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Arrive as a Guest, Not a Tourist: The Power of a Travel Partnership
Five reasons why you should work with a travel advisor for your next trip instead of booking it yourself.

Ilene
Oct 14, 20253 min read


Slovenia: The European Hidden Gem You Didn’t Know You Were Missing
If your travel bucket list is filled with the usual European heavy-hitters, I’m about to completely disrupt your itinerary planning with a hidden gem, Slovenia. Tucked away right between Italy, Austria, and Croatia sits a country that is quietly staging a coup as one of the most spectacular destinations on the continent. It's a place where you can hike a jagged alpine peak in the morning, explore an underground wonderland after lunch, and be sipping a world-class glass of win

Ilene
Jun 33 min read


Cheers to you Norm! An AI sponsored scientific exploration of beer.
As my extremely dedicated fans know, I concluded this blog series (focused on locally and culturally unique alcoholic drinks) when Ilene and I finished our around the world gap-year travels. If you are new to this series, (though it is hard to believe there is anyone out there who hasn’t read these) and want to catch up you can find posts here. Since my last writing just under a year ago, a couple things have happened… First, we have been overwhelmed by the volume of fan requ

David
Jun 36 min read


The Bruges Dilemma: Why You Should Look Beyond Belgium’s Most Famous Town
Bruges gets all the glory. And to be fair, it earns a lot of it with its winding cobblestone roads, soaring Gothic architecture, and picturesque canals. However, the sheer volume of tourists is a downside to be considered. It can feel less like a being in European city and more like a crowded theme park. On our recent trip we outsmarted the crowds by staying at a historic boutique hotel right on a canal, steps from the city center. This served as a peaceful respite during th

Ilene
Jun 34 min read


Beyond Amsterdam: Finding the Soul of the Netherlands
Amsterdam is a classic destination and worth its position as a must-see European city. The canals are iconic, the city is very walkable, and the frites and beer are absolutely not to be missed. This time we went beyond Amsterdam to explore more of the Netherlands and we loved it! While we enjoyed our time in the city, it was our guided tours outside the capital that really brought the magic and story of this country to life for us. To me, this is the ultimate goal of travel:

Ilene
May 274 min read


Conscious by Design: Crafting Meaningful Travel
Earth Day is a powerful reminder that the way we move through the world matters. It’s not just about the pin on the map; it’s about the people, the heritage, and the landscapes that make these destinations so soul-stirring in the first place. Its about impactful, conscious traveling. Modern luxury has evolved. We all love a gorgeous suite and service that anticipates our next move, that’s the baseline. But the real magic? It’s about access and depth. It’s the peace of mind th

Ilene
Apr 222 min read


Where Next: The Ten Best Places to Go in 2026
2026 is shaping up to be a year of inspiring travel opportunities, the kind that stay with you long after you’re home. The destinations on this list will create shared moments , cultural connection, and provide new perspectives.

Ilene
Dec 22, 20256 min read


California - Top 5 destination in the world!
California is a top 5 world destination, and we should know!

Ilene
Oct 17, 20254 min read


Unpacked: The Inner Journey of a Year of Travel
Well that was quite the year! We hope you’ve enjoyed following along on our blog here and in social. As we wrap it all up, we wanted to...

Ilene
Jul 5, 20255 min read


Gap Year by the Numbers
Traveling this past year was full of adventure, memories, eye opening experiences, uncomfortable moments and a lot of learning. It was...

Ilene
Jul 5, 20252 min read


SPECIAL EDITION: Thank you Karma - Imbibing in Bali and Taipei
Although I had thought I’d wrapped up this special blog series, I just couldn’t help myself. Obsessed with delivering for my fans, my OCD kicked in and I scoured Indonesia for 7 weeks dragging Ilene from hut to hut and exploring every beach bar on the 6,000 populated islands. All in order to find Indonesian produced alcohols. I’m proud to report… success! In a remote corner of Indonesia, known only by a select few is Sanur, Bali. Here I discovered (much like Indiana Jones) a

David
Jun 30, 20255 min read


Taipei - Quick four night stop-over in Taiwan
Taipei, Taiwan was added to the schedule as a four night stop-over on our way back to California from Indonesia. Eva Air doesn’t have a...

Ilene
Jun 30, 20253 min read


Oh how we loved visiting the Gili Islands, and Komodo National Park (Indonesia Part 3)
After two weeks in Bali we made our way to visit some lesser known areas of Indonesia. Komodo National Park, Gili Asahan (secret gili...

Ilene
Jun 21, 20254 min read


Bali-mazing or not? Three weeks exploring Bali (Indonesia Part 2)
Everyone talks about how wonderful Bali is with its waterfalls, beaches, volcanos and rice terraces making for amazing instagram photos...

Ilene
Jun 20, 20255 min read


I definitely need some Java, East Java that is. (Indonesia, Part 1)
Before we tell you all about our recent experiences on the island of Java, Indonesia, it’s important to know that we are writing this after having spent a few days in our private villa in Bali (more on that in the next post). That is important because as the saying goes “hindsight is 20/20”. So, we are nice and relaxed and have the benefit of meditative contemplation to inform our perspective regarding our prior weeks on Java. And, my editor decided she needed a vacation so,

David
Jun 4, 20257 min read


South Korea - Update your Asia bucket list
Views from Seongsan Ilchulbong, Jeju Island South Korea may not be on the top of everyone’s bucket list, and it definitely was not on...

Ilene
May 20, 20256 min read


Sake, From Rice Comes Love...I'm a Fan!
I know, I know… it’s been awhile since my last blog post (found here), but our transition from Southeast Asia into Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea has been a whirlwind. And as I sit here writing this post, I’m realizing that this might be the last time you hear from me since we are on the final legs of our round the world, year-long journey for… science, of course. However, I have to say the data gathered here has really been worth it! In fact, there was sooo much data gath

David
May 10, 202511 min read


Japan Part II - A truly unique culture.
As we traveled through Japan we continued to notice how varied the culture was, perhaps it is generational, though I think it's deeper ...

Ilene
May 1, 20254 min read


One month traveling in Japan, an awesome country.
Yes, the toilets are much improved from our time in Southeast Asia and thankfully I’m no longer carrying toilet paper with me everywhere...

Ilene
May 1, 20259 min read


Five nights in Hong Kong just wasn’t enough!
Five nights in Hong Kong just wasn't enough!

Ilene
Mar 30, 20255 min read

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