Below:

• Adventures in Luxury Travel Podcast is back!
• This week's highlight - creative cocktails at Paradiso in Barcelona
• Where to Next? Hotel Alma, Barcelona
• Q&A - I've been trying to get my kids appointments for Global Entry interviews and the first appointments showing are in in late May. Are there any shortcuts you know of?
• Travel Updates
• P.S. Favorite Articles

I am so excited to announce that season 2 of Adventures in Luxury Travel is out! This morning episode 1 of season 2 was published. I plan to record them every other week as my travel schedule allows. 

For season 2 we will continue to focus on places we love, intriguing people and exclusive and active experiences. However this season we will more regularly be highlighting a favorite hotel instead of a whole country, allowing us to dive in a little deeper to what makes a property special and sharing some of the delightful aspects that will inspire you to want to visit. And you will notice each episode will share an exclusive bonus only for listeners of my podcast. 

You can find it on Apple podcasts here. 

If you'd like the watch the video or read the show notes, see here. 

More details...

Have you ever actually heard the sound of silence? If you go to Sheldon Chalet, you will. 

I love remote places in spectacular destinations and Sheldon Chalet is both.  At 5800 feet of elevation, 10 miles from the summit, sits Sheldon Chalet. The rare location is matched by the unique story of how this little chalet came to be. 

In the last 50 years since it’s been built, three generations of the Sheldon family have cared for this special place with love and they generously share it with the fortunate guests who come to stay. One guest described it as “an exponential avalanche of WOW!”

It is an absolute bucket list destination for seeing the northern lights, and for so many other adventures. 

Read more about the activities, logistics and what it's like to experience it here.

* Your exclusive gift when booked through Truvay Travel – one night pre/post stay at their beautiful 3 bedroom historic home in downtown Talkeetna. Making your logistics to get there that much easier!

PARADISO

In the back of an unassuming pastrami shop in the trendy El Born neighborhood is a speakeasy. 

Walk in the front door, bypass the Pastrami Bar and

walk through the white fridge door to enter Paradiso. 

You are now inside a dark, casual but elegant speakeasy. Voted the #1 bar in the world

(climbing from #3 last year).

Cocktails with names like Cleopatra, the Great Gatsby, Top Gun and the Cloud.

The Mediterranean Treasure is a drink in a natural seashell nestled in a treasure chest. 

When opened, it releases a puff of smoked Mediterranean herbs. 

The Cloud is a very uniquely presented experience to have before you drink the cocktail. See a short video of it here.

Inside there’s a speakeasy within the speakeasy.

Creativity on overdrive. 

It's innovative and edgy. The perfect place for 20-somethings or...

If you are in town with your college-aged kids. 

Note: if you go during prime time on a Saturday night you may find a 2 hour line ahead of you. 

Take it as a great opportunity to connect with your kids. 

📷 Condé Nast Travel

📷 Alma Barcelona 

🌟Our clients are traveling to Barcelona soon. They will be visiting Gaudi’s famous sites, enjoying tapas, exploring art galleries and staying at the beautiful Alma Barcelona.  

Why is the Alma Barcelona so special?

• Centrally located, 5-star hotel just off Barcelona’s Passieg de Grácia 
• It houses one of the few remaining green garden spaces within a downtown building 
• Their garden courtyard bar on the ground floor, surrounded by hanging lights and lush greens, is considered one of Barcelona’s best hidden bars in the city 
• Seamlessly blends classic elegance with modern décor and technology
• Rooftop terrace with 360° views of the city, live music and signature cocktails named after Barcelona neighborhoods

Do as much or as little as you like:

• The hotel spa features an indoor pool, steam room, sauna and two massage rooms
• Summer programming schedule includes live music, book readings and lecture series 
• Every room includes a yoga mat, which can be used for rooftop activities throughout the year
• Take a walk outside down Passieg de Grácia, a beautiful street full of Catalan Modernist architecture including two of Gaudi’s most famous - Pedrera and Case Batlló.

‼️ Don’t miss… book the Chef’s Table tasting menu and watch Chef Gio and his team at work creating delectable tapas while you enjoy the paired Spanish wines

QUESTION

I've been trying to get my kids appointments for Global Entry interviews and the first appointments showing are in in late May. Are there any shortcuts you know of?

ANSWER

I've been there too. My kids were stuck in Global Entry purgatory during the pandemic. At the time I didn't know about this service. 

It's always nice to know a piece of information that is so simple and yet so useful. One of my colleagues told me about this article...

Stuck in Global Entry 'renewal purgatory'? This $15 service can help you skip the line, TPG 

It was written 2 years ago, but I shared it with my client anyway. This week she sent me a note... 

The global entry scanning service worked SO well! I've been able to get both of my kids appointments in Boston in the next 2 weeks because of the scanner (when initially the appointments coming up were in CT and in late May). Thanks for the recommendation!

INTERESTING ARTICLES

Goodbye Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Hello, Luxury Bus?, NYT

One Thing Americans Can Agree On? Pickleball, WSJ 

A Road Trip in Spain—for Lovers of Art and Jamón, WSJ

Restaurant Reservations Are So Hot, Some Places Have a 1,000-Person Waiting List, WSJ 

Airlines Cash In as Flexible Work Changes Travel Patterns, WSJ

Using the wrong ATM in Europe could cost you hundreds of dollars, Washington Post 

Morocco is a Perfect Family Adventure - With Desert Camps, Motorcycle Rides, and Camel Rides, Travel and Leisure 

12 Amazing Resort Experiences Worth the Splurge - Ready to Fly?,

Luxury Travel Magazine

(I like almost all of these suggestions)

(If you aren't able to access an NYT, WSJ, Washington Post or Outside Magazine article, send me a note and I'll send it to you in a PDF.)

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