After spending two busy days on The French Riviera, we were very grateful to have our first sea day on this cruise. I learned last year that a sea day is when I will actually (wait for it…) relax, something I’m not spotted doing often. We treated ourselves to a Rockstar Suite which gave us […]
Vacation in The Med – Part III: The Balearic Islands Read More »
After spending three incredible days in Barcelona, we were giddy with excitement to get on board The Scarlet Lady for our second cruise with Virgin Voyages. As I write this, I can’t help but laugh to myself. Prior to starting my business, I was someone who’d always thought that cruises were “not for me.” This
Vacation in The Med – Part II: The French Riviera Read More »
If you’re curious how the owner of a luxury travel agency spent their summer vacation, you are in the right place. Most of the travel I’ve done since opening White Lotus Travel Design has been work-centric, which has been a great mix of immersing myself in new destinations (online research can only take you so
Vacation in The Med – Part I: Barcelona Read More »
Key Takeaways (Quick Answer) Note: Photos throughout provided by Helena Carey Young and Mike Young Earlier this year, I received a request from a couple that needed help planning and booking their Honeymoon to Portugal. Since opening White Lotus Travel Design, I’ve met with Honeymooners looking to escape to a wide variety of destinations, including
A Honeymoon in Portugal in 2026: Lisbon, the Algarve & Beyond Read More »
If eating homemade pasta and fresh local ingredients is of interest to you, keep reading. Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to attend “Autumn in Piemonte,” an event held here in NYC highlighting the exquisite cuisine offered in Italy’s Piemonte region (“Piedmont” in English). The event was held at De Gustibus Cooking School, which is
A Visit to Piemonte Read More »
If you are here looking for Paris sightseeing suggestions, I am afraid you are going to be disappointed. There are no photos of the spectacular view from Sacre Coeur in Montmartre, no tales from Paris’s underground catacombs, and no deep dive into the incredible museums that populate the city. Le sigh. Rather than take you
Eating Your Way Through Paris Read More »
Back in 2019, I was at Barnes & Noble tutoring an Italian student who I used to meet with weekly (fun fact: I speak and briefly taught Italian both privately and at a language school here in New York). My client was a busy and successful businessman, and one of our favorite topics of conversation
Discover Europe’s Gems on a Luxury River Cruise Read More »
Okay, truth time. When I opened White Lotus Travel Design, I had never been on a cruise. Not only had I never been on a cruise, I also had little to no interest in going on a cruise. Growing up as a kid in the 80s, my only points of reference for cruising came from
From Cruising Virgin to Cruising Virgin (Virgin Voyages, That is) Read More »
The day after the conference, which was also the last day of my trip, I had the opportunity to visit the stunning island of Ischia, a destination I’ve been dreaming of visiting ever since I first heard the name. When I first saw the film The Talented Mr. Ripley, I became immediately obsessed with the Italian
A WEEK IN ITALY – Part III: Ischia Read More »
After breakfast, I made my way to Napoli Centrale to board my train to Rome. I hadn’t been to Rome in almost nine years, and I knew that I couldn’t be a one-hour train ride away from The Eternal City and not have a carbonara in the motherland. Since this was a business trip, I
A WEEK IN ITALY – Part II: Rome Read More »
