Time to recharge…

I always like to think of the spring and summer as a time to refresh and recharge, both personally and professionally. This spring I decided to take this to the next level by enlisting myself and my husband, John, in The Ranch 4.0 program in Malibu.

Run by the Four Seasons, the Ranch is a program that encourages people to unplug from their daily life and recalibrate the mind and body through its intensive health-oriented program.

Now you may be reading this and thinking a stay at the Four Seasons in Malibu having someone prepare your foods and guide you through exercises sounds idyllic, however this was no relaxing vacation for me! It was truly one of the most challenging things I have ever done…

…but first things FIRST!

John and I arrived in LA ready to embark on the four-day program, although also not quite sure what we were getting ourselves into. The first thing I always do when arriving in LA is stop for food and this trip would be no exception! In anticipation of all of the organic, vegan meals ahead of us, we of course decided to stop at my favorite, In-and-Out Burger, for a burger and French fries… and it was delicious!

Next stop: Shopping

Deciding to delay our arrival at the Four Season just a little longer, I naturally decided the best detour would be a little shopping! So we stopped by the Malibu Country Mart, the fabulous outdoor lifestyle and fashion shopping destination.

The first time I had ever been to the Malibu Country Mart was a few years ago with my darling friend Jill Cohen. We were attending a conference together and landed in L.A. a few days early, so we hopped in the car and spent a few hours walking around all of the fabulous shops before driving to Ojai to spend an evening with the Giannetti’s at their fabulous Patina Farm.

I called Jill to let her know I was going back to the country mart on our way to The Ranch, only to find out she had worked on The Ranch’s cook book with RIZZOLI! (shown above) It is amazing how connected our world of design is to so many other industries… gourmet foods… fashion… you can see all of those influences coming together at the the Mart!

The Malibu Country Mart is truly what I would consider to be quintessential Malibu. Everything is casual and chic… there are adorable parks, cute outdoor restaurants, small boutique shops… even larger brands with a global presence have storefronts that feel more like a small boutique. Everything feels very sophisticated and fabulous… and it really caters to people who love design.

John and I had the best time just exploring and shopping around. It was fun to show him all of the places I had gone in with Jill and to find new ones…

Time for The Ranch

Finally, it was time to head on to the Four Seasons. We were excited and ready for a few days of detoxing. Upon arriving, we were greeted with a delicious smoothie and told to change as we were departing for our first hike immediately!

The first hike lasted about 4 hours… and each day after, the hikes gradually became longer… we covered 40 miles over the 4 day visit…

It is such an accomplishment when you finish. Every evening I would think about how much we had done and also how much we had seen. It amazed me how beautiful America truly is… every day for four days we went on a new hike, and each one was different and so incredibly beautiful. To be in Malibu and have all of these different options, each one as beautiful as the last but always in a different way… and this is what attracts so many different people to the area.

The Spa-aaaaahhh Lifestyle…

To be able to wake up each morning and pick from any number of hiking trails, each one a unique experience… it is a whole different lifestyle. And then to return to the sun-soaked, naturally appointed retreat at the end of each adventure was such a treat…

Each day at The Ranch was a challenge and an adventure, and we went to bed each evening with an incredible sense of accomplishment. It was an amazing experience and I was so grateful to have gone through it together with John. We learned a lot of valuable lessons about ourselves and came back to Atlanta feeling refreshed and ready for the year… although not before stopping at In-and-Out Burger one last time on our way to the airport! As in all things in life, it is all about balance!