Luxury Travel Advisor - July 2008 - (Page 6)

EDITOR'S LETTER Three Lessons From the Coast I Photo by Leah Goldstein Push your clients to try new things that will enhance their vacation experiences. enjoyed some great moments on my recent visit to the California Coast (see page 8). One was during a Segway excursion along the Pacific Ocean, which had been arranged for our group. Now, I’m more of a “let’s visit the cultural attractions, do a bit of shopping and find a café to cool down in” type of traveler. I tend to steer clear of activities that could result in pain or potential humiliation. But the Segway expedition had been planned for us all to enjoy, so I went along for the ride, if somewhat cautiously. In the end, my first great moment was generated by the fact that I did something I thought I would never do: cruise effortlessly over to Venice Beach and back on a vehicle I’d never seen before. There was no pain and no embarrassment, in fact, I thought the entire experience was lovely. Lesson #1: Push your clients to try new things. Just be sure it’s something they can handle so that the experience renders a good memory and not a pending lawsuit. Another highlight of my trip was visiting the Santa Monica Farmers Market with Chef Michael Reardon, who oversees all of the culinary efforts for the Edward Thomas Collection of Hotels. Reardon (below) personally visits the market regularly to select the freshest produce for his restaurants at the Hotel Casa del Mar, Shutters on the Beach and the Canary Hotel. We were lucky enough to visit the market with Reardon and to enjoy a cooking demonstration afterward, which made the lunch he prepared for us all the more enjoyable. Lesson #2: Arrange culinary experiences for your clients with local experts so that they’ll gain a heightened sensitivity for the destinations they’re visiting. On this same trip, we also headed up to Santa Barbara, where we stopped in at Jaffurs Wine Cellars (www.jaffurswine.com) and privately met with the vintners, who were kind enough to round up some of their best bottles of wine and accompany us to La Super-Rica Taqueria (622 N. Milpas Street, Santa Barbara; 805-963-4940, no reservations accepted), where I’m pictured, left. This is a simple restaurant whose Mexican fare is so authentic, it continuously draws a loyal crowd. Savoring the best of Jaffurs’ wines with some of the top Mexican food on the West Coast was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one that I’ll always remember. Lesson #3: Insider experiences that include fabulous wine and world-class food are unbeatable. Include at least one of these in any itinerary you book. For more on my California adventure, read on. RUTHANNE TERRERO, CTC Editorial Director rterrero@questex.com Photos by Ruthanne Terrero 6 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | July 2008 http://www.jaffurswine.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Luxury Travel Advisor - July 2008

Luxury Travel Advisor - July 2008 Contents Publisher's Letter Editor's Letter California Coast Tuscan Villas Ranch Vacations Gansevoort South Rancho Las Cruces Reserva Conchal Spas of the Maldives St. Lucia A Gentleman's Touch The Pulse Just Back Sightings Source List

Luxury Travel Advisor - July 2008

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