Maven Curated Journeys

Maven Curated Journeys Luxury travel, designed with ease and intention. Bespoke journeys centered on meaningful connection and a sommelier’s appreciation for food and wine.

Luxury is the freedom to be fully present. Begin with a complimentary design consultation ↓

There’s something that happens when a trip gets close enough to feel real.Not the planning phase — that’s its own kind o...
04/11/2026

There’s something that happens when a trip gets close enough to feel real.

Not the planning phase — that’s its own kind of energy. I mean the moment when it shifts from “something I’m looking forward to” to “something that’s actually happening.” For me, that’s usually about two to three weeks out.

Little Palm Island is 17 days away. And I’ve noticed this week that I’m a little more patient, a little easier to be around 😀.

It turns out there’s research behind this. A 2010 study in Applied Research in Quality of Life found that the anticipation phase — the weeks before a trip — often produces a greater happiness boost than the trip itself. The effect starts well before you ever pack a bag.

I think about this when people tell me they’ll plan “when things slow down.” The trip on the calendar isn’t a reward for getting through the hard stretch. It might actually be part of what gets you through it.

Where are you headed next?

Friday Harbor, San Juan Island.We stepped off the ferry and went straight to a waterfront table. Clam chowder, a blacken...
04/02/2026

Friday Harbor, San Juan Island.

We stepped off the ferry and went straight to a waterfront table. Clam chowder, a blackened snapper sandwich, a glass of sauvignon blanc — and a front-row seat to watch the ferries come and go.

We sat there for over an hour. Not because we were waiting for anything. Because there was nothing to rush toward.

That's when I knew this island was going to be worth coming back to.

Healdsburg in late winter, when the mustard is blooming. The vineyards look dormant from a distance, but up close, the r...
03/20/2026

Healdsburg in late winter, when the mustard is blooming. 

The vineyards look dormant from a distance, but up close, the rows are lined with bright yellow flowers that stretch for acres.

The town is quieter than summer — restaurants are easier, the pace is slower, and evenings by the fire feel earned. 

Some places are best when they’re not trying to impress anyone.

curatedtravel

Most people spend 90% of their planning energy on where to go — and almost none on the decisions that actually determine...
03/17/2026

Most people spend 90% of their planning energy on where to go — and almost none on the decisions that actually determine how the trip feels. Here are five that matter more than destination alone. Which one do you tend to overlook? (Save this for your next trip.)

Rocco Forte Hotels Gifted Travel Network

One of my favorite things about returning to a place you love is noticing what’s different — and what isn’t. The first ...
03/11/2026

One of my favorite things about returning to a place you love is noticing what’s different — and what isn’t. The first time we walked through Parione neighborhood in Rome a few streets off of Piazza Navona, we were lost within ten minutes.

Now, years later, I still can’t draw you a reliable map (I don’t think there *are* reliable maps of Rome). But I know where to find the trattoria that serves the best Spaghetti alla Gricia in Rome, and which alley to turn down when the crowds start to build.

Familiarity doesn’t make a place less interesting. It just changes what you notice. What’s a place you’ve returned to that keeps surprising you?

The difference between a good trip and a great one often comes down to pace.Not how much you see —but how quickly you’re...
01/22/2026

The difference between a good trip and a great one often comes down to pace.

Not how much you see —
but how quickly you’re asked to move through it.

Thoughtful travel design isn’t about doing less.
It’s about knowing when to slow the tempo so a place can actually be felt.

This week’s newsletter explores why pacing matters more than people realize.

If this way of thinking about travel resonates, you can subscribe to the newsletter via the link in bio.

“When’s the best time to visit?”It’s an understandable question. People want certainty.But “best” only exists in relatio...
01/14/2026

“When’s the best time to visit?”

It’s an understandable question. People want certainty.

But “best” only exists in relation to what you want the trip to feel like.

The same place can feel calm or crowded, restorative or rushed — depending entirely on timing, expectations, and pace.

A better question to ask: What do I want my days to feel like right now?

Winter travel isn’t one thing.It can be quiet and green, with mustard blooming between the vines.It can be electric — sn...
01/05/2026

Winter travel isn’t one thing.

It can be quiet and green, with mustard blooming between the vines.

It can be electric — snow falling fast between city lights.

Or it can be slow and still, where the road itself sets the pace.

The mistake most people make isn’t choosing the wrong destination —
it’s choosing without first deciding what they want the trip to feel like.

This week’s newsletter explores how choosing the right kind of place — especially in winter — shapes everything that follows.

What do you want winter to feel like?

We’re not big souvenir people.But every year, as we decorate the tree, these come out — one ornament for each place we’v...
12/24/2025

We’re not big souvenir people.

But every year, as we decorate the tree, these come out — one ornament for each place we’ve traveled.

Some mark milestones. Some remind us of first trips. Some capture passions that shaped how we travel — and how we experience the world together.

It’s a quiet tradition, but one that brings us so much joy each holiday season, reliving memories from places near and far.

Wishing you a season filled with meaning, memories, and moments worth revisiting. ✨🎄

Do you have a small tradition or keepsake that brings your travels back to you each year?






The Maldives was the final stop on a long journey, and it felt like the right place to slow everything down.What stayed ...
12/18/2025

The Maldives was the final stop on a long journey, and it felt like the right place to slow everything down.

What stayed with me most wasn’t just the color of the water (which really is that blue), but the quiet rhythm of the days — mornings with coffee overlooking the lagoon, long stretches of reading and swimming, thoughtful design that blends into the landscape rather than competing with it.

We spent our time mostly doing very little, which after weeks of travel felt like exactly enough.

It was a beautiful way to close out the trip before heading home — rested, grateful, and already thinking about how experiences like this can fit thoughtfully into future journeys.








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