Tune in to Travel
Wanderlust Issue V - April 24, 2020
Now boarding first class to the destination of your dreams. Your captain today is Camelback Odyssey Travel, it is our pleasure to welcome you onboard Wanderlust With Us Issue V, with service to your living room. Thank you for your attention while important travel information has been curated just for you. There are no exits on this flight so please be seated and fasten your seat belts - your trip inspiration is ready for departure!
What We're Watching....
This light hearted comedy features four couples as they travel to Bora Bora for a couples retreat to work on their marriages. While this movie may not be award winning, we are including this in our suggestion as it was filmed at the luxurious St. Regis Bora Bora. The shots of the resort are stunning and we hope you enjoy a few laughs along the way!
The sequel to the 2008 film based on the popular HBO series finds Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte joining Samantha for the trip of a lifetime to Abu Dhabi. A fun fact about this movie is that it was not filmed in Abu Dhabi, it was actually filmed in Marrakesh, Morocco at one of our favorite properties; the stunning Amanjena.
The first film to kick off the popular Bourne films stars Matt Damon as Jason Bourne, a CIA assassin who awakens with no memory but a license to kill. Follow Jason Bourne in this action packed thriller as he races to unlock the secret of his own identity, including a stop at the Hotel Regina Louvre to trace his alter ego.
Admittedly, not the best James Bond movie, however the first third of A View to a Kill features our absolute favorite layover hotel in Paris, maybe the world. Have an early flight? Get in late? Auberge Jeu de Paume is still an operating equestrian property. Forget the airport hotel and enjoy this magnificent experience. Plus, the movie features the Eiffel Tower’s Jules Verne restaurant, Paris, and San Francisco. All James Bond films are free for streaming on Amazon Prime.
London's Calling
Riing! Riing! Someone is on the line for you and it’s... London Calling! Our Spotify playlist this week will take you on a cabbie ride through the streets of London Town (without the pesky traffic, of course). Whip up some fish and chips, paired with a pint from your local pub, and enjoy these iconic songs songs showcasing one of the world’s most powerful cities.
London Calling – The Clash
Hometown Glory – Adele
Waterloo Sunset – The Kinks
London’s Brilliant Parade – Elvis Costello
Baker Street – Gerry Rafferty
West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys
Werewolves of London – Warren Zevon
London Town – Paul McCartney and Wings
We are London – Madness
Talk of the Town – Pretenders
Up the Junction - Squeeze
A Foggy Day (In London Town) – Michael Bublé
Streets of London – Ralph McTell
For Tomorrow - Blur
A Rainy Night In Soho - The Pogues
The Fool on the Hill – The Beatles
Come Together – The Beatles
Off the Shelf
The Cartel by Don Winslow
This gritty and violent page-turner is a fictionalized account of an El Chapo-like cartel kingpin, though loosely based on real events. Mexico City’s Las Alcobas is prominently featured throughout the book. When Shelby ran into the owner of the hotel shortly after the book premiered, she asked him if he was aware the hotel was in the book. He wasn't, but strangely one of his valets came to him, swearing he’d handed a set of car keys to him just days before. Twelve days after this conversation it was discovered El Chapo had escaped from a tunnel from prison.
Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of the Mona Lisa by R.A. Scotti
You’ll never look at the Mona Lisa the same again. In 1911, the unfathomable happened and officials at the Louvre realized she had been gone more than 24-hours. The main suspect was equally as shocking as the crime – a young provocateur of a new art named Pablo Picasso. For more than two years this haunted the art world, until she was returned, or so they think. Well researched non-fiction that reads like a novel.
The Uncertain Hour: A Novel by Jesse Browner
Based on well documented archives, if you’ve ever visited Italy and walked through ruins wondering what it was like to live during the height of the Roman Empire, you’ll love this novel. Spend the last 24-hours of life with Titus Petronius as he chooses to throw the party of a lifetime pending his certain doom having been falsely accused of trying to assassinate emperor Nero. While you can’t stay at Titus' villa on the Tyrrhenian Coast, you can stay at the seaside villa of John Paul Getty, La Posta Vecchia, a great reprieve from Rome or layover at FCO.
Hughes: The Private Diaries, Memos and Letters by Richard Hack
Considered to be the definitive biography of Howard Hughes, you can check into hotels he called home such as the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Desert Inn in Las Vegas (now the Wynn) among many other hotels from Acapulco to Nicaragua. If Hughes could not extend his stay or get what he wanted, he just bought the hotel. That’s one way to ensure an upgrade.
Buon Appetito!
Making pasta from scratch sounds like it could take a lot of time, ingredients, and skill. We thought this, too, until we came across this delicious dish from our friends at the Hotel Savoy Florence. This easy to follow recipe will have you becoming an Italian Master Chef in no time! Pair this Tortelli with Ricotta and Wild Asparagus with your favorite glass of wine and a biscotti for dessert and you will be transported to the beautiful heart of Tuscany. Mangia!
We want to hear from you! If you created one of our recommended recipes, snap a picture and send it to us. We love seeing what you are whipping up in the kitchen!
Tortelli with Ricotta and Wild Asparagus from our partners at Hotel Savoy Florence
Ingredients (for dough):
450g all purpose flour
50g semolina flour
5 egg yolks
3 whole eggs
Preparation:
Knead all the ingredients together until a smooth dough is obtained. Wrap the dough in plastic and leave it for half an hour.
Create the stuffing, then return to this point. Once you have the stuffing, roll the dough out very thinly. Cut little circles of pasta out, around 10-12cm in diameter.
With a teaspoon or pastry bag, place delicate ricotta balls in the centre of the circles, closing them immediately to form a half-moon shape as you go.
Ingredients (for stuffing):
300g fresh sheep ricotta
2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Basil
Mint
Preparation:
Place the ricotta in a bowl, add basil and a few chopped mint leaves. Mix everything well with a little salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil.
Ingredients (for the butter and asparagus sauce):
1kg asparagus
80g butter
1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Lemon
Honey
Preparation:
Remove the woody part of the asparagus stalks (the white end). Put the florets (4/5 cm) aside. Cut the remaining part of the stem into small round slices.
Boil the slices for one minute, change the water and boil them for another minute, change the water for fresh water again and cook until soft. Then drain the asparagus. (Note: We use this procedure to remove slight bitterness in wild asparagus).
Season the asparagus florets with oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and a drop of honey.
Take a small steel saucepan with a rounded edge and boil a small amount of water.
With a fork, skewer a piece of cold butter and, keeping the heat at medium, begin turning it over in the hot water. Add more cold butter in small pieces until the desired density is reached.
Season with salt, add the boiled asparagus slices and keep this in a warm place.
Plating:
Cook the ravioli until tender and drain them onto a plate, leaving a small amount of water so that they do not stick together.
Arrange the ravioli on the plate and drizzle with the previously whipped asparagus butter.
Garnish with grated fresh pecorino cheese, pepper and complete by placing the tops of asparagus in an aesthetically pleasing manner on top.
Serenity Now!
While so many of us are finding extra time on our hands sheltering at home, now is the perfect chance to dive back into self-care. A great way to relieve tension and stress is with a detoxifying bath soak. From our partners at Belmond Cap Juluca’s Arawak Spa, we are excited to share this easy recipe and hope it transports you to the Caribbean island of Anguilla as you unwind in tranquility.
Customize the essential oil you use to truly give your body what it needs:
Invigorate: Peppermint or citrus oil
Calm: Chamomile or green tea
Detoxify: Rosemary, anise or ginger oil
Ingredients:
½ cup salts (Epsom, pink Himalayan or sea salt)
1 cup baking soda
5-10 drops of essential oil
Loose tea leaves
Method:
In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients. If using tea leaves, crush or grind to release the natural oils. Run a nice hot bath and add 3 tbsp of the mixture to the water. Bathe in the soak for 15 minutes and enjoy this moment of total tranquility.
Behind The Scenes at Camelback Travel with Brittany Taylor
Our advisor Brittany T. loves diverse cultures and adventure, so when she got the opportunity to travel to Kenya last October with Abercrombie & Kent she was overjoyed. What made the trip even more special was her sister joining her for their first time in Africa and 31st country visited together. Brittany arrived in Nairobi and stayed at the beautiful Hemingway’s Nairobi for her first night, before moving down to Amboseli National Park to take in the stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro while embarking on her first game drive.
After feeling like nothing could be more impressive and flying north to stay at the incredible Loisaba Tented Camp; there she was greeted with resident Kudu, bush breakfasts and the most exhilarating leopard chase ever. Loisaba Conservancy is a stunning conservation area with one of the few chances in Kenya to sleep under the stars at Loisaba Star Beds. Brittany’s Tip: If you visit any of Loisaba Conservancy’s three camps request Samuel Lengalai, or “Brown” to be your guide, he’s incredible and has been featured in articles from AFAR magazine amongst others!
From northern Kenya to the Masai Mara, it only got better the further she traveled. The breathtaking sundowners accompanied by the Maasai Tribe and the recently renovated accommodations at Sanctuary Olonana, only made the experience more wonderful. She had the chance to visit the beautiful &Beyond Bateleur Camp (with its own resident warthogs) and the stunning Angama Mara which stood out amongst the rest. This property is home to scenes filmed in Out of Africa and offers great options like photography workshops, hospital/school visits, bead working with the locals, its own local farm and airstrip. After the safari, Brittany spent a few days in Diani Beach on Kenya’s coast, one of the most beautiful, underrated beaches. Brittany’s Tip: Diani Beach has a 180,000-year-old coral reef limestone cave that has been converted into Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant offering the most unique dining experience in the region.
