I spent New Years Eve and the first 10 days of 2017 in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.  It’s one of my soul destinations. Do you have any of those?

I love to capture memories of my experiences when I travel. You probably do too, right?  

Paris. Oh, Paris. I am not the first person to fall in love with this city, nor will I be the last. It has inspired the world’s best poets and writers, given birth to some of the greatest art the world has ever seen, and it is home to some of my favorite things in the world— namely croissants, red wine, french fries… and now you can add macarons to the list. It is the perfect blend of modern and history, with just the right amount of class and sophistication. What is there NOT to love about the city of light?

I wanted to share with you a helpful guide to experiencing this city, based on my recent personal trip. It's a logical itinerary of activities that give you insight into the city, people, and culture, while showing you the must-sees and top attractions. It is a great starting point, especially if you are a first-time visitor.

Romance can be found in so many different and unique places around the world. Yes, you want that beautiful romantic element to your travel experience, but what else are you looking to pair it with?  The following is a list of some of my favorite destinations around the globe, compiled into categories you can identify with and will be drawn to based on your own interests. This list could easily change seven times before Friday, but it’s a fantastic starting point to help you think about creating the type of travel experience that fits you personally.

Over the past week, continued tragedy has hit our world.  There hardly seem enough hashtags to keep up with all of the horrific events taking place around the globe and in our own backyards.

It’s pretty frightening, isn’t it? 

I happened to catch the story of what occurred in Nice, France right as it was unfolding.  I know people who live there.  I recall my own vacation in Nice, walking the same streets that were now making dark history.  I have clients who vacationed there only weeks ago. It hit close to home.

While events such as this one can very easily make us feel like it’s not safe to go anywhere these days, I don’t believe we should give them the power to prevent us from carrying on with our lives.

For the last two weeks I’ve been glued to the T.V. watching the Olympic Trials for Track and Field, and witnessing the life transforming moments of athletes seeing their dreams be realized as they become Olympians. There is not much more thrilling to me than the Olympics, and I become consumed every 4 years. 

If you have the opportunity to make your way to Rio this summer for the Olympic Games, let me first tell you that I am insanely jealous— in the best way. 

Rio is an amazing city that I have had the opportunity to visit a handful of times, and I know that it will add it’s special magic to the 2016 Summer Games. Because a trip like this is a fusing of my two biggest passions, I'd love to pass along some helpful information for anyone traveling there next month.

The Game of Thrones season finale may mean life feels a little empty but you can cheer yourself up with a trip to Northern Ireland and the dramatic locations where the series was filmed. 

I recently had a client depart for a month long trip to Europe, with half of that time spent in Ireland/Northern Ireland with—you guessed it—a focus on Game of Thrones sightseeing. Unbeknownst to me at the beginning of our vacation planning, some of the most majestic locations in Northern Ireland have become part and parcel of Westeros. 

I love a good beach club. There’s something about the beach AND a party vibe that makes all the sense in the world to me. Yes, I want to lounge in comfort, sip my overpriced umbrella’d drink, nosh on some yummy food, and listen to some great tunes— all while watching the waves crash! 

When I visited Bali last year, I actually researched all the different beach clubs and made a list of all the ones I wanted to visit. They were all unique. Some were your typical party vibes, while others were laid back and unpretentious, letting the scenery and the essence of Bali do the talking. And honestly, when you are in Bali that is quite enough. But I made sure to sample a variety of them, for research purposes of course.

Traveling by train in Italy is my favorite way to travel. Not only are their network of trains convenient and reliable, you also get some spectacular views of the countryside. Today, I wanted to answer a few of the most common questions I get about traveling by train in Italy, and hopefully guide you towards choosing the best mode of transportation for you on your next Italian adventure.

Overview: A visit to French Polynesia is about as close as it gets to experiencing paradise. Enjoy 7 beautiful sun-soaked days as you quickly slip into a slower-paced way of life and spend your days enjoying the turquoise waters and top of the line luxury accommodations in your own overwater bungalow. Bora Bora is considered one of the most the most romantic islands in the world. From the dramatic scenery to the privacy and amenities of the overwater bungalows, everything here equals a 10 on the romance scale.

Exploring a new city through it’s culinary offerings is pretty much my favorite thing ever. I like food. I hesitate to call myself a “foodie”, simply because I’m not fancy with it at all. I just like what I like, and what I love most of all is the experience a good meal can provide. It makes you savor and appreciate the moment. To me, that is what life is all about. 

So, what did I do while I was in Vancouver for an entire week? I ate my way through the city. Many of my favorites came from locals or visitors who passed along their favorites to me, and recommendations through my people on social media (thank you!). I am sharing my favorites with you in hopes that during your next visit to this amazing city in the Pacific Northwest you can tag me in your foodie photo on Instagram, and let me know how amazing your meal was as well!

I love Central America. Costa Rica is one of my “soul destinations”, and by that I mean a place I go to to get in tune with the deepest parts of me, and where I feel like the beauty of nature is on display everywhere you turn.  There are so many destinations within Costa Rica to visit and fall in love with, but it also happens to be neighbors with some other pretty awesome countries as well. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to plan an incredible trip to Costa Rica and add on a side trip to Nicaragua. I feel so inspired by it, that it’s on my to do list to take my own adventure to Nicaragua sometime soon!  It’s proximity to the Guanacaste region makes it an amazing addition to a Costa Rican adventure, or an experience all on it’s own.

Yes, you should explore the world. But you should also take the time to explore your own backyard.  I have become more and more inspired to make these trips a priority in my travel experiences, and it’s been amazing!

If you don’t know where to start, here is a good place. This is basically my itinerary from the trip I just got back from. It’s a week long itinerary and we are going to have it start in Phoenix and end in Vegas for the out of towner who isn’t driving from home. It’s easy to do flights this way, and it makes a lot more sense when you want to get in as much as possible and not backtrack. These are literally the shortest amounts of time I would recommend spending—if you can, stay longer!

Tulum is fast becoming one of the “go-to” Mexican destinations for many travelers.  It’s easy to see why this Mayan city built next to the sea is so popular.  It has a spectacular setting, and a laid-back, casual chic vibe that makes it an ideal place to relax and rejuvenate.

Here is my personal rundown of how to best enjoy this Caribbean beauty.

Living in Southern California my whole life sometimes makes me forget that it is also an ideal vacation destination. I frequent the best beaches when I have an afternoon free, meet my friends for dinner at some of the finest restaurants, and enjoy cocktails at sunset on some of the city’s most picturesque rooftops. These moments are actually what others consider a vacation—and a nice one at that!

Recently, I’ve explored some fantastic properties in Beverly Hills and wanted to expand on that and provide you with an easy and amazing way to have the perfect getaway in LA’s most famous zip code. 

This is a perfect itinerary for a girls getaway, or just an excuse to add a little glitz and glamour to your life with your significant other one weekend because life is too short not to enjoy it to the fullest.

Cinque Terre is a stretch of five towns across the enchanting Italian riviera. I fell in love with this place far before I ever visited it. Perhaps you have too. The photos of pastel colored buildings, perched precariously on the cliffside and gazing out onto the sea are enough to make anyone’s heart skip a beat.

Last week I made my way here by way of boat on a day trip. This is the most scenographic way to go, and provided me with a unique viewpoint of the landscape. The ferry from La Spezia will take about an hour, and once you are in the villages, you can easily spend the day village hopping (except for Corniglia). You should also take the opportunity to visit the village of Portovenere, which isn’t one of the 5 villages but certainly is a worthwhile stop.

So, what are the differences between the villages? Here is a quick rundown on each of their unique characteristics, as well as photos from my vantage point of approaching the villages by boat. My suggestion would be to visit them all, and choose to spend a few nights in the one that best suits your tastes.

I love travel!! I love sports!!

If you know me, these are two very true statements.  So any time I have the opportunity to create crossover with those two passions, it’s absolute win in my book! About a month ago, they released the information for the NFL International Series.  3 games in London, and 1 game in Mexico City.  

I have been to many, many NFL games in my life, but never in another country. To me, that sounds like an absolute dream! Being able to explore London (and beyond!), plus root for your favorite team all in one swoop?! Sign me up.  

It sounded like such a great idea, I decided to create 3 simple itineraries that would make the whole process easy and enjoyable. They’re a baseline of how to make a trip like this come together successfully.

Florence has it all. There is something for everyone in the historic city where churches brush up against modern malls and restaurants. The beauty is not only encased within the walls of the city; By spreading out just a few hours in many directions, you can be led to lush, culturally vibrant experiences that will enhance your understanding of the beautiful culture. These top five Florence day-trips will add the perfect extra excitement to your Italian vacation.

Happy 2016!!!

There are so many amazing places out there for us to experience, picking one can sometimes be the hardest part. But there are certain destinations that make my “Hottest Destinations” list this year because they are an incredible place to go NOW. I’d love to share them with you.

The Must-See Destination of 2016: CUBA

Staying at La Anita Ranch was one of the highlights of my trip for many reasons. It was peaceful, serene, absolutely gorgeous, and …. IT WAS A WORKING CHOCOLATE FARM. That last item for me is a game changer because, duh, I love chocolate. And the chocolate produced here is some of the best I’ve ever had.  As a person who has tasted chocolate all throughout the world, I basically consider myself an expert on this subject.