few miles from the restaurant where 80 percent of the menu is sourced during peak season. In addition to fresh produce, Oenotri serves more than 20 types of house-made salami, daily house-made bread, an array of handmade fresh and dry pasta and olive oil sourced exclusively from Napa Valley.

Oxbow Public Market and its merchants use compostable containers and food ware. The market employs an industry-leading recycling program which has received special recognition from local, state and U.S. governments for outstanding green business practices through its recycling efforts.

Stone Brewing Napa donates its brewery wastewater to the Napa Sanitation District wastewater system. The brewery’s spent grain and hops also go to a local farmer in the region to feed the cattle. Stone Brewing is another City of Napa JD Fullner Recycling Leadership Award recipient.

Retail:

Betty’s Girl Napa has been a green business since its launch in 2003 and offers 100 percent upcycled fashion, such as dresses made from vintage and recycled fabrics.

Napa Running Company is committed to keeping fitness environmentally friendly by offering green products such as Hydro Flask water bottles as well as recycled shoe packaging. Recently, the store introduced a new eco-friendly brand, Girlfriend Collective, whose products are made from recycled polyester and post-consumer recycled water bottles.

For more information about Downtown Napa, including lodging, dining, wine tastings, shopping and things to do, visit donapa.com.

ABOUT NAPA TOURISM IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT

Created in 2010, the Napa Tourism Improvement District (TID) is the official destination marketing organization for Downtown Napa/City of Napa. With a mission to increase overnight visitation and improve the local economy, the Napa TID promotes nearly 45 hotels and bed and breakfast properties, premier dining, wine tasting, shopping and local entertainment. The Napa TID utilizes its website (DoNapa.com), participates in the creation of local events and develops targeted marketing programs that drive overnight stays during the off-season and mid-week occupancy throughout the year.