Around the World... From Home

Make use of those 2020 calendars with a daily schedule of armchair experiences for every kind of traveler. Chefs can expand their cookbooks with a Brazilian recipe, animal lovers can spot giraffes in Kruger National Park and couples can enjoy a romantic wine tasting for two in Napa Valley.

For the Artists…

Get ready for the holiday weekend with celebrity florist Simon Lycett, whose clients include Elton John, The Royal Family and the National Gallery. Simon will be hosting an Easter-themed, family-friendly workshop on Belmond’s IGTV on Friday, April 10. The interactive masterclass will be geared toward the whole family, with special attention to the little ones, as they’ll craft a centerpiece for a festive dining table along with an egg painting class and other tips and tricks. Ahead of the class, Simon encourages families to collect items from their daily walks or from their gardens (such as moss, flowers and eggs, among other things) to incorporate into the Easter masterpieces. Belmond has launched a series of live programs featuring notable experts specializing in cultural activities, including meditation, floristry, cookery and poetry. Next up: an Easter-themed cooking class on April 11 with Chef Raymond Blanc OBE, founder of the Michelin-starred Belmond Le Manoir aux Qaut’Saisons; a poetry reading with actress Gala Gordan and producer Isabelle MacPherson on April 17; and a baking class with Irish chef Clodagh McKenna on April 24.

Dromoland Castle, a 16th century castle in the Irish countryside of County Clare, invites little ones to be the king or queen of their own castle. The Castle’s own Una Heaton – a watercolor artist and former museum curator – will lead virtual arts and crafts projects for families to join while homeschooling, including a step-by-step tutorial on how to craft a castle from materials available around the house. Kids will learn how to construct big castle doors, stone towers and tiny Irish flags.

For the Animal Lovers:

andBeyond and wildlife broadcasting experts WildEarth have come together to stream twice daily, personalized game drives that armchair travelers can view from the comfort of their home. Each lasting approximately three hours, the safaris will be streamed in real-time from two renowned South African game reserves, andBeyond Ngala Private Game Reserve (which shares unfenced borders with the famed Kruger National Park) and Djuma Private Game Reserve (part of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve). Authentic and non-scripted, the game drives will follow the sights and sounds of the African wilderness as they unfold. Hosted by expert andBeyond and WildEarth field guides, the drives will be streamed over a variety of social media platforms each day during the month of April. Viewers will be able to interact with their safari hosts and have their questions answered in real-time, just as if they were actually on the game drive vehicle.

There’s no question that working from home and self-quarantining can be a struggle to handle mentally. Shafer Winery in Napa Valley is about to make your day a whole lot better. They have placed cameras in the vineyard to record the sheep as they eat grass in the vine rows. Natural sounds of the animals will be captured as well. The experience will be posted on their YouTube channel.

For the Master Chefs:

UXUA Casa Hotel & Spa is hosting weekly cooking classes on their IGTV with Chef Juliana Pedrosa. The tutorials, which incorporate snacks, main courses and sides, will be live on Thursdays and will be saved on UXUA’s Instagram profile for later viewings. Chef Juliana loves reinventing traditional ingredients and using them in unexpected fashions. For the cooking classes series, she will showcase UXUA’s signature dishes such as Aquafaba mousse, traditional Bahian Moqueca and tapioca breadsticks.

Round Pond Estate in Napa Valley will offer a host of virtual classes to turn you not only into a master chef, but a sommelier too. Examples of virtual classes include private one-on-one sessions with the sommelier; a virtual group tasting; and virtual cooking classes with winery chefs that utilize the Round Ponds estate gourmet products.

And Just for the Adults:

AXR Winery is offering virtual tasting kits for purchase of the current release vinos. Once the kit is purchased, tasting notes are shared digitally and buyers are offered the opportunity to do a one-on-one virtual 60-minute tasting with one of the winery’s brand ambassadors via zoom or FaceTime. The ambassador walks the participant through the various wines, providing education as well. The tasting kits cost $175 and are available for purchase here.

Clos du Val winery will offer virtual tastings to those who purchase a tasting pack or any four separate bottles of vino. Once the purchase is made, a reservation link is shared, allowing users to book a reservation online. Individual tastings are offered daily at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. The experience starts at $385 and is available for purchase here.

B Cellars is launching virtual tastings led by Curtis Strohl, General Manager at the winery. Participants can purchase preferred wine here. Similar to the personalized experience offered at their Hospitality House (a fresh take on the traditional tasting room), a one-on-one online tasting is then booked at the taster’s convenience on Zoom so participants can ask questions in real time. The winery’s B-bite / tapas-style food pairings are a signature part of the experience, so B Cellars will share recipes in advance of the tasting to prepare at home.

St. Supery Estate Vineyards & Winery in Rutherord, Napa Valley will be hosting an interactive virtual wine tasting each Thursday. The sampler pack can be purchased via this link, so wine aficionados can follow along at home. The winery will use Zoom to facilitate with the session, and the team will share the dedicated URL closer to the time to those who have bought the sampler and to other fans who express interest.