28 minute read
LAUN and Denvir Enterprises
ALLIANCE BY DESIGN
A new showroom signifies an e ortless partnership and the embodimentof SoCal style.
BY LYNDA LIN GRIGSBY
Anew shared space in Downtown L.A.’s Fashion District signi es a marriage of design studio LAUN (launlosangeles.com, pronounced “lawn,” a cheeky play on words) and multi-line agency Denvir Enterprises (denvirenterprises.com)
It’s both businesses’ rst brick-and-mortar space. And what a space it is—4,500 square feet of textures and explosions of color that capture the Southern California aesthetic.
“Before having the showroom, we felt a bit disconnected from our vendors,” says Holland Denvir, founder of Denvir Enterprises, whose company acts as a representative of commercial-grade vendors, 50% of which are minority, LGBTQIA, and/or women-owned. “It was like working in a vacuum. Now, we’re interacting with furniture and materials intimately.”
Rachel Bullock and Molly Purnell founded LAUN four
LAUN AND DENVIR ENTERPRISES NEW SHARED STUDIO SPACE.
years ago. The designers hail from Detroit, Michigan, and Woody Creek, Colorado, respectively, places unfriendly to the indoor-outdoor lifestyle the designers fell in love with when visiting Purnell’s grandfather in Pasadena and lounging on his Walter Lamb outdoor furniture, the kind that can be moved inside and not look out of place.
They wondered why there couldn’t be more outdoor pieces as elegant as their indoor counterparts. “So we decided to do it ourselves,” Purnell says.
The companies are like-minded in their commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and sustainability—buzzwords that many companies strive for that Denvir and LAUN simply exist in naturally.
“We both have guests and clients come in frequently and it’s truly lovely to see people experience the space for the rst time,” Denvir says.
Five Acres, founded in 1888, is one of the oldest child mental health organizations that started as an orphanage. The L.A.based Five Acres is a great example of the importance of a safe and loving family for our diverse children to thrive. Five Acres’ historical headquarters is located in Altadena, California, on a beautiful 5-acre property designed by Myron Hunt.
When Chanel Boutakidis began treating preadolescent girls as a therapist for Five Acres in 1999, the mother of two wasn’t just saddened by what she saw and heard—she was discouraged. “Many children had been in the system from age three, some even younger than that, and they go from placement to placement,” she says. “So many children growing up without a family.” To get to the root of the problem, Boutakidis transitioned from therapist to advocate; she became CEO of Five Acres in 2011 and now focuses on a better solution for foster kids. That means pushing for protective legislation and a focus on permanency, a step that increases their odds of adoption but one that the government doesn’t well fund. Today, there are about 20,000 children in L.A. County foster care, with 58% under the age of 10, including many infants. Boutakidis admits that working with foster youth is essential but not the most eff ective solution. She shifted her focus toward prevention by reducing the number of families split up in the fi rst place, a feat that’s going to require the county to invest in access to resources—such as communitybased mental health and linkage services to aff ordable childcare, transportation, and fresh food—to keep that family safe, healthy, and intact.
“The majority of children enter the system due to neglect,” she says. “Maybe they look underfed, aren’t properly supervised, or have many school absences. But that looks no diff erent from a child growing up in poverty with a family who lacks the resources to stay safe and healthy.” Today, Five Acres serves over 7,000 clients annually and has expanded across fi ve counties as leaders in high-quality outcomeinformed care. They have been nationally accredited by Council on Accreditation since 1957. They are an outcomes-driven, mission-focused organization with support departments that include a research and training department, IT and network support, and quality assurance department. Through the growth of prevention services, Five Acres achieves an 81% permanency success rate across their programs. “In the past few years, we have developed collaborative partnerships with certain healthcare companies off ering our prevention services to their high-risk members. The results are even better, with a 91% permanency success rate. Early access to community-based mental health and linkage services is a better solution to keep families together and reduce the likelihood of children entering the foster care system.”
Meet
Chanel Boutakidis
“We have more children than we can serve,” she says of the 20,000 kids currently enrolled in L.A. County’s foster care system; the entire state of New York has about the same number. “Investing in preventative mental health and access to resources is one way to help. Another way we can help is to consider adopting locally.” Foster homes are often temporary, so encouraging people to adopt locally ranks high on her priority list. “Many people do international adoptions. But there’s such a great need with many beautiful children waiting for their forever family in our community.”
A SELECTION OF KAIYO’S PRE-OWNED SUSTAINABLE FURNITURE.
SUSTAINABLE LIVING
Kaiyo launches an online environmentally friendly furniture marketplace.
BY KATERI WOZNY
If there’s two things that Kaiyo represents, it’s a passion for the environment and iconic furniture. If you share these passions, you can now turn to Kaiyo for special pieces to add to your home.
With a background in nance, Koralturk ventured into startups and founded Gram Games, which he later sold to Zynga for $250 million. He saw the need for a sustainable furniture business after he and his wife attempted to buy affordable, quality furniture for their New York City apartment. In 2015, Koralturk launched Furnishare, an online service where consumers could rent used furniture, and later changed the business model to Kaiyo as a full-service store. Now, the brand has four warehouses on the East Coast and one in Chino, Calif., that serves the Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas.
Kaiyo sells a variety of pre-owned, midcentury to contemporary furniture, including sofas, storage, beds, tables, chairs, and décor from high-end brands such as CB2, Design Within Reach, Herman Miller, Restoration Hardware, Room and Board, and West Elm. About 100,000 customers search for a piece every month on kaiyo.com at 90% off the original retail price, and delivered to their doorstep.
“Most of our products fall into low hundreds to a few thousand,” says Koralturk. “Whether you’re the treasure hunter for an $8,000 piece or college graduate that doesn’t want to go to IKEA, we have something to offer you of quality that deserves a second chance.” Sellers are also offered a smooth experience. After submitting information and photos of their item, they receive a free inspection/ pick-up service, cleaning, photography, and storage of their item by Kaiyo. Sellers have payment options of instant cash out or a revenue share based on the sale price, which is 60% for the seller and 40% for Kaiyo for items more than $3,000. Pricing is set by the business’s algorithm. “Some brands are single-serving furniture—but that’s not who we are,” says Koralturk. “We offer high-quality, unique furniture that will last a lifetime.” Next, Koralturk plans to expand Kaiyo throughout California and across the globe. kaiyo.com
THE NEW 9,308-SQUARE-FOOT SPACE FOR SOHO HOUSE’S FURNISHINGS SHOWROOM.
HOUSE OF STYLE
Soho House makes its chic home collections available to the public. BY KATERI WOZNY
When the West Hollywood outpost of London-based private member’s club Soho House debuted in 2010, Angelenos were immediately seduced by the club’s informal attitude, stunning panoramic views, and array of chic spaces. Teal velvet banquettes, herringbone wood oors, marble and brass side tables, antique-inspired lighting, and of course, the intoxicating Cowshed hand lotion.
Three additional SoCal locations later—Little Beach House Malibu debuted in 2016, Arts District launched in 2018, and West Hollywood’s boutique club, Holloway House, opened its doors earlier this year—and the brand has rmly secured its foothold in the region. However, no applications are required for the brand’s latest opening: a twostory, 9,308-square-foot retail location, Soho.Home.Studio, which is now welcoming guests on Melrose Avenue in the space once occupied by legendary interior designer Rose Tarlow.
The exclusive home products are created by Soho Home’s in-house designers from authentic materials all over the world, including glassware from Slovenia, chandeliers from Italy, and rugs from India. The studio also sells tableware, upholstery, textiles, dinnerware, home fragrance, and accessories.
Cooing over the Instagram images of Soho House’s new Rome property? The Darcy marble table lamp ($645) is perhaps the property’s best souvenir, no battle with LAX required. Love the neutral-toned, tassled Cassia throw ($310) from the iconic Soho Farmhouse? That too is now within reach. Prices range from $16 for a hand towel to $16,000 for a marble dining table. Among the brand’s best sellers is the four-piece crystal Barwell wine glass set for $180.
A Friends membership to Soho.Home. Studio costs $130, which includes 15% off Soho Home items year-round, 20% off sale items, free shipping, new collection previews, complimentary interior design consultation, coffee bar serving of London’s Grind Coffee, discounts at Soho House restaurants, and access to bookings at Soho House globally. soho home.com
ASK THE EXPERT
KAMRAN SAMAKAR, MD
Keck Medicine of USC
With the holidays coming up, most people can’t help but think about their waistlines and what kind of changes they might like to make over the next year. With that in mind, we spoke to Dr. Kamran Samakar from Keck Medicine of USC’s much-lauded bariatric surgery program.
Q: Why do people need bariatric surgery? Isn’t weight loss just a matter of dieting and exercise?
Not exactly. For people with a strong genetic susceptibility to being overweight, dieting can be like swimming upstream; you can only do it for so long. And some diets can be harmful. After a strict diet, your body reacts the way it would have to a food scarcity thousands of years ago: Your metabolism slows down to conserve energy, and food cravings increase. The net result is that the weight usually comes back with a few pounds extra. This is the modern yo-yo diet. Our weight-loss program is designed to help people break that cycle. Especially if you’re already active, the boost from surgery and the initial weight loss with our medically supervised weightloss program can put you on the path to sustainable health.
Q: So the surgery does the work for you?
Absolutely not. The surgery is a tool, and like any tool, it will serve those who use it best. Long-term weight loss and health require a commitment to daily incremental changes. Successful patients do the mental and emotional work while establishing healthy food habits for life. While it can be a major life change, the daily changes are very reasonable. We have found that our patients make the best progress when they have support for every aspect of that work, so we built it into our program. We provide support from counselors and dietitians, support groups, and regular follow-ups. Once a patient becomes a part of our program, we are there for them for the rest of their life.
Q: What advice do you have that the average patient might not expect?
It’s vital to be a good consumer as well as a good patient. Do your research. Follow-up visits, working with our dietitians—that’s all included in the program. No surprises. That’s not true of every program out there. Don’t be afraid to ask tough questions. A good program expects them. This should go without saying, but it’s important: Check out the reputation of your surgery team and the program as well. Are they specialists? Is the program accredited by the American College of Surgeons’ Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program? We are proud to be an accredited center for Comprehensive Bariatric Surgery and all our surgeons are fellowship-trained in bariatric surgery. Our patients’ safety and success is our number-one priority.
Q: Which procedure do you recommend?
We don’t do one-size-fi ts-all procedures. You’re not coming in for a bariatric surgery, you’re coming in for YOUR bariatric surgery. Come for a consultation, ask all the questions you want, and be frank about your history and your lifestyle. You and your surgeon will work together to choose the care plan that’s right for you. Our free online seminar answers many of the questions you may be wondering about. To learn more, visit us online at surgery.keckmedicine.org
Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Keck Medicine of USC 1450 San Pablo Street, Suite 6200 Los Angeles, CA 90033
(323) 442-6868 surgery.keckmedicine.org
DECKED OUT GETAWAYS
Holiday experiences that will keep you in the spirit all season long.
BY SARA SMOLA
TERRANEA RESORT
NATHAN TURNER’S HOLIDAY WORKSHOP
Nathan Turner’s Holiday Workshop
Alisal Ranch, Solvang, CA
◗ WHAT: Interior designer and author Nathan Turner hosts a Western-inspired holiday soiree at Alisal Ranch, complete with a packed itinerary that includes a luncheon, wreathmaking demonstration, two cocktail receptions, yoga and wellness session, dinner with Turner himself, and complimentary wine tastings. ◗ WHEN: November 30–December 2 ◗ COST: Starting at $1,576/night, with allinclusive access. ◗ STAY: Spanning 10,500 acres of rolling hills in the Santa Ynez Valley, Alisal Ranch o ers 73 private guest cottages and suites, more than 50 miles of horsebackriding trails, two 18-hole championship golf courses, a 6,500-squarefoot spa and fitness center, six tennis courts, and a 100-acre springfed lake for fly-fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. ◗ WEBSITE: alisal.com
Christmas at the Princess
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, Scottsdale, AZ
◗ WHAT: This desert oasis becomes the most festive place this side of the North Pole during its annual sixweek festival. Activities include an outdoor ice rink, sledding down the 120-foot Snow Mountain, s’mores making, and a ride on the Princess Express Train during which passengers can enjoy more than 6 million dazzling lights among the resort’s lagoons. ◗ WHEN: November 20–December 31 ◗ COST: $80, includes self-parking and admission for 4; VIP tickets included with overnight stay. ◗ STAY: Situated on 65 acres in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, The
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess features 750 spacious guest rooms, six heated swimming pools, 44,000-squarefoot Well & Being Spa, championship golf at the adjacent TPC of Scottsdale, and the Trailblazers Kids Club. ◗ WEBSITE: scottsdale princess.com
Oceanfront Traditions
Terranea Resort, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
◗ WHAT: Younger guests can decorate an edible gingerbread house, listen to a fireside rendition of ’Twas the Night before Christmas, and enjoy a holiday-themed, oceanview putting course. Adults can melt the season’s stress away with an energy-boosting guided nature hike along Terranea’s native plants trails or unwind with a Silent Night meditation practice and Holiday Retreat wellness package with all the (jingle) bells and whistles. ◗ WHEN: December 1–31 ◗ COST: Gingerbread decorating kits $75; Winter Solstice Hike $75; Holiday wellness experiences start at $180. ◗ STAY: For additional space and privacy opt for one of the property’s 50 three-bedroom, oceanview casitas or 32 villas. Resort amenities include a full-service spa and fitness center, awardwinning golf course, four
CHRISTMAS BOAT PARADE
FAIRMONT SCOTTSDALE PRINCESS
THE WIGWAM
swimming pools, and kids’ club. ◗ WEBSITE: terranea.com
Christmas Boat Parade
Newport Beach, CA
◗ WHAT: The annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade and Ring of Lights features a fleet of decorated yachts, boats, kayaks, and canoes that move through the harbor, ending at Lido Isle. Balboa Bay Resort o ers the best parade view in town and gets fully decked out for the holidays with a stately Christmas tree display at the front entrance, lights throughout the resort exterior, and coastal, holiday-inspired décor. Pro tip: Secure your view by making a patio reservation at A+O Restaurant | Bar, the resort’s flagship Get cozy at Holiday Movie Night, decorate cookies with Bouchon Bakery, or watch Bardessono Executive Chef Jim Leiken and local chefs compete in the Latke Throw Down.
restaurant, for a truly memorable evening. ◗ WHEN: December 14–18, 2022 ◗ COST: Free (excludes dining charges). ◗ STAY: Balboa Bay Resort’s 159 guestrooms and suites o er easy access to pristine beaches and wellness amenities including the year-round, heated outdoor swimming pool, full-service 10,000-square-foot spa, and onsite Drybar salon. ◗ WEBSITE: christmas paradeboats.com, balboabayresort.com
Holidays in Yountville
Yountville, CA
◗ WHAT: Known as the “Brightest Town in Napa Valley,” the city of Yountville hosts six weeks of holiday-themed events, activities, and performances. Visitors can enjoy a leisurely stroll through Yountville, taking in the thousands of twinkling holiday lights while exploring its many tasting rooms, restaurants, and shops. ◗ WHEN: November 20–January 1. ◗ COST: Varies per event ◗ STAY: Situated among its own vineyard, Bardessono Hotel and Spa’s 62 guest rooms and suites o er an in-room personal spa sanctuary with discreet massage tables, steam showers, soaking tubs, and REN bath products. ◗ WEBSITE: yountville. com, bardessono.com
Holiday Nights in Lights
The Wigwam, Litchfield Park, AZ
◗ WHAT: The Wigwam’s holiday festivities include evening strolls among the lights with libations, breakfast with Santa, holiday-themed cooking classes, and cocktail tastings. Larger families can rent all five guest
rooms surrounding The Wigwam’s Trellis Garden and host a private holiday celebration with a chef-driven feast, dedicated bartender, and reserved space at Trellis Garden for family fun all weekend long. ◗ WHEN: December 2–24. ◗ COST: VIP Family A air Celebration Package starts at $150/per person (excludes nightly rate). ◗ STAY: The Wigwam’s 331 spacious casitas include 70 suites and two presidential suites. The property is Arizona’s only resort with 54 holes of championship golf, including two Robert Trent Jones Sr. courses. ◗ WEBSITE: wigwamarizona.com
TOP ROW: AUBERGE ETÉREO
SOME LIKE IT HOT
Two very di erent destinations in Mexico—each accessible from the same airport—o er multiple options for some very enjoyable winter breaks.
BY SAMANTHA BROOKS
Arrive at Cancun and most will head south to the regions of Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, or Tulum. However, head north a couple of hours and you can be on the remote, golfcart-only island of Isla Holbox, with its expanse of powder-sand beaches and boho culture. There’s a slew of new openings in each destination this year. Here, your guide to having some fun in the sun.
Isla Holbox
◗ It’s hard to argue that the journey to Isla Holbox from the West Coast isn’t a trek. There’s the 4.5-hour fl ight from LAX to Cancun, then a two-hour drive to Chiquilá, followed by a 30-minute ferry boat to the tiny island occupying a 26-mile-long by 1-mile-wide stretch o the northern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula. Even with multiple nonstop daily fl ights and ferries running every 30 minutes on the hour, it’s not the kind of place that makes for an ideal weekend jaunt. Instead, succumb to the half day of travel and settle into the lowkey island for several days. Its laid-back vibe (fl ip-fl ops can take you anywhere), mellow setting (not the place for nightlife), and stunning surroundings (beaches with hammocks dangling above the water) are the instant decompress that many of us might need toward the end of the year.
Nômade (nomadehol box.com) and Margarita-
ville St. Somewhere
(karismahotels.com) are the fi rst chain hotels to come to town. Each debuted earlier this year on the western edge of the island, but those seeking something more
THIS ROW: SER CASASANDRA
boutique will find solace in one of the island’s original gems, Ser Casasandra (casasandra. com), which opened in 2003 on the island’s best beach and was just fully renovated by the owner herself, Cuban-born songwriter Sandra Pérez Lozano. Each of the 18 rooms features unique touches like hand-picked glassware and co ee table books. There isn’t a gym, but daily yoga is o ered on a platform by the pool. When it comes time to eat, linger on the property’s porch at Ser Esencia for breakfast or evening drinks, or hop a few steps across the beach to the feet-in-the-sand Mojito’s Beach Club for locally sourced cuisine like four kinds of ceviche. Shopping is plentiful on the island (definitely pack light so you have room in your suitcase for tunics, ceramics, and other treasures), but the boutique on-site sources some of the best handmade caftans from Oaxaca, which the owner specifically commissions for her shop.
There are no cars on the island, but bicycles are plentiful for exploring the plethora of local boutiques, taco stands, and vendors selling churros around the town square. Don’t like to pedal? Bring extra cash and opt for a golf-cart taxi (it’s about $15 each way to most places).
Spoiler alert: The trek home is worse. After days spent relaxing and unwinding on the tranquil island, the ferry, car, and plane ride are the hardest parts about going home.
Kanai
◗ Less than 45 minutes south of the Cancun airport, from Maroma
ISLA HOLBOX
to Mayakoba, pockets of gated developments have been emerging with a range of complementary resorts, each o ering a unique experience, as well as the convenience to easily access another property—along with its restaurants, shops, and spa—without ever leaving the resort gates. The latest is Kanai.
Unlike neighboring Mayakoba, where its four hotels spread out among mangroves and cenotes—requiring golf carts to go from resort to beach and shuttles to go from hotel to hotel—Kanai keeps its three resorts in close proximity, opting for vertical rooms in lowslung buildings that stretch out just a stone’s throw away from one another. The first to debut this past spring was Auberge Resorts’ Etéreo (aubergeresorts. com). Comprised of 75 rooms and suites, most with stunning sea views, the property is just as compelling for its design as its outstanding culinary o erings. At 875
square feet, even the smallest studio rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows, soaking tubs, private terraces, and design touches like carved screens and woodwork. Need more space? The 3,925-square-foot, threebedroom ocean penthouse features private Huntington Heart plunge pools and daybeds for each of its bedrooms and comes with its own butler. Even those staying at properties outside & Vascular Center of Kanai will want to venture to Etéreo’s signature restaurant, Itzam. A life-size comal greets visitors at the entrance where One year. the wood fire heats freshly made tortillas. The menu of contemporary Mexican fare can be enjoyed on any of its terraced 13,000 hearts helped. tables, but make sure to grab a sunset drink ahead of time and sit by one of the sunken firepits surrounded by reflecting pools. When it comes to enjoying the sunshine, It’s our 1st birthday and we’re thrilled to celebrate the there is never a shortage of lounge chairs 13,000 people we’ve helped live healthier, longer lives at any of the adult or children’s pools, while the beachfront offers its own plethora since we first opened our heart center. Our expert of daybeds and a special beach menu cardiac care and cutting-edge technologies help you for lunch and drinks. Explore the sea on be there for the moments that matter most. a kayak—in just a few minutes, you can snorkel to a blue hole just beyond the shore, where an abundance of fish swim up Visit HuntingtonHealth.org/Heart to learn more about through the protected cave. Other on-site experiences include cooking classes, scuba our award-winning and innovative care options. diving, and wine and sake tastings.
By the middle of next year, the adjacent properties of the St. Regis (marriott.com) and Edition hotels (editionhotels.com) are slated to open. The former is designed by Edmonds International as a series of interlinked circles and semi-circles. The contemporary property will also feature a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and series of pools just steps from the sea. Riviera Maya marks the debut Mexican locale for Ian Schrager’s upscale-chic Edition brand. Its 180 guestrooms and suites are designed by Morris Adjmi and will include six food and beverage outlets. For those who like to plan ahead, it might not hurt to start working on a visit for NYE 2023.
Huntington Heart & Vascular Center
One year. 13,000 hearts helped. It’s our 1st birthday and we’re thrilled to celebrate the 13,000 people we’ve helped live healthier, longer lives since we first opened our heart center. Our expert cardiac care and cutting-edge technologies help you be there for the moments that matter most. Visit HuntingtonHealth.org/Heart to learn more about our award-winning and innovative care options.
square feet, even the smallest studio rooms square feet, even the smallest studio rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows, soaking feature floor-to-ceiling windows, soaking tubs, private terraces, and design touches tubs, private terraces, and design touches like carved screens and woodwork. Need more space? The 3,925-square-foot, threebedroom ocean penthouse features private like carved screens and woodwork. Need more space? The 3,925-square-foot, threebedroom ocean penthouse features private Huntington Heart plunge pools and daybeds for each of its bedrooms and comes with its own butler. Even those staying at properties outside plunge pools and daybeds for each of its bedrooms and comes with its own butler. Even those staying at properties outside & Vascular Center of Kanai will want to venture to Etéreo’s signature restaurant, Itzam. A life-size comal greets visitors at the entrance where One year. of Kanai will want to venture to Etéreo’s signature restaurant, Itzam. A life-size comal greets visitors at the entrance where the wood fire heats freshly made tortillas. The menu of contemporary Mexican fare can be enjoyed on any of its terraced the wood fire heats freshly made tortillas. The menu of contemporary Mexican fare can be enjoyed on any of its terraced 13,000 hearts helped. tables, but make sure to grab a sunset drink tables, but make sure to grab a sunset drink ahead of time and sit by one of the sunken ahead of time and sit by one of the sunken firepits surrounded by reflecting pools. When it comes to enjoying the sunshine, firepits surrounded by reflecting pools. When it comes to enjoying the sunshine, It’s our 1st birthday and we’re thrilled to celebrate the there is never a shortage of lounge chairs there is never a shortage of lounge chairs 13,000 people we’ve helped live healthier, longer lives at any of the adult or children’s pools, while the beachfront offers its own plethora at any of the adult or children’s pools, while the beachfront offers its own plethora since we first opened our heart center. Our expert of daybeds and a special beach menu of daybeds and a special beach menu cardiac care and cutting-edge technologies help you for lunch and drinks. Explore the sea on for lunch and drinks. Explore the sea on be there for the moments that matter most. a kayak—in just a few minutes, you can a kayak—in just a few minutes, you can snorkel to a blue hole just beyond the snorkel to a blue hole just beyond the shore, where an abundance of fish swim up Visit shore, where an abundance of fish swim up HuntingtonHealth.org/Heart to learn more about through the protected cave. Other on-site experiences include cooking classes, scuba through the protected cave. Other on-site experiences include cooking classes, scuba our award-winning and innovative care options. diving, and wine and sake tastings. diving, and wine and sake tastings.
By the middle of next year, the adjacent By the middle of next year, the adjacent properties of the St. Regis (marriott.com) properties of the St. Regis (marriott.com) and Edition hotels (editionhotels.com) are and Edition hotels (editionhotels.com) are slated to open. The former is designed slated to open. The former is designed by Edmonds International as a series of by Edmonds International as a series of interlinked circles and semi-circles. The interlinked circles and semi-circles. The contemporary property will also feature contemporary property will also feature a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and series of pools just steps from the sea. series of pools just steps from the sea. Riviera Maya marks the debut Mexican Riviera Maya marks the debut Mexican locale for Ian Schrager’s upscale-chic locale for Ian Schrager’s upscale-chic Edition brand. Its 180 guestrooms and Edition brand. Its 180 guestrooms and suites are designed by Morris Adjmi and suites are designed by Morris Adjmi and will include six food and beverage outlets. will include six food and beverage outlets. For those who like to plan ahead, it might For those who like to plan ahead, it might not hurt to start working on a visit for NYE not hurt to start working on a visit for NYE 2023. 2023.
AUBERGE AUBERGE ETÉREO ETÉREO AUBERGE ETÉREO
BAJA CALIFORNIA
A MEDICAL TOURISM MECCA
Seaside ambiance, sprawling landscape lush with vineyards (80% of Mexico’s craft beer and 90% of the country’s wine is produced here), a culinary scene that delights... These are just a few of the reasons travelers visit Baja California. Such a backdrop lends itself to another draw: self-care, wellness, and medical tourism.
For over 100 years, Baja California has lured those looking to capture the healing properties of its natural hot springs and spas with destinations like Guadalupe Canyon Oasis Hot Springs and Nature Reserve and Valparaiso Day Spa Aguas Termales. When not slipping into geothermal waters, hot saunas, and mud baths, there are always spa treatments for addressing specifi c issues. As Baja California has perfected healing getaways, the world has taken note. In 2022, Travel + Leisure magazine named Tecate’s Rancho La Puerto Wellness Resort & Spa “Best International Spa.” It’s easy to see why. The ranch’s mind/ body/spirit approach crosses modalities bringing natural elements, like aromatic and medicinal healing plants grown in their organic gardens, into play. Workshops in yoga and nutritious cooking prep guests to continue new habits at home. Speaking of nature, Rancho La Puerto harnesses Baja California’s natural surrounds through hiking, trail running, and rock climbing. The resort's labyrinth is ideal for a walking meditation in the great outdoors. Those ready to take on further adventures can undertake Baja California’s famous surfi ng, sailing, kayaking, and deep-sea fi shing. Over the years, travelers have become aware of Baja California’s outstanding dental and ophthalmologic services, as well as surgical specialties ranging from bariatric and cosmetic procedures to oncology, cardiology, fertility, and regenerative medicine. Pricing is 5075% lower for the same treatments as those in the U.S., out-of-pocket expenses are lower, and many physicians and hospitals take American insurance.
As a result, more than 2.5 million visitors, 77% from the U.S., travel to Baja California for medical tourism. Convenience comes by way of a special “Fast Pass,” a special lane at the region’s six land border crossings available to patients registered with Mexican doctors. There’s no reason to rush, though. After all, the ocean, vineyards, and cuisine of Baja California welcome: “Stay a while.”
