Wander Magazine Early 2023 Issue

$6.95

VO LU M E 9 • I S S U E 1

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WANDER / LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

PUBLISHER & CO-FOUNDER Matthew Ross

T H E L O S T + F O U N D I S S U E

EDITOR & CO-FOUNDER Kristina Smith WEST COAST BUREAU Mark Stanton SOCIAL MEDIA Maddy Ross PARTNERSHIPS creative@wander-mag.com CONNECT editor@wander-mag.com

CONTRIBUTORS Diana Ballon Keisha Blair Rebecca Cristillo Elizabeth Dickinson Monique Giroux Chloe Greenfield Karen V. Johnson Cherie Julie Kristina Kasparian Chris Ludgate Josean Martinez-Santiago Sara Quiriconi Jessica Summers Casey P. Zack Shelby P. Zack

We have always endeavoured to inspire our readers with exceptional experiences and destinations curated in line with our values: authentic, ethical, and meaningful. Adventurous. Immersive. Relaxing. Experiences that tick all these boxes truly excite us, and we hope some stories will speak to you in this issue.

From a “grey nomad” who traded in her business suit for hiking boots to a round-up of superb silent meditation retreats that speak to the soul, we embrace the notion that stepping outside of our comfort zone and challenging ourselves is essential to personal growth. Feeling a bit lost, to feel a bit found.

We travel to Okinawa, Japan, to learn about their longevity salt and look at the rise of wellness destinations on location (Expedia research confirms that streaming movies and TV shows are now the top sources of travel inspiration, outpacing the influence of even social media – just try to get a hotel room in Sicily this year thanks to season 2 of The White Lotus!)

Find out why we're passionate about local, slow-grown flowers, leap into the unknown in Montenegro, and discover a tool that can help in healing from grief. Expert tips on not-your-typical all-inclusive experiences and hotels for hydrotherapy round things out. We hope you enjoy these stories, and are ever grateful for your readership.

Special Thanks Tara Benson MARKETING & CREATIVE Springfed Creative Inc. design@springfedcreative.ca

Wander well.

Kristina Smith

Springfed Creative is a strategic content company specializing in travel and destination marketing.

Wander is published by Springfed Creative Inc. and distributed through partners. No part of this publication may be copied or distributed without the written consent of the publisher. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor, or partners.

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WANDER / TABLE OF CONTENTS

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44

12

50

LIVE WELL

EAT WELL

08 A Blind Masseur’s Touch 12 Recover from Financial Disruption 18 Healing from Grief 24 Leaping into the Unknown 30 Better Blooms

38 Eating at 30,000 Feet 44 Food Marketing Trends 50 Japan’s Secret Salt

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WANDER / TABLE OF CONTENTS

98

124

88 TRAVEL WELL 60 Healthy All-Inclusives 74 Healing with Nature in Austria 80 Tips from a Grey Nomad 88 Hotels for Hydrotherapy 98 On Location

106 Silent Meditation Retreats 118 Solo Cycling Portugal 124 How to Travel Mindfully ESSENTIALS 130 Curated Goods

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IMAGE: © KAZUEND UNSPLASH

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SHINE LIKE THE WHOLE UNIVERSE IS YOURS.

- RUMI 7

IMAGE: © KATHERINE HANLON UNSPLASH

A BLIND MASSEUR’S TOUCH

BY ELIZABETH DICKINSON 8

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IMAGE: © HANS VIVEK UNSPLASH

It

was through a narrow doorway with a silver sign that said “Perception” above it, so camouflaged by the storefronts on either side that my tuk-tuk driver almost missed it. The hallway and stairs were lined with candles, a faint guide lighting the edge of my path.

The spa reception was small; I was asked to sit on an overstuffed chair and handed three vials, to choose my preferred scent. I had booked an aromatherapy massage and was familiar with the vial of patchouli, deep and woody. I recognized lavender’s light floral simplicity. The last was new to me, and I instantly embraced the fruit, floral, wood, and musk sensuality of white tea. Once my oil was chosen, I was taken to the treatment room. After removing my clothes, I changed into disposable spa panties and a shower cap. Sliding under the sheet on the massage table, I waited for my masseur, who I knew was blind. The Thai government had organized a program to train the blind in massage, thus creating employment opportunities. Having relied on the sense of touch their entire lives, it seemed a perfect match.

Soon, my therapist was led into the room by one of the receptionists. Hand in hand, she walked him to the massage table, said a few words in Thai, and then he greeted me with clear English, “Hello.” I replied in kind. The receptionist left the room, turning off the lights as she went. My world was lit again by candles, and my masseur had changed from a clear figure to the blurred outline of a man with medium-length hair wearing an N95 mask. He said, “On stomach, please,” and I turned over, not struggling to conceal my breasts with the sheet as I do when receiving massages back home. My aromatherapy massage began, and the aroma of white tea filled the room; the complexity of the scent was massaged into more of a blend, the notes moving together so I could no longer identify woodsy from floral.

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IMAGE: © KRISTIN HUME UNSPLASH

This bouquet of tea was pressed and smoothed and rubbed and worked into my skin, from leg to leg and arm to arm. There was a massage of the decolletage and neck. He said, “On back, please.” I turned over with the comfort I had when situating myself on my stomach, fanning the sheet from my front and flipping over, with no care for modesty! Occasionally, there were clues that he was blind. There was a short search for the top edge of the sheet so he could pull it down to massage after I had my back. He placed his hand on my back as he circled the top of my head to reach the other side of my body and patted the lower portion of the bed for the bottle of oil.

I dressed and went to the reception area. After paying, I noticed my masseur sitting on a short couch and approached him saying, “Thank you,” touching his hand with some Thai Baht, a tip for an excellent job. As I made my way down the dimly lit stairs, I could make out a quote on the wall, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight and no vision.” I pondered it and smiled, thinking of all the things I still wanted to do with my life and whether or not want, and ambition, qualified as vision.

Walking down the hallway, I took a moment to appreciate the candles and how they had helped me.

Then, I made my way outside and into the burst of life The end of the experience was different from any body that is Bangkok. Assaulted by the sound of car horns treatment I had ever received. He said, “Sit, please,” and as opposed to gentle spa music, sunlight the shade I did so as he climbed onto the massage table behind of a bonfire, not a candle flame, the knockabout of my back and sat cross-legged. I felt the massage reach crowding pedestrians instead of the pressure of yearsmy shoulders and the base of my neck, finally relaxing long trained touch. I took, on my skin, the trace of a my head with a shampooing motion. He finished his blind masseur’s hand and the aroma of white tea. work, got off the bed and quietly said, “Thank you.” He searched for and found the door, opening it and calling to someone in Thai.

Elizabeth York Dickinson received her MFA in writing from Sarah Lawrence College. She is an esthetician travelling the world in search of beauty and wellness practices. Her travel essays have been published in GoNomad and The Costa Rica News. She currently resides in Evanston, Illinois. View her massage experience on YouTube.

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IMAGE: © JENNY UEBERBERG UNSPLASH

HOW TO RECOVER FROM

FINANCIAL DISRUPTION

During the COVID-19 pandemic, which upended life around the world, we experienced an unprecedented disruption on a scale and magnitude most of us have never seen before.

In writing my new book, Holistic Wealth (Expanded and Updated): 36 Life Lessons to Help You Recover from Disruption, Find Your Life Purpose, and Achieve Financial Freedom, I felt the need to focus further on “The Art of Recovery from Disruption,” and outline a framework to help others cope with disruption in their lives.

The Holistic Wealth framework comprises the art of recovery from disruption more broadly.

If you are trying to cope with financial disruption, here are some tips to help you recover.

BY KEISHA BLAIR 13

IMAGE: © ANDRETAISSIN UNSPLASH

FINANCIAL RESILIENCE IS THE ABILITY TO BOUNCE BACK FROM L I F E - A LT E R I N G S E T B AC K S T H AT I M PAC T O U R PERSONAL FINANCES.

1. FOCUS ON FINANCIAL RESILIENCE

As a Harvard Trained policy expert and economist, I speak from first-hand experience when I say financial resilience is crucial to your overall financial well-being and economic security.

Financial resilience is the ability to bounce back from life-altering setbacks that impact our personal finances (including investments, income and assets), such as the death of a spouse or loved one, divorce, disability, health issues, unemployment as well as events such as economic fallout from a pandemic, a natural disaster or economic recession. It’s how well we can absorb, respond to and adjust to a financial shock.

An emergency savings fund, life insurance, passive income, assets and other investments help us to become financially resilient and overcome setbacks.

During periods of financial disruption, we want to reduce debt as well as overall spending and shore up our overall financial well-being.

To be truly financially resilient, try to plan financially for two setbacks per decade. That means that you should aim to have enough sources of income and savings to cover you in the event that you have a financial setback twice in the same decade.

In the Certified Holistic Wealth ConsultantTM program that I teach at the Institute on Holistic Wealth, there are several modules aimed at increasing the level of financial resilience in an individual’s portfolio. We can assign an overall score to your portfolio as we try to increase the level of financial resilience and resourcefulness.

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IMAGE: © KEENAN CONSTANCE UNSPLASH

2. DEAL WITH ANY UNRESOLVED MONEY TRAUMA

From the Holistic Wealth Podcast: How To Recover From A Big Financial Loss

20 Money Blocks To Release to Achieve Financial Freedom

Unresolved financial trauma from the past can also lead to financial anxiety, which can further lead to making sub-optimal financial decisions over a lifetime, potentially costing individuals hundreds of thousands of dollars, from an investment perspective. Our past experiences around money can be directly responsible for our emotions around money today. Financial anxiety can cause fear, doubt, and lack of confidence and block you from achieving your financial goals and your purpose in life.

In order to identify money trauma, survey your feelings about money. How does money make you feel? Do you tend to ignore your financial health, or do you deal with it head-on? What were your childhood messages around money? Overcoming money trauma, knowing how to rewrite your own personal money story as well as mastering your money mindset is a critical part of achieving holistic wealth.

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IMAGE: © CHRISTIAN -KOEPKE UNSPLASH

3. TAKE THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND YOUR PERSONAL FINANCIAL IDENTITY

I would advise anyone going through financial disruption to take my free quiz at instituteonholisticwealth.com/takethe-quiz to identify your financial identity. It will help you become more self-aware to plan ahead financially in a way that’s authentic to you. Many guests on the holistic wealth podcast have indicated how it has helped them become more self-aware.

Embracing your own personal financial identity allows for self-awareness, self-preservation and self-advocacy.

Whenever you feel anxiety, worry or stress around a certain money decision, practice the Holistic Wealth MethodTM that I outlined in Holistic Wealth, and start to think of your decisions as depletions or additions to your holistic wealth bank account.

Holistic Wealth Expanded and Updated: 36 Life Lessons To Help You Recover From Disruption, Find Your Life Purpose and Achieve Financial Freedom offers great financial, emotional, and professional insights for people who are undergoing any form of disruption and how to tackle this critical part of their life.

BUY THE BOOK

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IMAGE: © KELLY SIKKEMA UNSPLASH

4. HONOUR YOUR OWN PERSONAL MONEY STORY

5. RELEASE YOUR FEARS AND EMBRACE HOLISTIC HEALING

Your personal money story is unique to you and stems from your “story of self.” Use your personal financial identity to start re-writing your personal money story, and you will immediately start to feel a shift in energy and abundance. If you are planning to take some time to recover from a disruption in your life, also plan in advance. At the Institute on Holistic Wealth, we have a sabbatical planning course available to everyone.

Money trauma and pre-existing money blocks often involve emotions wrapped up in fear and feelings of self-worth. It’s important to release trauma, fear, and anxiety around money. Holistic healing addresses the mind, body, health and wealth connection to allow for a more holistic approach to healing our anxieties and stress associated with trauma.

Keisha Blair is a bestselling author, founder of the Holistic Wealth Movement and the Institute on Holistic Wealth, and host of the Holistic Wealth podcast; Keisha has been profiled in the New York Times, Real Simple Magazine, Forbes, the Harvard Business Review, and Essence Magazine. Her viral article “My Husband Died At Age 34. Here Are 40 Life Lessons I Learned From It” was viewed by more than 50 million people globally. Connect with her on Instagram @keishaoblair.

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IMAGE: © ALEXEI SCUTARI UNSPLASH

AN ANCIENT PRACTICE FOR

HEALING FROM GRIEF Sometimes all the hype around the parade of holidays is too much to bear if you have experienced death or loss. Maybe you lost a job, a home, a friend or a loved one.

Maybe COVID and the pandemic were just too much to bear. Maybe you are a caregiver or have a child in the throes of addiction. What can you do besides stay inside, selfisolate, and count the hours until it’s over?

I totally get it…I was there.

I

lost my twenty-seven-year-old son, Ben, to a heroin overdose. The dark days that followed were filled with ruminations about the past and all that went wrong and projecting the loss of my son into the future. Ruminating is defined as thinking deeply and repetitively, and this repetitive thinking is like deeply digging the same neural pathways in our brains until those pathways are so deeply entrenched it’s hard to remember anything else.

Many traditions talk about the practice of beauty as a way of rewiring the brain and halting rumination on negative thoughts. What is this practice? When we are feeling stuck in stagnation and despair, we forget about all the things that used to make us happy: chocolate, flowers, art, sunrises and sunsets, walking or hiking. All the small things that delighted us, way back before all the loss.

Even though I understood the concept rationally, I had to put it into practice. I knew I was spiralling downward, and as months of inaction passed me by, Ben’s birthday, Death Day, and the holidays were right in front of me again. I knew I needed to take action and pull myself up before another year passed by.

But, we all can change our perspective because our brains are wired that way; they are dynamic. It’s called neuroplasticity, and it is based on how our neural networks operate. The science of neuroplasticity suggests we can rewire the circuits of the brain, and create new, more positive associations with our day-today experiences.

B Y K A R E N V. J O H N S O N , J D 19

I LOST MY T W E N T Y- S E V E N -Y E A R - O L D SON, BEN, TO A HEROIN O V E R D O S E . T H E D A R K D AY S T H AT F O L LOW E D W E R E F I L L E D W I T H R U M I N AT I O N S A B O U T T H E PA S T A N D A L L T H AT W E N T WRONG AND PROJECTING THE LOSS OF MY SON INTO THE FUTURE.

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IMAGE: © ELSA GUYADER UNSPLASH

MANY TRADITIONS TALK ABOUT THE PRACTICE OF BEAUTY AS A WAY OF REWIRING THE BRAIN AND HALTING RUMINATION ON

IMAGE: © SANDY MILLAR UNSPLASH

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS.

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IMAGE: © ELIA PELLEGRINI UNSPLASH

It wasn’t enough to make a mental to-do list; I knew I had to make things happen for the process to work.

This meant finding one thing on my list to do EVERY DAY. Oh yes, just as we dug our neural networks of hopelessness and despair by repetition, we also must use repetition to build new neural networks – ones filled with hope and possibility! This took some planning and creativity. Make no mistake, it’s not enough to have the intention to do things differently, you must also exercise your focused attention to make it happen.

“I can’t deal with this right now. I can’t figure out how to approach things differently, and getting creative seems way too hard.”

And yet, I did.

I made my list, and then I wrote “Practice Beauty” on a notecard and stuck it, and my list, on my refrigerator door. No more avoiding! Every time I got something from the fridge, I was reminded. I can’t say that it happened easily for me. There were many days in the beginning when I read the notecard on my fridge, and thought, not today. But after a week or so of looking at the card, closing the door and walking away, one day I decided that today was The Day and I chose one thing from my list. I decided to watch the sunset.

In other words, if you want to create new positive associations, rewire your brain, and be open to new possibilities, you gotta get out there and try it! The challenge for me was to begin. Isn’t that always the way? Beginning a diet, an exercise program, or even writing a book is the same – how to get out of stasis and put something in motion. Honestly, just making a mental list of things that brought me joy and happiness seemed too large of a task. How could I possibly do these things with such a heavy heart?

For me, this process led me from darkness and despair into a lighter way of being. It became a challenge, like working out. Day by day, I found myself feeling the slightest bit better, and so I found the courage to continue, to find peace and, yes, even joy. I still miss my son, and I miss all the things that we might have experienced together. And yet, I know that as my steps are lighter, he is looking down on me with great love and encouragement. And finding that your own steps are lighter is my wish for you.

So, I procrastinated and told myself, “Maybe tomorrow” or “Maybe next year.” Just thinking about planning anything gave me a headache. I thought,

Karen V. Johnson, JD, is a graduate of Georgetown Law Center (J.D.), a former Fulbright Scholar in Afghanistan, and holds Masters Degrees in Public Health and Public and International Affairs (MPH, MPIA). Karen is a retired federal administrative law judge who practiced criminal and energy law for more than 30 years. She also is a former U.S. Army officer, Major, USAR (inactive). Karen was personally trained by Alberto Villoldo, and is faculty at the Four Winds Society and a Master Practitioner of Energy Medicine. Living Grieving: Using Energy Medicine to Alchemize Grief and Loss (Hay House, July 7th, 2021), is her first book. Visit her at karenjohnson.net.

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IMAGE: © NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANISATION OF MONTENEGRO

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LEAPING INTO THE UNKNOWN W H E N YO U H AV E T H E S A M E R O U T I N E , I T ’ S E A S Y TO C O N V I N C E YO U R S E L F T H AT YO U H AV E E V E R Y T H I N G U N D E R C O N T R O L

BY JESSICA SUMMERS

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“IT’S TIME,” I TOLD MY HUSBAND. “PUT IT ON THE MARKET.”

A

nd in one brief sentence, our whole world was catapulted into a maelstrom from which there was no return.

In one week, our house sold; in two months, we were on a ferry carrying us toward Montenegro, a place we had barely heard of, let alone visited. I thought I was embracing life as a digital nomad, free from ties. Instead, I faced the one thing I had spent my life controlling or avoiding: relationships.

I was around nine when I began intensively masking my ‘weirdness,’ or what I now know as autism.

Due to my constant work on myself as a hypno psychotherapist, I could not only pass through the world unremarked, I was actually thriving. It just so happened that none of my close friends saw me for more than a couple of hours at a time, and then only a few times a year.

When you have the same routine, it’s easy to convince yourself that you have everything under control. It was only when we moved to a farm in the Montenegrin countryside, and shared our lives with a family of nine, spanning three generations, that the cracks began to show.

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IMAGE: © NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANISATION OF MONTENEGRO

as they wandered from room to room, discussing the drawbacks and possibilities of each room in turn; our eyes followed them through the open windows as if we were watching a tennis match.

We left the UK without a plan. The first few weeks felt like the three of us had been orphaned, hopping from one holiday rental to another. The responsibility to make things work for our daughter’s sake was crushing. We were looking for a ‘village to raise a child.’ We found it sooner than I expected, at Haj Nehaj farm, in the south of Montenegro. This was where our deepest journey began.

Weeks later, Tony and I watched the sun go down from our terrace and reflected on the appeal of the place. A large family surrounded us; our apartment was in the centre of their yard. Their steps ran up and down until late into the night; we seemed to be at the centre of something, and it felt good after living on the margins since we had arrived. But what happens when the honeymoon period is over, I wondered.

EMBRACING A NEW CULTURE

Coffee is drunk in Montenegro for many reasons.

To start the day, to break from work, to celebrate togetherness, to punctuate a gathering or to lend gravitas to a business meeting. And so I found myself nursing a tiny coffee, whilst the matriarch, Melica, and I waited to see which room ‘the men folk’ of the farm would choose to become my family’s new lounge. I carried out negotiations with all the grace of a bull in a china shop, so my husband was called in to discuss it with the men (I now realize this is what they expected). Melica and I watched with amusement

Before three months had passed, I found out.

SO CLOSE AND YET SO FAR

When immersing yourself in a culture, you see only similarities, and delight in each one. Danica, our neighbour, shared so many values with me. We took coffee together, lingering over intense dissections 27

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IMAGES COURTESY JESSICA SUMMERS

IMAGE: © NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANISATION OF MONTENEGRO

TIME TO WISE UP

of the meaning of life, glowing with our shared purpose. At the end of each one, I felt elated but utterly drained - this level of closeness was proving hard for me to maintain.

I had a stark choice: continue avoiding relationships or face my sense of failure. I travelled the two-hour journey and spent a day with Danica. I listened to her pain and incomprehension at our leaving and attempted to explain our choices. We grew closer that day, and I grew stronger, knowing I had experienced what I had avoided my whole life: presence with my shortcomings and the ability to sit with irreparable damage.

Soon, there were comments from Melica about how we ran our household, how long we were in bed, and how often we cleaned. We seemed trapped in a family we had not chosen. When she began to let herself into our apartment, we realized we had to leave. Christmas was fast approaching.

The friendship has never truly mended, but I have deep gratitude for Danica’s insistence that I look at the pain. For the first time in my life, I have strong, close, female friendships. I have experienced betrayal; I believe I, too, have betrayed unintentionally. I have got it wrong on numerous occasions, and I have struggled against Balkan expectations of friendship. But ultimately, I have learned to forgive myself.

And so, a rift appeared. We had not behaved in a way they understood or expected; we felt equally baffled at their responses. We could say nothing to anyone, blanketed in a centuries-old silence that we could not fathom. My anxiety increased. We moved, almost overnight, to a new town where a sense of failure bloomed.

Jessica Summers helps empathic entrepreneurs and coaches connect with their authentic voice and big mission, allowing them to transcend the marketplace, becoming much-needed thought-leaders. She lives in Montenegro with her husband and young daughter. Explore her world at jessicasummershypnogenics.com.

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IMAGE: © BLOOMS NEXT DOOR

BETTER

BLOOMS

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If you love fresh-cut flowers in your home but weren’t aware they had a dark side, you wouldn’t be the only one.

We were dismayed to find out that generic “grocery store” flowers are usually flown in thousands of miles, treated with pesticides, picked by workers in poor conditions for low wages, and even dyed and sprayed with chemicals to last longer.

Suddenly, that bouquet on the table didn’t smell so good.

So, we were delighted to discover there is a blooming local flower economy, with small businesses offering organic, locallygrown flowers year-round. Such as Erin Burrows, owner of Blooms Next Door in Ottawa, Ontario. Although she is new to selling cut flowers, she has been gardening for years and has become passionate about offering a better alternative through the joy of slow-grown flowers.

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WANDER: HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE BUSINESS OF

WHY DO YOU THINK LOCALLY, SLOW-GROWN,

CUT FLOWERS?

ORGANIC FLOWERS ARE IMPORTANT?

ERIN: The business has really come about organically.

I have loved gardening since I was a little girl, and double tulips have been a favourite. Two years ago, I decided rather than just planting specialty tulips for myself, I’d plant lots and sell bouquets of the extras.

I think flowers should bring beauty and joy into our lives. When we pull back the curtain on the environmental impact of flowers not being grown in a sustainable way, it is hard to still see them as things of beauty.

I knew some people were unaware of how beautiful tulips could be, especially if they were used to the standard red and yellow single varieties. I wanted to share how exceptional double tulips are. They turned out to be my gateway flower, and I quickly added many other cut flowers to my list.

From the carbon footprint and water usage to the pesticides and single-use plastics, industrial flower farming is far from pretty. Flower farmers who grow sustainably also invest in soil health and biodiversity, sustaining bees and other pollinators. These are aspects of farming that we should all care about.

My passion comes from sharing with others what beautiful things we can grow in our own gardens.

To me, local, slow-grown flowers are fleeting snippets of beauty we can truly appreciate.

WHEN WE LEARNED ABOUT THE CUT FLOWER INDUSTRY, WE WERE, HONESTLY, QUITE SHOCKED. DID YOU HAVE AN EPIPHANY, OR DID THE LEARNING HAPPEN OVER TIME?

HOW ABOUT SEASONALITY – ARE CUT FLOWERS AN OPTION OUTSIDE OF WARMER MONTHS?

Our seasons are quite long! Spring flowers start in April in my zone, and fall flowers can sometimes go right through October. For the truly cold months, there are evergreen arrangements and wreaths for the holidays, and of course, local dried flowers are always an option. There are many methods to dry flowers, and they can be so beautiful and modern now.

I am still learning. There are some really great flower farmers who do lots of work educating on this topic. The more I learn about local flowers and compare them to imported flowers, the more positive I am that choosing local flowers can have a sizable environmental impact.

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FROM THE CARBON FOOTPRINT AND WATER USAGE TO THE PESTICIDES AND SINGLE-USE PLASTICS, INDUSTRIAL FLOWER FARMING IS FAR FROM PRETTY.

IMAGES: © BLOOMS NEXT DOOR

Erin Burrows, owner of Blooms Next Door

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IMAGE: © BLOOMS NEXT DOOR

IF WE WERE PLANNING AN EVENT AND WANTED TO DO BETTER WITH FLORALS, WHAT SHOULD WE KEEP IN MIND WHEN SOURCING?

WHAT’S NEXT FOR BLOOMS NEXT DOOR?

More flowers! I’ve added more perennials and have already ordered many new seeds to try for this next season. I hope to do more selling of flowers in buckets as DIYs for small events. And one of my “give back” goals is to be able to take flowers into senior homes for bouquet bars.

Find a local flower farmer/sustainable florist! They are all over, in big cities and small towns. If this isn’t an option, consider what flowers are in season and perhaps don’t need to come from as far away. You can also request no flower foam in your arrangements.

Last season, I was able to take some bouquets to my grandmother’s retirement home, and I loved how the residents recognized the flower types and talked about what they used to grow in their gardens. I want to provide more seniors with the opportunity to make bouquets and work with fresh flowers when they no longer have access to a garden.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST SURPRISING THING ABOUT RUNNING THIS BUSINESS?

The most surprising thing to me has been that growing cut flowers means full-time pest control. Harvesting flowers is the fun part of the work, but so much of my time is spent dealing with pests! This past year included skunks, raccoons, rabbits, earwigs, Japanese beetles…the list goes on. It is a constant challenge to protect my flowers in a way that does no harm. I definitely lose some battles, and each season will bring new challenges.

READY TO SWITCH TO FRESH LOCAL FLOWERS? TRY YOUR FARMERS’ MARKET OR SEARCH ONLINE TO MEET YOUR LOCAL PRODUCERS. IF YOU’RE IN THE GREATER OTTAWA AREA, ORDER A CUT FLOWER SUBSCRIPTION FOR YOURSELF OR SOMEONE SPECIAL FROM BLOOMS NEXT DOOR AT BLOOMSNEXTDOOR.MYSHOPIFY.COM 35

W E H E A LT H I S A S TAT E O F B O D Y. WELLNESS IS A S TAT E O F B E I N G .

J . S TA N F O R D

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IMAGE: © PABLO MERCHAN MONTES UNSPLASH

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FLIGHT AT T E N DA N T S

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FIT FOR FLIGHT 38

IMAGE: © NICK MORALES UNSPLASH

S H A R E T H E D O S A N D D O N ’ T S O F E AT I N G AT 3 0 , 0 0 0 F E E T

Having a career as flight attendants, we are always shuffling from city to city and spending our time in airport terminals. In our experience, it can be hard to have a normal routine and keep up with daily regimens, including healthy eating habits.

Yo u c a n b e t w e k n o w a t h i n g o r t w o about which foods you should eat and which ones to avoid on the plane.

They say flight attendants have some crazy stories, so trust us when we say there are food options for air travel made by some passengers that are just “plane” awful (pun intended).

We a re h e re to s e r ve yo u a l i st of snacks and meals that DO qualify as air travel-friendly food and which items are a non-stop ticket t o j u s t D O N ’ T.

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IMAGES (L TO R): © DHANYA PUROHIT UNSPLASH; ©GLOBELET REUSABLE

DO EAT THESE ON THE PLANE:

FRUIT

VEGGIES

PROTEIN

WATER

Fruit such as bananas, oranges and berries makes great snacks for plane travel. The potassium in bananas helps combat muscle cramps and aids in digestion.

Vitamin C in oranges and antioxidant properties in berries help support your immune system, which becomes susceptible to all kinds of germs when you’re enclosed in a metal tube with a hundred other passengers. Raspberries, blueberries, and small tangerines are some of our faves.

Cucumbers, tomatoes, and celery contain over 90% water, keeping you hydrated for a plane ride.

Salads also make a great option, but be sure to opt for spinach or lettuce and avoid coniferous veggies like kale that can be harder to digest and cause bloat/excess.

Food high in protein can help you stay full, especially on longer flights.

Grilled chicken wraps or deli sandwiches are great meals on the plane. You can usually find protein bento boxes at airports that have options with cheese, crackers and deli meats, along with some fruits. Protein bars or shakes come in handy when you need a small yet filling snack. ONE brand protein bars and Owyn plant-based protein shakes are two of our goto's when we are in a rush.

As the air pressure decreases in the cabin, the gas in your stomach increases, causing it to expand. Drinking plenty of H2O will not only help with bloat but keep you hydrated, as the air in the cabin can dry out your skin. Coconut water is a great source of hydration with essential electrolytes that keep you well-hydrated even if you fall asleep and forget to sip on water throughout the flight.

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We ’ r e C a s e y & S h e l b y, twins and flight attendants who aim to help those who live an on-the-go lifestyle balance their fitness and health. Our book, Fit for Flight, was created to share tips, tricks, and hacks for all things fitness, health, and travel.

Being fit for flight doesn’t mean being healthy solely from a physical standpoint; it also means taking care of your mental health when yo u t rave l . We l ove h e l p i n g others and being able to tie it into our careers.

It’s our passion to share our knowledge so you can see and enjoy all the world has to offer without sacrificing your health.

BUY THE BOOK

IMAGES: © CASEY AND SHELBY P. ZACH

Our Instagram page is where we post free workouts and travel tips and share our adventures.

Connect with us @fit_forflight.

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IMAGES (L TO R): © EMMY SMITH UNSPLASH; © ZHIVKO MINKOV UNSPLASH

OF COURSE, WITH A LIST OF DOS, A LIST OF DON’TS HAS TO FOLLOW. THESE ARE THE FOODS THAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED – MANY OF WHICH WE HAVE DEALT WITH FIRSTHAND!

FRIED/HIGH-SODIUM FOODS

Fried foods tend to be high in sodium and fatty oils, causing your body to bloat or swell. Not to mention, the whole cabin can smell like a fast food joint. Processed foods high in salt, like potato chips, are also a no-go.

Don’t be the guy who tips the bag over your mouth to devour every last crumb. You’re not on the couch at home.

SMELLY FOODS

Let’s just make it a point not to bring the following: tuna, seafood, garlicky foods, or hard-boiled eggs. We once had a passenger who brought on a carton of his own hard-boiled eggs and another who thought a bowl of clam chowder was a great idea, making the whole plane smell like a fish tank. The bathrooms on the plane are odorous enough, if you know what we mean.

MESSY FINGER FOODS

Avoid anything that requires setting up, like sushi, or taking apart, like cracking open nuts. We may walk down the aisle selling items on board, but please don’t get this confused with vendors at a baseball stadium. We once had a passenger spit his sunflower seeds all over the floor. Yuck.

ALCOHOL

Too many alcoholic beverages can cause dehydration while flying. If you decide to have a personal happy hour, don’t be that passenger that comes on board drunk. We have had to kick a few off our flights, like the guy wishing everyone a “Happy New Year!” as he stumbled down the aisle on a December 31st flight. If you do plan to have a drink on the plane, make sure you drink plenty of water to stay hydrated in between glasses.

Whatever you decide to bring on the plane, DO be sure that you eat. If you don’t eat, your blood sugar levels can drop, making you feel weak or shaky. The last thing we want as flight crew is a medical emergency, so we’ll take the greasy burger or chip crumbs any day over a medical event.

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IMAGE: © SHAWNANGGG UNSPLASH

THE FUTURE IS T R A N S F O R M AT I V E

BY KRISTINA SMITH 44

IMAGE: © ADOBE STOCK

2023 FOOD MARKETING TRENDS

T h e 2 0 2 3 N o u r i s h N e t w o r k Tr e n d R e p o r t is the seventh annual look at the consumer a n d i n d u s t r y t r e n d s t h a t w i l l s h a p e o r, i n some cases, upheave the food, beverage, and agriculture landscape.

In the report, three trends caught our eye.

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IMAGE: © CLOSINGTHELOOP SHUTTERSTOCK

THE RISE OF REDUCATARIANISM

GOOD EATS, BETTER SLEEPS

BREAKING THE CHAINS

Trading “either/or” for “everything, but less”

The role of food as a sleep aid to promote overall well-being

Localized production offers an alternative to shaky global supply chains

“Reducatarianism is about reducing meat intake rather than cutting it out. A diet blending animal and vegetable proteins results in a more affordable household food budget and planetary budget. Again, it doesn’t have to be an either/or. It can be an AND. Consumers are naturally becoming less carnivorous due to climate change and animal welfare concerns, but they are not willing to compromise on taste.

Instead, they will trade down on the protein cost scale to reduce climate impact, with high inflation accelerating that reduction.”

“Interest in sleeping better is out there — so where are the F&B brands? Lots has been written about eliminating caffeine in the evening and blue lights in bedrooms, and plenty of white noise machines and weighted blankets are sold in the pursuit of a good night’s sleep.

But, there has not been much focus on the role of food & beverage in aiding sleep. We know that foods rich in melatonin or melatoninproducing tryptophan include some berries and milk. Magnesium-rich brazil nuts and, of course, CBD can also help sleep. And, though ‘better sleep’ has been a growing consumer search term, they are not yet linking it to F&B, which signals an opportunity.”

“Local food has grown in importance with consumers, who see it as a sign of quality and evidence that you’re supporting your community. It’s also part of food system resiliency as we enter a period of global unrest, logistic constraints, and shifting economic partners, all coupled with climate change…The new ‘glocal’ shifts away from global food sourcing towards bolstered domestic supply chains to preserve food sovereignty.”

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IMAGE: © NOURISH TREND

Yo u d o n ’ t h a v e t o w o r k i n t h e f o o d a n d b e v e r a g e i n d u s t r y to find insights like these fascinating, so we were d e l i g h t e d t o c o n n e c t w i t h J o -A n n M c A r t h u r, P r e s i d e n t o f Nourish Food Marketing, to learn more.

WANDER: HOW DID THE CREATION OF YOUR AGENCY, NOURISH FOOD MARKETING, ORIGINALLY COME ABOUT?

WHAT KEY SERVICES DO YOU PROVIDE TO YOUR CLIENTS?

JO-ANN: We weren't a specialized agency originally, but

We are a full-service agency, with everyone here being we won a food client early on and thought it then made a food and beverage specialist. We do everything sense to know a lot about a little. I'd spent my career in from branding, packaging, and traditional and digital the food and beverage and packaged goods industry, advertising and marketing, plus we have a test kitchen so it was an area I felt comfortable with and loved. And attached to a video and photography studio. So we can I'm proud to say that 14 years later, we still have our provide a one-stop shop for our clients. original food client!

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IMAGES (CLOCKSWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT): © MILAN GAZIEV UNSPLASH; © BREAKINGTHECHAIN SHUTTERSTOCK ; © SOLIDARITYFORSUSTAINABILITY ISTOCK; © ALYSON MCPHEE UNSPLASH; © FOODWITHOUTBORDERS SHUTTERSTOCK; © SCIENCEFICTIONTOSCIENCEFARMING SHUTTERSTOCK; © ROBOTS SHUTTERSTOCK

DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT AT N O U R I S H .

MARKETING/ TREND-REPORT

IMAGE: © BECCA TAPERT UNSPLASH

DO YOU HAVE REQUIREMENTS FOR TAKING ON NEW CLIENTS OR PRODUCTS IN THE FOOD SPACE (FOR EXAMPLE, SUSTAINABILITY, PLANT-FORWARD, DIETARY RESTRICTIONS)?

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO CRAFT THE REPORT, AND DOES YOUR TEAM DO A LOOK-BACK ASSESSMENT AT THE END OF THE YEAR?

We are building areas throughout the year, but the big push comes in October when we narrow themes and stay writing and designing the report. We consult multiple databases and conduct original research. And we always look back and encourage others to consult our past reports – first to see what our track record is like but also because trends from past years continue to build over decades.

We work with clients across the entire North American food ecosystem, field-to-fork and sourceto-shelf, including commodity groups, producers and processors, retailers, food service, and associations.

YOU CREATED THE NOURISH TREND REPORT IN 2018 – DID YOU SEE A GAP IN THE MARKET?

Because there wasn't anyone specialized in the area, we saw an opportunity to share our knowledge and make our trend report our gift to the industry. As a result, we can often connect dots that others may need help seeing.

We learn from working across numerous categories, so it advises our gut feel, but we never share any proprietary knowledge. We also do industry-specific trend reports to help clients develop their innovation pipeline and future-proof their business.

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We're not talking about fads here. For instance, in the 2018 report, one of our trends was Radical Transparency, where we envisioned smart labels allowing consumers to trace the entire journey of a product with blockchain that would provide transparency on international food chains. That trend continues today.

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IMAGE: © OKINAWA CONVENTION＆VISITORS BUREAU

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IMAGE: © JOANNA KOSINSKA UNSPLASH

BY REBECCA CRISTILLO & JOSEAN MARTINEZ-SANTIAGO

A National Geographic-sponsored exploration to explain the longevity of life led by explorer Dan Buettner turned into a moment of discovery for the world of wellness.

B

uettner coined the term “Blue Zones” to refer to the five geographic areas in the world with the highest percentage of centenarians, people who live over the age of 100: Loma Linda, California, USA; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Okinawa, Japan. The exploration then sent anthropologists, epidemiologists, and researchers to these areas to discover why, but who better to listen to about longevity than the people living that life themselves? We travelled to Okinawa, Japan, one of the five designated blue zones, to explore what Okinawans themselves credit to living longer than the rest of the world.

Though it’s interesting to note the lack of furniture in homes and the immense amount of walking the Okinawan elderly do, what we found most interesting is their love for salt. Elsewhere in the world, salt is demonized. We buy ‘low sodium’ and ‘no salt added’ products to avoid sodium, but here in Okinawa, the salt itself is different. We visited the Nuchi Masu Salt Factory to learn for ourselves, what is this secret salt making Okinawans live longer than the rest of us?

Set on a cliff on the eastern side of Miyagi Island, the Nuchi Masu Salt Factory draws surrounding seawater up to their factory to harvest it for the typical uses we all know, plus some.

Known to some as the ‘Land of the Immortals,’ Okinawans have fewer cancer, dementia, heart disease, and bone issues than the average North American and women here live longer than women anywhere else in the world. While genetics can be a supporting factor, Buettner found it doesn’t account for the majority of the reason why people live longer in blue zones. Here in Okinawa, their movement habits and diet is what is credited most.

Commercial salt harvesting has been going on in Okinawa since the 1600s. Salt bears the name “māsu” in the Okinawan language. “Nuchi” in the Okinawan language means life. Essentially ‘salt that brings life’ is the full meaning of this factory name. “Māsu” also means to remove toxins, purify qi energy, and expel lung disease. Though a quick look at the shop attached to the factory will show you salt for eyes, skin, hair, athletics, and even salt-flavoured ice cream at the 53

THOUGH IT’S INTERESTING TO NOTE THE LACK OF FURNITURE IN HOMES AND THE IMMENSE AMOUNT OF WALKING THE OKINAWAN ELDERLY DO, WHAT WE FOUND MOST INTERESTING

IMAGES: © OKINAWA CONVENTION＆VISITORS BUREAU

IS THEIR LOVE FOR SALT.

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IMAGES: © JOSEAN MARTINEZ-SANTIAGO AND REBECCA CRISTILLO

factory café, what we were most interested in was the counter-intuitive guidance to consume salt for better health. It went against everything we have ever been told by doctors and nutritionists, especially after Bec’s father experienced a stroke and her entire family religiously cut out salt from our diets.

Aerial, Crystalized Method” uses a fan to draw the water up from the sea and evaporates it as it blows into a sterile room. The salt crystallizes during this evaporation and piles up, making it look like a tropical snowscape. The salt is left to dry, then meticulously inspected visually by staff, making their jobs tedious and important to be detail-oriented. You can watch them work at the factory, sifting through buckets of salt, but only from a small window as all the rooms of the factory have to stay sterile, and therefore visitors

The method to create this salt is what allows for this difference. A patented method only used here in this factory called the “Normal-Temperature, Instant, 55

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IMAGES: © JOSEAN MARTINEZ-SANTIAGO AND REBECCA CRISTILLO

IMAGES: © OKINAWA CONVENTION＆VISITORS BUREAU IMAGES: © JOSEAN MARTINEZ-SANTIAGO AND REBECCA CRISTILLO

are not allowed inside. Even the workers are head to to expel extra sodium from the body, and magnesium toe covered, masks, goggles, hairnets, and all. From the is known to release muscle tension. If this is in every meticulous check, it’s packaged and sold as is. meal, we, can certainly understand the explanation for reduced heart disease and bone issues.

This is the technique that has won awards and lengthened lives. Allowing the salt to remain exactly as Okinawan salt is only starting to battle for a seat at is (no heating, particle breaking, or synthetic growing (or on) the table in an international light. Maybe one required) has let 21 minerals remain in the salt while day, it’ll gain traction and be a home and restaurant also allowing sodium content to stay in its current chef ’s staple. We can say it has definitely combated our low state. Essentially it’s a naturally low sodium salt, negative assumptions about salt. which we’re still wrapping our minds around. Some of the minerals found in Nuchi Masu salt are iron, It may be a secret salt making the people of Okinawa copper, zinc, magnesium, and potassium, with special live longer, but luckily they’re not trying to keep it a emphasis on the latter two. These minerals have been secret. The Nuchi Masu factory has begun making this shown to reduce blood pressure, act as antioxidants, salt available on Amazon and will be replacing our and help prevent osteoporosis. Potassium is known table salt for years to come.

Josean and Bec are travel photographers and writers bringing you to off-the-beaten-path parts of culture.

With backgrounds in international social work and environmentalism, they use their knowledge of the world to travel ethically and gain experiences, sharing on their social accounts along the way. Catch up with them at joseanbec.com and on Instagram @bec.l.m and @joseanmartinezsantiago.

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I AM ROOTED, B U T I F L O W.

IMAGE: © LEO WIELING -UNSPLASH

VIRGINIA WOOLF

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STRESS-FREE A L L - I N C L U S I V E H O L I D AY S T H AT ’ L L H AV E YOU FEELING BETTER

BY DIANA BALLON 60

You’ve heard the reports. Sitting is bad for us. That means that what we typically think of when we think of an allinclusive—reclining on a chaise lounge in a bikini with unlimited margaritas and guacamole and fried food—is really not such a great option for our health.

But there are many all-inclusives where you can take advantage of that stress-free formula: prepay ahead of time, and then enjoy your holiday with everything organized for you, and without having to ever take out your wallet—but do so with some activity and adventure!

IMAGE: © SHUTTERSTOCK

Here are four “pre-packaged holidays” that offer fun and fitness, and new discoveries.

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IMAGE: © DIANA BALLON

D O A F I T N E S S R E T R E AT

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IMAGE: © DIANA BALLON

DO A FITNESS RETREAT

If you want to drop some weight; detox with an anti-inflammatory diet free of coffee, sugar and alcohol and chemicals; learn how to boost your metabolism; and do up to seven hours of movement a day, then Mountain Trek is your place. A fitness retreat and health spa in B.C.’s Selkirk Mountains, Mountain Trek offers a week’s immersion into all things healthy. It may just be the reboot you have been looking for.

Located about 40 minutes from Nelson in Ainsworth, B.C., this stunning alpine setting is pretty perfect for some serious hiking. As program director and part-owner Kirkland Shave says, the mountains are the best gym in the world. The Nordic fitness trekking at the retreat has you climbing some serious hills while using trekking poles to “engage 90 percent of your body’s muscles,” all while moving at a serious clip, so you are burning fat in the process.

Although hiking is the main aerobic activity at the retreat, you also kickstart your day with a 6:30 am yoga class and have a fitness class after dinner. Along with activity are talks on everything from sleep to metabolism to detoxification, three massages over the week, and a hydrotherapy circuit so you can sweat out any remaining toxins.

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IMAGE: COURTESY MOUNTAIN TREK

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IMAGES: COURTESY MOUNTAIN TREK

IMAGE: © SIMEON JACOBSON UNSPLASH

S TAY AT A D U D E R A N C H

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IMAGES: © RICK ECKLEY, BLUE MOTEL ROOM PHOTOGRAPHY

STAY AT A DUDE RANCH

Although we went to White Stallion Ranch near Tucson, Arizona, as a family getaway when our kids were young, you don’t need children to find your own inner child on this kind of holiday. While the original definition of a “dude” in the late 1800s and early 1900s was of an urban slicker enjoying a “Western cowboy lifestyle” in the open West, dude ranches have morphed into places for people to vacation away from urban stresses in the great outdoors.

Dude or guest ranches now offer everything from horseback riding to familystyle meals, kids’ programming, comfortable cabin lodging and many other activities. While some ranches have you not just riding the horses but saddling and grooming them, and even working with cattle, others offer a seriously luxurious stay where you are more focused on as the “guest.”

There are many options out there, from luxurious to basic, with locations all over North America, from Colorado to Wyoming, California and Arizona in the United States, to B.C., Saskatchewan, and Manitoba in Canada.

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IMAGE: © SHUTTERSTOCK

SIGN UP FOR AN A C T I V E H O L I D AY

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IMAGES: © SHUTTERSTOCK COURTESY EXODUS TRAVELS

SIGN UP FOR AN ACTIVE HOLIDAY

Exodus Travels is an award-winning adventure and activity company offering guided and non-guided trips to more than 100 countries, with everything from cycling to walking; photographic, wildlife and cultural holidays; as well as snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trips in colder climates; there are tons of experiences to choose from. Want to go kayaking in the Dordogne? White-water rafting in the Pyrenees? Journeying through Romania? Cruising the Nile? With so many options, the most difficult part is making a choice.

My first trip with Exodus was a cycling trip along the Atlantic Coast from Porto to Lisbon. Scenic coastal rides were punctuated with stops for picnic lunches and visits to small coastal towns, like the beautiful Costa Nova, with its colourful striped homes, and Nazaré, with its main square with boutiques crammed with souvenirs and handicrafts. Accommodations were in a range of 4-star boutique hotels, including the charming Literary Man, a former convent turned hotel in Obidos, designated a UNESCO City of Literature. My next Exodus trip will be to Iceland to see the Northern Lights!

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IMAGE: © RANCHO LA PUERTA

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN WELLNESS

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IMAGES: © RANCHO LA PUERTA

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN WELLNESS

When I first read that Oprah Winfrey and Kate Winslet had holidayed at Rancho La Puerta, I felt a bit nervous. Would this place be out of my league? As it turns out, there’s a place for everyone at “The Ranch.” This wellness retreat and spa in Tecate, Mexico, about a 1.5-hour drive from San Diego, is set on 4,000 acres in the mountains of Baja California.

Here you sleep in well-appointed Mexican casitas with wood-burning fireplaces (reserved for the cooler months) with hand-painted tiles in the bathrooms, wood-beamed ceilings, and expansive patios, many overlooking the mountains. With almost hourly activities—sometimes eight to choose from at one time—it’s like summer camp for grownups.

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IMAGES: © RANCHO LA PUERTA

Choices include everything from mountain hikes in the early morning to Feldenkrais, water aerobics, pickleball, sound bathing and inspirational talks from guest speakers on topics ranging from nutrition to Chakra health and psychology. Then in the evening, you may choose a film in the library lounge, a concert in their beautiful octagonal-shaped Oaktree Pavilion or a glass of wine on the patio of their Bazaar del Sol, with views of sacred Kuchumaa Mountains in the distance.

The lacto-ovo pescetarian cuisine is also healthful and delicious. A typical breakfast includes green juices and antioxidant drinks with ranch granola and fresh fruit, while lunch features an array of soups and elaborate salads and other dishes, and entrées like Mexican-style enchiladas, cauliflower tacos, and spinach lasagna for dinner.

The Ranch also boasts an on-site spa and a cooking school. The Watsu water flow therapy I had at their spa was arguably even more relaxing than a massage. And their cooking school, La Cocina Que Canta, hosts some world-renowned guest chefs—Deborah Madison and Patricia Wells among them.

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Diana Ballon is a health and travel writer with a specialty in mental health communications.

Her travel stories focus on wellness, fitness and outdoor adventure.

IMAGE: © DIANA BALLON

Connect with Diana at dianaballon.com and on Instagram @dianamaryballon.

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THE HEALING POWER O F N AT U R E

IMAGE: © CHRISTOPHER LUDGATE

F I N D I N G W E L L N E S S I N S T. J O H A N N , A U S T R I A

BY CHRISTOPHER LUDGATE 74

There is this great symbiotic connection that happens when we combine wellness and nature. We inherit its holistic restorative effect whether on a hike or just sitting by the water. Now, imagine being immersed in an environment that nurtures that balance as a way of life.

I am a true believer in travel as therapy, so when at last I landed on the prospect of a visit to Austria, I was pleasantly surprised to discover its abundance of wellness spas.

But what would prove more intriguing was my discovery of Austrian culture’s innate reverence for nature and well-being.

Vienna is often touted as the world’s most livable city and, interestingly, it is comprised of fifty-percent natural land (lots of it vineyards).

So, after settling in at the city’s stylish Leo Grand, I wandered the green Leopoldstadt District and meandered museums, including the fascinating Sigmund Freud house.

Later, I spent an evening at the city’s Therme Wien spa complex to decompress, leaving the swimsuit behind, a la Austria style.

In the morning, I’d embark on a four-hour train ride high into the pastoral Alps to St. Johann in Salzburg for a real immersion.

I was ready for it.

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IMAGE: © CHRISTOPHER LUDGATE

FRESH AIR The feeling of becoming increasingly remote set in, and the crisp fresh air reawakened my senses after shuttling through the lush Alpine hills.

I rolled into the pleasant nook of a town, noting specialty shops and the parks that revealed signs of idyllic autumn.

Soon, I arrived in a cluster of charmingly nestled chalet-type resort lodges. Upon checking in at Aktivhotel Alpendorf, reception briefed our small group of friends about its multilevel spa facilities.

This was no uptight bougie spa; Aktivhotel is designed to facilitate an immersive, comfortable wellness experience with services daily.

Aktivhotel came complete with a panoramic ‘skysauna’ and lounge perched high, serving up tea with views of pastures and sky for days. This same dreamy view was in direct view from the platform bed in my room that featured all-natural materials.

I stood there on my balcony with a deep breath and long stretch – awestruck, contented, and excited.

Bountiful baskets waited for us in the lobby, each filled with fresh local fare, naturally, along with a blanket.

The local tourism board arranged a few activities for us, including this light picnic hike.

A map with a path was provided, but true to hard-core explorers, we somehow went rogue, carving our own adventurous path until claiming our remote territory, collapsing, satisfied, and speechless with the beauty before us.

Another morning began with a light hike to a nearby traditional European healer, Viktoria Obinger. Our tribe gathered in the dewy air, touring the herb gardens, foraging, and sampling on a delightful immersion into local naturalist philosophies.

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IMAGE: © FLORIAN BERNHARDT UNSPLASH

THE POWER OF WATER One of the deepest gorges in the Alps at 1000 feet, its moderate-level footpaths initiated by Prince Johann II of Liechtenstein long ago created a game of hide-andseek with the rumbling, mesmerizing beauty.

A mist was already in the air upon arrival at Liechtensteinklamm Gorge.

We convened for some lunch at the on-site eatery, Gasthaus, where we went family-style, fueling up on traditional dishes, including impressive vegetarian.

It was tempting to try to capture the magic with a camera, but I conceded. This force of nature is something you surrender to, like in meditation. It’s a phenomenon that speaks to something primal in us.

I could feel the deep thunder of the forceful ravine as I approached, descending to the cavernous paths from the floating helix staircase.

I eventually came upon a bench by a perch just before the reveal of the falls and welcomed the opportunity to surrender and just listen.

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IMAGE: © CHRISTOPHER LUDGATE

HIKE TO THE HOCHGRÜNDECK, THE HEALER In the thick of it, the atmosphere is ethereal. A dance of shadows and light revealed endlessly enchanting scenes as I climbed into the clouds upon Hochgründeck.

I was awed by the hundreds of mountains peeking above the clouds. There was a compelling sense of tranquillity.

I had every intention of doing my daily meditation up here. But close my eyes to this magnificence? No way.

On this day, the journey was my meditation.

I leveraged myself upon the roots of the soaring trees along vague trails. Footbridges above streams informed us we were headed the right way. Further up, ritualistic-looking wooden musical instruments lured me to play.

THE QUEST Onward west, I was off on my quest into immersive wellness in the extensive spa facilities of the impeccable Alpin Resort Sacher, recently named on the Leading Hotels of the World’s list. It is located in the enchanting storybook town of Seefeld, Austria. A new favourite, indeed.

Is it much further? Don’t ask. Were there woodland creatures? There might have been.

Several yards still from the peak destination six miles up, like a mirage for journeymen and women, was Heinrich-Kiener-Haus; a homey respite for food and refreshment. It welcomed us beside a warm fire while serving up Austrian Polsterzipf family-style, relaxing further with a round of shtorm (an Austrian schnappslike drink) before the last leg of our journey.

This climb up Hochgründeck, one of the highest and most wooded peaks in Europe, was once part of The Summit Games, a blend of ritual and mythology connecting a series of mountain peaks. Here on this peak: ‘The Healer.’

Chris is a New York-based Travel & Culture Writer with multiple outlets and a decade of experience sharing inspiring travel stories that go beyond the typical. Niches are versatile but tend towards sophisticated-bohemian, coastal, cultural, wellness, historical, nature, architecture, and hotels. Chris is also a filmmaker. Connect with Chris at wanderamatravel.com and on Instagram @wanderamatravel.

A book of visitors’ intimate thoughts sat by the entrance of the Chapel of Peace or St. Vincentz. I lit a candle and stood in the silence before strolling along the grassy summit.

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TIPS FROM A GREY NOMAD DISCOVER HOW TO LIVE A SIMPLER, MORE MEANINGFUL LIFE

IMAGE: © GENEVIEVE DALLAIRE UNSPLASH

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After a 30-year career in financial services and the not-for-profit sector, Monique Giroux took early retirement at 55, traded in her business suit for hiking boots, and sold her home and possessions to pursue a slower-paced, minimalist, nomadic lifestyle.

Monique made a commitment to herself in 2019 to live an anxiety-free life by finding calm and peace of mind after an enlightening experience in Bali. Immersing herself in self-study and becoming a certified Forest Therapy Guide, Reiki Master, meditation, yoga nidra, and restorative yoga teacher, Monique is now breathing deeply. She works with clients to help them slow down and connect with their inner voice and intuition through nature connection and energy healing.

Founder of The Flourishment Collective, Monique is now travelling the world with her partner sharing stories of #2suitcases1laptop and the forest therapy guides she meets along the way. She is working on her first book, downloaded in a deep meditative state during a 9-day silent Buddhist retreat.

She shares distance reiki with clients around the world, supports women’s retreats, and mentors and trains new forest therapy guides. She continues to use her corporate experience as one of the female founders of the climate start-up Homes to Zero and consults on partnership and not-for-profit projects on occasion.

We connected with Monique while she was working and playing in Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica.

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IMAGE: © MONIQUE GIROUX

WANDER MAGAZINE: BEFORE DOWNSIZING AND EMBARKING ON YOUR NOMADIC ADVENTURE, DID YOU LIVE A MORE “CONVENTIONAL” LIFE?

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE IN BALI? WHAT SPURRED THE VISIT, AND WHAT DID YOU RETURN WITH?

MONIQUE: I lived a conventional life that, by most standards, would be considered comfortable and successful. I began my career as an English professor, then moved to the not-for-profit health sector before transitioning to financial services to oversee charitable partnerships and eventually became an executive as the head of partnerships and corporate events. I had many rewarding experiences in my career, and I’m grateful to have worked with many talented and dedicated people.

I was nearly 50 when I first understood that happiness is an inside job after spending time in a small Maasai village in Tanzania, Africa. I met a community that did not own much by North American standards but radiated pure joy. I wanted my daughter, who was ten at the time, to experience the world’s diversity and many cultures. Together we explored Peru and Nicaragua, and in 2019, we went to Bali on a nine-day G Adventures wellness tour.

But I was out of balance.

Bali is known for its unique spiritual energy and culture, influenced by a blend of Hinduism, Buddhism, and animism. The island is also home to many important religious sites, such as temples and shrines, which are believed to hold powerful spiritual energy. Additionally, many people in Bali practice yoga, meditation, and other spiritual practices, which contributes to the overall sense of energy on the island.

Commutes were long with back-to-back meetings, deadlines, and the need to be always “on.” Like many other working moms trying to do it all, I often felt I was not giving my best at work or at home. In 2020, I was recognized with top honours in my industry with a Hall of Fame Award, but I felt disconnected from who that person was.

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I T TA K E S A S T R O N G D E S I R E TO LIVE AN UNTETHERED LIFE, BUT IT ALSO MEANS LETTING GO OF CONTROL, STEPPING OUT OF FEAR INTO THE U N P R E D I C TA B L E A N D O U T O F YOUR COMFORT ZONE.

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definition is “a digital nomad 50 years or older, not yet retired or semi-retired, who is highly mobile, locationindependent and able to live and do meaningful work remotely from anywhere with internet access.”

We met shamans and healers and visited Hindu temples such as the Tirta Empul, where we participated in a purification ritual in the holy water spring. We also learned how to make intricate offerings called canang sari which you see everywhere in Bali as a form of thanks for the peace given to the world.

I’ve had dozens of people tell me they wish they could do what I’m doing. Trading in an office chair for a beach lounger does not happen overnight. If you’re considering this lifestyle, here are five things I would recommend.

By the end of this trip, I realized that I could take a deep breath without feeling pain in my chest. Until that moment, I did not realize that I had been holding anxiety in my body for the past 25 years. I also realized my insomnia was gone. Looking into the ocean off the coast of Sanur, I made a commitment to myself to feel this way every day. I wanted to create a life I did not need a vacation from.

1. Know Thyself

It takes a strong desire to live an untethered life, but it also means letting go of control, stepping out of fear into the unpredictable and out of your comfort zone.

Through the inner work I’ve done over the past decade, I not only hear my own intuitive voice, but I’ve also learned to trust it and allow it to be my guide.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER ASPIRING “GREY NOMADS” THINKING ABOUT THIS LIFESTYLE?

The term “grey nomad” is common in Australia, meaning someone past retirement age, or more than 55 years old, embarking on a long-term trip in specialized vehicles like motor homes, camper trailers, or caravans.

Take a hard look at your values, your definition of success and how you want to feel. After Bali, I wanted to feel calm, peaceful and joyful, live in the present moment, simplify life, and stop worrying. This meant a complete revaluation of my life with a focus on mental health and well-being. It was a shift from doing to being.

I refer to myself as a grey nomad because digital nomads are generally younger. My own personal 85

Connect with Monique at linktr.ee/flourishment.

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“I was on a quest to breathe deeply and find peace of mind. By slowing down, connecting to nature, becoming aware of my energy, and finding joy within myself, I began to hear my inner voice. I began to notice synchronicities and signs the universe was communicating to me, and I began to trust those signs. I connected with my intuition and let myself be guided by it. I became my own teacher. This is the path I am on today. I don’t know where it will lead, but I trust that it is taking me toward my purpose here on earth.”

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2. Start with a Test

4. Financial Planning

It’s a good idea to try this lifestyle before uprooting your entire life. We spent a month in Costa Rica to see if this lifestyle would be a good fit for us. We saw that we felt happier and healthier and could continue to work virtually relatively seamlessly.

Although I had a good job for many years, I wasn’t sure if I could sustain a nomadic lifestyle. After spending time with a financial advisor and working through a retirement plan, we had a better sense of the budget we could work with short- and long-term. Selling our house was part of the equation, and knowing how much income we needed to continue to generate every year to maintain our downsized lifestyle was a good goalpost.

3. Trade-Offs

We decided to sell our house and most of our possessions to fund some of our travel and keep our lives as simple as possible. We are essentially homeless.

The places we choose to live now are not fancy. We have a modest budget and stay in affordable long-term apartment rentals, casitas, and 3-star hotels.

Having a financial plan will give you some peace of mind and also help determine what your budget is, how much you need to keep earning, and for how long.

The #1 question on Digital Nomad groups is, “how can I find work?” Make sure you know the answer to this question before you make the decision to go. I also recommend having travel medical insurance. I broke my leg while hiking in Croatia, and although the medical costs were minor, it was a good reminder that anything can happen!

Long-term stays are very different than being on vacation. An important part of this lifestyle for us is to live like the locals and be immersed in different cultures. We use public transit and, whenever possible, prefer to travel by rail to reduce air travel and our footprint on this planet. We find accommodations where a car is not required. We make our own meals most of the time. Some prefer to maintain a home base, while others live in all-inclusive resorts or on cruise ships. It depends on the values and lifestyle you want to maintain within the budget you have.

5. Relationships

At first, some of our family and friends were concerned and confused about our lifestyle change, but after conversations, they now enjoy following our journey and cheering us on. Our children know they always have a home wherever we are, to visit or stay. Our parents know that we are only a day away with a flight from wherever we are.

Read about Monique’s 9-day silent retreat experience

The number two issue cited by nomads is isolation. When you are always on the move, it’s difficult to make new friends while maintaining relationships back home. Make an effort by setting up WhatsApp groups and video chats and joining community groups to stay connected.

Read about becoming a Certified Forest Therapy Guide

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TOP CANADIAN HOTELS

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FOR WELLNESS AND HYDROTHERAPY

BY DIANA BALLON

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A sauna plus cold plunge and steam before bed? Or some chill time in a salt therapy room before getting the day underway?

All this may well be possible at a hotel near you.

For centuries, water has been used to treat various ailments, with Nordic spa-type hydrotherapy facilities emerging at destination spas for guests seeking health and some me time. But now, hotels are also getting on this trend, offering hydrotherapy circuits to their overnight guests. And while the experience may feel like pure hedonism (well, maybe except for the icy cold plunge part), it also has a ton of health benefits, from firing up your lymphatic system to reducing inflammation and swelling to boosting your immune system.

The principle is fairly simple: move from heat (in a sauna, steam room or hot tub) to cool (in a plunge pool or chilly waterfall or shower) and then rest. Now repeat. Many of these hotels are also introducing halotherapy—or salt therapy— rooms, which are not just relaxing but also purported to have many health benefits, from improved skin to better sleep and overall wellness.

This means that guests can enjoy a true wellness experience ... without having to leave the building. Here are four Canadian hotels, listed from east to west, that have got this wellness circuit down.

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MUIR HALIFAX

Halifax’s first luxury hotel, and part of the Autograph Collection, the Muir has everything a luxury stay should offer – along with a great waterfront location in the new Queen’s Marque district downtown.

Expect friendly, solicitous, but unpretentious service (it is, after all, in the Maritimes), with elevated regional cuisine at its Drift restaurant; its own regionally curated art gallery, True Colours; and even their own speakeasy, BKS.

The hotel also boasts its Windward Wellness sanctuary, which includes not only a 5,000-square foot fitness centre with state-of-the-art equipment but complimentary yoga and spin classes, free use of bikes and kayaks, and access to a luxurious yacht and motorboat, weather permitting. The spa also has a heated pool, cold plunge, infrared sauna, eucalyptus steam room and halotherapy salt room. Be sure to reserve private time with a partner in their twoperson salt room with two heated loungers: lined with Himalayan salt blocks, Atlantic salt air is released into the room through a halogenerator.

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HOTEL WILLIAM GRAY

The historic and elegant Hotel William Gray in Old Montreal has not just two rooftop terraces, a green courtyard, their Maggie Oakes restaurant and 127 rooms and suites with stone walls or cathedral ceilings.

It also has a 56,000 sq foot luxury spa with its own luxurious hot/cold thermal experience. Enjoying a thermal experience involves rotating between an 80 to 90-degree Celsius Finnish sauna, a not-quite-so-hot herbal sauna and a eucalyptus steam room for heat, and a cold room for the frigid part!

Experiential showers also work well as a first step in your thermal circuit session or for final cool-down: they use an interplay of hot and cold, with rotating coloured lights, rejuvenating aromas, and pressures that range from a light mist to pulsating shower.

You can also enjoy some leisure time in their relaxation space and a Himalayan salt room, which is lined with white Himalayan salt bricks, with atomized salt particles emitted into the air through a halogenerator.

An outdoor pool is also open seasonally and can be booked through the spa.

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124 ON QUEEN

The newly renovated 124 on Queen—across the street from the Shaw Festival’s George Theatre in Niagaraon-the-Lake—is perfectly located for a weekend theatre getaway. But what not everyone realizes is that it’s also an ideal destination for wellness as well.

Their Spa at Q includes not just the standard spa treatments but unique offerings like a couple’s massage with a private infrared sauna experience and a full hydrotherapy wellness circuit, available to hotel and spa guests. The circuit includes a dry sauna, a eucalyptus steam room, a hot and warm pool, a snow room, and sensory showers with aromatherapy

scents, chromotherapy lighting, and four different pressure jets.

They also plan to open a Himalayan salt room for yoga sessions and sound bath experiences, as well as an outdoor wellness area in the rear of the property with spa treatment cabanas, reflective pools and gardens.

While you are at the hotel, be sure to make a reservation for their four-course pre-fixe farm-to-table dinner at Treadwell Cuisine, with the option of wine pairings beautifully selected by their sommeliers.

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PAINTED BOAT RESORT

Located at Madeira Park on the Sunshine Coast, the Painted Boat Resort Spa & Marina is a beautiful waterside property that is located just two hours from Vancouver, but feels like an ocean away.

The resort has 31 upscale villas, high-end dining at their Lagoon Restaurant, and its outdoor Spa Serenity Garden. The place feels a bit like a secret garden: it is green and private, bordered by trees, and has a hot tub

with a cascading waterfall, a cold rain shower, a sauna and a firepit that you can sit around on cooler days.

Bring a book and head out to the garden for a couple of hours of relaxation pre- or post-treatment, or make it an occasion unto itself.

If you book one of their mineral-rich seaweed and salt-infused treatments, you get free access to their Serenity Garden.

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Nine Perfect Strangers 98

ON LOCATION

THE RISE OF WELLNESS DESTINATIONS ON SCREEN I’M A LOVER OF TRAVEL. I’M A LOVER OF FILM. THANKFULLY, THE PLETHORA OF OCCURRENCES AND OVERLAPS IN THESE TWO SEEMINGLY SEPARATE ARENAS PROVIDED AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY IN THAT I DIDN’T HAVE TO CHOOSE ONE OVER THE OTHER WHEN IT CAME TO SELECTING A PROFESSION.

BY SARA QUIRICONI

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s an actress, filmmaker, and wellness travelling leader, I’ve long seen this connection between the two. It was during an interview for my podcast, Never Settle, with David Zannoni, Delegate of CANACINE in Quintana Roo, Mexico—I am now proudly an Ambassador on its board of international creators—that I started to realize this long-standing trend was booming more than ever, particularly with plush destinations featuring wellness and luxury locations. Screen Tourism, as Zannoni describes, is when “people decide to go on vacation or otherwise travel to a location based on what they have seen in a film or a series.”

Movies of my upbringing as potential foreshadowing at a young age include discovering the remote islands off the coast of the Philippines in The Beach, navigating the erratic streets of India while feeling welcomed with generosity and love in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and touring from country to country as a woman reconnects with her self and later falling in true love again in Eat. Pray. Love.

More recently, Emily in Paris provides the urge to jet off to the stylish streets of Paris, adventure to an island retreat thanks to The White Lotus, or trip back in time to the U.K. for some Bridgerton affairs.

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The White Lotus

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12 Dates of Christmas

And Just That Like That

The Gilded Age

The world of tourism and film and television have been around for decades. So, why is there expansion now more than in the past, and what opportunities lie ahead for film and TV and tourism to partner up?

Zannoni continues, “At the same time, because of technological advances, content consumption has never been as high. Films and series can be watched 24/7 on phones, tablets, and computers in addition to the traditional sources of television and movie theatres. Demand for content is high, and production is booming.”

WHY NOW?

“There are a couple of things happening simultaneously,” Zannoni explains. “First, tourism is recovering after the tough years of the pandemic. In many countries, governments and tourist boards are looking to diversify the way to attract tourists [back again]. A way with proven success is to promote the country, region, city, area or even local resort through so-called screen tourism or film tourism.”

With the expansion of online platforms such as Netflix, Hulu and Apple TV+, content has a reach that is global and is accepted in any language with subtitles.

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WITH STREAMING PLATFORMS ACCESSIBLE AND INCREASING IN NUMBERS IN MORE COUNTRIES AND SUBSCRIBERS DAILY, THE CONTINUED REACH FOR BOTH SIDES OF THE SCREEN TOURISM CATEGORY

The White Lotus

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IS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY.

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FBOY Island

The White Lotus Nine Perfect Strangers

Nine Perfect Strangers

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And Just That Like That OPPORTUNITIES FOR TOURISM

OPPORTUNITIES FOR FILM AND TV

Imagine having your favourite destination featured on the next HBO Max or Netflix hit show. I would watch it just because of the relatability to the location. I’ll attest, after living in Boston for ten years, any movie that came out filmed in Beantown just to see some of my favourite parks and streets of my years living there.

Most recently, I watched Something From Tiffany’s on Amazon Prime simply because my husband (fiancé at the time) proposed in Central Park, and we visited that same Tiffany’s location during the holidays.

On the flip side, there are equal opportunities for film and TV to utilize tourist locations for production sets.

For the most part, the infrastructure is already prepped to go, providing a location set design framework and housing for the production crew and talent.

Zannoni adds, “The opportunities for tourism to promote locations through the small and big screens, often via the streaming platforms that reach a global audience [where] local content can make a real global crossover, reaching audiences everywhere. This offers tremendous opportunities for tourist regions to promote their location through film and TV series, and governments, tourist boards, and streamers become allies in the global content contest.”

From a financial and budgeting perspective, Zannoni shines a light on the opportunity to “make use of production incentives provided by governments to invite film and TV productions whereby productions can save or reduce costs to diversify their map of locations…making use of overall cheaper labour costs and local expenses, and from a marketing point of view.”

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Nine Perfect Strangers

WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON?

The 35,000-foot sky's the limit here when it comes to what film and TV and tourism can do together moving forward. With streaming platforms accessible and increasing in numbers in more countries and subscribers daily, the continued reach for both sides of the screen tourism category is a golden opportunity.

Zannoni agrees. “The synergy is natural and organic: attractive tourist locations will continue to be, or will become, content production hubs because their locations are popular for content creation, and at the same time, that content attracts another sort of —the screen tourist or film tourist—to the locations. The relationship is circular and will continue to strengthen itself.”

Personally, I’d love to see an integration of nutritional dishes from featured films on the menus at varying wellness resorts. Or, a yoga class inspired by the music and flow from a character and soundtrack from a TV series.

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Sara Quiriconi is an actress, model, host, writer, producer and entrepreneur. As a cancer survivor and resilient soul overcoming various health challenges early on, she’s an advocate of being a creator, not a victim, to create your own reality.

Sara’s mission is to story-tell, impact and inspire with a legacy of empowerment that lasts far beyond her years. Founder of Live Free Media, LLC., author of Living Cancer Free, and host of the motivational Never Settle podcast, Sara truly is a dynamic character across many creative fields and a warrior of light.

Connect with Sara at saraquiriconi.com.

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DESTRESS & REFOCUS

YOUR GUIDE TO SILENT M E D I TAT I O N R E T R E AT S No matter where you are in your journey, a few days away from your usual routine can do wonders for your mental and physical well-being. Wellness retreats bring together a collective of like-minded people looking to take a break from the daily grind.

Many people are intrigued by the idea of a silent retreat, but what does it all mean, and what can be expected?

Much like a yoga or meditation retreat, there are numerous benefits for the body, mind, and soul when you remove yourself from the hustle and bustle. Silent retreats are a beautiful way to hold space for yourself and fill your cup. Studies show that meditation sessions have been found to help redirect one's attention and manage emotions and impulses. Multiple reports show that meditation can help relieve anxiety as the practice actively trains the mind to increase awareness.

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WHAT IS A SILENT RETREAT?

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT RETREAT

A silent retreat is where you agree to take a vow of silence for the duration of the retreat. Participants should refrain from speaking during all activities, such as yoga classes, meditation sessions, meal times, and break times. The principle of silence may seem like a basic idea, but it is part of an ancient Indian meditation technique known as Vipassana.

TYPE OF PRACTICE

Vipassana means to see things as they are and was discovered over 2500 years ago by Gotama the Buddha. Today, Vipassana meditation teaches us to focus on our breath to help bring a sense of calm to the body and mind. In a meditation session, you will come to learn that everything is temporary. Traditional Vipassana courses require students to follow ten full days of silence, during which they cannot read, write, speak, use electronics, or make eye contact with other students. As this is not always an option, retreat hosts have developed shorter, less intense options for those who wish to enjoy the benefits of a silent retreat over a weekend getaway.

Silent retreats use guided exercises to help the group explore inward and release negative thoughts, feelings, and emotions. This practice requires students to abstain from making gestures, eye contact, verbal noise, reading, writing, listening to music, and all forms of digital technology. It may sound intimidating, detaching from the outside world, but removing yourself temporarily can be incredibly healing.

LOCATION & PRICE

There is a retreat for every travel style and budget.

From the ultra-luxurious to the bare minimum, go where you feel connected. Retreat prices include all lessons, accommodation, and meals.

DURATION & LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY

Depending on your availability and willingness, the length of your stay is very important. Retreats often range from 1-10 days, with longer durations available for advanced Vipassana students. A typical day at a 108

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silent retreat will follow a pre-planned routine that begins with an early morning start and the opening meditation session followed by breakfast. The meditation (or yoga) sessions continue during the day with breaks for lunch and dinner.

BENEFITS

The benefits of a silent retreat are personal. Still, there are several that many participants report feeling, including improved immune function, better sleep, reduced anxiety and stress, trauma release, increased memory, better emotional regulation, more profound understanding of self, and clearer thoughts.

Much of this is connected to digital detox and the ability to take a break and become more present. As we increase the time spent on our screens, absorbed in social media, work commitments, and streaming content, we risk negatively affecting our social and psychological well-being. No matter what you hope to achieve, remember all experiences can teach us something about ourselves and the world around us.

The good news is that retreating to a place of solitude has never been more achievable (or relaxing) than with our recommended silent retreats.

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10-DAY SILENT RETREAT WITH HRIDAYA FAMILY p SAN CRISTOBAL, MEXICO

If you are ready to go the full ten days, be sure to sign up for the Hridaya meditation retreat in beautiful San Cristobal, Mexico. Suitable for all levels, including those without meditation experience, this program includes guided meditation and practice tools. Located in the mountains of Chiapas, surrounded by pine forests and traditional Maya culture, you’ll find the centre a place of healing and rejuvenation.

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4-DAY ART OF BREATHWORK WITH VEDANTA p SPIRITUAL & HOLISTIC RETREAT

8-DAY SILENT RETREAT WITH THE YOGI’S GARDEN

CALIFORNIA, USA

Are you looking for a getaway in the tropical jungles of Southeast Asia? The Yogi’s Garden is set on a working farm in the lush destination of Payangan on the island of Bali. The Silent Zen Meditation Retreat begins with the first six days in silence, supported by guided meditations, walking meditations, and yin yoga sessions. The gorgeous yoga shala, the Taj guesthouse and the delicious farm-to-table buffet by Ladang Kafe complete this very special retreat experience.

BALI, INDONESIA

Morning pranayama, evening restorative yoga, ayurvedic cooking, and a swim at the local hot springs are just some of what to expect at this allinclusive four-day retreat. The Vedanta Spiritual and Holistic Retreat is based in a remote location at approximately 3000 feet in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains. As an eco-retreat centre, they are a vegetarian establishment that only serves healthy organic food. Furthermore, there is no wifi and guests are encouraged to be mindful of their consumption of Mother Earth during their stay.

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THE ART OF LIVING

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5-DAY SILENT RETREAT WITH THE ART OF LIVING NORTH CAROLINA, USA

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This might be the perfect timeline for a retreat – five days in the Blue Ridge Mountains with over 380 acres of forest to help calm the mind. Here you will have the opportunity to experience silent contemplation and leave feeling grounded and connected. The Art of Living provides guests with comfortable hotel-style rooms and a wholesome vegetarian buffet and has several onsite activities, including a pottery studio, nature trails, labyrinth garden, fitness room, and steam room.

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7-DAY SILENT RETREAT WITH RISHIKESH YOGI ASHRAM

1-DAY SUNDAY MORNING MEDITATION p ZEN MOUNTAIN MONASTERY

RISHIKESH, INDIA

NEW YORK, USA

If there is one place in the world to attend a silent retreat, it has to be the home of yoga, India. Thought to have begun around 5000 years ago, yoga philosophy can be traced back to the foothills of the Himalayas to the town of Rishikesh. Join this seven-day silent retreat for a spiritual awakening and practice asana, pranayama, meditation and yogic cleansing techniques. Comfortable accommodation at the ashram, three meals a day, and a 5:30 am to 9:30 pm schedule make this retreat excellent value for money.

As much as we all dream of a two-week break to meditate, it is not always possible; that’s where the Zen Mountain Monastery can help. Just one day of devotion to your practice can make a difference.

Each Sunday, there is a donation-based chanting and walking meditation session. Alternatively, you can find a range of events throughout the year at the monastery, which is located on Mount Tremper. Complete with a zen garden, vegetable gardens, tea house, dining hall, meditation hall, and on-site accommodation, this special place is certainly worth a visit.

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SILENT RETREAT WITH SILENT STAY MEDITATION CENTER p CALIFORNIA, USA

The residential retreat program offers guests various programs typically ranging from two to four days set peacefully among 45 acres of oak tree forests. Participants begin the day with breakfast, followed by silent sitting, morning meditation, lunch, afternoon meditation, and dinner.

During the day, there are several non-doing periods where you are free to rest, walk, and spend time in nature. This is part of the Daoist practice of wu wei which in Chinese means “doing nothing.”

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GROUP SOUL RETREAT WITH THE SOUL INSTITUTE p ONTARIO, CANADA

The Soul Institute is a community of supportive teachers and healers offering an integrated approach to retreats that are good for the soul.

When you sign up for the group soul retreat package, you’ll experience the Muskoka boutique-style glamping cabins, enjoy healthy vegetarian meals, and participate in a range of sessions from crystal meditation and mandala workshops to tea tasting, yoga classes, and nature walks. You might have noticed this is not a silent retreat, but it is equally refreshing for the body and mind.

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MEDITATION RETREATS WITH SUGAR RIDGE RETREAT CENTRE p ONTARIO, CANADA

Sugar Ridge hosts meditation and yoga retreats year round, with popular weekend retreats offering visitors the perfect quick escape. How does a mindful movement and meditation package sound? The Wellness Within option is about cleansing and nourishing the body with organic plant-based meals, hiking in the forest, physical movement classes, and connecting with new friends. The best part is this retreat is structured, yet all activities are optional, so you can go at your own pace and step into what feels best for you. Silence is not required, and you are welcome to take quiet breaks to meditate, journal, or simply rest. Leave feeling inspired and balanced.

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S O L O T R AV E L L I N G T H R O U G H P O RT U G A L & S PA I N

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ONE WOMAN AND HER BIKE

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As I heard my friend’s van drive away, my heart sank. I was totally alone…was this the right thing? I gripped the handlebars of my bike and straightened up; I was feeling the fear , now that I’d been dropped in the middle of this remote national park. I’d been planning this trip for months, it was going to be great, and I was going to have fun. Be positive, Chloe! I took a deep breath and began to pedal.

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EARLY MORNINGS AND SORE MUSCLES

A PERSONAL CHALLENGE

Three weeks later and I’d found my rhythm. That morning, my eyes blinked open as the first light filtered through the leaves of the cork oak I’d slept under. As I rolled up my hammock, I waved at a passing woman, who strolled in the early morning sunshine, stick in hand. “Bom dia!” I call. “Bom dia” She replies, smiling.

“Estas peregrino?” she asks, watching as I pack my bike bags. Peregrino means pilgrim, and as the famous pilgrim route, Caminho de Santiago, starts North of here, I can see why she thinks this. We chatted for a while, enjoying being the only ones awake except the birds. She sent me on my way with oranges bulging out of my bike bags - juicy, delicious sustenance for the road ahead.

I’d set out on this trip simply to see if I could do it. I’d always loved cycling but had never found the time or courage to go on a long trip alone. Inspired by stories from other cyclists, I felt encouraged and informed.

I’d noticed how strong I was becoming. My pace was improving each day. The Spring sunshine and constant endorphin boost kept me going, even when the roads became relentlessly mountainous.

The whole bike trip had been brushed with magic. The everyday sparkle of little encounters and interactions with strangers. The hushed beauty of golden-hued corn fields at sunset and birds of prey gliding above me. My bike tour was a spontaneous end to a stint of volunteering in Northern Portugal. My host donated me his old mountain bike and, inspired, I’d decided to take the slow road back to my home in Spain.

My trip had taken me through numerous starkly different landscapes so far, from the sun-drenched grassy wetlands near Lisbon to the rugged and windy coastline of Alentejo. The land got noticeably drier as I neared Faro, where I stayed a few days in a community of people living in tipis. The pauses and socializing between the long stints of cycling felt restorative and necessary.

I can’t say I never felt like giving up. Three difficult days on the South West peninsular of Portugal almost drove me to despair. The headwinds were often so strong that I had to get off and push my bike, pausing behind bushes to shelter from the gales and catch 120

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my breath. The only thing keeping me going those days was knowing I had to get a little closer to my destination. Stopping just wasn’t an option.

Eventually, I found myself nearing the small town of Vila Real de Santo Antonio, with Spain just a river crossing away. Follow the coast had been my basic mantra for the trip; aside from a few forays into the mountains, I had kept the shoreline to my right, making it generally unnecessary to check a map.

That morning the smell of pine resin and the sounds of my bike crunching over gravel accompanied me.

Stork nests perched high in trees and on telephone poles added a surreal Dr. Suess-esque quality to the scene. I’d cycled 360 miles, and the sense of personal achievement carried me forward. I’m not a practised meditator, but I reached a full state of bliss that morning on the bike. I watched flamingos fly serenely over the lagoons, feeling immensely lucky to experience this silent moment alone in nature.

so interested and friendly, offering encouraging words and sweet treats. It’s a totally different experience than arriving by bus or plane; I feel so connected to the places I roll through.

Later that week, in Spain, as dusk settles from lavender to inky blue, I string my hammock between two trees. Moments after I’ve gobbled my jarred chickpea dinner, my eyelids feel heavy, and I lie back. Stars filter through the leaves as I’m slowly lulled to sleep. My last full day on the bike is done; tomorrow I’ll be home.

What a journey it’s been, I think, satisfied. I know this won’t be my last bike trip - it can’t be.

Chloe is an English writer and painter based in Portugal. She loves slow travel and the stories and connections it creates. When she’s not working, she enjoys finding secret and magical locations off the usual tourist trails.

Read more of her writing at chloegreenfield. wixsite.com/chloewrites and connect on Instagram @c_greenfield.

Later, leaning on my bike on the dock in Santo Antonio, I could see Spain! I could sense my destination, imagining already the flamenco-infused streets of Granada beckoning me home. I chatted with a Scottish couple on the ferry as we crossed the river border. I love that when you travel by bike, people are 123

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BY KRISTINA KASPARIAN 124

IMAGE: © KRISTINA KASPARIAN

T R AV E L M I N D F U L LY AND BE PRESENT WHEREVER I GO

IMAGE: © KRISTINA KASPARIAN

This summer, I booked my first trip overseas since the start of the pandemic. I chose an unobvious spot that wasn’t even on my radar last year: Calabria, an unsung coastal region on Italy's toe.

As I dusted off my passport and updated my bathing suit collection, I kept obsessing over one worry (and, surprisingly, it wasn’t related to nose swabs). What if this trip comes and goes without me fully living it? What if I’m so stuck in my own head (or on Instagram) that the whole trip seems like a blur once I’m back?

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IMAGE: © KRISTINA KASPARIAN

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calm mind is never a given, even on the most extraordinary trips. But lately, it has been all the more challenging to shed the pressure, quiet my thoughts, and pause my pursuit of progress. To take things as they come without being consumed with metrics and milestones is a constant exercise. As a restless go-getter with a chronic condition that can be disabling, I’ve learned that the most enviable vacations may actually be the least restorative, unless I am intentional with my choices; however small they may seem.

I picked a home base for the length of my stay with just the right balance between “not enough to do” and “too much to do”—I settled into an unhurried daily routine of town-beach-aperitivo-sunset-dinner. As I got to know Tropea’s lights and flavours, I checked in with myself regularly with a series of notes-to-self to ensure I was soaking it all in.

LIVE IT WITHOUT A LENS

I am a travel photographer, which basically means my camera is one of my organs. Long before our brains saw the world in squares and fifteen-second Reels, my practice of mindfulness was centred on my lens.

Photography has fueled my sense of observation and has taught me patience. My passion for the poetry of places is impossible to shut off. Thankfully, my love for photography exists independently of our social media culture. My phone doesn’t uplift me the way my camera does. The conditioned urgency of capturing, sharing, and yearning for validation takes the magic out of the moment.

On every trip, but especially this one, I grant myself some lens-free time. I leave my camera and phone behind for a few hours. I ask my travel companion to carry my phone, so I’ll think twice about asking them for it only to check it compulsively. I watch the sunset with my eyes. I eat my meal without photographing it first. I make a memory of the scene with my mind instead of a shutterpress. By leaving my lens behind, I stay in the moment without breaking the magic to create an artifact of it. And those fractions of time where I paused to feel, rather than to record, end up being the most vivid recollections of my trip.

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IMAGE: © KRISTINA KASPARIAN

DROP THE SHOULD HAVES

FLOOD THE SENSES

I wouldn’t say I’m an indecisive person, but I’m often quick with the retrospective “should have”s. Did I mess up? Should I have chosen differently? (Obviously, I’m talking about gelato flavours here). When I hit rock bottom with my health ten years ago and had to scour myself for every ounce of resilience, I got into the habit of paying attention to the words that escaped my mouth and how they impacted my life. On this trip, I caught my mouth uttering a ton of “should have”s until I consciously began recasting my sentences. Whatever the decision – be it trying or quitting, going or staying, swordfish, or shrimp, I’d remind myself that it was made, done. I was there, in the aftermath of my choice, with a self-imposed obligation to relish it as it was.

Mindfulness might be easy-ish to achieve on a yoga mat when we carve out a time and space to reconnect with calm, but I’m terrible at mindfulness on a yoga mat. Besides, I think the ultimate goal is to learn to practice mindfulness on the move and to stay wrapped in peace in the thick of the chaos. Mindfulness is easier for me to experience when I can flood my senses with sights, sounds, and scents that fill me with awe.

Fortunately, Calabria was a feast for the scenes with its intoxicating blue, fragrant bergamot, and fiery cuisine.

When my mind chattered over my heartbeat, I brought it back to my senses. Did I really taste the wine I just sipped? Did I feel that wave envelop my ankles? Am I attentive to the bits of dialogue around me? Did I notice the light play on the façades? When I anchor myself in my surroundings, the rest takes care of itself.

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IMAGE: © KRISTINA KASPARIAN

UNWIND…LITERALLY

I was in my thirties when I first learned that shoulders are not supposed to be attached to the ears. I have my physiotherapist and osteopath to thank for that, bless them! My posture is the consequence of decades of academic study and chronic pain. The flight or fight response that enables us to run from wolves has long been my baseline. Retraining the nervous system takes time. And just because I’m by the sea savouring a Spritz a day doesn’t mean I don’t feel tense. Travel can be quite stressful for a body, especially one that flares for no good reason. I remind myself to take stock of my tension. Is my jaw clenched? Are my fists balled up? Are my shoulders up to my ears? Mindfulness is a full-body sport.

tempted to clear the plates, but I sit and pay attention to the fullness of my belly. I’ve gotten my fill of the pool, but I take a minute to look at the water again before grabbing my towel. It’s a calming practice to stretch time and my presence within it.

STAY

Through tiny mindset pivots and a lot of selfcompassion, I’ve learned that the key to an invigorating trip is not how much we see, but how much we feel.

Mindfulness allows us to fully feel it all, long after we return home.

Restlessness rears its head if I don’t attempt to override it. Lately, I’ve gotten into the habit of staying. I’m visiting my parents, and I’m ready to leave, but I stay a few minutes longer. I’ve finished supper, and I’m

In Calabria, I dialled back my restlessness even further.

It wasn’t about conquering both coasts or crossing every idyllic village and beach off the list. I could have squeezed in an extra day trip, but I stayed on Tropea’s beach for the day – a beach I’d already done countless times. I gave myself the gift of time to swim, to rent a boat, to discover a grotto. I lingered. I chose play over progress. And it was the best day of the trip.

Kristina Kasparian is a travel photographer and writer based in Montreal, Canada.

She loves how places teach us about ourselves and how a heart can have many homes. She holds a Ph.D. in neurolinguistics and owns a travel art shop. Find her on Instagram @veni.etiam.photography and read more at kristinakasparian.com.

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ESSENTIALS

F O R T H E AC T I V E , C O N S C I O U S WA N D E R E R

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T H O U S A N D HELMETS Thousand’s mission is to empower people to safely get around on a bike, board, or scooter, travel more sustainably, and lead healthier lives.

“Before starting Thousand, I never wore a helmet, even though I was a longtime cyclist. They were too bulky, too inconvenient, and too futuristiclooking. But when I lost a friend to a fatal bike accident, I knew I had to change. Instead of settling for the 'sci-fi' looking helmets on the market, I got to work designing one,” says founder Gloria Hwang.

IMAGES: ©THOUSAND

We love the minimalist Heritage helmet collection. The dial fit system offers precise adjustments for a snug and secure fit, while seven air vents and three channels keep things cool. The eco-friendly microfibre straps are vegan, and the unique one-hand fastener is pinch-free. Plus, there’s a hidden channel to pop your U-Lock or chain lock through.

The company has also committed to offsetting 110% of its annual carbon emissions. And man, these helmets just look cool.

Shop explorethousand.com

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B O O O M E R S BIKES

Discover a comfortable, eco-friendly ride with these beautiful hand-crafted bikes from sustainable bamboo forests.

As a social enterprise based in Ghana, Booomers’ mission is to produce high-quality, affordable bamboo products with social and economic benefits; they employ over 50 young people and also provide an income to 200 farmers who cultivate bamboo.

The Yonso step-through city bike is designed to turn heads whether you’re darting through busy streets or cruising along the boardwalk. Lightweight and comfortable, it absorbs bumps for a smooth ride, and the 10-speed transmission takes hills in stride.

The Agona gravel bike is made to withstand rugged terrain with the comfort only a bamboo frame can offer since its natural fibres increase shock absorption. Maxxi tires provide the volume you need for comfort and the tread you need for speed and control, while the cableactuated hydraulic disc brakes offer more confidence on descents.

IMAGES: © BOOMERS

Shop booomers.com

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AV O C A D O G R E E N MATTRESS

Made in Los Angeles, the Avocado Mattress is GREENGUARD Gold Certified and made with natural and organic materials, including GOLS-certified organic latex rubber foam, sustainably sourced from their co-owned farmers' collectives. This eco-conscious material offers durability and temperature control far exceeding synthetic and petroleumbased polyurethane foams.

The luxurious, button-tufted mattress covers are made with 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton, one of the softest, most breathable and most comfortable fabrics available. It’s cool, wicks moisture and, better still, is more sustainable.

With a gentle yet firm feel, this non-toxic mattress sets the standard for affordable ecoluxury. At 11 inches thick, it delivers balanced firmness and comfort with proper support.

For a plusher feel, upgrade to an attached European-style pillow-top with an additional 2-inch layer of latex rubber foam, ideal for side and combination sleepers and those needing more pressure relief.

Shop avocadogreenmattress.com 133

KO O S H O O

IMAGES: © KOOSHOO

PLASTIC-FREE HAIR TIES

Do you ever think much about the plastic in hair elastics? We hadn’t – until we heard about KOOSHOO. Hair ties may be small, but consider how many there must be globally. With conscious consumerism and plastic pollution top of mind, we were delighted to meet a company trying to do better.

Owners Rachel and Jesse started KOOSHOO as one small change that could make a big difference; creating better products in a better way. Products that will last – but not in a landfill.

Their plastic-free, zero-waste, ethically made (in Japan), stylish hair ties are handcrafted from premium organic cotton and natural tree rubber and come in a range of shades (to match your hair colour or your mood).

They are strong, they last, and they are gentle on hair. These are the hair ties the world needs right now. Pick up their gorgeous scrunchies and headbands too.

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B I R C H O R G A N I C MATTRESS TOPPER

Made with natural and organic materials, including cotton, wool, and latex, this plush topper maximizes airflow for a cool night's sleep and offers comfort and pressure relief on the surface of any mattress.

Non-toxic, free from dangerous off-gassing, responsibly sourced, sustainably produced, and GOTS and GREENGUARD Gold Certified, this mattress topper boasts a full 2 inches of organic materials, including their proprietary Birch Wool, organic cotton, and highquality natural latex. No cutting corners here.

The mattress topper features a smooth, allergen-free, comfy and cooling quilted organic cotton cover for temperature regulation, with a subtle stretch and soft touch. It fits perfectly and stays in place.

As side sleepers who find mattresses put too much pressure on our shoulders, back and hips, this is the solution, and the perfect way to bring an older mattress back to life.

Shop birchliving.com

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OLA

CYCLE TOOTHBRUSHES

Founded by three young Canadian entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference for the planet, OLA Bamboo’s mission is to help reduce plastic waste by offering eco-friendly products that are both affordable and easy to use.

The latest addition to the OLA Bamboo family, this 100% Canadian red maple wood handled, biodegradable, compostable toothbrush is made in Quebec.

Better yet, the red maple wood comes from manufacturing scrap wood – guitars, to be exact, from a guitar factory near OLA Bamboo’s plant; a fantastic way to utilize pieces of wood that would have otherwise been lost. The circular economy at its best!

Lightweight, with soft nylon bristles and a compact head, every member of the family will enjoy brushing with these.

IMAGES: © OLA

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L O M I HOME COMPOSTER Lomi is the odour-free, mess-free solution for indoor composting. Not only is it helpful in keeping insects, rodents, and smells out of your home, but it is also one of the easiest things you can do for climate change.

Typically, food waste breaks down in landfills anaerobically and releases methane, a greenhouse gas with 80x the warming power of carbon dioxide. When a household runs all its food waste through Lomi, the methane that would have been produced in a landfill decreases to zero.

Designed to sit on a kitchen counter, Lomi is about the same size as a bread maker and is small enough to be stored in your cabinet. All kinds of waste can go into Lomi, including fruits and veggies, bread, table scraps, and even biodegradable packaging.

Lomi is a fun way to show kids that small daily habits can have an impact. Transform the way you do trash, and you’ll never want to go back.

Shop lomi.com 137

SILK & SNOW

IMAGES: © SILK & SNOW

LINENS

Experience an easy-breezy, comfortable sleep night after night with this gorgeous linen bedding made from 100% European flax.

Manufactured in the historical textile city of Guimarães in Portugal, these sheets are fabricated with centuries of expertise behind every stitch. The flax linen is sourced from fields in France and Belgium, not a petrochemical laboratory, so it’s naturally renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable. The thread is dyed at a textile processing facility dedicated to minimizing atmospheric emissions and wastewater discharges.

With a lightweight, unbelievably breathable feel, even on hot nights, this linen has moisture-wicking and anti-static properties. The duvet cover cleverly features corner ties to limit movement of the duvet inside, and because many people prefer to sleep without a top sheet, they offer it separately.

These are hands-down our favourite linens ever. The packaging is gorgeous and very giftable as well.

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W I L D C R A F T RESTORE FACE CREAM Based in Toronto, Wildcraft is an Indigenous-owned business creating fresh products with 100% natural ingredients and without harsh or chemical preservatives.

Formulated with a luscious blend of organic rosehip, calendula-infused sunflower, and geranium oils, their best-selling moisturizer provides a boost of skin-loving Vitamin A, youth-preserving essential fatty acids, and nourishing botanical extracts to naturally reduce the appearance of fine lines and provide skin with a delicious boost of hydration.

Best for dry and dehydrated or mature skin, they blend this buttery-soft formula by hand to ensure the perfect consistency every time. It’s super rich but glides on smooth and absorbs right in, and we swear our skin looks more radiant straight away.

IMAGE: © WILDCRAFT

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W I L D C R A F T CANDLES Meet Awaken, Focus and Unwind, all-natural candles crafted with a luxe blend of premium essential oils and coconut/soy wax for a slow, clean burn and a perfect aromatherapy experience to elevate your home. We adore the Lavender and Eucalyptus scent for slowing down in the evenings.

IMAGES: © WILDCRAFT

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J E T K I D S BY STOKKE BEDBOX

Turn your child’s plane, train, or ferry seat into a comfy bed with the world's only ride-on, carry-on and sleep-on suitcase.

Fun and functional with ample interior storage, Scandinavian design BedBox™ holds all your child’s must-haves. Once packed, let your little one ride it (or pull them) through the airport, train, or ferry terminal for stress-free transport.

Shock-absorbing front swivel wheels offer excellent manoeuvring while tired little feet can rest on the foot ledge. BedBox has carry-on dimensions and can be brought onboard as your child’s hand luggage.

It can be stowed under the seat in front or the overhead compartment.

Once the seat belt sign is off, BedBox transforms from a suitcase into a bed in five simple steps. The ride-on functionality is suitable for children 3-7 years, while the bed feature is suitable for children over two years. Universal and fits most standard economy seats.

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G E T F I R S T L O O K S AT T H E N E X T I S S U E !

S U B S C R I B E AT WA N D E R - M A G . C O M

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