You’ve probably heard that dreams come true at a Solage wedding, but what you may not know is that putting on the perfect day is in part thanks to the special surprises planned for the bride and groom (shh… more on that later!) and the less-glamourous, but equally important wedding emergency kit.
Among the lavender beds, clipped boxwood, and myrtle, sculptures curated by Arena Gallery are dispersed throughout Auberge Du Soleil’s grounds. Artworks, ranging from over 60 different California artists, change frequently and delight guests in a treasure hunt of sorts.
Spotted moray eels slither like snakes around the wreckage of MV Oosterdiep near Anguilla’s Mead Bay, while schools of fish dart around its overgrown remains. Lying at the bottom of the cold, dark ocean, ghostly shipwrecks like Oosterdiep capture the imagination—leaving us to wonder about the fate of its passengers.
When fresh snow blankets the ground, everyone in Telluride heads for the mountains. Luckily, Element 52 is carved into the side of one, making it easy to access the slopes. “Our private funicular transports you 200 feet up, dropping you on a trail with lifts,” ...
Forest creatures whistle and howl and a chill calm envelopes the wilderness: this marks the fall of night in Napa Valley. When the sun dips below the horizon and the stars take their place in the night sky, legends of the cosmos are born. Blessed by a Native American elder to always ensure your safe passage on our sacred grounds, stargazing at Calistoga Ranch is an out-of-body experience.
“Am I really here? Can you pinch me?” said my husband almost every morning during our coffee-sourcing trip to Hacienda AltaGracia. We came to select the perfect beans for our shop in Vancouver, as Costa Rica is considered one of the best coffee growing regions in the world - it's the only country where it's illegal to produce any type of coffee other than 100 percent Arabica beans.
Napa locals who know their fruit know about the strawberry stand on the Silverado Trail. Family run by the Saetern family, this stand is the place to go. You’ll know when you’ve arrived by the number of cars pulled-over near a small, unassuming fruit stand decorated in painted images of strawberries.
In the Marais district of Paris there is an enchanting little bar with Parisian-Bohemian-styled Mexican influenced décor. Miniature pinatas and plastic cactus seem to be set in conversational arrangements with colorful Dia de los Muertos paper dolls and sugar skulls. Mezcal is served straight up or in cocktails accentuated with herbs, citrus and spice. There's a low percussive rhythm of an indistinguishable but unmistakably Latin beat. This delightful collision of culture affirms my belief that mezcal is the next big thing in the cocktail scene.
Drive 15 minutes east on Route 1 from Malliouhana and you’ll find a 16-foot boat, its hull painted bright yellow and green, perched on the beach in Sandy Ground. “This is Elvis’ Beach Bar—Anguilla’s after-party headquarters,” says General Services Manager Deanna Cabrera.
I came to Napa Valley to find the region's best Cabernet Sauvignon - a full-bodied varietal with just the right combination of jammy black currant and blackberry notes and tobacco, licorice, vanilla aromas. But I wanted to work for it. Rising to the challenge, Calistoga Ranch heeded the call by turning my red wine dreams into a custom curated bike map. What Cabernet Sauvignon took the top spot? That's an answer you'll have to work for.
When gushing waterfalls begin to freeze in the deep of winter, Jason Sweet unearths his crampons and curved pick ax, ready for a season of ice climbing. “I was hooked after my first time in Telluride, which is renowned for this,” he says...
We can thank mustard for Napa Valley's coveted wine notes, as this unlikely seed provides vital nutrients and phosphorus to our beloved grapes. Though the golden plant didn't always grow in Napa, every year from January to March, our vineyards are blanketed in an alluring amber hue, which coincidentally fuels the condiment stand at roadside hotdog outpost, Gotts. You don't even have to wait in line to savor a Niman Ranch Fearless Frank, a dog topped with cheddar cheese and house-made chile - and, of course, mustard.
In 1592, explorers sailing the Sea of Cortez first had the idea that the Baja Peninsula could act as a perfect refuge for trade ships arriving from a long Pacific voyage. It would be a place to breathe in fresh air and to rest and recharge before continuing on their voyage. Fast forward to present-day Baja and while the type of voyagers have changed, the primary needs have remained the same. Come November, 2018, groups will be able to find their refuge in a new, dramatic oceanfront event space called AIRE.
You can find Marilyn Monroe’s bra on the Aspen slopes— kind of. I'll let you in on the local secret; Aspen’s four ski mountains are covered with mysterious shrines. The snowy sanctuaries are built anonymously and largely dedicated to famous entertainers ranging from Elvis Presley to Jerry Garcia.
As waves licked the shore and the sun painted watercolor strokes, the horses plodded gently across powdery sand, heading toward the cerulean water. “This was no ordinary horseback ride on the beach,” says General Services Manager Deanna Cabrera about her first time at Seaside Stables on Cove Bay. “In Anguilla, they’ll wade right into the ocean to swim—with you still on board!” .
I always give Solbar a little credit for helping me write my best-selling book. I spent many a night sitting at the bar in Solbar working, and edited most of my book over the bar’s delicious drinks— sometimes it'd be French champagne and sometimes a glass of pinot. More often than not, however, I’d choose the drink that changed my life...
The roar of the Upper Piedra River is loudest when the cold, hard snow begins to melt in Telluride. So in late May, adrenaline junkies head straight for the river’s frigid Class IV rapids. “Spring runoff turns the Piedra into a raging river, perfect for intense white-water rafting,"...
Unlike us, goats prefer grass and weeds over grapes and wine. This is why baby goats are the true unsung heroes of Calistoga Ranch. When brother and sister duo, Olive and Pepper, aren't bobbing and bucking about, they upkeep the property grounds by munching the grass to manicured perfection. Though this ancient technique has been around for centuries, environmental studies show these feisty babes reduce our carbon footprint by naturally maintaining and fertilizing our vineyards.
What feels dense inside, appears light as a tuft of cotton, but weighs up to a million pounds? Find out when you glide your fingers through them during an Ultralight flight above the mountains of Pérez Zeledón. When you buckle-up in the two-seat, fixed-wing Ultralight aircraft you can discover what clouds feel like as you glimpse whales, dolphins, and turtles of the Pacific Ocean from above.
When it doubt, order the Humo de Comal. The secret ingredient is Purple Chicha, a Peruvian drink traditionally made by boiling purple corn in water along with pineapple peels, quince, cinnamon and cloves.
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