Design Destinations Magazine Summer Issue 2024

EL SALVADOR

Simply Amazing

GUADALAJARA

A Place to Visit

ATLANTA The Peach City

ON LOCATION With Sammy Todd Dyess

PIMALAI RESORT & SPA Koh Lanta, Thailand’s Secret Sanctuary

WHAT’S

98

Guadalajara A Place to visit

56

Pimalai Resort & Spa

Koh Lanta, Thailand’s Secret Sanctuary

INSIDE

Mezcal the “Other” Drink Atlanta The Peach City

On Location with Sammy Todd Dyess

Volcanoes

Hawaii - Pure Nature

San Juan

Puerto Rico’s Jewel

El Salvador Simply Amazing

A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & FOUNDER

Welcome to our summer edition of Design Destinations Magazine!

Summer is upon us, and there is no better time to explore and experience new destinations and return to familiar ones. We try to bring you new and exciting destinations and feature popular destinations with a different perspective.

In this issue, we are featuring El Salvador, a destination that has been receiving a lot of attention lately and is worth considering for your next vacation. We also feature San Juan, Puerto Rico; Guadalajara, Mexico; Atlanta, Georgia; and Pimalai Resort & Spa in Koh Lanta, Thailand.

Our esteemed contributor, the talented photographer Sammy Todd Dyess, shares his captivating art "On Location" and offers a glimpse into the art of creating the perfect photo shoot.

Additionally, we present Pimalai Resort & Spa, Koh Lanta - Thailand's Secret Sanctuary, a hidden gem for those seeking a serene escape. Our diverse articles include a fascinating exploration of the 'other' tequila, the Mezcal, an in-depth look at Volcanoes, and much more to pique your curiosity.

We hope you will enjoy this issue and would love to hear from you.

Franz E Buchhalter, Founder & Editor-In-Chief

Design Destinations Magazine is a publication of Buchhalter International Group

For information contact: info@buchhalterinternational.com 9121 SW 140th Street Miami FL, 33176 www.buchhalterinternationagroup.com 305 4841012

GUADALAJARA

ON LOCATION With Sammy Todd Dyess

PIMALAI RESORT & SPA

Koh Lanta, Thailand’s Secret Sanctuary

COVER: Sammy Todd Dyess

EL SALVADOR

Simply Amazing

ATLANTA THE PEACH CITY

San

Juan Puerto Rico’s jewel

ON LOCATION

With Sammy Todd Dyess

At Silversands Beach House Grenada

shooting and the Beach House was not disturbed. The client wanted a very soft, romantic vacation for two, and they wanted to feel like they were the only ones at the resort. The models wore neutral colors and simple wardrobes. After a week of prep and direction, we were off and ready to create content.

Step# 2 We arrived a day early for the shoot so we could scout the property. All Interior and exterior shots were predetermined when making the schedule before arrival, as we have a system for knowing sun directions throughout the property.

Step #3 Shoot begins Day 1; our main goal was to capture architectural imagery, so we spent our first two days creating beautiful interiors and exterior drone images. Our lighting kept the interiors soft, and it was more like the eye seeing it when you enter a room. Focusing mainly on the view. The setup was to feel not perfectly made up but like they left the room for a swim or walk. Propping was simple. The drone imagery was taken in the early morning and late afternoon, which gave it a more romantic feel.

As we moved into the week, we spent time doing lifestyle for the website and magazines with a snap here or there for Social. We wanted many model images to feel private and

before. Also, we were not looking for the blue and aqua ocean as we wanted it to feel more peaceful, so we used natural light to our advantage.

Moving onto the exterior images, such as the restaurants, lobby, and public areas, we shot more in the middle of the day so we were not capturing imagery in the harsh light of the day.

After capturing beautiful imagery and incredible video for a week, we said our goodbyes and headed back for postproduction.

Our production studio for all editing is in beautiful Palm Beach, where we spent the following six days retouching and editing the video.

On the 7th Day, we delivered a 1 1/2 video and a 30-second video and doubled the amount of imagery planned for lifestyle architecture and social media.

We had an excellent client and a great location, making it the perfect shoot. After 35 years with a camera in my hand, my passion for photography is more vital now than ever. I am a lucky guy!

For more information: www.samdyess.com

PIMALAI RESORT & SPA

Koh Lanta’s Secret Sanctuary

Located in the tranquil island of Lanta on the southern part of Thailand, you will find the magnificent resort of Pimalai, a beautiful and amazing retreat nestled in lush tropical surroundings. The 121 deluxe rooms, suites and villas resort offers its guests the opportunity to experience world renowned Thai hospitality while enjoying luxurious accommodations. The resort features ocean views, and beachfront deluxe accommodations that include one, two and three bedroom villas, all with private pools and unobstructed views of the ocean; three world-class restaurants; a spa that puts you in touch with nature while you enjoy a classic Thai treatment.

Each luxury room, suite and villa boasts ample living space, both indoors and out. Enjoy the sunsets and sunrises from the privacy of your oceanfront deck, dine under the stars or simply refresh yourself in the private swimming pool of your villa.

Pimalai Resort & Spa’s three restaurants offer guests delightful international cuisine, and they can enjoy the many flavors of Thailand’s traditional delights in three distinctive atmospheres.

Begin your evening in an elegant setting with a glass of wine while the sunset takes over the evening in the Seven Seas restaurant. The chef’s creations, highlighting local catches and signature dishes will delight you as you end another amazing day.

Experience the riches of Koh Lanta in luxurious style. Set sail on a private boat, dive untouched reefs, or explore a deserted island. Immerse yourself in cultural sensations both on our island and further ashore. The five-star PADI Dive Center offers an unrivaled reputation for highest quality personal service, and experienced dive guides well versed in the area to make your dive experience truly memorable.

Koh Lanta offers many alternative options for day excursions, from a shopping tour in a local market to a ride in one of the intuitive three wheel motorcycles called Tuk-Tuk or a tour of the nearby Krabi. Koh Lanta is known for its lush and tropical setting and for the many beautiful beaches.

spices that make Thai cuisine one of the world’s culinary delights!! At Pimalai Resort & Spa the cooking class is a must. Let the chef guide you through the herb garden as you select the ingredients needed to prepare the famous tum yun goon soup or the pad Thai noodles. The experience is amazing and a great opportunity to increase your menu to impress your friends when

MEZCAL THE “OTHER” DRINK

MEZCAL

The “Other” Drink

Mezcal's name comes from the Nahuatl, which means "oven-cooked agave." Traditionally, the word "mezcal" has been used generally in Mexico for all agave spirits, and it continues to be used whether these spirits have been legally certified as "mezcal" or not. This seductive spirit, sometimes confused with Tequila, has a smoky flavor and, when it is drunk alone, is never drunk cold. The difference between the Tequila and the Mezcal is that both are made from Agave; Tequila is a type of Mezcal. While Mezcal can be produced from up to 50 species of agave plants, Tequila can be made from just

one and is made from only blue Agave, while Mezcal is from any wild or cultivated Agave.

Additionally, the Mezcal must be produced in one of the nine legally recognized Mexican states: Oaxaca, Guerrero, Michoacán, Puebla, Durango, San Luís Potosí, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, and Tamaulipas. The Mezcal is a more expensive spirit because Many varieties of Agave that are used on Mezcal only grow in the wild. These wild varieties often produce Mezcals with distinct and sought-after flavors. Still, the process of identifying, harvesting, and transporting wild agaves from remote and often inaccessible regions also contributes to its

VOLCANOES

One of Nature’s most Amazing Things

GUADALAJARA A Place to Visit

JULIANNE MOORE

Julianne Moore debuted in 1990 in the film Tales from the Darkside. Two years later, she appeared in feature films with supporting parts in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992) and the comedy The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag (1992). In 1993, she performed a memorable role as a doctor who spots Kimble Harrison Ford and attempts to thwart his escape in The Fugitive

Moore spent the early years of her life in over two dozen locations worldwide with her parents during her father's military career. She finally found her place at Boston University, earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in acting from the School of the Performing Arts. After graduation (in 1983), She took the stage name "Julianne Moore" because there was another actress named "Julie Anne Smith". Julianne moved to New York and worked extensively in theater, including appearances off-Broadway. In 1997, Steven Spielberg cast her in the Jurassic Park sequel without an audition. Director Todd Haynes gave Julianne her first opportunity to take on a lead role in Safe (1995). Her portrayal of Carol White, an affluent L.A. housewife who develops an inexplicable allergic reaction to her environment, won critical praise and an Independent Spirit Award nomination.

Later that year, she found her way into romantic comedy, co-starring as Hugh Grant's pregnant girlfriend in Nine Months (1995). The following films included Assassins (1995) and Surviving Picasso (1996). The barely known director Paul Thomas Anderson asked Julianne to appear in his movie Boogie Nights (1997). where she played the role of Amber Waves, a loving porn star who acts as a mother figure to a ragtag crew, her performance received both Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations.

Julianne starred in several high-profile projects, including Robert Altman's Cookie's Fortune (1999), in which she played the mentally challenged but adorable sister of a decidedly unhinged Glenn Close. A portrayal of the scheming Mrs. Cheveley followed in Oliver Parker's An Ideal Husband (1999), with several critics asserting that Moore was the best part of the movie. She then worked on another collaboration with director Anderson in Magnolia (1999) and continued with an outstanding performance in The End of the Affair (1999), for which she garnered another Oscar nomination. She ended 1999 with another exceptional performance, that of a grieving mother in A Map of the World (1999), opposite Sigourney Weaver. Her 2015 brilliant performance in Still Alice earned Julianne her first Oscar in a leading role. Julianne continues to work and her latest project Mary & George, once again proves her amazing talent as an actor.

Photo Credits

El Salvador - Simply Amazing Page 7-21

Atlanta - The Peach City Page 22-34

Josue Rosales * Rodrigo de Mendoza * Jeferson Santu * Jaime Alegria*

Ricky Mejia * Wilson E Santana*

Mauricio Cuellar *

Maria Hidalgo * Crystal Abarca *

Conor Murphy*

Brad Huchteman*

Venti Views

Joey Yates *

Pengxiao-xu *

Christopher Albarenga * Alex Haney*

Ranjith Alingal *

Joey Cyber *

Roberto Pena*

Roberto Pena*

Venti Views*

Mauricio Cuellar*

San Juan - Puerto Rico’s Jewel Page 35-46

On Location with Sammy Todd Dyess Page 50 - 56

Mezcal The ‘Other” Drink Page 65 - 72

Sonder Quest *

Wenhau Ruan*

Jennifer Chen* Jimmy Woo * Wanja Njama *

J Amill Santiago *

Sammy Todd Dyess

Getty Images * Nahima Aparicio*

Gastro Editorial * Nahima Aparicio *

Stephanie Klepacky *

Sammy Todd Dyess

Sammy Todd Dyess

Sammy Todd Dyess

Sammy Todd Dyess

Sammy Todd Dyess

Sammy Todd Dyess

Sammy Todd Dyess

Sammy Todd Dyess

Sammy Todd Dyess

Sammy Todd Dyess

Hawaii- Pure Nature Page 73 - 85

Volcanoes Page 86 - 91

Leon Macapagal* Christian Joudrey*

Silas Bausch *

Darren Lawrence *

Casey Horner * Braden Jarvis*

Luke McKeown* Sacha Hrefoire *

Caitlin Wynne * Unsplash *

Marc Szeglat* Pine Watt *

Joshua Earle * Joshua Earle* Hanandito Adi *

Laura Smetsers*

Taylor Keeran *

Darren Lawrence *

Photo Credits

Guadalajara A Place to Visit 94 -105

Getty Images *

Obed Hernandez * Alba Rebecca*

David Garcia Sandoval *

Dean McQuade * Alain Bonnardeaux *

Vies Datt * Sacha Hrefoire * * Unsplash

Design Destinations Magazine is a publication of Buchhalter International Group