Month: August 2020

It’s time to pack your bags and head on a virtual vacation. Many of you enjoyed the Travel & Wine Tasting events we hosted in June and have requested we continue. So guess where we are going next? 3 amazing destinations! Our first adventure on September 3rd takes us to South America where we will explore Argentina. In the following weeks we’ll visit Portugal and then Croatia. Join me and many other adventurous travelers as we trek across the globe from the comfort of your home.

Just think…learning and discovery don’t have to stop. Are you ready to dive in and join us as we learn and discover more about these exciting destinations?

Click Here to Register

While recent events have kept us off planes and, well, on our couch, travel remains one of the best ways to feel a global interconnectedness with humanity. So, let’s use the power of our minds along with local destination specialists, Loli from Argentina, Zvonimir from Croatia and Jiordi from Portugal, as they join us to bring these destinations alive with a compelling visual presentation along with Q&A. Warren Egnal, from DouxVin, will be sharing his expertise on wines that we’ll be tasting from the various regions. These adventures will truly touch all your senses.

First up….. Adventures in Argentina September 3rd at 8 PM  EDT

If you love European-style cities, outdoor adventures, delicious wine, arid deserts, Andean culture, and magnificent waterfalls, Argentina should be one of your travel bucket list destinations. It’s a diverse country in South America and has so much to offer within its many terrains.

Portugal is really a magical country. Last May my daughter and I traveled there for two weeks exploring medieval castles, cobblestone villages, captivating cities and their golden beaches. Portugal is filled with exciting history, great food and wine and idyllic scenery. We had a memorable time and I can’t wait to share it with you.

And then in September, I hosted a group of 12 adventurous travelers on a land and sea tour of Croatia. There’s hardly anything that can match the beauty of the Croatian Adriatic. It’s the land of 1,000+ islands, many UNESCO heritage sites, breathtaking National Parks, 17,000+ vineyards, olive oil so good it makes you cry and hospitality you’ll never forget.

Just think…learning and discovery don’t have to stop. Are you ready to dive in and join us as we learn and discover more about these exciting destinations?

HERE’S THE PLAN:

We have scheduled 3 different Virtual Travel Tours and Wine Tasting from different regions of the world. Each night, we’ll use Zoom Video Conferencing to present the destinations along with 1 white and 1 red from each region.  Not a wine drinker, no worries.  Join us to be inspired by these amazing destinations, with fun and laughter along the way.

The first virtual tour will be to Argentina on Thursday, September 3rd at 8 PM EDT, 5 PM PDT with Loli Marino, Founder of Oriunda, live from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The second virtual tour will take us around Portugal on Thursday, September 10th at 8 PM EDT, 5 PM PDT with Jordi Vilaseca, Director of Destination Spain and Portugal, live from Lisbon, Portugal.

And for the third virtual tour we are going to experience Croatia on Tuesday, September 15th at 8 PM EDT, 5 PM PDT with Zvonimir Androic, Founder of Via Tours Croatia, live from Zagreb, Croatia.

You’ll see gorgeous photos and videos of the region and what you will experience when you travel to these destinations. Think of it as whetting your appetite for the wine tasting. Speaking of wine, after each presentation you will be introduced to the wines you were shipped, and we’ll taste, ask questions and have a great time.

Click Here to RSVP

Let me introduce my friend, Warren Egnal, founder of DouxVin. Warren is totally charming; a walking, talking Wikipedia of wine. He knows every wine in every region of the world, he’s amazing. DouxVin has the most impressive selection of wines, from the perfect red for pizza to the rarest of Grand Cru’s.

This is how it works. If you want to participate in the wine tasting, you will need to order the 6 bottle set from DouxVin hand picked for XOOM Tours in advance. Warren has made it super simple. The six bottles will be sent directly to your home, in time for the tastings.

Here are the Highlights of the Selected Wines

ARGENTINA

(1) 2018 Zuccardi Q Malbec and (1) 2017 Zuccardi Q Chardonnay

Zuccardi was just awarded the honor of: The World’s Best Vineyard 2020!

The Zuccardi ‘Q’ line represent wines of the highest quality made from the oldest vines, up to 40 years of age, grown at the foot of the Andes Mountains in the high altitude province of Valle de Uco of Mendoza. The rich climate and geography of our high elevation Valle de Uco vineyards provide excellent fruit ripening and concentration.

PORTUGAL

(1) 2013 Quinta do Noval Cedro do Noval & (1) 10-Year Old Tawny Douro Valley

One of the oldest port houses, Quinta do Noval is also arguably the greatest. It is unique among top port houses in that most of its ports are made from estate-grown fruit and, notably, all of the vintage Noval wines are from the single Quinta do Noval vineyard.

Noval 10 Year Old Tawny is a blend of old Ports from different vintages that have matured in oak casks, with an average age of 10 years. It’s a perfect expression of the Noval tawny style. It has acquired the classic attributes of an old Tawny Port, while at the same time retaining much of the freshness and fruitiness of its youth.

CROATIA

(1) Vie di Romans Flors de Uis and (1) Leone de Castris Primitivo Manduria Villa Santera

The production area for Primitivo di Manduria wines stretches eastwards from Taranto, along the Gulf of Taranto coast. This area is one of the oldest DOC appellations of the South of Italy. The name Villa Santera refers to an ancient farm owned by the Leone De Castris family.

The vineyards are located in a niche microclimate that benefits from soil rich in alluvial fans and minerals that have been carried there by glaciers over the millennia, as well as, the Bora winds from the east that result in large, daily temperature fluctuations. Flors di Uis is a fantasy term that in the Friulano dialect means “flowering of the grapes” and recalls the sweet, floral fragrance of the grapevine blossoms.

The cost for all 6 bottles ($215) plus tax and shipping ($25) is $240. There are only a few states that he can’t ship to. Someone 21 years of age or older, has to be available to receive the wine.

You must RSVP (Click Here) to me that you will be attending. I will send you a Zoom Video Link for each tasting. Not a wine drinker? I’d still love to have you join in. But you must RSVP (Click Here) to get the Zoom link.

Order by Wednesday, August 19th.  This will ensure that Warren can get the wines packed and shipped on August 21st, so you’ll have them in time for the first tasting. Shipments take longer to the east coast, which is why he needs the lead time.

Ship to states outside of California – Click Here to Order

I, along with our special guest speakers look forward to sharing insights and tastes from these wonderful destinations. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me about the details and of course travel and to Warren for any questions about the wine.

See you on September 3rd!

I am pleased that so many of you enjoyed the Travel & Wine Tasting events we hosted in June and have requested we continue.  Are you ready?  The next series we will be featuring Virtual Travel and Wine Tours to Argentina, Portugal and Croatia beginning September 3rd.  XOOM Tours makes trekking across the globe from your own home easy.

Click Here to RSVP

While recent events have kept us off planes and, well, on our couch, travel remains one of the best ways to feel a global interconnectedness with humanity. So, let’s use the power of our minds along with local destination specialists, Loli from Argentina, Zvonimir from Croatia and Jiordi from Portugal, as they join us to bring these destinations alive with a compelling visual presentation along with Q&A. Warren Egnal, from DouxVin, will be sharing his expertise on wines that we’ll be tasting from the various regions. The experience will truly touch all your senses.

Portugal is really a magical country. Last May my daughter and I traveled there for two weeks exploring medieval castles, cobblestone villages, captivating cities and their golden beaches. Portugal is filled with exciting history, great food and wine and idyllic scenery. We had a memorable time and I can’t wait to share it with you.

And then in September, I hosted a group of 12 adventurous travelers on a land and sea tour of Croatia. There’s hardly anything that can match the beauty of the Croatian Adriatic. It’s the land of 1,000+ islands, many UNESCO heritage sites, breathtaking National Parks, 17,000+ vineyards, olive oil so good it makes you cry and hospitality you’ll never forget.

Just think…learning and discovery don’t have to stop. Are you ready to dive in and join us as we learn and discover more about these exciting destinations?

HERE’S THE PLAN:

We have scheduled 3 different Virtual Travel Tours and Wine Tasting from different regions of the world. Each night, we’ll use Zoom Video Conferencing to present the destinations along with 1 white and 1 red from each region.  Not a wine drinker, no worries.  Join us to be inspired by these amazing destinations, with fun and laughter along the way.

The first virtual tour will be to Argentina on Thursday, September 3rd at 8 PM EDT, 5 PM PDT with Loli Marino, Founder of Oriunda, live from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The second virtual tour will take us around Portugal on Thursday, September 10th at 8 PM EDT, 5 PM PDT with Jordi Vilaseca, Director of Destination Spain and Portugal, live from Lisbon, Portugal.

And for the third virtual tour we are going to experience Croatia on Tuesday, September 15th at 8 PM EDT, 5 PM PDT with Zvonimir Androic, Founder of Via Tours Croatia, live from Zagreb, Croatia.

You’ll see gorgeous photos and videos of the region and what you will experience when you travel to these destinations. Think of it as whetting your appetite for the wine tasting. Speaking of wine, after each presentation you will be introduced to the wines you were shipped, and we’ll taste, ask questions and have a great time.

Click Here to RSVP

Let me introduce my friend, Warren Egnal, founder of DouxVin. Warren is totally charming; a walking, talking Wikipedia of wine. He knows every wine in every region of the world, he’s amazing. DouxVin has the most impressive selection of wines, from the perfect red for pizza to the rarest of Grand Cru’s.

This is how it works. If you want to participate in the wine tasting, you will need to order the 6 bottle set from DouxVin hand picked for XOOM Tours in advance. Warren has made it super simple. The six bottles will be sent directly to your home, in time for the tastings.

Here are the Highlights of the Selected Wines

ARGENTINA

(1) 2018 Zuccardi Q Malbec and (1) 2017 Zuccardi Q Chardonnay

Zuccardi was just awarded the honor of: The World’s Best Vineyard 2020!

The Zuccardi ‘Q’ line represent wines of the highest quality made from the oldest vines, up to 40 years of age, grown at the foot of the Andes Mountains in the high altitude province of Valle de Uco of Mendoza. The rich climate and geography of our high elevation Valle de Uco vineyards provide excellent fruit ripening and concentration.

PORTUGAL

(1) 2013 Quinta do Noval Cedro do Noval & (1) 10-Year Old Tawny Douro Valley

One of the oldest port houses, Quinta do Noval is also arguably the greatest. It is unique among top port houses in that most of its ports are made from estate-grown fruit and, notably, all of the vintage Noval wines are from the single Quinta do Noval vineyard.

Noval 10 Year Old Tawny is a blend of old Ports from different vintages that have matured in oak casks, with an average age of 10 years. It’s a perfect expression of the Noval tawny style. It has acquired the classic attributes of an old Tawny Port, while at the same time retaining much of the freshness and fruitiness of its youth.

CROATIA

(1) Vie di Romans Flors de Uis and (1) Leone de Castris Primitivo Manduria Villa Santera

The production area for Primitivo di Manduria wines stretches eastwards from Taranto, along the Gulf of Taranto coast. This area is one of the oldest DOC appellations of the South of Italy. The name Villa Santera refers to an ancient farm owned by the Leone De Castris family.

The vineyards are located in a niche microclimate that benefits from soil rich in alluvial fans and minerals that have been carried there by glaciers over the millennia, as well as, the Bora winds from the east that result in large, daily temperature fluctuations. Flors di Uis is a fantasy term that in the Friulano dialect means “flowering of the grapes” and recalls the sweet, floral fragrance of the grapevine blossoms.

The cost for all 6 bottles ($215) plus tax and shipping ($25) is $240. There are only a few states that he can’t ship to. Someone 21 years of age or older, has to be available to receive the wine.

You must RSVP (Click Here) to me that you will be attending. I will send you a Zoom Video Link for each tasting. Not a wine drinker? I’d still love to have you join in. But you must RSVP (Click Here) to get the Zoom link.

Order by Wednesday, August 19th.  This will ensure that Warren can get the wines packed and shipped on August 21st, so you’ll have them in time for the first tasting. Shipments take longer to the east coast, which is why he needs the lead time.

Ship to states outside of California – Click Here to Order

I, along with our special guest speakers look forward to sharing insights and tastes from these wonderful destinations. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me about the details and of course travel and to Warren for any questions about the wine.

See you on September 3rd!

What is adventure? What does this word mean to you? Is it climbing up a mountain or jumping off a bungee platform in New Zealand, only to spring back up and down a few times? Is it surfing or riding a motorcycle? Is it backpacking across Europe with a group of friends?

While all of these adventures sound pretty exciting, they don’t define what the spirit of adventure means to me.

Think about it. Have you heard the phrase, “Life is full of adventure?”. Or how about describing someone as living “an adventurous life?” Does that mean extreme sports every day? Risking your life and pushing boundaries of what is physically possible for you?

Or does it simply mean trying something new. Exploring a new place? Getting out of your comfort zone?

Adventures don’t have to be dangerous. You don’t have to fear for your life. You don’t have to go shark-diving or sail around the world solo.

Adventure is all about attitude.  It’s about making the commitment to try something new or something different than before. It’s about taking a leap of faith or getting out of your comfort zone. It’s about willfully choosing to walk an unknown path. Now that’s the spirit!! 

Adventure requires a certain amount of courage. Daring to step into that new restaurant in a foreign country where you can’t pronounce the items on the menu. Choosing to take the local form of transportation instead of hiring a driver. Booking a spontaneous holiday to a new destination with a new travel companion.

Adventure looks different for everyone. And that’s OK.  Adventure is never far away.  It’s meant to inspire and teach you, to give you a sense of fulfillment, to create memories that last a lifetime, to encourage you to try new things, to expose you to new ideas and thoughts and to demonstrate that through stories and experiences an adventure adds color and flavor to your existence. 

Life is THE adventure!

Are you ready to spice it up? Let’s do it!!

I recently became certified as a National Geographic Journeys Specialist with G Adventures. They offer a collection of unique tours designed to take you deeper into the culture and history of the places you visit. They offer greater hands-on exploration, interactions with local experts, connections to fascinating people and projects supported by National Geographic and the freedom to roam, all within the structure and security of travelling in a small group. It’s a travel experience like no other.

Here’s the neat part!! G Adventures has private tours averaging 12 travelers with a maximum of 16. You not only get to choose how you want to travel but who you travel with. With their Private Travel options, you can take one of their tours and “Book Your Bubble” (Don’t you love that phrase??) to ensure you’re surrounded by friends and family for added confidence and peace of mind. Or you can customize a trip entirely for you! It’s your adventure, make it fit you perfectly — and safely. Plus, enjoy all the added health and safety measures of our Travel with Confidence Policy. I certainly think private small group travel is going to be in demand in 2021 and 2022.

There are over 80 tours that give you and your hand-picked crew the freedom and safety found on all of their private tours. And right now, there are some exciting special bonus savings that when combined with their Travel with Confidence Policy and Book with Confidence Policy, make this too good to pass up!

Let’s look at a few really neat “Book your Bubble” itineraries:

Dalmatian Coast & Montenegro Sailing

Stretch out your vacation days lounging on a yacht deck with this sailing trip that covers the Dalmatian coast from Split to Dubrovnik, along with plenty of time in Montenegro. Feel the warm sun on your face with the refreshing spray of seawater as you venture from coastal town to coastal town, stopping to swim, snorkel, or relax on beaches before exploring the rich history behind this storied Old World region. Local food and wine are in abundance, giving you delicious homegrown flavor that’s difficult to forget. When it comes to Croatia, every experience is filled with memories that ignite all the senses.

Peru Multisport

How do you improve a trip that already includes the Sacred Valley, the Inca Trail, and Lake Titicaca? Throw in some bikes, a few kayaks, and loads of high-energy thrills, that’s how! Peru Multisport connects immersive cultural interaction and classic Peruvian landmarks with challenging physical activities tailored specifically for adrenaline junkies and fitness freaks. Climb and bike your way from small villages to astounding monuments, then explore Lake Titicaca from a kayak; a perspective few visitors ever get the chance to see.

Sri Lanka & Maldives Adventure

This 14-day combo trip brings together the best of Sri Lanka’s cultural highlights and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sail the islands of the Maldives aboard a dhoni boat. Experience a safari in Udawalawe National Park, discover cultural treasures of Negombo and Kandy, and then spend an entire week cruising from one tiny and perfect atoll island to another, snorkeling in crystal-clear waters and stretching out on blazing white-sand beaches. From culture to paradise, this tour has it all.

So which adventure is up your alley??  National Geographic and G Adventures believe that travel can and should be a force for good in the world.  And it is!