THIS VALENTINE’S DAY: Travel-Inspired Gifts and Nearby Experiences
January 5th, 2022
This Valentine’s Day and beyond, all we need is love! For those who are looking for something a little extra special, our favorite travel-inspired gift options and nearby hotel experiences below are just the bow on top.
For Lovers of Craftsmanship:
The Fife Arms by an art world power duo, Iwan and Manuela Wirth, takes the ‘breakfast in bed’ gesture to the next level. For a thoughtful Scottish treat, Braemar Breakfast Small Gift Box contains a pair of the property’s famous egg scissors as well as two egg spoons carved from cow horn and a spurtle (traditional porridge-stirring implement) by McLean of Braemar, a local family-owned gift shop that was founded in 1968. Couples can also enjoy the artful property’s bone china jam dish, a caddy of Brodies 1867 Royal Scottish tea, tea towel featuring a Victorian illustration of the famous Gathering in Braemar, and a pot of Scottish heather honey. All is packed into a reusable gift box bearing the Fife Arms crest in gold. (£185)
While the online Shop offers myriad options for stylish design enthusiasts, another standout product is the new pewter and leather hip flask. The deep green bridle leather case with saddle stitch detail is hand crafted in Scotland by McRostie, a brand that has celebrated the finest British materials and provided exceptional leather craftsmanship since 1887. The case is embossed with The Fife Arms crest and motto – Ad Alta, ‘to the summit.’ (£165)
For Lovers of Art:
With 130 original pieces of colorful modern and pop art, White Elephant Palm Beach is a museum in its own right. New this season, guests can enjoy complimentary guided tours of the private collection that has been curated by the hotel’s owners as well as New York-based art consultant Emily Santangelo. The 30-minute experience is available at 10 a.m. on Saturdays. Guests will admire pieces by: a 10-year-old British artist who created 30 exclusive pieces for the powder rooms; Kenzo Okada, the first Japanese-American artist to receive international acclaim using abstract expressionist style; Yinka Shonibare who has recently unveiled a new public sculpture installation in West Palm Beach; and more.
For Lovers of Tablescapes:
Shou Sugi Ban House in the Hamptons, blending fitness programs and spa treatments with wabi-sabi design accommodations, expands its wellness philosophy to tablescaping through a line of signature ceramics made exclusively for the property by New York-based ceramicist Stephanie Charlene. The collection includes 4.75” and 6” bowls, a 6.75” side plate, and a 10.5” dinner plate, all made from a groggy white stoneware and finished with a sandy white glaze. Prices start at $40 and gifts are available to purchase online at www.ssbhouse.myshopify.com or at the onsite shop in Water Mill, New York.
Now that we have put away our festive season table linens, a classic option is from Gayle Warwick’s Whitework collection in white, silver and gold. (£120). London-based designer has worked with the same embroiderers for two decades to create each and every piece.
For Lovers of Ocean Safari:
Todos Santos, 45 miles up the coast from Cabo San Lucas, is a year-round haven for surfers and outdoor enthusiasts. Winter, when temperatures are still around mid-60s, is the best time for whale watching, as Gray Whales arrive in January. The 60,000-pound mammals migrate 5,000 miles from the cold waters of Alaska’s Bering Sea to Baja Peninsula to give birth, the longest known mammal migration in the world. In Todos Santos it is common to see them perform an acrobatic jump or come straight out of the water like a periscope of a submarine. The 35-suite, experience-focused Paradero Todos Santos can arrange daily ocean safaris for up-close encounters. The property is an 80% landscape/20% construction project, situated by the Le Mesa farming community with more than a dozen family-owned farms. We recommend a rooftop suite, where a suspended ‘star net’ offers high-altitude views of the surrounding topography.
For Lovers of Fishing:
Located along the pristine, crescent-shaped Maundays Bay, Cap Juluca, a Belmond hotel in Anguilla, is a sanctuary for total escapism. Every room is beachfront, giving guests their very own slice of Caribbean Sea. A new experience for this winter season honors the island’s reverence of the sea. Guests can join third-generation Anguillan fisherman Shawn Romney to learn about the importance fishing for the local community. Using a traditional yo-yo reel, head over to the eastern point of Maundays Bay, a favorite local fishing spot for decades, and cast a line searching for a yellowtail snapper, blue runner, or parrotfish before taking the fresh catch back to the new Peruvian restaurant, UCHU, for a private ceviche lunch. The two-hour fishing experience is offered complimentary for up to four guests at a time, excluding the ceviche lunch.
For Lovers of History:
Did you know that according to the latest census, more than 31.5 million U.S. residents have claimed Irish ancestry? Fun fact: 23 U.S. presidents, including Joe Biden, are among this long list. The 16th-century Dromoland Castle, located in the countryside of County Clare in western Ireland, helps previous and future guests with the love and curiosity for family history. This Valentine’s Day, couples interested in tracing their Irish roots can start with the property’s genealogy package. After filling out family history details, the in-house genealogist, Lorna Maloney, hosts a private 45-minute Zoom call before preparing and presenting the full results.
For Lovers of Music:
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer (2001) and the hotelier behind GoldenEye in Jamaica that has inspired the creation of James Bond, Chris Blackwell has recently launched Blackwell Rum Truffles. Created in partnership with Charbonnel et Walker, a London chocolatier established in 1875, each truffle has a velvety golden rum-filled center, wrapped with rich and silky dark chocolate, and topped with vermicelli chocolate sprinkles. Available to order on BlackwellRum.com and CharbonnelChocolates.com, each package of nine truffles is $28. An extra special treat can be found right under the box lid: an exclusive playlist, accessible via a QR code, that is curated by Chris Blackwell himself.
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