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Here's a fun one: The Lorien Hotel (managed by Kimpton) in Alexandria, Virginia, is offering a Social Media Detox package, designed to get you off of Facebook, Twitter and any other network that you're currently addicted to, and out into the world of human interaction.

While I was at first imagining that they'd borrowed some cellphone jamming technology from their not-so-far-off US intelligence neighbors -- was this relatively new hotel built with a Faraday cage in its structure? -- it turns out that the Lorien is relying on more of a carrot than stick approach.

The Social Media Detox package includes various incentives to step away from the internet, including a 10 minute chair massage at the hotel's spa, a $20 credit to BRABO or BRABO Tasting Room just next to the hotel for appetizers and drinks with friends. (Suggested cocktail: "The Face to Face", which is Belvedere vodka, pear puree, apple juice, lime juice and fresh rosemary.) There's also a push to get you out into the real world: you'll also receive a walking map of town, or if you prefer, they'll let you borrow a bicycle, gratis, and give you a route map. At night, the package includes an item off the hotel's "Dream Service" menu -- if you're traveling alone, you could select the teddy bear, who will be happy to hear your whispered, otherwise wasted, witty status updates.

(Since you'll still probably be pacing all night long, I'd go ahead and book the Presidential Suite, which has a 550 square foot private terrace overlooking Old Town Alexandria, and runs about $550 a night.)

It's not all teddy bears and sunshine, however. You'll only get the package's $25 certificate towards a future stay at the hotel if you prove "non-activity" on Facebook or Twitter, which you do via print out from an in-room computer or cellphone.

Clever, huh? Personally, as a frequent traveler, I think I'd feel much more stressed out not being able to be in contact with my friends and family on Facebook -- since it's replaced email communication for so many people, I wonder what the response would be if a hotel decided to offer a package contingent on not emailing or calling home? (In fact, there are programs like that: Outward Bound and the National Outdoor Leadership School, although they don't include massages and cocktails.) On the other hand, I'm sure I could be persuaded to let Twitter go for a few days. Especially if I got a teddy bear.

The relationship of Facebook friends is a curious one in today's society. Even friends you've never met start to seem familiar to you when you learn, through status updates, how they like their coffee and what they do on Saturday nights. A new Facebook application makes a novel use of all that information. SecondPorch.com has launched a Facebook app called "Rent & Trade Vacation Homes," which helps vacationers and vacation home owners find each other on Facebook. Users can search based on budget, location, amenities, recommendations and through their relationship to the owner. Owners can choose to show their second home for rent only to their network of friends or to members of Facebook at large. Homes can be rented or traded with other homeowners. This app would be great for friends across the country or around the world planning to meet for a vacation somewhere or for planning a family reunion.

Jewelry companies seem to be a bit behind the times on social networking. It took Cartier until last June to get a MySpace page and now Tiffany & Co. has joined Facebook. The company already has more than 124,000 "fans" on its official Facebook page which was created in February. The company uses the center of the page to showcase Tiffany eyecandy as well as video relating to Tiffany designers such as Paloma Picasso.

A new Facebook application has been launched to help winelovers go green. Four Napa and Sonoma County vineyards: Girard Winery, Iron Horse Vineyards, Windsor Sonoma Vineyards, and Windsor Vineyards, are behind Green My Vino. The application lets Facebook users to give each other free online gifts worth an one, five or ten minutes of renewable energy. For each of these gifts Village Green Energy will purchase the equivalent amount of renewable energy on the user's behalf. Each winery has a set minutes goals and once the goals has been met at one, the focus moves to the next winery. First up, Iron Horse Vineyards which has has agreed to power their entire operation with renewable energy when Facebook friends have gifted each other with 10,000 minutes of solar and wind power. Girard Winery has a goal of 17,000 minutes, Windsor Vineyards has a gold of 30,000, and Windsor Sonoma's goal is 45,000 minutes.

Village Green estimates that if the app is successful the wineries will purchase over 1.2 million kWh of renewable power to power the four initial wineries entirely with green energy for a year based on their past electricity use. They will purchase the renewable energy certificates from Mountain View II Wind Facility in Palm Springs and several solar arrays in Los Angeles.

[via Wine Business]