All the trends point to people wanting to get more out of their travels. Living under the shadow of the coronavirus for more than 712 days (but who is counting?) has left us all hungering for taking more than memories from a vacation. Like maybe an understanding of what an NFT is and why you should care, or perfecting their own salsa recipe.
Erik Warner, hotelier and principal of Eagle Point Hotel Partners, the host of the NFT weekend at the Sound View Hotel in Greenport, N.Y. says they hope to provide communities where they have properties a stream of shared experiences rooted in culture and creativity. “This upcoming weekend is not only about NFT education, but a time to create meaningful connections and memories alongside a diverse group of people who each bring special skills, stories and perspectives to the conversation,” he says. Here are a few properties looking to enhance guests’ connections to culture and community.
Learn about NFTs, Sound View Hotel, Greenport, NY
While you can’t swing a smartphone without hitting a dozen stories about non-fungible tokens, most people still can’t explain exactly what they are. Get some clarity at the Sound View Hotel’s NF NFT Weekend, March 25-27, where accomplished editors and artists like Brendan Fernandes and eco-sustainable movement gurus like TARFORM Founder & CEO, Taras Kravtchouk will try to explain everything. Yes, there will be panels, promising tangible examples and expert opinions, to encourage open exchange and education on the meta verse and NFTs. But there will also be hands-on workshops to get you out of your head, including a Polar Bear plunge, cocktail-making class, art and poetry sessions.
Wield a molcajete to make salsa, Velas Resorts in Mexico
Velas Resorts have long focused on exposing guests to Mexican traditions, and a new workshop promises to work your biceps while making you a salsa master. At the resort collection’s properties in Los Cabos, Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit, guests can learn about different salsas and use a molcajete—a Mexican mortar and pestle made from volcanic rock— to create them. The hard, rough surface of the ancient cooking tool ensures users get the strongest flavors out of spices and ingredients being prepared. Or go for something more delicate at the company’s Casa Velas, a boutique hotel for adults only in Puerto Vallarta, which has introduced a workshop for guests to create abanicos — traditional hand fans made from paper, fabric, or lace.
Become a bird-watcher at Mohonk Mountain House
Birding is one activity that is pandemic-proof —learn the basics at the a Birding & Spring Nature Weekend from May 13-15 at Mohonk Mountain House in New York. The weekend will have environmental educators for hikes, bird walks, workshops and an exploration of the natural world as it awakens on the resort’s mountaintop. The event will be led by environmental scientist Kurt Weiskotten, certified wildlife biologist Mike Losito, entomologist Wayne Gall, former audio curator Greg Budney and associate professor Heather Huson as they take guests through a series of bird watching and nature activities including bird walks, a snake showcase, nature sketching session and more.
Pick up self-care strategies at Miraval Austin
Miraval’s What We’re Reading Series offers the opportunity for guests to meet the resort’s favorite writers, through book signings and author-led workshops. This June, the resort will host an author immersion with board-certified psychiatrist and mental health writer Dr. Gregory Scott Brown to discuss his new book, “The Self-Healing Mind,” helping guests to gain a deeper understanding of what impacts mental health. Dr. Gregory Scott Brown will share an accessible and holistic approach to self-care and tools for improving wellbeing through exclusive lectures.
Explore Thailand's vibrant culinary culture, Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort
Immerse yourself in the food of Thailand with Anantara’s Spice Spoons program. Head off with the chef bright and early, visiting the local market to buy fresh produce, stopping for a coffee with the locals, and visiting a farm to enjoy a gourmet breakfast picnic. Bring your bounty back to the resort, stopping at the herb and vegetable garden to pick a few more things, then learn to make your selected dishes the kitchen classroom with step-by-step instructions. Finally enjoy your creations for lunch.
Peek behind the scenes at cowboy boot design, Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek
On the heels (pun intended) of a number of collaborations between the hotel and Miron Crosby, a female-led cowboy boot brand founded by Lizzie Means Duplantis and Sarah Means, Rosewood Mansion is hosting a Boot Making Masterclass March 24, 2022. Following Miron Crosby’s recent unveiling of The Mansion Boot - a striking limited-edition cowboy boot crafted in celebration of The Mansion’s 40th anniversary in 2020 – the Dallas duo will return to the source of their design inspiration, to teach guests’ the secrets and skills of contemporary cowboy boot making.
Aromatherapy for kids, Grand Velas Los Cabos
Create child-friendly essences that can be combined and used for a wide array of purposes at this Healthy Kids Aromatherapy Workshop. Combinations can be crafted to help children to relax at bedtime, as well as many other beneficial functions to help children go about their daily lives. This workshop is part of the property’s ‘Spa Atelier’ concept, which complements the treatments and philosophy of the spa with educational workshops for guests, inspired by local Mexican culture and based upon the principles of ancient Ayurvedic medicine.
