We’re back! It’s not so clear that we want to be. If you’ve been following our travels (see our previous post), you’ll know that we spent the past week in beautiful Park City, Utah.

First, a recap of the nitty gritty...our flights on Southwest Airlines: The experience in both directions was very straightforward and reassuring. Both flights were on time, arriving early, and the aircraft were immaculate. Southwest is currently leaving middle seats open, and requires facemasks at all times when you’re not eating or drinking. The service is pretty basic—essentially ice water and a snack or two, but that is no longer a differentiating consideration, as compared to many other domestic flights. 

The air ports (MDW and SLC) were fairly unoccupied, so transiting through security and the terminals were quick and easy.  

Arriving at Salt Lake City International Airport, we retrieved our rental car from Avis (unnecessarily painful, given the fact that we had previously provided all of our information during the online rental process) and were soon on our way to the Lodge at Blue Sky. We’ve described our stay there, but suffice it to say that it was extraordinary.

Blue Sky is a place of exceptional spirituality. It was considered sacred by the Ute Indian Tribe, and before the Lodge was built the plans were blessed by tribal elders. You can’t help but stand in awe of the beauty of the place.  It’s far from the crowd, majestic and serene. This place is unmistakably spiritual, and this seems to imbue those who work and visit here with a bit different vibe...they are tuned in to the surroundings, and it’s reflected in a sense of quietude that seems to sweep over all who are there.

It was with more than a bit of reluctance that we drove away from the Lodge after our four-night stay, but we knew an equally fantastic destination was ahead, the Waldorf Astoria Park City. It’s about a 20-25 minute drive from the Lodge at Blue Sky, and it was the point at which we said a temporary farewell to our son Alex and our daughter-in-law Aly, who were headed to Zion National Park for a different kind of adventure.

The Waldorf is beautiful, a combination of New York swank and ski lodge comfy. The ancient Italian fireplace in the main lobby lies in the background of an immense chandelier, and is flanked by centuries-old wooden carvings of two deer, also from Italy.  Our suite was a two-bedroom, two-story accommodation, with a high-end kitchen, four fireplaces, and three full bathrooms. Nice. In fact, so nice that our well-traveled son proclaimed it the “nicest hotel (he’d) ever been in.”

One of the unique benefits of being in the travel business is making friends throughout the world, and indeed we soon met up with a long-time acquaintance, and her family.  Later in our trip we also had dinner with our dear friends, John and Erynn Montgomery. John and Erynn own Landed (https://landedtravel.com/), and we often work with them to craft itineraries for clients traveling to South America, Central America, and Antarctica. In fact, we have such high regard for their expertise and high standards that we turned to John and Erynn to help plan Alex and Aly’s honeymoon in Costa Rica. It’s through relationships like these that we are able to offer our clients the ultimate experiences, regardless of the destination.  

Park City itself is fun. The commercial and residential districts are threaded throughout ski runs and hiking trails. During our time there, we packed in a fair amount of shopping, gallery visits, and hikes. And, we found the downtown location of High West Whiskey . . . again, mixing spirits with spirituality.

While in the area, we also visited Montage Deer Valley, a luxury resort situated high in the mountains. It was a “Wow!” We’ll detail a bit about Montage in a future post.

As we mentioned above, our son Alex and his wife Aly headed off to Zion National Park, where they stayed two nights and hiked The Narrows and Angels’ Landing, under the guidance of an experienced mountain guide. It was an extraordinary day, in which they covered nearly 16 miles of challenging terrain. The photos, some of which are below, tell the story.

Finishing up at the Utah Olympic Park, two of us (guess who) rode the Olympic bobsled run, and we all took in a pretty phenomenal show highlighting present and future Olympians training for their acrobatic ski routines.

Really, we were a bit reluctant when the time came to head back to SLC and, ultimately, what serves as reality.

This was (part of) the time we were supposed to be vacationing with family an friends in Tuscany. That’s been rescheduled to next year, but a tear or two was shed as the flight reminders popped up on our calendars. Our Utah adventure was a partial substitute, reflecting the current challenges in traveling to Italy. But, it was by no means a step down...constantly surrounded by an inspiring landscape, our visit to incredible properties (the Lodge at Blue Sky, the Waldorf Astoria Park City, and Montage Deer Valley) was peppered with wilderness hikes, tremendous food, luxurious accommodations, and an ample supply of spirits and spirituality.

This was, for us, a Proof of Concept...we were supposed to be in Italy at this time, and current conditions dictated that was a no-go. But, apart from the limited number of overseas destinations we could have visited, we knew that there were amazing places to visit within the United States. We may have substituted whiskey for Barolo, but the experience was nothing less than magical--some of the most beautiful places you could imagine, combined with great food, interesting shopping, and an opportunity to connect with our surroundings on a spiritual level. Best of all, it was time spent with family and dear friends. It could not have been better.

Please enjoy a few of our photos....

We are currently in the midst of an escape to a wondrous place, the Lodge at Blue Sky, an Auberge property that is just a few miles from Park City, Utah. 

We flew here from Chicago’s Midway Airport on Sunday. As with our recent flights to California, the flight itself on Southwest Airlines was uneventful. This low-cost airline has long been a favorite, with an emphasis on friendly, personalized service that belies its price point. As with our United aircraft, the 737 was spotless . . . absolutely spotless. The airports themselves were not terribly crowded, and navigating within was quick and effortless. We were less than wowed by the service at the Avis rental counter, but, after the more or less expected delay, we were on our way.

Once you exit I-80, the drive to the Lodge is only a couple of miles away, mostly on a winding private road that winds through Blue Sky Ranch. A short distance from the Lodge, you pass High West Distillery, which has an excellent restaurant and offers tastings of their unique bourbons, ryes, and blends.

The Lodge and its setting are breathtaking. There is, seriously, nothing else within sight, except the towering mountains that surround the Lodge and vistas that stretch forever. We’ve been taking it all in—hiking, yoga, bourbon tasting, excellent food, spa treatments, and, yesterday, a stroll through downtown Park City.

This is truly a place to unwind and reset. For now, they’re limiting the experience and operating at 60% of capacity. Rather than trying to capture it all in words, we’ll share a few photos that we hope will capture some of the spirit of this magical place, one that defines the American spirit.

As I promised yesterday, today's post is a report on my visit to two of Southern California's most famed resorts, the Hotel del Coronado and the Fairmont Grand Del Mar.

As I noted yesterday, our flights via United Airlines from Chicago O'Hare IAP to San Diego IAP were comfortable, clean, and efficient (www.elantravel.net/blog/california-or-bust). In the aftermath of all the concern about COVID, and the resultant lockdowns, nothing about that experience was anything less than completely reassuring.

I met up with my long-time friend, Wendy Burk, the CEO of Cadence Travel, to explore how well our travel partners in the hotel/business were doing. It's been a tough road for many, and the impact of prolonged closures and restrictions has been considerable. Our visit suggests that things are returning to normal.

First, as you'd expect, there are still impacts on what's visible to a visitor: facemasks are routine (and expected in public places) and in dining venues tables are more distanced from one another than they were a few months ago. But, the experience is--for those who want it--very much what it always has been: comfortable surroundings, great dining, and outstanding service.

We understand that some of our clients very much want to escape from the restrictions they've experienced over the past few months, but also are presently placing a high premium on privacy once they arrive at a location. To explore this, Wendy and I made our reservation in the del Coronado's Beach Village, which offers one to three-bedroom villas that each feature private entrances, gourmet kitchens, gated access, and exclusive dining and pool venues.  All set on a glorious beach. The del Coronado is the iconic SoCal beach resort, dating from 1888, and now thoroughly updated, with some accommodations, like Beach Village, having opened only a couple of years ago. 

From the del Coronado, we ventured to the Fairmont Grand del Mar. This beautiful resort, which presents itself as a grand Italian Villa, offers the ultimate in luxury and, should you desire, privacy. The public spaces are beautiful, and accommodations range from luxurious rooms to sumptuous villas that offer three master bedrooms and four and a half baths. The largest of the villas is 4,900 square feet, and includes a gourmet kitchen, fireplace, private elevator, an exercise room, and a media room.

What follows is a sampling of photos from my time with Wendy at these two beautiful properties. What I hope you'll take away from this is that fantastic options abound within our borders. Traveling to destinations such as these is once again possible, and the experience is one of normalcy, facemasks notwithstanding. Comfortable, clean and safe accommodations abound; excellent dining experiences are fully available; and the hospitality industry is eager to greet you.

For those who may still prefer a bit of privacy, that's also well within grasp. Villas range from the fun and airy experience of the del Coronado's Beach Village to the sumptuous luxury of the del Mar's large, luxuriously appointed villas.

Accommodations of this caliber are awaiting, from Maine to California, and everywhere in between.

Follow us here and on social media for our next Elán adventure, which will take us to one of the more exquisite areas of our land, Park City, Utah, where we will be experiencing and sharing some incredible experiences. That part of the story starts this coming Saturday, September 6.

It had to happen...after months of telephone conferences and Zoom meetings, it was time to break away from the lockdown. 

We went to California.

Over the past few months Victoria has been mentoring a number of travel consultants who work in conjunction with Cadence, a highly regarded West Coast travel agency located in La Jolla, California. And so, plans were hatched. Victoria would visit two of southern California’s iconic resort hotels with the powerhouse CEO of Cadence, Wendy Burk, and culminate our visit with a gathering to commemorate the “graduation” of Victoria's mentees.  

We know that many haven’t traveled by airline for a while, and it was a tale of rediscovery for us, too. Arriving at O’Hare via limo, we pulled up to Terminal One to make the journey to San Diego IAP. The airport was relatively busy, but substantially less so than in more normal times. A guess would be that there were perhaps a quarter of the people in the terminal than on a typical weekday morning. Emotionally, it’s a mixed bag—it’s difficult to see the unsettling impact on the airline industry up close, but it certainly made the whole process of transiting through the terminal faster. The TSA security process was exactly as it’s always been, with the exception that travelers are asked to briefly pull down their masks as the agent checks the match with your ID.

We went immediately to the United Lounge. Most shops in O’Hare are now open, but the whole “social distancing” thing is apparent, with a fair number of tables having been removed. Arriving in the lounge itself, there were notably fewer individuals. Again, tables and chairs are now spaced more widely, but it’s largely unnecessary, as the lounge was at perhaps 10% of capacity. 

Boarding a United aircraft is now a different experience. Those with seat assignments are boarded first, and First Class is boarded last. Honestly, it’s a pretty efficient way to handle things, apart from the fact that it reduces people brushing against each other in the aisles. Boarding was fast and efficient. Each passenger was handed an antiseptic wipe as they entered, and everyone I could see took advantage of the opportunity to wipe down the surfaces around their seat. The aircraft cabin itself was immaculately clean. Not knocking any particular airline, the cleanliness of aircraft cabins had become an issue over the years; maybe this is a positive that will come out of this episode.

All the food you are served on board is delivered in sealed packages. The flight attendants will hand you unopened beverage containers, but are not allowed to deliver them opened. Throughout the flight, the cabin crew was efficient and responsive.

At the other end, San Diego IAP, the terminal was remarkably quiet, and, unlike O’Hare, many of the shops, airline lounges, and dining venues were closed.  This all makes transiting through the terminal pretty fast, but we do long for the days of hustle and bustle.

We’ll get to the events in San Diego in our next blog installment, but the trip back to O’Hare was essentially the mirror image of the trip to San Diego...quiet terminals, easy transit, and a clean aircraft.

The question of when we’ll be able to travel to the places we long for rests largely in the hands of government officials, but we can confidently report that, from what we observed, the airports and airlines are ready. Everything we saw suggested a level of attention to hygiene and safety that was reassuring. At least for the immediate future, the largest visible impact was the fact that many businesses in the terminals were closed, including the airport lounges at San Diego.

It felt darned good to be once again slip the surly bonds of Earth, zooming along at eight miles a minute, far above the landscape below. Travel is magical. The sights, the sounds, the feel. And, to be sure, the wonder of flight is something we’ll never again take for granted.

Tomorrow we'll talk about Victoria's visit to two iconic resort hotels.

Let's be honest with one another: the past few months have been difficult. Quarantines. Masks. Travel restrictions. And, for some, grim challenges to their physical and mental health. Victoria and I had many plans for 2020, the year in which we launched Elán. Some of those plans have been postponed. Like many of our friends, we've been challenged, and it's easy to slip into a dark place. Fortunately, as we reflect on a lifetime of experiences, there are lessons to be learned from those we've encountered along the way.

We've been inspired by many people as we've traveled the world, from street vendors to extraordinarily wealthy entrepreneurs. The real magic of travel is not only in the sights, but in the human connection. 

As we've been navigating these tumultuous times, I've been trying to conjure up some of those memories as continued inspiration to forge ahead. There are lessons to be learned.  Sometimes you find those lessons in the most unlikely places. The warm embrace of an Italian shopkeeper. The sweetness of the Peruvian street vendors. The optimism of a Bhutanese monk.

Back in 2009, one of the greatest lessons happened at my dad's home while I was looking for AA batteries.

I'll try not to get too sentimental, but you may find his story and his outlook on life to be of some interest. There is a connection to travel.

My dad was born in 1924 on a farm in north central Illinois. Growing up, he loved sports and came to excel at basketball. Though he was a farm boy who lived just outside a town of a couple hundred, he must have been pretty darned good at it. He dreamed of becoming a professional basketball player, was scouted by the pros, and was offered a basketball scholarship at the University of Illinois, though he wasn't much of a scholar. He fancied himself good enough to make it. His plan was to play well enough in college to become a professional basketball player.

He was not only a pretty exceptional athlete, he was also a motorcyclist. I don't know how he had come into possession of such a thing, but he somehow bought a motorcycle. One day, not so long before he was to head off to the U of I, he was riding down a  country road when a woman in a car ran a stop sign and struck him at high speed. His injuries were grievous, so severe that the neighbors knew he could not make it. So, rather than take him to a hospital, they simply took him home to his parents, so he could die at home.

A day passed and he stubbornly refused to give up on life. Two more days. Still alive. So, my grandfather, with the help of those neighbors who had brought him home, took him to a hospital about 20 miles away, in Rockford, Illinois where the doctors did their best to save him. They did, though it took a whole year in the hospital. When he left, his dream was no longer achievable--his mangled left leg was about two inches shorter than his right and he had no use of his knee. He spent over sixty years of his life walking with a severe limp, many of those years with a cane in hand.

But once he was released from the hospital, he pressed on. He met my mom, herself a victim of an unfortunate childhood, and made a living for a time selling magazines. Never a book genius, he got by through his considerable reservoir of charm and an abundance of hard work. My eldest brother was born a couple years after they married. Their second child, my brother Larry, died within hours of being born. Over the years my mom, who dearly loved children, had a number of miscarriages, but they "kept trying," ultimately succeeding--if you want to call it that--with me and my sister.

As the years went by, though they knew a fair amount of poverty and other struggles, my dad grew increasingly successful. At some point, I suppose you could say he and my mom became wealthy. We kids never made much of it, either way. The days when we only had an outhouse didn't seem all that different than the days when things were much better. While he sometimes got pretty aggravated about things, it was only years later than I realized that my dad took the bad with the good. He never really complained about anything, even the things that would make other men bitter.

As the years have passed, his fortunes again took a turn. My mother died a few years before him, of complications of Alzheimer's. For the past few years of her life, my dad did it all--he fed her, he bathed her, he dressed her, and he did her makeup for her. He always did it with good humor, even when it seemed unbearable. He never complained. Sometimes, when the topic would turn to my mom's condition, he would describe it the same way he talked about his life-changing accident, matter of factly saying, "It's a hell of a thing."

The last few years of his life brought their own problems for him--heart failure, a serious fall that caused bleeding on the brain and months of nursing home care, and an increasing inability to walk without great pain. Other pretty miserable stuff, too. But, he never really complained. He just adapted and tried to work through it. Some of the contraptions he rigged up were almost comical, but they represent the thinking of someone raised on the farm--you just figure out a way to make it work with baling wire. Complaints? Not really.

So, we to his home as often as we could, hoping to help in some way. One day, in December of 1999, one of things I found was a "low battery" indication on his thermostat. So, off I went in search of AA batteries. As I was rummaging through his desk, I saw a piece of paper, resting upright against his desk lamp. Hardly poetic, it nonetheless conveyed a message that was obviously important to him, one that some of us would do well to remember when, as is now the case, things aren't going so well:

Yes, his spelling was atrocious.

I share this not to evoke sympathy, but to bring back into focus the "posative" things that the opportunity to travel bestows on us. My parents' times of turmoil were difficult, but they overcame them. It's the stories like theirs that give us hope, and help to put our present situation in perspective.

Some of our best memories--and I know they were good times for them, too--were the journeys that Victoria and I took together with my mom and dad. England, Norway, and myriad other destinations come immediately to mind. The difficulties of life, like those many of us presently face, seemed to be supplanted by the joy they found in their journeys. Over the years, they amassed an wide array of dear friends throughout the world. In fact, on one of those trips Victoria and I met a couple who were traveling with their pre-teen daughter, and we became life-long friends. To this day, we visit Jan (the mum) whenever we find ourselves in London.

This is all going to get better. Though it's happening in sputters, the world is reopening.

Your day is coming. Ours is, too. In just a few weeks we'll be traveling to an incredible part of the United States and sharing that experience with you. We're looking forward to our January 2021 voyages to Antarctica and the Greek Isles (and we invite you to join us!). In just over a year from now, we'll be motorcycling through southern Africa, taking in some of the most amazing sites on that continent. Again, you're invited.

If the past few months has left you a bit dispirited, you're not alone. But hope is on the horizon; we are turning this around. Please think seriously about your plans to re-engage with the world through travel. Put those plans into action. But, above all else, "Be Posative."

We will see you on the road....

Yeah, we know . . . you get tons of email, much of which gets trashed without being opened. But, we're different! Or at least we think we are. We don't send out a ton of emails, and we try to keep them relevant, or at least interesting.

If you'd like to join in on the conversation, fill out the form below and we'll get you set up. 

Travel beyond . . . ordinary emails, that is.

Next April we're going to be exploring the Greek Isles and the Golden Horn on the beautiful Seabourn Ovation. This itinerary is highly sought after, with visits to beautiful sites in the Greek Isles and Istanbul. Departing from and returning to Piraeus, the port of Athens. The Ovation is widely considered to be the finest small ship afloat, and offers accommodations, dining, and a spa experience that are the equal of any five-star resort.

We've secured excellent pricing for those who book this remarkable tour through Elán. Please check out the flyer below and call or email (vboomgarden@dt.com) for details.

The Querido Collection is comprised of a select number of hotels, resorts, private villas and yachts that exceed the exacting standards of our clientele. Each is family owned and deeply connected to the setting in which they are found.

Victoria has recently been named a Querido Rockstar, denoting her expertise and the esteem in which she is held in the luxury travel community. Only the finest travel advisors in the world make this list, and many of her cherished colleagues are also included. Through our long-standing connection with Querido's properties, and our general standing in the travel community, we are able to offer our clients preferred treatment when visiting.

Our most recent trip to Italy included visits to two of the Querido Collection's signature properties, Masseria San Domenico and Borgo Egnazia. Each is exquisite, offering beauty, sumptuous accommodations, and great attention to detail. Honestly--and this is no exaggeration--each is the sort of place we could envision spending the rest of our lives.

We'd love to discuss including a Querido property, perhaps more than one, in your next journey. Contact Victoria by email to talk it over. Or, if you'd like to get started now, call her at 630.420.3538.

Travel beyond . . . to the most exquisite privately owned properties you can imagine.

We are reemerging after a couple of weeks of radio silence. The last couple of weeks have been both hectic and unsettling. While we spend most of our time at Borah Borah these days, we have occasionally ventured back to the Chicago metro area for appointments, and for visits with family and friends. The rioting and looting that unfortunately accompanied some of the protests in our area spilled over into our neighborhood during our most recent visit. We're okay. Our family is okay. Our friends are okay.

The headlines these days are unsettling, but I came across a simple, but profound, thought: "Write your own headlines." This by no means suggests ignoring what's happening around us, but focusing on our ability to control our personal narrative within the world as we find it.

Here's today's headline: The World is Emerging

On a purely personal basis, close to home, we're seeing the emergence of our gardens, our flowers, and, more broadly, the natural beauty around us. Cool nights give way to warm days and abundant sunshine. The mix of wildlife we're seeing is changing a bit, and many of the birds that frequent Borah Borah are hatching eggs. We see that, in spite of the turmoil we create for ourselves, the splendor of the natural world remains a constant positive force that we can always return to . . . if we give ourselves permission to occasionally turn our gaze in that direction.

The world of travel is emerging as well. The effects of the pandemic will linger for a while, but we're seeing that the spirit of travel--and ingenuity in dealing with the issues raised by the virus--are overcoming what has been a difficult time for many. Here's what we're seeing:

First and foremost, travelers are emerging from isolation. We went through a period of time when the principal focus of our clients was on canceling or delaying travel. Now, particularly in the last two to three weeks, we are seeing a clear resurgence in bookings. Some of our clients are opting to stay within the United States, and those who are interested in traveling internationally are going forward with scheduling travel.

The principal hurdles revolve around travel restrictions that are on clients' wish lists. Every day we receive multiple updates, and nearly all are moving in the direction of easing or eliminating significant travel restrictions. Nonetheless, it's a fluid situation; any global update that's accurate today will certainly be outdated to some extent by tomorrow. Some countries are fully open. Others are opening in a graduated manner. The best advice we can offer is to call us if you're contemplating travel. We can give you the latest update, and ensure that your travel is booked in a manner that will allow you maximum flexibility in the event that life intervenes with your plans.

On a personal level, we are planning to travel internationally and within the States in the next few weeks. We'll keep you posted.

The World is Emerging. Be part of it.

Another of the properties we offer through our partnerships with Hidden Doorways and Virtuoso, Malibu Beach Inn is a luxury boutique hotel located on the sands of Carbon Beach in Malibu. Each of the 47 well-appointed guestrooms showcase the proximity of the waves through full glass doors which lead to private balconies, enabling guests to enjoy ocean views from almost any point in their room. Nestled in between the Pacific Ocean and Pacific Coast Highway on an exclusive strip of Carbon Beach nicknamed “Billionaire’s Beach,” the hotel itself offers opulent service from moment of arrival. Whether seeking to dine at CBC (Carbon Beach Club restaurant), indulge at the onsite oceanfront spa suite, or simply lounge on the privately-owned shore, Malibu Beach Inn’s service and setting formulate the perfect location to create an unforgettable seaside experience. The New York Times describes it as "a tranquil, immaculate oceanfront refuge from which to make very important cellphone calls," and, indeed, on any given day you might find yourself (discretely) rubbing elbows with celebrities.

But the more important aspect of the immaculate showcase is the stunning setting. If now is the time for you to get away, and you are longing for the sights and sounds of the ocean, now is the time to book. For more information, contact Victoria at 6304203538. Tranquility awaits.