Travelog Archives - Page 5 of 5 - Elite Destination Homes

Love, Light & Gastronomical Delight

By Adrienne Clairmont | Paris Paris is, without a doubt, one of the singularly most intoxicating places on earth. Without meaning to you can stumble into the world’s best Pâtisserie or Fromagerie and experience pure bliss with each bite that you take of the macaroon or triple-cream cheese. And of course, unless you are very careful, you will never be able to find that same corner shop again. In my opinion, however, that’s half the fun. As a lifelong Francophile, and a Parisian at heart, I was the happiest person on earth when the opportunity was presented to me to study abroad in Paris while completing my undergrad. While I was there, I had some of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. Paris is a city best seen on foot, and one of my favorite walks is the famous Champs-Élysées. The glittering strip is home to the best shopping in the world, and beyond that, a window into the different eras of French history. I have always been attracted to the bohemian Paris that gave rise to the impressionist movement, as well as lending inspiration to writers such as Ernest Hemingway and Victor Hugo. One of my favorite things [...]

Taking it All In

By Jacob Semling | Los Cabos Posted 11/10/2011 I was lucky enough to visit Elite's Cabo homes for my first ever trip out of the country! Having travelled during the Minnesota winter, the first thing I noticed upon stepping out off the plane was the warm sea air. My first couple nights were at Palmilla Retreat. It was a very comfortable and luxurious stay. The highlight was being able to take advantage of the guest membership at Club 96! All of our guests at Palmilla Retreat receive free access to this wonderful resort with an infinity pool, lap pool and of course a hot tub. After eating lunch poolside with my colleagues, we spent time on the private beach. It was a blast! The next several nights were spent at Las Mananitas Penthouse. My favorite memory would have to be enjoying an authentic Mexican meal that was prepared by a fantastic cook, the mother of our Cabo Concierge. We dined at sunset on the terrace while overlooking the resort pools, the sandy beach and the pristine ocean. Lastly, I stayed at Casa Celina, which is located in the world-class resort at Las Ventanas. As we got out of our car [...]

My New Favorite

By Mark Stevens | Turks and Caicos In my first career I was blessed with the opportunity to travel all over the world and work with people from very different cultures. There simply aren’t words to describe how different the Monday event in Italy was to the Wednesday event in Tokyo. I have since left the life of a “Road Warrior” to the next generation of folks that measure their successes with mileage and yet my passion for travel has never been stronger. These days I prefer places with a very different pace. The Turks and Caicos has become a fast favorite of mine. There is nothing like the calm blue waters off Taylor Bay. I am convinced that there are few beaches in the world that rival the powder white sand, the calm shoulder-deep water and most importantly the lack of people in this protected cove. One could literally take a nap in the 80-degree shallows and not hear another person for hours – perfection! The island is also home to one of my favorite restaurant experiences in the world – Coco Bistro. The restaurant features really tasty and fresh Caribbean inspired food. It is served outdoors under the [...]

Running Shoes and Coffee

By Kathryn Lynden There are two things I could not live without. A pair of running shoes and coffee. I have been blessed with the gift of travel, and my absolute favorite thing to do in any new city is to tie on my running shoes and hit the streets. I never quite know where I am going, but that is the beauty of the journey. I let my feet take me wherever they want to go. In Paris, after 7 days of work (did I really just say that?), I kept the 8th day open. I woke up very early, had a large cup of coffee, put on my running shoes and headed out. It was so early the streets were empty, I ran down the middle of the street. I believe the most magical time of day in a city is before it wakes. I encountered real life -- an old man was walking his dog, a few young kids were stumbling home, a shopkeeper was sweeping his sidewalk, I could smell coffee brewing. Nothing was moving fast, except my feet. As I passed Notre Dame, the sun was rising right behind that magnificent church. I wound through [...]

A Relaxed Pulse on Life

By Laurie Flum | Los Cabos As I walked along the beach in complete awe of the calming waves and soft sands, I glanced back over my shoulder and found my footprints following me. At that moment I had a sense of accomplishment, not for the footprints that I saw in the sand but for what each step meant to my life. My husband, children, our home, my 25+ year career with EDH....many things that were behind me....well done. It teased me to think of what is still ahead. Something about the wonderful views (all you need to do is look around), great food at Zippers and the local relaxed pulse on life allowed me to relax, reflect and rejuvenate in a way going to the cabin or Wisconsin Dells just never allowed. Don't get me wrong, all of the family trips to the cabin every summer were great and Wisconsin Dells is the capital of water fun, but combine them and that's an Elite Destination vacation. Paul Thrane took such good care of me. His concierge style put me to ease the minute I met him. I even talked him into teaching me to boogie board.....well at least trying [...]

Yacht Papa

By Bill Bisanz | St. Barts If I could do anything in life, I would sail around the world with my family and dog, experiencing the far-flung lands and cultures of the globe. Exploring the world with my kids and learning about foreign peoples, languages, history and food while travelling along in a floating house, inspires my imagination. While having young children has considerably slowed my sailing adventures, I’ve been fortunate to get a taste of this seafaring life during my travels where some French friends and I rented sailboats and set out exploring the Mediterranean. A younger man at the time, I often found myself wondering, “how did I get here?” like the time we sailed into the Grand Canal of Venice at sunset. In just a few weeks we would visit small seaside villages, uninhabited rock-lets, inhabited volcanic islands and iconic destinations like Capri. Simply amazing! It was this sort of curiosity and sense of exploration that was at the heart of my desire to start Elite. I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to explore new places with the help of others who had travelled there before. This is a big part of what we are up to [...]

Previous 45