Santa Barbara McRetreat Will Open to the Public

The corporate retreat built by McDonald’s empire builder Ray Kroc near Santa Barbara--the think tank where Egg McMuffin, Chicken McNuggets and the late McRibs were born--will open for public stays Jan. 1. Situated on 204 acres, with a conference facility, a lodge with sleeping accommodations for 40 and the private home that Kroc built for himself (it’s round like a hamburger), the resort, called the Circle K Ranch, is being touted as a luxury retreat for corporate conferences, as well as a good place for a romantic weekend getaway. Recreational services created by Kroc for his employees--including hike and bike paths, shuffleboard, basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, and a playground for children--are still there. The resort was purchased from McDonald’s Corp. in 1990 by the present owner, Santa Barbara businessman Gerald Kessler. Corporate rates--not in the same league with McDonald’s meal prices--are $275 per day (three meals included) for two people sharing a room. For couples, the rate is $495 for two nights, several meals and use of all facilities. Kroc, who died in 1984, built the conference facility in the early ‘60s. Ironically perhaps, the kitchen development lab has been turned into a fitness center. For more information, call (805) 686-4119.

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Travel Quiz: Not including Russia, whose boundaries extend into Asia, what European country has the most international borders?

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Fire Affects Several Viennese Attractions: The massive fire the evening of Nov. 26-27 that gutted the Redoutensaal wing of Vienna’s Imperial Palace complex--traditional site of the gala dinner for the Emperor’s Ball (Kaiserball)--has prompted cancellation of the dinner. However, the ball itself will take place as scheduled Dec. 31 in the Imperial Palace. Dinner ticket holders are being offered a choice of a full refund or dinner at another location in the palace complex. (For more information, contact the Austrian National Tourist Office: 310-477-3332.) The Grand Hall of the National Library, also in the palace, is closed to the public until further notice because of fire damage. The in-palace Treasury, which houses the Austrian Crown Jewels, has also been closed but will probably reopen in March, according to a government spokeswoman. All other showrooms will be open as usual. Morning training sessions at the nearby Spanish Riding School are temporarily closed to the public but will reopen Feb. 15. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

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Thinker Changes Venue: Auguste Rodin’s famed sculpture “The Thinker” will leave France for the first time next year, to be the centerpiece in a retrospective of the artist’s work in Beijing, Feb. 15-March 14, and in Shanghai, March 27-April 18. The sculpture, of which many additional casts were made, will then go to Hong Kong and Taipei, Taiwan, as part of a traveling exhibit of 113 sculptures, drawings and photographs by Rodin. The 6-foot-tall work, created between 1902 and 1904, shows a nude, seated man, chin in hand. It sits in the gardens of the Rodin Museum, one of Paris’ most popular attractions. The French Assn. of Artistic Action, attached to the Foreign Ministry, said other sculptures to be displayed in the traveling retrospective include “Adele’s Torso” and “The Kiss.”

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Quick Fact: Travel agents were among only 15 professional fields that showed negative growth between 1983 and 1991, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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For Ease of Ski: Three airlines--Alpha Air, United Express and American Eagle--will soon add service to the South Lake Tahoe airport and Mammoth, just in time for ski season. Alpha Air will begin daily trips from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, with a stop in Burbank, to both South Lake Tahoe and Mammoth, beginning Friday. United Express will begin service from San Francisco to South Lake Tahoe, connecting to Los Angeles with United Airlines’ flights on Saturday. And on Jan. 4, American Eagle will inaugurate two daily nonstop flights from LAX to South Lake Tahoe. It already has connecting flights to South Lake Tahoe from Burbank, Ontario, John Wayne, San Diego and LAX, through San Jose.

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New Visa Policy for Armenia: The Embassy of the Republic of Armenia has established a new Consular Division that will issue visas for the first time. Previously, visas were issued through the Soviet Union and, more recently, Russian embassies. Visas to Armenia may now be obtained by mail by first calling the office, which is open for phone inquiries Monday through Friday between 7 and 9 a.m. PST, to request order forms. Or leave a request for forms, including name, address and phone number, on an answering machine that is in operation at other hours. Completed application forms can then be returned with a certified check or money order. Visas valid for 21 days or less are $50 and will be issued within five working days, although rush orders can be processed in three days for an additional $20. Visas for travelers who have had an official invitation, such as those issued for business purposes, are $30 and are issued within five days; $20 more for rush orders. Write the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, Consular Division, 122 C. St., N.W., Suite 360, Washington, D.C. 20001; or call (202) 393-5983 or fax (202) 393-5962.

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To Sleep, Perchance to Travel: Sleep is what passengers like to do most on long flights, according to the World Airline Entertainment Assn.’s latest survey. Seventy-nine percent of the 3,697 passengers surveyed on United, Austrian and Singapore Airlines and on South African Airways choose to rest or sleep while flying. Watching the in-flight movie is the second most popular activity, enjoyed by 68%. Fifty-six percent read in-flight magazines; 41% read books. Only 17% work or study.

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Comparatively Speaking: Average cost for a tube of lipstick in Copenhagen, $14.10; in Paris, $10.67; in Johannesburg, $6.55; in Dallas, $4.61; in Mexico City, $4.27. (Source: Runzheimer International.)

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Quiz Answer: Germany has nine foreign borders--with Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland.