Rancho La Puerta - Fitness Time Spectacular

One evening at La Cocina Que Canta, the Ranch’s large cooking school and culinary center set in the heart of their organic farm, we joined a cooking class led by Chef Palma Bellinghieri, born in Mexico City, who studied in Montreux, Switzerland. and the daughter of famed Sicilian born Chef Alfredo Bellinghieri who cooks in “Alfredos”, his renowned Mexico City restaurant. Chef Palma, award honored, specializes in vegetarian cooking and shares her expertise both at the Ranch and in San Diego. Palma is a delightful teacher with tips and technique to remember.

Fearless Dining

The Ranch’s cuisine, breakfast, lunch and dinner, was another feel-good experience for me, my body frequently whispering to me, thank you. Most of the food is grown on the ranch farm and hand-picked. Everything was fresh, healthy, and quite delicious although my body did go through a little sugar detox. The entree servings are mostly organic vegetarian with a choice of seafood, five times a day, sourced from the local Ensenada, Mexico fish market, a two hour drive from the Ranch. An unusual event is the weekly Silent Dinner, meaning no conversation at the table, not even, pass the water, but with background sounds from crystal bowls that focus on the physical and mindfulness center of the body.

I found the balance of mind, body and spirit is truly in place at the Ranch, and it’s exhilarating to report Rancho La Puerta deserves it’s high ranking and many awards. For me it was a week of well-being and healthy thoughts that hopefully I can retain for a lifetime.

Of Note

The Ranch is planning to build on their 4,000-acre land, 108 custom, Mexican-style private homes encompassing sustainability, lush landscaping, and following a legacy of health and wellbeing.

rancholapuerta.com nobuhotelloscabos.com

Pack your sun hats, bring your hiking boots, and leave your stresses behind. Rancho La Puerta is the perfect place for outdoor adventures with friends and healing spa treatments. Here, each glorious day offers an array of fitness classes, entertainment, introspective discoveries, farm-fresh cuisine, and relaxation.

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3 bathrooms modern kitchen fam y room wraparound deck private penthouse inf nity poo a r condit oned washer & dryer on-s te parking moved to Colorado about 15 years ago with my family from Manhattan. My husband and I are always looking for interesting historical landmarks in downtown Denver, we frequently head there for some culture and culinary delights, along with an occasional weekend staycation at one of the hotels. One hotel that we had visited recently was The Brown Palace.

Let me begin by saying that it was a truly magical weekend and incredible experience that has me singing (well not literally) its praises and will have us coming back for future visits.

As we made our way thru downtown Denver and turned onto Tremont Place from Broadway, the massive structure in the Richardsonian Romanesque style makes an immediate impression, with red granite and sandstone exterior setting it apart from the surrounding structures. The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa has been a stately Denver landmark for more than 130 years. The next thing that strikes you are the incredible uniforms worn by the valets and bellman at the entrance of the hotel. Their exquisite styling compliments the historical richness of the hotel and give you an indication of what you may find once you pass through the entrance.

As you make your way to the reception, you are immediately struck by the magnificence of the stunning eight-story atrium with a stained-glass ceiling in Italian Renaissance style, which is at the heart of the hotel. As you look up, down, and around, it is almost architectural sensory overload, including the rare golden onyx from Mexico, which lines the interior. However, it all works incredibly well together. We quickly checked in and left our bags with the Bellman, as we had planned to attend the Saturday morning Historical Hotel Tour.

The hotel was named for Henry Cordes Brown, the 19th of his father’s 20 children and a carpenterturned-real-estate entrepreneur from Ohio. He arrived in the gold rush town of Denver in 1860 and purchased several acres of land. As property values skyrocketed, he built his fortune. People from all over the country were still flocking to the West, seeking their fortunes in gold and silver. Everyone stopped in Denver, either on their way to-or-from the mountains. Some settled; some moved on, but all needed a place to stay. Work on The Brown Palace officially began in 1888, and no expense was spared for the creation of Brown’s “Palace Hotel” on the unique triangular piece of land, and in fact, it was the first steel skeleton structure in Denver. In all, it took four years to build, was Denver’s tallest building at the time and cost a staggering $2 million.

After the tour we headed to our room which was modernally appointed with amenities like plush terry robes and pure artesian water from their own well. We quickly unpacked our overnight bag and headed down to the atrium for Afternoon Tea, a long-standing tradition at The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa for more than a century. Sitting in the in the warm light of the atrium lobby, listening to the soothing sounds of a pianist, whilst enjoying a hot pot of tea and lots of wonderful tea sandwiches was an experience could get used to. Although I have been primarily a coffee drinker, I now have a newfound love for tea, which is served from engraved silver teapots in specially commissioned Royal Doulton bone china. The tea is complemented with house-made scones that are served with Devonshire clotted cream shipped in from England, alongside savory tea sandwiches, and a decadent selection of classic and chocolate tea pastries. My favorite was the curried egg salad sandwiches.

It was time to experience a scheduled massage at the hotel’s 5,200 sq. ft. luxury spa. While I enjoyed an incredibly relaxing massage at the Spa, my husband relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful room. After my massage, I stayed for a bit in the relaxation area to rehydrate with the lemon infused water and browsed through one of the coffee table magazines.