Bye Bye Schloss Bailey's & Clark's

11/27 - 5:13pm

Playing recap, and there are absolutely no words to be able to describe the past 4 days.  I can honestly say that this past week is a top contender for the best week of my life. 

Custom Thanksgiving dinner catered by the Michelin star chef. Famous jazz band performance. Football on the big screen accompanied by Scotch tasting. Late night cocktails. Serenaded by special guest piano superstar. Spa. Hike to Alm and Thanksgiving leftovers. Archery round two. BMW i8 test drive to Garmisch. Last supper with Bailbots & Clarks. Late night Bar Lounge hang sesh. Pipes, heaters, stars. Sauna. Verona bound. Clarffrey’s excursion through downtown. Vino. Bed. Home.

There is so much more that can be said, but I am thinking I’m going to leave the details for the imagination.

Archery, Vino & Luce

11/24 - 4:44pm

I am getting way to used to this lifestyle. This is like the best 6th grade camp ever. Tuesday night we shut down the restaurant at the retreat at 2am after 9 bottles of wine. At all times there was a crowd of employees hanging out with us at our table sharing drinks, stories, and adding to the heavy American vibe I'm sure we were already putting off.

I completely passed out on my laptop in bed, first time I've ever done something like that.

Magically I woke up feeling great and we took the kids down to the family pool and spent all day swimming and clocking max sauna time. At 3 the kids headed off to archery lessons - yes, they gave 13 kids real bows and real arrows. Thank you Jesus that no one died. Meanwhile we enjoyed a full on wine tasting of some of the most incredible Napa wines. We connected back with the kids at 6, got them fed, then locked them up in the room to watch movies while we went out to the Michelin Star restaurant Luce and had our minds blown, as well as the best wine pairing we've ever experienced. The somm spent all night with us and it was magical. Drinks at the bar upstairs and then we turned in at 1:30.

Today we decided to spend another full day together just the four of us and max out the spa time. I am sitting here in bed, hydrating and readying myself for a thanksgiving feast.

The ALM

11/22 - 3:45pm

I have just spent the past hour in the sauna, steam room, ice bath and pool on a 5 minute rotation and am about to get a massage, all while looking into breath taking beauty. This is fake.

I'd love to say it hasn't all been this good, but that just simply wouldn't be the truth. Sunday night when the girls all got back we ready ourselves for the great outdoors and our group of 20+ hiked up the mountain to a lodge at the top where we were over served booze, food and laughter.

The next morning was slow for everyone but by noon we were back to our shenanigans and it was round two. Had dinner at Thai food place, drinks at the bar, then work till 5:30am.

I slept in till 11am and it has been nothing but relaxing with my family all morning and now a solo relax sesh for myself. This is adding years to my life I am certain of it. Though the over eating and over drinking are taking years off so maybe it's a wash.

Side note, this place is where the G7 was held and there is a bench called the "Obama Bench" where the below picture went viral, so we recreated it!

Schloss Elmau

11/20 - 12:51pm

So this is what happens when life gets in the way. I've found that all humans in their own mind and in their own way are always busy. Between work, family, social events even social media we use up our hours. But I've also noticed that there are better ways to do things. When I am focused on God, my children and beautiful wife, friendships and just the overall beauty surrounding me, the technology takes a complete back seat and to even take my computer or phone out to write about our experiences seems taxing. And I think that is a good thing.

The last few days for me have been exactly that. After bidding the Grants adieu from what was a short but incredibly sweet time, we saddled up and headed 6 hours north to Germany. The plan, 8 full days of pure beauty in the valley castle Schloss Elmau’s 5 star resort, surrounded by snow capped mountains and vivid evergreens. Shiloh and the girls ditched the dudes and kids to head up the road an hour to another retreat for a few days of pure indulgence and relaxation celebrating Heather's birthday. And as much as I knew I'd miss her, I also knew the kids and I would have a great time here. Other than the lord of the flies community the children have built and the infinite freedom we have given them (a hint of irresponsibility from us dads, but at the same time very healthy freedom for the kids) it has been nothing short of perfection. Not to mention it is snowing!

I am laying poolside at the indoor family spa with windows that look out to endless beauty and snow capped mountains while my kids run a cycle of sauna, ice shower, pool, hydrate. They could likely go for hours, but I'm afraid they'll weigh 20lbs less if I don't shut it down soon... so I will break this brilliant relaxation for some schnitzel and beers!

Shiloh arrives in a couple hours and we are heading for a hike up to the top of a mountain where a cabin of chefs and wine are waiting for us. This is the true definition of spoiled!

Wild Boar Hunt, Curry & Grants

11/16 - 11:20pm

Seriously!  I thought time was supposed to stand still when you are in the middle of wine country across the globe.  What happened?!  It is Wednesday and I am certain yesterday was Friday last week.  Honestly wow.  So I guess this is the time of the trip where things start to fly by and the next thing we know we’ll be landing in LAX and our Italian Getaway will be history.  Just writing that makes me a bit emotional.  On one hand, I miss San Diego with a fervent passion; our family, friends, Cardiff, Mexican food - and on the other hand, I know I miss those things because of the perspective that this beautiful escape has given us.  The grass is not always greener in this case, in fact, the more I think about it, the grass is just green, and it is up to you to realize that and make the most out of it no matter where the heck you are. 

Okay, whatever that just was above, here’s where the past 5 days have gone.  Saturday was a mans man dream.  Shotguns and hunting dogs and all geared up for some Wild Boar hunting.  First off, I’m not sure if it was a sign, but the very first thing on my Facebook feed that morning was a random video posted by who knows who titled “Are You Sure You Want to Be a Boar Hunter” and it was clip after clip of hunters getting rammed by wild boars.  What the what?!  Okay, so it’s not safe.  Got that.  But I wanted me some wild boar, so it was game on.  We drove deep into the heart of the Tuscan mountains with minimal civilization and it was 4 men and a dog.  Within the first 15 minutes the dog went ape crazy and out of nowhere 5 feet behind us explodes a 500lb (I’m likely exaggerating, but the ground shook like the scene from Jurassic Park when the T-Rex appears on the scene) boar from the bushes up the hill sprinting at Usain Bolt speeds and darts across our trail and down the hill into the forrest, the hunting dog goes mad and chases after him, the owner loses it and is yelling at the dog to come back because there is no way we are chasing after that wildebeest dinosaur, I’ve already wet my pants and curled into the fetal position (which might have been the most sane response) and in a flash, the excitement was over, our dog was gone, and there was no boar to show for it.  We spent the next 5 hours hiking through thicket and brush covering a minimum of 10 sweaty miles and when the sun set we gave up our hopes and dreams and headed back to the hunters house (who thankfully had pre-hunted meat to spare) for a 5 course mafia style Italian feast (same crew as the Mexican dinner we had at our place a month back).  About a barrel of wine and a few whole animals later and it was time to head home with a frozen windshield in negative 1 degree weather.  It is officially winter!

Sunday was a long and slow recovery and then the Camerota’s had us over for their famous curry, which not only is the best thing you’ve ever eaten, but is a sure recovery from a previous nights indulgence. 

Monday some of our best friends in the world Rob & Anna Grant arrived with baby Jude in hand and of course the only way to greet them was with a 4lb bone in dry aged ribeye steak and a couple bottles of wine.  We ate, drank, spent 10 seconds catching up, and then it was immediate bedtime to play catch up from their jet-lag.  We spent the next day chilling out at home, some specialty craft Italian beers, a quick trip to Montone and then homemade pasta and ragu.  And then of course waking up wasn’t easy, who cares that I slept in till 11:30, it was Assisi time.  For me it was a bit of a stone castle blur of beauty, walking cobble stone streets gazing up at the majesty of this glorious city, knowing its luster is largely in part to St. Frances who gave all of his wealth (and that boy had some serious money) to the church and city and chose to live with the homeless and serve God all the days of his life; it was just an incredible day.  We got home right as the sun was setting, hit the grocery for some essentials (meat & wine) and then barbecued and feasted.  We all called it an early night, so here am I, laying in bed with my laptop on my lap and finishing up my work day while remembering how amazing the past few days have been.  We’ve got one more day to soak up with the Grants and then it is off to Germany!  Ciao Bella.