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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


France, Part 4: Beyond the megayachts: A realist’s guide to navigating the French Riviera
Mention the French Riviera (Côte d’Azur), and the mind immediately conjures images of high-society glamour - champagne on superyachts, iconic cliffside drives, and golden sun-drenched beaches. While those experiences certainly exist, treating the Riviera like a seamless, singular playground is the easiest way to end up frustrated. In reality, the Côte d’Azur is a complex stretch of coast where logistics can be surprisingly tight, where terrain shifts dramatically within twent

Ilene
Sep 84 min read


France, Part 3: Carcassonne, the Rhone Valley & Provence
When planning a journey through Southern France, the biggest challenge is sifting through all the romantic stereotypes to build an itinerary that suits individual interests, pacing and style. So off we went, to spend some time on the ground exploring Carcassonne, the Rhone Valley and Provence - and for you, our travelers, we gained some insight to the wine (of course), different day trips, and finding the best ways to experience heavy-hitting highlights without getting trapp

Ilene
Sep 84 min read


France, Part 2: Slowing Down on the river, luxury cruising
If you’re like us, when you picture a European river cruise, you envision a passive, slow-paced vacation centered around big group tours, guides with pennant flags and rigid schedules. It’s an easy stereotype to buy into but it was definitely not our recent experience. Ours was more like stepping into a boutique luxury hotel, but on a ship that sailed through the heart of Provence, the Rhône Valley, and Burgundy. On our recent journey through France, we traded the highway for

Ilene
Sep 84 min read


France, Part 1 - Uncorking Bordeaux: Experiencing France’s most iconic wine region without the pretension
And, why the Best Day in Bordeaux Wine Country Has Nothing to Do with Wine If there is one wine region in the world that carries a reputation for being intimidating, prestigious, and a bit buttoned-up, it’s Bordeaux. For generations, travelers have viewed it as the exclusive playground of serious collectors and sommelier elites. Here’s the secret we learned, it doesn't have to be that way at all. We recently spent time exploring Bordeaux and its surroundings, and it reshaped

Ilene
Sep 84 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
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