You’ll notice a theme this week, where it’s all about the best. That’s because I’ve taken creative liberties since today is my birthday. As I’ve gotten older, my ideas of what’s important when I travel have evolved, but my gratitude for every person and every place remains the same. So this Weekly is about a few of my favorite things I’ve been lucky to experience around the world. From Amans, lobster and caviar recipes, and red wines, to one of my favorite new hotels, I hope some of these inspire to be your favorites too.
More Birthdays than I’ll Admit
It’s officially taken me more turns around the sun than I’ll admit to lean into celebrating my birthday. Now though, I’ve gone from refusing to acknowledge my birthday to celebrating for a few weeks. I guess birthdays are easy when you’re grateful for where life is at. As I write this, my birthday festivities kicked off in Italy at the Palazzo Fiuggi, a wellness center outside of Rome. So while usually in Rome I’m on a 1,200-calorie-a-meal diet of pasta and Brunello, my total calories are 1,200 a day on my program. But I’ll write more about the experience at the Palazzo next month in our wellness issue, as it’s not the point of my letter.
I’ve learned a few important things this week that will extend beyond the borders of the Fiuggi compound. The first is you don’t have to hard-charge on a wellness routine. In fact, sometimes a gentler approach is equally as effective. If you have the right information, you can work smarter, not necessarily harder. In other words, we can be kind to ourselves, without taking the foot off the gas.
Secondly, laughter goes a long way on the road to wellness. We can be in top physical shape, but it’s our headspace that also drives our health. On this trip, I met new friends, which I tend to do when I travel. We spent much of this week laughing and exchanging stories about nothing and everything. It’s exactly the kind of happiness and the beginnings of friendship that makes travel so worthwhile. Thank you Tara and Barry for the beautiful energy.
Life is Beautiful
So, back to my birthday. After a week of wellness, I had some time to reflect that the last time I felt this good was when I was 25. I distinctly remember talking with my friends Sharmila and Jessica about how we were at the pinnacle of our lives. I semi-joked that we were attractive to everyone from the ages of 12 to 75, and it would never get better.
Now looking back, I have to laugh at how wonderfully young and foolish I was. There was much life to come, and I am so happy I didn’t peak when I was 25. I’ve traveled the world in ways I never dreamed I could. I’ve built a company that combines all my passions and is about to take me on a new adventure with our travel show.
It’s also hard to appreciate life if all you had was easy street, and I’ve been certainly kicked around. At one point or another, I could have been complete road kill. But that’s not how I roll, and it’s the years of experience that have brought me to this birthday and one where I am grateful for it all. And unlike my wise thoughts at 25, if I have my way, I know the best is yet to come.
Wishing you the best of the holidays and all the best that’s yet to come.
Christine Drinan, Founder
Other Articles You’ll Like
The Travel Diaries
Thanks Mom
6 Best Amans in the World
The Tastemaker’s Favorite Red Wines
