Polo Lifestyles February 2025: Va-Va-Voom Valentine

VOLUME IX / ISSUE II / FEBRUARY 2025

USPA WOMEN'S GOLD CUP JOE BARRY MEMORIAL

SNOW POLO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ST. MORITZ

BECOMING YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND SNOW POLO TURNS 40 IN ST. MORITZ

VIBRANT RUNWAYS & COLOSSAL PROPORTIONS AT PARIS HAUTE COUTURE WEEK

FERRARI CAVALLINO CLASSIC

VA-VA-VOOM VALENTINE

A $20,000 WELLNESS WEEKEND WORTH EVERY PENNY THE 40-SOMETHINGS WHO SWEAR

BY THEIR NEW KNEES & HIPS

HOW YOUNG IS TOO YOUNG TO COLLECT ART? THE DOLCE & GABBANA EXHIBIT AT THE LOUVRE

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Clevedon Sunday 16 February 2025

CHUKKA CHIC

From glamorous dresses and sharp suits, to stunning summer hats, express your polo style and be in to win!

SUMMER FUN

GAME ON

Whether you are swilling Champagne or munching on delicious canapes, stomping the divots or dancing the day away with the polo players, this is guaranteed to be a fun and fabulous day.

The NZ Polo Open is action-packed and highly competitive. Be amazed by the world-class skills of the international and local players and the speed and might of their ponies, as they vie for NZ Polo’s biggest prize.

T H E S P O R T I N G A N D S OC I A L E V E N T O F T H E S U M M E R

@ N Z P O LO O P E N

VOLUME IX / ISSUE II / FEBRUARY 2025

Ambassador Claude-Alix Bertrand Publisher

Joshua Jakobitz Editor-in-Chief

Dr. Michael J. Snell

Lifestyles & Luxury Automobile Contributor

William Smith

Copy Editor & Wine Contributor

Claire Barrett

Joey Velez Wellness Contributor

Christina Albina

Head of Photography

Style Contributor

Dana Romita

Raphael K. Dapaah

Luxury Real Estate Contributor

Art Contributor

Brand Representatives

Amritlal अमृत

Ascension Contributor

Dr. Michael J. Snell - NYC Miriam P. Owens - NYC

Tom Landry

Design Contributor Polo Photographers

Katerina Morgan Justine Jacquemot Irina Kazaridi Helen Cruden Pascal Renauldon Kathrin Gralla

Contributing Photographers

Xavier Merchet-Thau Aubrey Chandler Eric Carré Eva Espresso Rob Miskowitch Margarita Crotto

Polo Lifestyles is a publication of HT Polo Publishing Co. 995 Detroit Avenue, Suite A Concord, CA 94518 Cover photo of Aliet Sarah and Amar Akway

by Luigi & Iango Styled by Anna Dello Russo Content Copyright © Polo Lifestyles 2025 All Rights Reserved.

For information or to advertise Contact marketing@pololifestyles.com Read online at www.pololifestyles.com On Instagram & Facebook @pololifestyles A proud partner of Issuu, NZ Polo Open, House On Third U.S. Polo Assn., The Impression and Mixam

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THE BROADMOOR The Broadmoor Winter Polo Classic AUCKLAND POLO CLUB NZ Polo Open 2025 PLETTENBURG POLO CLUB Plett Polo Festival SA Open Ladies Polo THE GAUNTLET OF POLO The C.V. Whitney Cup The U.S.P.A. Gold Cup The U.S. Open Polo Championships The U.S. Open Women's Polo Championships Women Of Wellington Polo Classic CAMPO SPORTIVO ASD Italia Polo Challenge

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SCOREBOARDS & COCKTAILS

SNOW POLO SEASON IS HERE

PHOTOS FROM ST. MORITZ Page 28

POLO LIFESTYLES EDITORS & CONTRIBUTORS

Ambassador Claude-Alix Bertrand

Josh Jakobitz

Claire Barrett

William Smith

Head of Photography

Copy Editor & Contributor

@clairebarrettphoto

@willismith_2000

Publisher Polo Lifestyles @haiti_polo_captain

Editor-in-Chief Polo Lifestyles @joshuajakobitz

Claire Barrett Photography May & Stanley Smith Charitable Trust

Eric Carré

Eva Espresso

Katerina Morgan

Photographer EC Photography @ti_carre

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Photographer

Eva Espresso Photography

@Eva.espresso

Polo Photographer Horse Polo Art Gallery @horsepoloartgallery

Amritlal अमृत

Ascension Contributor Monarch Visionary @monarch_visionary

Raphael K. Dapaah Art Contributor Dapaah Gallery @dapaahgallery

Joey Velez

Wellness Columnist

Velez Mental Performance

@velezmentalhealth

Michael J. Snell

Dana Romita

Lifestyles & Luxury Automobiles Contributor @agnello_1

Real Estate Contributor Douglas Elliman @danaromita

Tom Landry

Christina Albina

Design Contributor House on Third @tomlandry2

Style Contributor Curated by Christina

@curatedbychristina

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The $20,000 weekend worth every penny, page 82

Cavallino brings Ferrari back The 40-somethings who love How young is too young to together, page 64 their new knees, page 76 collect art? page 86

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ORTY YEARS AGO, SNOW POLO ALMOST DIDN’T DEBUT AS PLANNED IN ST. MORITZ DUE TO A MASSIVE OVERNIGHT SNOWFALL. EIGHT YEARS AGO, WHEN I SPOKE TO RETO GAUDENZI ABOUT THAT DEBUT TOURNAMENT, HE RECOUNTED THE STORY TO ME THAT ENDED UP IN THAT EARLY ISSUE OF POLO LIFESTYLES. LAST WEEK, ON THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THIS STORIED SNOW POLO TOURNAMENT, THE WEATHER PATTERNS CAME FULL CIRCLE AND DUMPED AN UNFORESEEN AMOUNT OF FRESH POWDER ON THE FROZEN LAKE. In stark contrast to last year’s snow polo in St. Moritz, which was played as penalty shoot-out due to concerns over ice thickness, this year the teams came charging back to the field. In the end, they crowned an underdog team as the snow polo champion, which thrilled local and international spectators alike.

Next up, snow polo will head to Kitzbuhel, Austria, where Reto’s son and protégé, Tito, hosts that annual tournament on the snow.

Domestically, the winter season is underway in Wellington, Fla., where U.S. Polo Association is gearing up for the 2025 Gauntlet of Polo at the National Polo Center. On the other side of the world, the New Zealand Polo Open will kick off in the next few days, with a final scheduled for Sunday, February 16 at the Auckland Polo Club.

We’ll be hosting in the Whispering Angel suite – if you happen to be there, make sure to stop by and say Kia Ora!

Josh Jakobitz Editor-in-Chief josh@pololifestyles.com

VOLUME IX / ISSUE II / FEBRUARY 2025

nzpoloopen It's the race of the day... horse power versus horsepower when it's pony versus Range Rover at the NZ Polo Open 2025

louisvuitton Celebrate the festivities with a curated collection of signature handbags

steinwayandsons Festive red for the Chinese New Year of the Snake with Steinway & Sons

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maisonvalentino For Valentine’s Day, the Maison looks to the memories and feelings that make us feel loved

snowpolostmoritz One of the best vodkas in the world meets the legendary first polo tournament ever played on snow

sfexceptionalism Divot-stomping in @uspoloassn during the Florida winter season

nytimes Celebrating 150 years of seeing and being seen at the Palais Garnier operahouse in Paris

dior Dior will open its first wellness center at the Hotel du Cap-Eden Roc this spring

firstclassjerk The Waldorf Astoria NYC will re-open its doors after historic renovation to triple the size of its suites

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Click and comment on our choices... Tag @pololifestyles.

We will share noteworthy comments with you next month.

jeffleatham Bringing Valentines into every room with pink and reds this month

robbreport Harbour Club is bringing a touch of London sophistication to Miami.

uspoloassn Smiles and hugs for teammates following a successful chukker in Florida

gucci It's all Gucci with us... looking absolutely dapper at home

graff Birds are symbolic of freedom and new opportunities, reflecting the festive spirit of Lunar New Year.

uspoloassn U.S. Polo Assn. is celebrating 135 years of power, precision, and heart in the sport of polo

globalpolo Between chukkers of the U.S. Women's Open in Wellington, Fla.

paulfuentes_photo Only in St. Moritz, where snow polo celebrated it's 40th anniversary in January

balmain Red leather and fearless allure lead to the spotlight, defining the bold spirit of the Resort 2025 collection

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2025 SNOW POLO

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C O N T E N T & P H O T O G R A P H S C O U RT E S Y S T. M O R I T Z S N O W P O L O M E D I A O R G A N I Z E R S

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After a thrilling three days of polo that saw nine matches played in front of over 26,200 people, the historic 40th Ruby anniversary edition of this iconic Snow Polo World Championship in St. Moritz ended.

Finals Day of the world’s oldest and most iconic high goal snow polo event day saw heavy snow blanketing the frozen Lake St. Moritz on the 40th anniversary event.

ST. MORITZ, SWITZERLAND - The cycles and circles of life have a rhythm, and this was certainly the case on Sunday, January 26 as history repeated itself as snow fell heavily. This mirrors the snowstorm 40 years ago when the first-ever Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz in 1985 was played.

Ever the pragmatist and always the optimist, Reto Gaudenzi, Founder, CEO & Founder of the Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz, embraced the challenge that reminded him of the historic first snow polo match in 1985 in which he competed. “It is called snow polo for a reason.” he exclaimed. The ever-efficient organizers had a busy morning to clear the snow from the polo field and Polo Village making everything safe for ponies, players and spectators alike.

With over a foot of snow, Mackage and TAOS battled it out in powder polo for The Casablanca Trophy, with players, ponies and spectators alike wrapped up against the elements. Good things come to those who wait and after a goal-less first chukker, a lofty setup from Nic Roldan in the last seconds of the first half was coolly slotted through the posts by Benji Daniels to take the lead 1-0. The third chukka PA G E 29

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was free flowing, with an energetic TAOS side trying to get onto the scoreboard, but it wasn’t until the fourth chukker that Alfredo Bigatti found the equalizer. A very balanced match was reflected in the 1-1 score at the end of the fourth chukker and a penalty shootout was needed to decide the winner.

Mackage’s accuracy ultimately secured them the win, and with it, The Casablanca Trophy for fifth place. At the post-match presentation, the players received a silver framed picture of the team and a bottle of Villa Sandi, Mackage received a customized Casablanca polo helmet and TAOS received Casablanca knee pads.

As the snow continued to gently fall, the sun began to peek through the clouds, giving an ethereal light in the Subsidiary Final for The MACKAGE Trophy between Flexjet and World Polo League.

The ground was given extra attention before the second match, allowing for a denser and faster playing surface for the all-to-play for second match of the day. The packed stands enjoyed a cat and mouse game between the two sides as they fought for dominance throughout the first half. Despite Flexjet soaring high and starting the fourth chukker with a goal to bring them within half a goal, 6-5.5 World Polo League’s Jason Crowder converted a decisive penalty to secure the win, 7-5.5 and with it The MACKAGE Trophy for third place. All of the players received a silver framed picture of the team and a bottle of Beluga Vodka, while the winners, World Polo League, received a MACKAGE coat and Flexjet received a MACKAGE sweatshirt.

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Before guests enjoyed the culinary delights of the VIP tent and the Polo Village, the Chalandamarz pageant took place – an ancient tradition in which schoolchildren from across Graubünden parade with clanging cattle bells, whips and songs to drive away the winter.

The sky was clear with the sun shining on the polo righteous as Kusnacht Practice and Azerbaijan - Land of Fire lined up for the Swiss National anthem before the Final. Azerbaijan - Land of Fire started the match with a 1.5 goal start on handicap, which they swiftly capitalized on, including a searing goal from Team Captain Elchin Jamalli.

They were a team truly on fire, keen to make their titles in 2021 and 2022 into a hat-trick. The first chukker ended with a much-needed morale boost goal for local team and 2024 finalists, Kusnacht Practice, which was followed by another at the start of the second chukker – the game was truly on and the spectators were on the edge of their seats – with the party atmosphere kicking off as music pumped over the packed grandstands during breaks in play. Kusnacht Practice

went from strength to strength, cooly and calmly forcing Azerbaijan - Land of Fire into defense.

A huge, lofted shot at a seemingly impossible angle at the end of the third chukker from Chris Mackenzie moved Kusnacht Practice into the lead by the narrowest of margins, 4-3.5. With half a goal in it, there was all to play for in the last chukker and the end-to-end polo delighted the sun-baked crowds as both sides scored a goal apiece. With less than a minute left, the players changed onto fresh horses to give them the edge in the final moments, but time was on Kusnacht Practice’s side this year as the clock ran down and they ran out with a thrilling win, 5-4.5.

After the match, Kusnacht Practice Captain Eduardo Greghi proudly stepped forward to receive The Snow Polo World Cup Trophy from Anita Mathis, who presented The Snow Polo World Cup Trophy in the first event in 1985.

Isidro Strada received the Most Valuable Player Award of a five-night stay at One & Only Reethi Rah, Maldives; The

Best Playing Patron Eduardo Greghi received a voucher for five nights at WAMI; Dolfina Aureliana, owned by Adolfo Cambiaso and played by Chris Mackenzie, received the Polo Times Best Playing Pony rug as well as CHF 200 for the groom Nelson Bustaante.

The Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz 2025 Teams: World Polo League (16): Melissa Ganzi (0), Jason Crowder (5), Alejandro Novillo Astrada (7) & Mariano Gracida (4) The Kusnacht Practice (16): Eduardo Greghi (0), Francisco Belaustegui (3), Chris Mackenzie (6) & Isidro Strada (7) Flexjet (15): Jonathan Tidswell-Pretorius/ Niclas Johansson (0), Pelayo Berazadi (5), Facu Sola (8) & Tito Gaudenzi (2), Mackage (16): Benji Daniels (1), Grant Ganzi (3), Nic Roldan (7) & Tommy Collingwood (5) Azerbaijan - Land of Fire (14): Elchin Jamalli (2),Tarlan Gurbanaliyev (0), Adrian Laplacette Jr (6) & Raul Laplacette (6) Taos (16): Cameron Bacon (0), Dillon Bacon (3), Max Charlton (6) & Alfredo Bigatti (7)

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THE USPA WOMEN'S GOLD CUP AT PORT MAYACA POLO CLUB

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The USPA Women’s Gold Cup, a brand new 18- to 22-goal tournament, made its debut this month at Port Mayaca Polo Club in Okeechobee, Fla. Taking place ahead of the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship presented by the Brad and Kathy Coors Foundation, five of the six teams competing in the Open took part in this inaugural event.

North Star and undefeated BTA/Lazy 3 are set to clash in the final.

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THE USPA WOMEN'S GOLD CUP AT PORT MAYACA POLO CLUB

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THE USPA WOMEN'S GOLD CUP AT PORT MAYACA POLO CLUB

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THE JOE BARRY MEMORIAL CUP THE FLORIDA SEASON GETS UNDERWAY

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Capturing the first qualifying leg of the National Polo Center 16-Goal Championship with a 10-8 victory, Nachi Viana led the charge with seven goals on the day. Despite a fierce fifth chukker comeback from ConcordEquityGroup. com, a dominant firsthalf performance and key goals in the final chukker ultimately sealed the win.

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THE JOE BARRY MEMORIAL CUP THE FLORIDA SEASON GETS UNDERWAY

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DOLCE & GABBANA HISTORICAL SHOWCASE ON EXHIBIT IN PARIS THROUGH MARCH

PARIS — For the first time in their 40year history, the Italian design duo Dolce & Gabbana are showcasing their work in the French fashion capital. Paris, the birthplace of haute couture, now finds itself hosting a powerful Italian counterpoint to French luxury fashion.

The message, as curator Florence Müller puts it, is direct: “Yes, Italy does it too.”

The landmark exhibition, Du Coeur a la Main (From the Heart to the Hand) running from Jan. 10 to March 31, is a not only a love letter to Italian craftsmanship, but to the interconnectedness of fashion.

“The story of couture is global,” Müller explained. “Embroidery, lace, brocade — they existed long before Parisian couture, in Italy, in India, and beyond.”

Spread across 1,200 square meters (1,400 square yards) of the newly refurbished Grand Palais, the exhibit showcases over 200 looks from the company’s Alta Moda and Alta Sartoria collections and 300 handmade accessories, as well as objects PAGE 58

like Sicilian ceramics. It includes 10 themed rooms that delve into the artistic roots of Dolce & Gabbana’s work.

Baroque grandeur defines the collection, unapologetically maximalist and layered with embellishments. Among the highlights is a gown inspired by Venice’s Murano glass, encrusted with glass mosaics from Orsoni Venezia 1888, the glassmakers behind the golden mosaics of St. Mark’s Basilica. Müller described it as “a sculpture on textile — pure craftsmanship elevated to art.”

Opera takes center stage. A black velvet gown softened by gold embellishments captures the drama of Bellini’s Norma, while a romantic blue dress for Verdi’s La Traviata flows like an aria, its tulle layers whispering love and loss. Meanwhile, icons of the brand, such as Sophia Loren and Naomi Campbell, are immortalized in giant paintings. Classical Italian opera and traditional Sicilian folk melodies provide the soundtrack, adding layers of drama.

But Du Coeur a la Main is not just about finished pieces. Five real seamstresses from Dolce & Gabbana’s Milan atelier work live during the exhibition, crafting bodices, bustiers and corsets before visitors’ eyes. “This seamstress is sewing lace to form a dress, while another is draping fabric by hand,” Müller said. “It’s extraordinary. This is not just fashion — it’s art.”

Sicily, Domenico Dolce’s birthplace, lies at the heart of the collection. Traditional Sicilian hand-painted carts, ceramics and lace-making techniques are woven into couture. Yet the exhibit also underscores fashion’s often-ignored global influences.

“Luxury goods and artisans traveled more than we think,” Müller said. “The silk and brocades used at Versailles Palace came from India, and Italian artisans were hired to craft the Hall of Mirrors ... (Fashion) is constant exchanges and inspirations — this exhibit reveals what time forgot.”

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Italian and French fashion have long been framed as rivals, with French conglomerates such as LVMH and Kering and Paris Fashion Week sometimes viewed as the pinnacle of the industry. But this exhibition challenges that hierarchy, showing that the two traditions are more interconnected than they are opposed.

Both rely on les petites mains — “the little hands” — the artisans whose precision and passion elevate couture to art.

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“The techniques may differ — Sicily’s lace traditions versus Paris’s tailoring — but the soul of couture remains the same: the human touch,” Müller said. The exhibit reveals the shared ingenuity of French and Italian ateliers, whether in a Sicilian workshop or a Parisian salon.

Even beyond couture, the exhibit highlights the breadth of “Made in Italy.”

Everyday items like Smeg refrigerators and coffee presses given a D&G rework-

ing reflect the ethos of Italian craftsmanship, transforming functional objects into canvases for artistry.

“Fashion is art. It’s meant to inspire, to dazzle, to make us dream. Whether you wear it once or never, its value is in its beauty, not its practicality,” Müller said.

When asked about hyperbole of the dazzling gowns — many of which seem impossible to wear on the street — she replies with a smile: “So what?”

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#Ferrari296GTB #Ferrari

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HIGH SOCIETY

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The Cavallino Classic THE TEMPLE OF FERRARI HERITAGE

MICH AEL SNELL/LUXURY & AUTOMOBILE CONTRIBUTOR

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The Temple of Ferrari Heritage

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HE ICONIC CAVALLINO CLASSIC ONCE AGAIN CEMENTED ITS STATUS AS THE WORLD’S PREMIER GATHERING FOR FERRARI ENTHUSIASTS, OFFERING AN UNFORGETTABLE WEEKEND OF BEAUTY, HISTORY, AND HIGH-OCTANE EXCITEMENT IN PALM BEACH, FLA.

This year’s 34th annual event delivered a landmark moment as the North American public debut of Ferrari’s latest hypercar, the extraordinary 1,200-horsepower F80, took center stage on the meticulously curated show lawns. Joining the lineage of Ferrari’s most celebrated vehicles—including the 288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo, and LaFerrari—the F80 exemplifies PAGE 66

Ferrari’s relentless pursuit of automotive perfection and innovation.

Against the opulent backdrop of South Florida, the Cavallino Classic attracted collectors, tastemakers, and aficionados from across the globe. For decades, this event has been a temple of Ferrari heritage, preserving the legacy of Enzo Ferrari and celebrating the marque’s unparalleled artistry and engineering.

Since its inception in 1992, the Cavallino Classic has been more than a car show—it has become a living museum, honoring the craftsmanship, speed, and design that define the Ferrari name.

Adding to the gravitas of this year’s event, Enzo Mattioli Ferrari, the great-grandson of Enzo Ferrari, joined the Cavallino organization.

During an interview on the main stage, he reflected on his family’s deep connection to the Cavallino Classic, stating, “When I came here for the first time in 1998 with my grandfather [Piero Ferrari] and my father [Giacomo Mattioli], I was already very impressed by the magnitude of the event. Growing up with it, year after year, it’s truly romantic to be here today, knowing my great-grandfather gave his blessing to the Cavallino magazine.”

He added, “What makes this event so special is that every car here has its own unique story. With vintage Ferraris, you feel like Indiana Jones, uncovering the history behind each chassis, color, and moment in time. Being a custodian of these stories is what makes the Ferrari brand and these cars so extraordinary.”

The weekend was graced by notable fig-

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ures, including fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger and his wife Dee, Palm Beach Mayor Danielle Moore, and influential personalities like Logan Horne, Devorah Ezagui, Christie Ferrari, and Herbert Wertheim. Their presence added to the glamour of an event that continues to attract the who’s who of the automotive and luxury worlds.

Highlights of the four-day celebration included the Tour d’Eleganza, an iconic driving event; the highly anticipated Party Under the Stars; and the historic Concorso d’Eleganza, where over 150 of the world’s rarest and most beautifully restored or preserved Ferraris were displayed on the verdant lawns of The Breakers.

Awards were given to more than 70 vehicles, judged on originality, authenticity,

condition, and overall style. Among the accolades: •

Best of Show Granturismo 2025 was awarded to a 1954 Ferrari 375 MM.

•

Best of Show Competizione 2025 was claimed by a 1957 Ferrari 335 S, owned by Brian Ross.

•

Best of Show 2025 Classiche Certified went to a 1967 Ferrari Dino 206 S, selected from entries with Ferrari Classiche’s prestigious “red book” certification.

Beyond the concours, attendees enjoyed dynamic sessions with collectors and experts, along with exclusive exhibitions in partnership with luxury brands such as Riva Yacht, Bang & Olufsen, Schedoni Modena, RM Sotheby’s, Richard Mille, and Hedley Studios.

Each collaboration added another layer of sophistication to an already remarkable weekend.

The festivities concluded with the Classic & Sports Sunday car show and charity brunch at the historic Marjorie Merriweather Post mansion. Here, an eclectic array of classic cars, modern luxury vehicles, and rare Italian sports cars was showcased, bringing the weekend to a dazzling finale.

The Cavallino Classic remains an unparalleled celebration of Ferrari’s enduring legacy. From the debut of the revolutionary F80 to the timeless elegance of vintage Ferraris, this year’s event was a masterclass in the art of automotive excellence.

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P O L O L I F E S T Y L E S : H E A LT H I S W E A LT H

The 40-Somethings who Swear by their New Knees and Hips T H E P O P U L AT I O N O F PAT I E N T S U N D E R 65 G E T T I N G J O I N T R E P L A C E M E N T S G R E W

BY A B O U T 200 P E R C E N T O V E R T H E PA S T T W O D E C A D E S

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HE AVERAGE AGE OF HIP- AND KNEE-REPLACEMENT PATIENTS IS GETTING YOUNGER.

As average life expectancy ticks up, many are no longer willing to sacrifice decades doing their favorite activities, such as skiing, hiking or playing pickleball, to sit in pain, doctors say. And staying sporty into your 50s and 60s is good for your physical and mental health.

Certain intense, high-impact fitness activities can increase the chances of injury and arthritis—leading to more procedures.

“In the past, people would just say, ‘I don’t run, I have bad knees,’” says Dr. Ran Schwarzkopf, an orthopedic surgeon at NYU Langone. Now, he says, “they’re not willing to accept limitations that arthritis gives.”

The other reason younger people are getting replacements is the growing prevalence of obesity in the U.S. More than 40 percent of U.S. adults have obesity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, up from roughly 30 percent in 1999. Excess weight puts more pressure on the joints—roughly 4 pounds for each additional pound of body weight—leading more patients to need replacements earlier in life.

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For patients ages 45 to 64, there was a 211 percent increase in inpatient hip replacements and a 240 percent increase in inpatient knee replacements between 2000 and 2017, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (Records after 2017 are less accurate due to changes in Medicare coding.)

There was also an increase in joint replacements for patients ages 65 to 84, but the rise wasn’t as steep.

This tracking doesn’t include the growing share of replacements that are outpatient surgeries, which allow patients to go home the same day as their procedure.

More than a million hip and knee replacement surgeries are performed in the U.S. every year.

‘YOU’RE YOUNG FOR THIS’ The procedures involve replacing damaged or worn-out bone and cartilage in your hip or knee joint with prosthetic implants. Plastics have improved, which has helped replacement joints last longer on average, so surgeons are generally less wary of performing them on younger patients.

“Back in the day, patients were told they had to wait until they were 70 or 80 to undergo this procedure because implants did not last long enough,” says Dr.

Antonia Chen, an orthopedic surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “Now, implants last 20, 25 or 30 years, and quality of life means a lot more.”

Chen estimates that patients under 65 account for roughly 50 percent of her practice now, up from roughly 30 percent in 2014.

The procedures are more efficient now, helped by robotic assistance and custom-fitting 3-D-printed prosthetics. And advances in physical therapy, anesthesia and the administration of pain medicine have led to shorter patient recovery times.

Many patients who would have spent days to weeks in a hospital bed are now encouraged to walk the same day.

Carol Pope knows that, at age 37, she isn’t what most people picture when they think of hip replacements.

“The two things I’ve heard most is, ‘Wow, you’re young for this,’ and, ‘My grandma’s hip surgery went great!’” she says.

Pope, a personal-finance writer and avid runner based in Lakeland, Fla., first felt a twinge of pain along her back and legs at the starting line of a half marathon race in January. She finished the race without incident but the pain returned and spread. A doctor diagnosed her with osteoarthritis and told her she would

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have to stop running. Losing her favorite hobby was like grieving a death, she says.

Her hope was renewed when an orthopedic surgeon agreed to schedule a hip replacement for September.

“I’m just looking forward to getting it done so I can get my life back,” says Pope.

NOT A PREVENTIVE MEASURE Dr. Kevin Stone, an orthopedic surgeon at the Stone Clinic in San Francisco, encourages patients to exercise after recovering from surgery. Author of a book called “Play Forever”—about how people with injuries and arthritis can keep moving—he says the more activity, the better.

“Our goal is to have people drop dead at age 100 playing the sport they love,” says Stone. Many still recommend minimizing or altogether avoiding running and other high-impact exercises after surgery, because it can put extra pressure on the prosthetics. Our joints are like tires, surgeons say. The more weight the tire carries, the quicker it wears out.

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These procedures are largely elective, and surgeons caution they still shouldn’t be considered preventive. They carry risks including infection, dislocation or joint instability. Doctors generally agree that surgery makes sense when the pain is chronic and limiting, affecting everyday decisions. For example, if you notice yourself looking for an elevator for one flight of stairs, or you decide against a vacation plan for fear of pain, it may be time.

Some research suggests younger patients are more likely to need a repeat surgery later on.

Before surgeons can recommend the surgery—often a requirement of insurance coverage—patients need to show they attempted other possible solutions, such as physical therapy, weight loss and cortisone injections.

He lost a significant range of motion in his right leg, and though he still works out, he avoids certain exercises like weighted squats and lunges.

Younger patients often assume they’ll have faster, smoother recoveries. Yet surgeons say active people can be more likely to push themselves too far during recovery. In addition, they can strain the new joint more over time and have more years to wear it out.

Dave Erickson, a gym owner in Sparta, Wisc., was hopeful that the hip replacements he got at age 46 would enable him to return to his normal exercise routine and last for decades. Just five years after his surgery, however, a bike accident landed him back in the operating room, undergoing a revision to his right prosthesis.

“When you’re old and you can barely walk, and now you can walk, it’s an improvement,” says Erickson, now 54.

“When you’re squatting in the gym and running and then get a hip replacement and you can’t do it anymore, that’s not so great.”

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The $20,000 Wellness Weekend that Changed the Way I Think About Health

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EOPLE ARE FLOCKING TO THE LUXURY HEALTH RESORT FOR GROUNDBREAKING TESTING THAT CLAIMS TO ADD YEARS — AND HEALTH —TO YOUR LIFE.

“So, how does it feel to be the ideal human?” asked one of my fellow guests in the very first Canyon Ranch Longevity8 program. She laughed as she said it, but the truth behind the joke was that I was one of the youngest participants, and my A+ health reports so far had already become a funny sort of marvel among the group, almost all of whom were in their early 50s to mid-70s.

I, a travel journalist in my late 30s, was invited to Tucson, Az., to report on and participate in the launch of Longevity8, a groundbreaking — and intense — medPAGE 82

ical wellness program. Intense because it requires that you go through 18 clinical consultations, 15 diagnostic tests, and the examination of more than 200 of your health biomarkers, all in four jampacked days (plus educational seminars, tailored workouts, and one blessed hour in the world-famous spa). The idea is that gathering this immense amount of information about your body and health will empower you to use that data to make targeted changes that will increase not only your lifespan but also your healthspan — your active, still-got-it years — as you age.

Because of the access to cutting-edge testing technologies and face time with world-renowned clinicians — and because it’s Canyon Ranch — this program costs $20,000 per person. Everyone alongside me in the inaugural Longevity8 cohort, aside from one other journalist

on assignment, had planned, paid, and prepped for this trip — and arrived buzzing with excitement. These were data-brained, health-interested mid-life and older folks who saw the program as worth their while and worth their money.

I felt a bit out of place.

I felt like a stowaway in the system because even if I could afford this program on my own (I very much could not), I still couldn’t imagine hypothetically wealthy me actually signing up.

Volunteering for 18 doctors’ appointments in four days? What could they really tell me that I didn’t already know?

My number one motivator in joining this trip was Canyon Ranch itself. The historic resort, which also has locations across the U.S. (California, Las Vegas, Massachusetts, and soon Texas), is a storied icon when it comes to wellness trav-

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el. Since 1979, Canyon Ranch’s original spot in Tucson has been beckoning travelers from far and wide for its integrative programs: combining the best of Western and Eastern medicine plus all the other things science has long shown help us live healthier, longer (movement, nutritious foods, meditation, the good stuff).

Although the O.G. Canyon Ranch started with some specific focuses, including weight loss and addiction recovery, it has hugely expanded over the years to become a hub for everything from yoga retreats to parenting workshops to art classes to celebrity-led programs (Alanis Morisette was checking in just as I was checking out), and even family reunions or girls’ weekends. The crux of Canyon Ranch’s ever-widening appeal, in my opinion, is its balancing act: This is a resort that just exactly walks the line between making you impeccably com-

fortable and making you work for your wellness.

For instance, the property is sprawling — 150 acres of imposing Sonoran desert — and I was essentially required to speed-walk across it multiple times a day, looping to and from my room, meals, and sessions. This built-in daily dose of fresh air and walk-jogs made me feel pretty great overall, if not ever on time for my appointments.

The food, too, walks the line: painfully healthful if you look closely at the ingredients — but you’d never know it just by taste-testing. All of Canyon Ranch Tucson’s meals at both its central restaurant, Vaquero, and ancillary eateries, like the poolside Double U Cafe, are carefully curated to maximize nutrients and minimize nasties. My favorite dinners were definitely seared Maine sea scallops with

miso and a lentil bolognese you’d never guess was vegan. In 2024, Canyon Ranch was awarded Three Keys, the highest honor by Michelin, and it’s clear why. (Due to its recovery-rooted history, the somewhat controversial addition of alcohol on-property didn’t happen until 2024, but it was added in such a careful way — a single tucked-away outdoor bar you have to know to look for — that it feels both sensible and sensitive.)

During our first 24 hours at Canyon Ranch Tucson, the eight of us in the Longevity8 cohort met for intention-setting, meals, and seminars but split off for the lion’s share of the day to get our testing and clinicals done. I met with an MD, a nutritionist, a sports performance scientist, a licensed professional counselor, a personal trainer, a meditation teacher, and a spiritual wellness provider.

The nursing team drew about nine vials

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of my blood and attached a Continuous Glucose Monitor to my arm. They tested my lung capacity, my heart function, and my aerobic health (the latter as I traipsed up an ever-increasing treadmill incline with a mask over my nose and mouth).

I slept at night with sensors strapped to my chest and finger. While it wasn’t fun, per se, being poked and prodded and monitored for 12-24 hours out of every day, fun isn’t why we see doctors, now is it?

I did somewhat expect the glowing health reports that started pouring in and leaving my fellow guests joking about little ol’ me, “the ideal human.” I am far from that, but in 2024 America, I know I’m pretty ahead of the game health-wise: I’m a non-smoking vegetarian who exercises regularly and never misses a checkup. But I also know that Doing All The Right Things doesn’t prevent or detect every negative health outcome. So, even after multiple clinicians had applauded my body composition (the muscle vs. fat ratio of a teen athlete!), my glucose levels (it’s like I’m immune to sugar!), and my aerobic fitness (90th percentile!), there was still a part of me waiting for the other shoe to drop. And drop it did.

First, it was a DEXA scan that showed, amazingly, the exact bone density throughout my spine and pelvis, and was

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able to pinpoint one teeny area veering close to osteopenia. The doctor showed me a graph of how and when it would progress naturally to osteoporosis if left alone. “If you fall when you’re 70,” she said, “you’ll likely break this left hip.

Older people … don’t always come back from that.”

This was some unsettling prediction sorcery — but, luckily, there was a solution. Beginning a lower-body weightlifting regimen (one far heavier than the two-pounders I toss around in barre class) today will give me a 30-year head start strengthening my hip before that potential fall. And that knowledge is life-changing.

The bigger shoe drop came with my carotid ultrasound: The scan shows that my artery walls, for no reason other than apparent genetics, are measuring much thicker than is normal for my age — more like a 60-year-old’s than a 40-year-old’s. And arterial thickness is a strong predictor of future heart disease.

I was stunned; I had never given heart disease, despite it being the number-one killer of women, a single thought, simply because I have zero of the more obvious risk factors (smoking, meat-eating, being overweight). Suddenly, I was looking up low-cholesterol meal planning, sourcing cardiologist recommendations back home in Nashville, and planning to

schedule my next carotid ultrasound in a couple of years. I could have — would have? — been one of those not-yet-old women blindsided by a heart attack they had no idea to expect or prevent. Now, my eyes are open, and I have the privilege of setting up a prevention arsenal.

By the time the results of my Galleri early-detection cancer screening came in, I stared at the words “no cancer detected” and burst into tears. By then, so many of my assumptions about what “being totally healthy” feels like and looks like had been completely called into question that I felt relieved and lucky to simply not have cancer — something I wouldn’t have thought to feel grateful for a few days prior.

Now that I’ve returned home, friends and colleagues have been asking me about my jaunt to the glamorous Canyon Ranch and whether I had “so much fun” or “such a relaxing time?!” I keep having to admit it wasn’t quite either of the above. But it may well have saved my life. At the very least, this trip did exactly what Longevity8 purports to do: It extended my “healthspan” by a few more years in the long run. I’m sure of that.

My plan for those bonus years? Going back to Canyon Ranch and doing nothing but the spa.

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HOW YOUNG IS TOO YOUNG TO START AN ART COLLECTION?

“I

DON’T THINK THERE IS A RIGHT OR WRONG AGE,” SAYS COPLAN KAUFMAN, AN ART ADVISOR BASED IN LOS ANGELES. “It’s just when someone feels comfortable spending the money and wants to support the arts, as well as make smart financial decisions. I see a lot of people who drop thousands of dollars on furniture but always fall short when it comes to art. A $15,000 sofa loses value the moment you sit on it.”

Kaufman primarily works with clients in their late twenties and thirties, many of whom are new to this arena and don’t know where to begin. “Because the art world is such an intimidating space, it can be overwhelming,” she says. “There is this misconception that you have to have millions to start collecting, and it’s

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just not true. You don’t need to spend the most to have something great in your house.”

Although having millions can help, especially when they’re attached to a last name with established cred. “Galleries love the nepo baby with the trust fund,” says one art advisor who works with such families. “They will immediately return your call, because they know that you grew up with art and you get it.”

Still, it can be a double-edged sword.

A family reputation may get you in the door, but it doesn’t buy authority.

Plus, age alone can be a hurdle. “I don’t think that is particularly unfair,” says Leo Rogath, the 32-year-old founder of Prince & Wooster, a private gallery-cum-exhibition-space in NYC’s Soho, where he manages the extensive holdings of his collector parents (Warhols, Basquiats, and Hockneys

among them), along with his own roster of emerging artists. Rogath started getting involved in his parents’ acquisitions a decade ago, and before he opened this space he spent three years at Christie’s. “I don’t mind that it has forced me to work hard and prove myself.”

As with many things, a proper education is key. “It’s important to understand the culture, the language, and the rules of the collecting world before you saunter into a Gagosian or Zwirner. The surest way to look like a rube is to go in and say, ‘I need something for over my couch,’ ” the anonymous art advisor says. “There is a gentility to it that is learned.”

At the end of the day, though, true precocity just can’t be taught. Take the artist Andres Valencia, who has been compared to Picasso and whose paintings sell for six figures (Sofia Vergara and Tommy Mottola are collectors). He’s 12.

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ALWAYS ORDER

THIS DRINK ON A PLANE

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The Unsung Hero of the Sky

E

W HY W E A LWAY S O R D E R G I N G E R A L E VERYONE HAS THEIR DRINK OF CHOICE WHILE FLYING.

Some people swear by the salty and spicy Bloody Mary. Some are tried and true Coca-Cola fans, and others stick to a trusty bottle of water, which — while certainly the healthiest choice — is a bit bland if we’re being honest.

And some of us know that a crisp, bubbly ginger ale is by far the best drink at 36,000 feet.

Sure, ginger ale may not seem like a very exciting drink on the ground. On the surface, it seems like a fairly milquetoast beverage reserved for sick days or a cocktail mixer, but as a standalone soft drink, it’s not what we would consider to be “exciting.”

OR IS IT? Ginger ale was once one of the most popular soft drinks and mixers in North America. It was first developed in Ireland and England in the 1840s and quickly sailed over the pond where both golden and dry-style ginger ales became the talk of the town, so to speak.

John J. McLaughlin of Enniskillen, Ontario, first created Canada Dry — one of the most recognizable and popular dry ginger ale brands to this day — in 1904. His invention was so sharp and bubbly that he even marketed it as the “Champagne of ginger ales” because of Canada Dry’s taste and color.

In the 1920s, ginger ale became a staple in United States speakeasies. Bootleggers smuggling various liquors like whiskey and gin found that the soft drink was particularly good at making these spirits easier to drink.

Today, ginger ale brands don’t break the

top 10 popular sodas in the U.S. Sweeter drinks like Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew, and, of course, Coca-Cola, have clearly cornered the market, but there is one place in the world where ginger ale reigns supreme: the sky. And science can tell us why that is.

been used as a home remedy for nausea, indigestion, and muscle pain, and as an anti-inflammatory long before it was a soft drink.

WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR TASTE BUDS?

It should be noted that Canada Dry actually had a lawsuit filed against them in 2018 because it was discovered that there was no ginger in their ginger ale, so it’s most likely the power of suggestion and the ginger-like taste that is giving you that soothing feeling. Plus, Sherry Ross, M.D., from Providence Saint John’s Health Center told FoodBeast that the carbonation, rather than the ginger, is what’s doing most of the work to soothe your upset stomach.

It’s been proven time and again that our taste buds act a little differently when we fly. This is because the drier air and cabin pressure can dull our sense of taste and smell, making certain food and drink taste a bit different than they do on the ground. The air inside an aircraft cabin is about as thin and dry as it is on top of a mountain peak that’s about 6,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level, according to the World Health Organization.

Because of this, tastes like sweetness and saltiness are impacted the most, according to nutritionist Lauren Grosskopf, MS, LDN, who spoke to Travel + Leisure. The saltiness of drinks like the Bloody Mary or plain tomato juice can actually seem a bit dull, leaving a fresher and sweeter taste behind. So, Bloody Mary’s often taste better in the air, providing a sweet and spicy taste that gives humans more satiety (a feeling of satisfaction).

When it comes to ginger ale, the drier varieties (as opposed to sweeter, golden ales) are often more popular among the masses. When you’re in a plane, a ginger ale’s extra sweetness may not register on your taste buds, making your ginger drink extra-dry and sharp. Refreshing.

OTHER BENEFITS OF GINGER ALE Grosskopf told T + L that ginger can also be especially good for travelers because of its medicinal benefits. Ginger has

“Ginger helps ease stomach upset with nervous flyers,” said Grosskopf.

If your flight is handing out a brand of ginger ale that has real ginger in it, however, that’s all the better.

Drinking ginger ale also helps travelers avoid a common problem with other bubbly soft drinks like Diet Coke, which requires extra time for the bubbles to dissipate due to the high altitude. Diet Coke with ice is actually one of the worst drinks to order from a flight attendant, since it slows them down during drink service.

In addition to any scientific or medical reasons you might want to reach for a Schweppes or Canada Dry on a plane, drinking ginger ale just feels good on an emotional level. Those of us who always order a bit of the bubbly stuff can’t really explain the reason why, but it’s clearly part of our ritual. And who can argue with that?

If you haven’t tried a ginger ale on a flight yet, we highly suggest giving it a shot.

You’ll never feel more refreshed.

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W H AT H A P P E N S W H E N A W H O L E G E N E R AT I O N N E V E R G R O W S U P?

the Peter Pan GENERATION

A

As 30-somethings increasingly bypass the traditional milestones of adulthood, economists warn that what seemed like a lag may in fact be a permanent state of arrested development.

MERICANS IN THEIR 30S HAVE NEVER LOOKED LESS LIKE GROWN-UPS.

Amid steep declines in homeownership, marriage and birth rates, economists have long been warning that young people are struggling to meet the milestones of adulthood. Although some 30-somethings are consciously choosing a less traditional path, many say these goals are simply out of reach.

“It feels like the instructions for how to live a good life don’t apply anymore,” says 38-year-old Cody Harding, who is single and lives with three roommates in Brooklyn. “And nobody has updated them.”

Now, as a mix of social and economic factors holds back an entire generation, what researchers once called a lag is starting to look more like a permanent state of arrested development.

“We’re moving from later to never,” says Richard Reeves, president of the American Institute for Boys and Men. He notes that the longer people take to launch into a more conventional adultPAGE 94

hood, the less likely they are to do it at all.

A third of today’s young adults will never marry, projects conservative think tank the Institute for Family Studies, compared to less than a fifth of those born in previous decades. The share of childless adults under 50 who say they are unlikely to ever have kids, meanwhile, rose 10 percentage points between 2018 and 2023, from 37 percent to 47 percent, according to Pew Research Center.

Median wages for full-time workers ages 35 to 44 are up 16 percent between 2000 and 2024, from $58,522 to $67,652 adjusted for inflation, according to the Labor Department. The overall wealth of 30-somethings, too, rose 66 percent between 1989 and 2022, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve, from $62,000 to $103,000.

The conventional explanation for what’s freezing young adults in place is that they can’t afford to grow up, given rising inflation and ballooning housing costs. Yet this doesn’t quite explain what’s going on.

In many ways, this age group is in a better place financially, on average, than their parents were at this age. The problem is that they don’t seem to know it. Only 21 percent of adults in their 30s rated the overall economy as good or excellent last year, per the Federal Reserve, and economists say young adults are significantly more pessimistic about the future than prior generations were.

It’s true that 30-somethings have had a run of tough economic luck. Many of them entered the job market during the Great Recession, rode out the pandemic by moving back in with their parents, and are now dealing with the worst housing market in 40 years. But the numbers paint a more complicated picture.

“They see the world they are going to live in 20 years from now as really screwed up,” says Brookings Institute economist Carol Graham, who studies well-being.

She points to how climate change, political polarization, AI and a growing resentment of corporate power have made the future feel more uncertain.

“You can kick the can down the road, but only so far,” says Reeves.

Younger adults are far less likely than

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Americans over 50 to say achieving the American Dream of success from hard work is still a possibility, according to a Wall Street Journal/NORC poll in July.

But here, too, the reality is more complicated. At least part of what’s stunting the growth of a generation of young people are outsized dreams of what a good life looks like.

“Our expectations are so much higher today,” says Melissa Kearney, an economist at the University of Maryland whose research focuses on children and family.

“Generations before us didn’t expect to have large houses where every kid had a bedroom and there were multiple vacations.”

To be sure, financial averages are just that. A sizable share of this generation is worse-off than their parents were. Young men in particular are struggling in the labor market. And some of the traditional goals of adulthood really have become more difficult to achieve. Student debt

has more than doubled over the past two decades, yet a college degree is no guarantee of a well-paying job. Rising interest rates and dwindling supply have also put homeownership out of reach for a growing share of Americans. The median age of first-time homebuyers hit a record high of 38 this year, according to the National Association of Realtors, up from 35 in 2023 and 29 in 1981.

Still, growing up with less pressure to follow the same narrow route to adulthood imposed on their parents and grandparents—a career, spouse, house and kids all by age 35—has raised the bar for what these milestones look like, if they choose to hit them at all.

Stymied by this mix of high expectations and challenging economic circumstances, many 30-somethings sound disoriented and unsure about what it means to be a successful adult now.

After watching his parents raise three kids and buy a house on his parents’ salaries in

retail and manufacturing, Cody Harding assumed that being the first in his family to earn a Bachelor’s degree would grant him an even better quality of life.

Although he now makes around double what his parents did at the height of their careers combined, he’s disappointed by what it affords him in New York City.

Harding says graduating college in 2008, just as companies across the country were hemorrhaging funds and laying off workers, was the first sign that he seemed destined for an economically precarious adulthood. When he couldn’t put his double major in English and history to use, he waited tables and worked in construction.

“I never caught up,” he says. Harding entered law school to wait out the sluggish labor market, but emerged with $180,000 in student-loan debt. He now owes over $200,000, after making only the minimum payments.

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or at least live on his own as a full-time lawyer, he’s paying $1,700 in monthly rent to live with roommates in Brooklyn.

When it became clear his dreams of homeownership were not achievable in New York, he recently got help from his parents to close on a fixer-upper in his hometown of Easton, Pa. Like many of his peers, he earns extra income from a side hustle: in his case running a vintage furniture store.

31, the age she is now, they had gotten married, purchased a home and had her.

Yet she is still sleeping in her childhood bedroom, gazing at the same unicorn wallpaper put up before she was born.

Harding still hopes to get married and have children, but has grown disenchanted with a dating culture that he feels prizes short-term flings over long-term commitment. He’d also rather stay single than compromise on the wrong fit. Most of his friends are in the same state of suspended adolescence, he says, which sometimes makes it feel like time is standing still.

She was close to moving out in 2020, but the pandemic’s surging home prices derailed plans to buy a starter house with her then-fiancé. (He moved into her childhood bedroom with her before they broke up this past summer.) Since losing her full-time job at a startup in 2021 she’s been working part-time and has felt stuck, unsure of what she wants to do next.

“It’s fine trying to reinvent what a modern life looks like, but I’m a little disappointed by everything that it lacks,” Harding says. “I’m sick of partying. I did that already. I want to grow up.”

“I feel like a failure,” she says, adding that a recent chance meeting with the principal of her high school, where she graduated as valedictorian, left her scrambling for how to describe what she’s been up to for the past 13 years. “I let the fact that I published a book do a lot of the heavy lifting,” she jokes.

Just over half of Americans between the ages of 30 and 40 were married as of last year, according to an analysis of American Community Survey data by Aspen Economic Strategy Group economist Luke Pardue. This is down from more than two thirds in 1990, when those in the middle of the cohort were born. The share of women in this age range who had ever given birth fell 7 percentage points between 2012 and 2022 alone, Current Population Survey data show, from 78 percent to 71 percent.

“Part of this is social expectations, part of this is shifting priorities and part of this is economic realities,” says Kearney at the University of Maryland, who has looked at how the same dynamic is playing out in high-income countries around the world. “But all together they seem to be pushing in the same direction, which is increased rates of staying single and staying childless.”

Even leaving the nest—long considered a prerequisite to full-fledged adulthood in the U.S.—is proving harder to pull off.

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“Redecorating would mean accepting that I’m not leaving,” says Leo, who has been back home in Glassboro, N.J., since graduating college in 2015 with $20,000 in student-loan debt.

Nearly 9 percent of those aged 30 to 40 still live with their parents, according to Pardue’s analysis of Census data, up from nearly 6 percent in 1990.

Renata’s parents, Ed and Paula Leo, say they want their daughter to have the freedom to pursue the life she wants rather than feeling, like they did, that she should submit to any job as long as it pays something.

“There’s no longer one right, certain path,” says Paula, a 61-year-old retired math teacher, who admits that she never even thought about whether she wanted to get married or become a mother—she just assumed that she would. Yet Paula recognizes that operating in an atmosphere with less pressure to conform or settle comes with its own costs. Having more options, she says, “makes it harder to know what to do.”

Renata acknowledges that it’s a privilege to be able to wait for a job she loves rather than take whatever’s offered. But

she admits that the longer she stands by, a seeming bystander in her own life, the more hopeless she feels about ever launching at all.

“I still feel like a little kid,” she says.

By the time Semira Fuller’s mom was her age, 39, she was a home owner and a single mother of two. But even though Fuller’s roughly $100,000 salary as a payroll manager is more than her mom ever made when Fuller was growing up, she’s been disappointed by how little it buys in Los Angeles, where she lives with a roommate. “Everything feels like a struggle,” she says.

She knows her salary would go farther in her hometown of Philadelphia, but she prefers to stay in L.A. Inflation has raised the price of small luxuries, such as her Spotify subscription, but she doesn’t want to give them up.

“There isn’t any part of my life that doesn’t feel more expensive than it did two years ago,” she says.

Fuller says she enjoys meeting friends and waking up when she wants, which makes the upheaval of children unappealing. Motherhood, she says, is a “nonstarter.”

“Kids become the first priority,” says Fuller. “I’m still figuring myself out as a priority.”

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VA-VA-V VALEN

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VOOM NTINE

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STORY BY JOSH JAKOBITZ/POLO LIFESTYLES WITH PHOTOGRAPHY FROM LUIGI & IANGO AND THE IMPRESSION

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VA-VA-VOOM IN COUTURE THIS FEBRUARY 14 W

HAT IF YOU SWITCHED IT UP AND WENT ALLOUT, VA-VA-VOOM STYLE FOR VALENTINE’S THIS YEAR? NOT LIKE TWO DOZEN ROSES INSTEAD OF ONE DOZEN ROSES, BUT REALLY WENT ALL-OUT? THAT’S THE CONVERSATION WE HAD AT POLO LIFESTYLES IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS LEADING UP TO THIS STILL-WINTERY HOLIDAY.

For inspiration, we rewatched the episode of "Sex in the City" when Carrie is going out with Aleksandr, the Russian gentleman, night after night to incredible events and galas and dates.

Every night, she’s turning heads in couture gowns, hair and makeup perfect. Every night, Aleksandr takes her somewhere more glamorous than the previous evening. So it’s no surprise that when he tells her to be ready for another evening with him, she spends her afternoon in hair and makeup, slipping into the fabulous - and now famous Versace Mille Feuille skirt, only to open the door to her apartment to find him there, dressed casually and holding take out.

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thought, wouldn’t it be fun to turn a traditional Valentine’s night out on its head? Do something different, do something unexpected – turn the head of everyone when you enter the restaurant? Enter: Va-Va-Voom.

From Valentino to Eli Saab to Zuhair Murad, the couture choices are boundless, but in the interest of a theme – we’re partial to reds and roses and maybe even purple – it’s still Valentine’s. Red has long been associated with Valentine’s because we visual the heart as red. Red also evokes passion and desire on an emotional level.

In Paris, vibrant colors, bold silhouettes and colossal proportions ruled the couture runways. Walk into any restaurant, lobby or lounge this February 14th in something the likes of Schiaparelli and we’ll be damned if you aren’t shown immediately to the best table in the house.

This isn’t a set up for Valentine’s for the faint of heart – you’re going to be a showstopping goddess in couture, so make sure both you and your Valentine’s date are ready for the attention, because nothing like couture says, Let’s skip dessert and go home *wink*

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VALENTINE COUTURE

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FASHION & STYLE

PARIS HAUTE COUTURE 2025 CHANEL, DIOR, SCHIAPARELLI & GIAMBATTISTA VALLI PLUS: JEWELRY & MENSWEAR FOR SPRING PA G E 113

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CHANEL

Spring/Summer Haute Couture from Paris

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DIOR

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GIAMBATTISTA VALLI

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T H I S VA L E N T I N E S D AY

MAKE YOUR LOVE STORY SPARKLE

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H, VALENTINE’S DAY—A DAY WHERE THAT MISCHIEVOUS LITTLE CUPID TAKES AIM, FLOATING AROUND WITH HIS TINY BOW AND ARROW, CAPTURING HEARTS WORLDWIDE.

While love deserves to be celebrated every single day, there’s something special about marking February 14 with a gesture that says, “I see you, I love you, and I appreciate you.”

This year, with so much uncertainty in the world, why not go back to the basics?

Let’s embrace a simpler way of living, loving, and expressing ourselves—focusing on meaningful connections and thoughtful gestures.

When it comes to choosing the perfect gift for someone special, I always tell my

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clients: think of it as an investment— not just in the piece itself, but in the story it tells. As a jewelry designer, I’ve always used my craft to share my personal journey. Every piece in my collection is inspired by a memory, a loved one, or an adventure. Jewelry, for me, is more than an accessory; it’s a love language.

or a unique piece that speaks directly to your partner’s spirit, find something meaningful—a talisman, a token, or even a gesture. It doesn’t have to be extravagant or even tangible. What matters is that it comes from the heart.

Whether it’s a delicate necklace that reminds you of the first trip you took together, a ring that symbolizes forever,

This Valentine’s Day, forget the clichés and give a gift that tells a story—your story.

BY C H R I S T I N A A L B I N A / P O LO L I F E S T Y L E S

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DOLCE & GABBANA

Ready to Wear Menswear from Paris

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Find a Home that Suits your Lifestyle

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MANSION OF THE MONTH

NEW YORK CITY HISTORY FLATIRON DISTRICT PENTHOUSE $25,000,000 USD

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NYC HISTORY 170 FIFTH AVENUE NYC PENTHOUSE PAGE 150

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BEDROOMS 5 | BATHROOMS 4 FULL AND 1 PARTIAL | INTERIOR 5,777 SQ FT.

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ROWNED BY AN ICONIC GOLDEN DOME CUPOLA, THE SOHMER PIANO BUILDING IS ARCHITECT, ROBERT MAYNICKE’S MOST EXTRAVAGANT WORK ON THIS STRETCH OF FIFTH AVENUE—A VERITABLE RENAISSANCE ROCKET SHIP SOARING UP FROM ITS DOUBLE-STORY RUSTICATED PIERS TO AN OCTAGONAL SPIRE, SHAPING THE CITY’S INIMITABLE SKYLINE. This discreet penthouse, adjacent to the Flatiron building, has been completely renovated, blending true old-world charm

with a twist of new development. The entire roof deck is deeded privately, offering a space to marvel at the city. Spanning over 5000 sqft, the residence features an open-concept design with soaring ceilings and windows that frame breathtaking views of the city skyline. The standout feature is the golden dome cupola—a private sanctuary that offers panoramic, 360-degree views of New York City, including landmarks like the Empire State Building, the Flatiron Building and Madison Square Park.

Inside, the penthouse boasts a gracious eat-in- kitchen with all the premium appliances, expansive living and dining areas that flow effortlessly, and a private rooftop space perfect for al fresco dining with the city as your backdrop. There are two grand foyers connected by a circular baronial limestone staircase and framed

by more than 40 oversized windows. An 80-foot expanse of greenhouse-style set of windows on the upper level reveals an abundance of natural light and stunning views of Manhattan landmarks.

The corner primary suite offers a luxurious private retreat, featuring three directions of exposure, 35+ linear feet of closet space, leading to a spa-like bathroom with a Waterworks soaking tub. The additional three bedrooms provide flexibility for a home office or guest accommodations, all designed with the same attention to detail, views, and discerning consideration for a luxury lifestyle.

Owning this penthouse is not just about living in one of Manhattan’s finest residences—it’s about living in a piece of New York history.

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VILLA MARBELLA WHERE ARCHITECTURE MEETS LUXURY IN SPAIN

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$9,327,775 USD | | 6 BEDROOMS | 6 BATHROOMS 7,545 SQ FT. | 0.41 ACRE(S)

NTRODUCING A SIGNATURE VILLA DESIGNED BY THE RENOWNED ISMAEL MERIDA, WHERE FASCINATING ARCHITECTURE MEETS UNPARALLELED LUXURY. Standing out as a masterpiece in The Avenue community, this residence represents the epitome of grandeur and exclusivity. Experience the largest and most prestigious residence in The Avenue, boasting a private garage accessible via PAGE 156

a bespoke connecting tunnel that lends inspiration to its name. Inside, be mesmerized by the fascinating interior design by the legendary Pedro Peña, where every detail exudes opulence and refinement.

Entertain guests effortlessly in the villa’s entertainment level, complete with a home gym and expansive living spaces. Step outside to discover a manicured private garden on an ample plot, featuring a private infinity pool and a remarkable solarium offering panoramic views of La Concha and the Mediterranean Sea. Residents also have access to the exceptional commu-

nity amenities, including the state of the art gym with top of the line equipment and a lavish SPA equipped with a hammam, sauna, ice bath and indoor pool The Avenue’s location in the heart of Nueva Andalucia also allows for convenient access to a plethora of amenities, international schools and facilitates road connections to Puerto Banus, the Golden Mile and Malaga City. Embrace a lifestyle of unparalleled luxury in this estate, where every aspect has been meticulously crafted to offer the utmost in comfort and sophistication.

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Listed by Madrid Sothebys International Realty + 34 91904 1929

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A ST-BARTH ESCAPE A $59 million hillside compound on the billionaire’s retreat of St. Barts is set to hit the market as the most expensive property for sale on the Caribbean island.

The nine-bungalow property sits on a remote corner on the island’s northwesternmost tip in the Colombier district. “It’s up in the hills with west-facing sunset views, in a private domain,” said the listing agent Zarek Honneysett at Sibarth Real Estate, an affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate.

The most expensive home ever sold on St. Barts also happens to be on Colombier beach. That property being a 130-acre estate once owned by David Rockefeller that sold for about $136 million last year, according to The Wall Street Journal. The property made a mark on its area, which is now also known as “Rockefeller Beach.”

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At two acres, the sprawling Domaine de Vignette is one of four estates that make up the Les Étoiles gated community. It is the biggest, built across five lots, according to Honneysett. “There are few properties on the island that are this size,” said Honneysett about the island, where space is limited.

The individual bungalows and outdoor areas of the estate spread out over staggered levels, arranged to face the pool at the base of the property. These pockets are connected by teak walkways and blue rock steps, which were sourced locally and “manually carved one by one to fit perfectly together,” according to Remi Tessier, who designed the newly renovated property, in a press release.

Doussié wood from Central Africa and brushed spruce handcrafted in France

cover certain deck areas. Woven carpets and Caribbean decorative art ground the interiors. The outdoor space is filled out by over 70 varieties of tropical plants, including striking Bismark palms and draping bougainvillea.

The entrance opens to a deck with a shaded bar and lounge, and the family room bungalow. Several stone steps lead up to a bungalow containing the primary suite, with buildings containing a restaurant-grade kitchen and dining room.

Down from the entrance level is a secondary bedroom bungalow, with another bedroom bungalow a level below that. Next is the pool, with a separate guest cottage with its own bedroom, kitchen and living space on the other side. The last building in the set of nine is a caretaker’s house.

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Vine Finds of Solace In Search

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Vine Finds from Polo Lifestyles In Search of Solace

Sonoma's

Smith Story Wine Cellars

RECENTLY HAD A RARE, FREE AFTERNOON AND, GRATEFUL FOR MY PROXIMITY TO SONOMA COUNTY, DECIDED TO FOLLOW UP ON A SOCIAL MEDIA CONTACT THAT OCCURRED LAST YEAR. I HAD NEVER MET ALI SMITH STORY OF SMITH STORY WINE CELLARS IN PERSON, BUT WHEN I REACHED OUT WITH AN HOUR’S NOTICE AND INQUIRED ABOUT POSSIBLY POPPING BY, SHE WELCOMED AN IMPROMPTU VISIT.

Smith Story’s tasting room is conveniently located just off US 101 in the Bachus Landing complex in Healdsburg.

It’s a beautiful setting created as a home for boutique producers such as Smith Story, and seven other producers currently call Bachus Landing home. Ali and her husband, Eric Smith, produce less than 2,000 cases a year under the Smith Story label, purchasing fruit from trusted growers and proven vineyard sites through Sonoma since 2014. Over the span of a few hours, I got to know Ali and Eric a bit and had the pleasure of tasting nearly a dozen bottlings, both blends and single varietals. They shared their challenges and triumphs, but perhaps, first and foremost, what they shared was their love for wine. It’s that love and dedication that shines through in each bottle from these highly skilled,

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WILLIAM SMITH

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@willismith_2000 COPY EDITOR & CONTRIBUTOR

minimal interventionist wine makers.

Here are a few of my favorites:

2022 Smith Story Chardonnay, Olivet Lane Vineyard Russian River Valley ($64) The Chardonnay vines of Olivet Lane Vineyard were planted nearly a half century ago by the Pelligrini family who still owns and does their own bottlings from this heritage vineyard. Once an apple orchard, the organically farmed fruit that makes its way into Smith Story’s 2022 Chardonnay is pure delight from the moment it hits your nose. Truly, it is one of those wines in which the complexity of the aromas compelled restraint from drinking prematurely and truncating a divine experience. Earthy and sweet honey notes mingle with ripening peach and crisp green apple. On the palate,

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In Vine Finds, we bring to Polo Lifestyle’s readers select wines that have recently struck a harmonious cord and imminently impressed us. In a world of innumerable wine producers, we seek to cut through the cacophony and curate wines suitable for both everyday enjoyment and for those special occasions.

this is a lush mouth of green apple and pie crust with a skillful and balanced use of both new and old French oak in the European style. It blissfully bucks the trends of more modern Chardonnays from Northern California wine country.

Ali playfully speculated that the fruit beckons forth the history of the site as an apple orchard – a notion I love.

Only 150 cases of this wine were produced and Wine Enthusiast just gave it a respectable 92 score that is sure to have collectors seeking it out. This is one of the most interesting and beautiful California Chardonnays that I’ve tasted in years.

2022 Smith Story Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley ($64) Smith Story offered no fewer than five single varietal offerings of Sonoma County Pinot Noirs during my recent visit, each so different, one from the other, they whispered singular tales of terroir and vintage. It was the 2022 Russian River Valley however, that really impressed. Sourced from what I was told were literally two “backyard vineyards” in the AVA, this wine is an example of both why Pinot Noir from the Russian River is renowned, but also how it can become all the more elevated in the hands of the right winemaker.

Medium bodied and plum colored in the glass, aromas of earth and ripe dark fruits emanate from the glass. Rich flavors of brambles and black cherries dominate with harmonious tannins that create an elegant mouthfeel with a long finish accompanied by hints of spice and earth.

Only 170 cases of this wine were made, but the ‘23 and ’24 vintages are aging in their barrels – a good thing given how smitten I am with this wine and the desire to indulge in subsequent vintages.

If a trip to Healdsburg is not in your future, Smith Story’s current releases can be found online at https://www.smithstorywinecellars.com. As always... salud!

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TRAVEL IN STYLE FOR LESS

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RAVELING OFF-SEASON, BOOKING EARLY, PLAYING WITH FLEXIBLE DATES AND GOING SOMEWHERE OFF THE BEATEN PATH ARE TRIEDAND-TRUE BUDGET TRAVEL STRATEGIES.

and hotel promotions in a single event, the NYC Winter Outing, Jan. 21 to Feb. 9.

But each year brings traffic patterns and perennial sales that can cue savvy travelers on when to book and when to travel.

Busy spring breaks and busier summers seem to crowd out deals in prime months. But here and there, throughout the year, lie a few sweet spots that the travel industry calls dead weeks.

Whatever the timing, it pays to shop for travel during low-demand spots on the calendar well in advance; that means usually booking domestic airfares 30 to 60 days out and international trips three to five months in advance. Reserve lodgings ahead, too, but make sure they are refundable so that if prices drop you can rebook at the lower rate.

Caveats notwithstanding, the following are key times to put on your calendar for the best buys in travel.

“Restaurant Weeks” The year kicks off with two of the cheapest months to travel — outside of ski destinations, anyhow.

Most travelers have returned from holiday travel and kids are back in school, leaving those with flexible schedules a lot of leeway on where to go at low prices.

“Prices are some of the lowest that you see throughout the year,” said Hayley Berg, the chief economist at the travel booking app Hopper, “and it’s a time of year where you can even book last-minute airfare, and still often get a deal.”

For trips in January and February, fliers can expect to spend 15 percent less on flights and 45 percent less on hotel rooms compared with summer rates.

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“My tip for finding the off-season in any destination is to Google a city and ‘restaurant week,’” said Samantha Brown, host of the PBS show “Places to Love.”

“Dead Weeks”

“Dead weeks are defined by a total lull in travel when hotels and airfare are markedly lower,” Brown said.

If you plan in advance, she added, airfares can be half off and hotels about a third off.

Pockets of opportunity pepper the calendar. Expedia calls out the first week of March — roughly between Presidents’ Day and the onset of spring break — and the last week of April, for cheaper and less busy flights.

The last two weeks of August can offer bargains, too, as long as you avoid Labor Day weekend.

After “Thanksgiving Week” Travel booking sites say airfares generally peak in June. But they usually come back down by September. Low fares tend to run through October. (Remember to book in advance to get the best deals).

“The best time of the year, hands down, for domestic and most international trips is September and October when the prices typically drop about 30 percent of where they are in June,” said Berg, of Hopper.

According to the booking platform Vrbo, September is among the cheapest months to stay in a vacation rental.

The reliability of fall as a better buy is

being eroded in some destinations as travelers seek to escape the crowds and heat associated with summer travel. In a recent report, the high-end tour company Kensington said fall reservations in Europe rose nearly 5 percent over summer bookings.

Beware of weather risks in tropical destinations in the fall, which coincides with the last few months of hurricane season.

Year-end deals As a travel event, Black Friday has exploded in recent years as travel companies try to attract shoppers in the season of spending. Black Friday sales often start in early November and run through Cyber Week, or the week after Thanksgiving, which includes Travel Tuesday.

Between Black Friday and Travel Tuesday, airfares run 25 to 30 percent below flights usually departing in January through May, according to a membership service that specializes in airfares.

“The sweet spot for these deals is international flights, especially to Europe, Asia and the Caribbean, where airlines compete to attract early planners,” said Jesse Neugarten, the founder and chief executive of Dollar Flight Club.

If Bermuda is on your list, check out the destination’s annual Pink Sale, which starts in late December and runs through January. Hotel offers tend to run 25 to 35 percent off for travel dates throughout the year.

Travel agents call Christmas and New Year’s weeks “festive season,” when travel prices tend to spike with holiday traffic.

But if you’re looking for a bargain city hotel, try the week leading up to Christmas. At HotelTonight, an app for last-minute hotel deals in 94 countries, rates on Christmas Eve go for about 37 percent less than they do on New Year’s Eve.

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ASCENSION

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HEAL YOURSELF AND HEAL THE WORLD

SPIRITUALITY · FAITH · QUESTIONS · GROWTH · FOCUS

LIBERATING YOUR

INNER GODDESS FOR SELF-EMPOWERMENT Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.

- Archimedes

AMRITLAL अमृत ASCENSION CONTRIBUTOR @monarch_visionary

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AN YOU SENSE THE WEIGHT OF THE COLLECTIVE THOUGHT-FIELD OPPRESSING YOUR FULLEST EXPERIENCE OF JOY AND SHAPING YOU INTO LESS THAN YOU DESERVE? Imagine if you could break free from the psychological shackles of the external world’s imposition upon what is and how life should be to receive yourself in full honor of your radiant divinity.

Embodied faith is a universal broadcast of aetheric rainbow light, perceived through the soul’s eternal flight that evolves life from the inside-out, hence, the truth shall set you free. By sensing beyond the mind’s fatal grasp for mortal identification to feel through the mental mechanisms that cause spiritual bondage within your body, you ascend PAGE 170

in e-motional awareness of the infinite field of love, bridging access to higher perceptions of self as the collective psychic debris of humanity’s universal truth is dissolved for us to soulfully decipher an ancient prophecy for the attainment of spiritual enlightenment. Is it possible to re-imagine immortality into the common belief system?

As you pierce through the self-imposed yolks to spiritual poverty, resurrecting your inner light to consciously decode the toxic programming that has derailed the trajectory of your reality, re-imagine life as an architect of your soul’s destiny as you allow yourself to become all that you are divinely intended to be.

Liberation begins as you sense the depth of truth energetically bridged through your body, which serves as universal artifact of life – a Rosetta stone of cosmic, mystic revelations – realized in form to purify your self-destructive view.

Imagine the power of peace and discernment of truth bestowed upon you, as you invoke the Goddess within to birth you, a new. Behold the emergence of a fully-sensual spiritual being, A M R I T L A L अमृत / P O L O L I F E S T Y L E S

experiencing the infinite depths of life’s greatest discoveries as all aspects of the true, almighty you, basking in receipt of your radiant reflection.

In beseeching the blessing of the Divine Mother Goddess for the resurrection of the spiritual flesh, the aetheric barriers of separation from the true self are dissolved for an organic blueprint of your celestial embodiment to be awakened.

As the initiate embarks upon the eternal quest of remembrance through honor of the experience, a higher path is crystallized through the sentience of the alchemized breath – the crystallization of one’s knowing into physical upregulation of genetic cellular expression.

As the ever-evolving, self-organizing awareness of the light reveals itself through inward focus, the path for the eternal self is revealed for the light of the soul to flourish. We are each born golden, the greatest gift to cultivate that which we each hold within; training as empaths who dissolve their pain bodies into the subtle brilliance of knowing.

Through the expansion of one’s heart sentience and disciplined mastery of

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T he Celestial Mandate for a Radical Transformation in Devotional Living R E N E WA L · C O M M U N I T Y · S U P P O RT · E X P LO R AT I O N · E N E R G Y As biological radio-interpreters of the universal frequencies of life, our collective attunement to harmonious waves of the cosmic Om, the bio-luminescent spirit of the birthing universe, excites the spark within that drives all life in rejoicing of the divine plan. Through the expansion of our senses, designed to raise us into the Heavens, the universal mystery of our collective evolution unfolds through the potential sparked through the growing sentience within our very vessels, as we learn to perceive the unseen and integrate the sacred truth into the art of living.

THE IMMORTAL NECTAR OF AMRITA

self-awareness, one initiates the ability to perceive through the infinite depths of the all-seeing spiritual eye. Through training of the senses and exploration of the e-motions, one becomes potentialized with an all-encompassing radiant love that self-organizes into an e-motional lens of unity that blossoms in form, pouring forth the boundless nectar of love -from the depths of the heart’s inner knowing.

When freeing the mind becomes common sport, the Earth shall jolt, like an electric force whose heart has been reconnected to the cosmic source. To sense is to transform one dimension of power into a sentient-charged force of e-motion; to love is to create from an abundance of source energy. To master oneself is to transform the constructs of matter – for all is a matter of the perceptions we forge as we attune to our highest god-self.

There is a harmonic resonance of electrical bio-organic potential, sung with every heart’s beat; an e-motionally evolved sentience of awareness whose electromagnetic resonance animates through our extracellular matrix to orchestrate the spirit’s perceived reality.

Limited only by the depth of our insight and magnified by the heart’s toroidal force, this divine spark that is cultivated through our vital body serves the power of our imagination to excite our highest god-realized state into existence as the fruit of our intentional, devotional life ritual: our life force energy.

As opti-mystics, it is the electrochemical response from our ability to sensually appreciate the highest truth of reality, as the aspirant soul’s realized essence is cultivated into self-awareness, that manipulates the behavior of molecules at the nanoscale – the heart’s realization of the Goddess inside transforms the underlying constructs of life. The true potential of the human e-motional, hormonal star-vessel is revealed through

the evolution of self and the activation of divine mechanisms that spread instantaneously through the energetic, vibratory constructs of our collective field of perception.

Throughout the ages, ancient and modern mystics alike, have mastered the power of the story to direct the flow of consciousness to illuminate the cellular memory of those initiated into the path of self-mastery. In the Sanskrit story of Samudra Manthan, known as the churning of the oceans, once the Earth and Heavens had been depleted of all peace, the two opposing forces, representing the cosmic forces of light and dark, found truce through an epic effort to arouse the blessing of creation, the deliverance of the immortal nectar of amrita from the depths of the cosmic ocean, in an attempt to restore balance to the universe and purpose to their lives.

Through the churning of Mount Mandara, a spur of the golden mountain that stands in the center of the universe, upon the Ocean of Milk, roped by the king of snakes, Vasuki, who devotedly lies coiled around the neck of Supreme Lord Shiva, the joined rival forces resurrect the highly prized nectar of immortality – the golden nectar of the gods, that which bequeaths to man, his supernatural abilities, in Sanskrit known as the siddhis – supernatural gifts of perfection.

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SPIRITUALITY · FAITH · QUESTIONS · GROWTH · FOCUS to receive the blessing of initiation to cross over into the deathless, immortal realm. To see beyond and be forever transformed, to receive the blessing of the Goddess, is to transcend the self-inflected death of the mortal man’s mentally conditioned lower form.

The two opposing forces represent the yin and yang duality of the cosmic nature inherent in man, and within the body are measured as the Ida and Pingala energetic currents, which crisscross, serpent-like, around the central sushumna energetic channel – the body’s main life force generator. Raising the purifying fire, the kundalini serpent power is practiced as a path to enlightenment and transcendence of the duality of one’s self nature.

Through the process of purification, the organ system is cleansed of stored poisons, allowing the mind of the adept to be cleansed of distractions and impurities, activating the cone-shaped pineal gland to secrete the golden nectar of amrita to regenerate the body through the central nervous system. By uniting the tension between the two extreme sentiments within oneself, the Shiva and the Shakti, the union of the divine masculine and feminine is born, opening portals of the mind to perceive into higher spiritual worlds – the gift of multi-sentience.

A HONEYBEE’S INSIGHT ON PARTNERSHIP “The move to a new world of psychological and social rebirth will entail changes we cannot yet predict, or even envision…For millennia of recorded history, the human spirit has been imprisoned by our fetters of androcracy. Our minds have been stunted, and our hearts have been numbed. And yet our striving for truth, beauty, and justice has never been PAGE 172

extinguished. As we break out of these fetters, as our minds, hearts, and hands are freed, so also will be our creative imagination.”

In “The Chalice & The Blade,” internationally acclaimed scholar, futurist and activist, Riane Eisler, describes the cultural origins of humanity and the ebb and flow of conflict and peace between matrilinear and patrilinear societies and the evolutionary outcomes of the cultural variance between societies. Just south of Eisler’s Center for Partnership Studies in Pacific Grove, Calif., I was summoned by a special bee, for a lesson in our potential for serving the Goddess as a hive-based society.

As you begin to serve the evolution of consciousness, the intentional expansion of sense invokes spiritual guidance from the animal as well as plant and insect kingdoms. Tucked away in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains on the sunny side of the Monterey Peninsula, situated on 500 lush acres of majestic earth, Carmel Valley Ranch offers an escape into the spiritual tranquility of the Californian countryside. It was here, that Kirsten Cannon, Director of Recreation, shared a special rendezvous with the retreat’s on-site honeybee colonies to experience the ancient magic of beekeeping and receive a special insight for humanity.

With more than 4,000 bee species in the United States alone, pollinating 80 percent of all flowering plants, including more than 130 types of fruits and vegetables, this co-evolutionary relationship has a complexly rich and romantically in-depth spiritual teaching to decode.

The queen represents the main regulating factor of the colony function that is largely achieved by means of phero-

mones, which are produced by different glands and emitted as a complex chemical blend, known as the “queen signal.”

The honeybee queen represents the main regulating factor of her colony’s behavioral functions through a complex pheromone system that result in the maintenance of colony homeostasis through the establishment of social hierarchy and preservation of the queen’s reproductive supremacy. The queen’s ‘mood’ determines the overall flow of the biological order.

Recently, science has detected the presence of a weak electrostatic field that arises between the flower and a bee that contributes to pollination and electro-reception. As the bee’s heart-intelligence draws its path toward the awaiting flowers, the positively charged bee’s interaction with the negatively charged, electrically earthed flower causes the pollen to levitate from the flower to the bee. Through the magic of life, the nectar is risen, as the spiritual essence of Mother Earth is cultivated for the queen’s evolution.

This electrically charged, chemically dynamic relationship within the hive function, from the queen bee to the forager, demonstrates the divine current of life to entice the delivery of its sweet nectar that results in a rapturous dance as the bee returns to the hive, victoriously rewarded by the golden nectar of life.

From the moment the bee exultantly departs the hive, a love for life ignites within as the bee’s senses are transformed in pursuit of service to the divine. The bee is a classic example of love as a service, an embodied dharma that evolves a species into its highest function – the essence of the Goddess, the fundamental driver of all life.

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R E N E WA L · C O M M U N I T Y · S U P P O RT · E X P LO R AT I O N · E N E R G Y Just as the infant who suckles from his mother’s teat is stronger in form, he who finds the immortal nectar of the goddess within, through the harvesting of the fruits of his existence, perceives of the almighty truth in her highest brilliance.

It is the resurrection of this sense for life, this passion that drives one pursuit of the fire, that redirects his life from the distractions of the many to the pursuit of the divine marriage of the two waring selves. The Goddess is a transformative force that awakens the hero’s quest to master the universe as he realizes himself through the alignment of his soul’s mission, the dharma that drives the light of life to rise.

MULTI-SENTIENT CO-EXISTENCE “To every biological form or organ, there is an associated, correlated morphogenetic field that acts as its blueprint.

Consciousness mediates the interaction of these blueprints with matter as it makes form in accordance with the blueprint… A healthy organ not only means that the physical organ, the representation is healthy, but also that the correlated morphogenetic field is healthy, too.

The feeling of health or wellness, vital energy, comes from the movements of the correlated vital body, the morphogenetic fields. Wellness speaks of the state of the balance and harmony of these movements – vital energies.”

In “Quantum Economics – Unleashing the Power of an Economics of Consciousness,” Amit Goswami, PhD, provides a quantumly aligned structure for the social transformation of global business economics as the survival of the species becomes a commonly held intention that drives a natural evolution of systems to support the innate spiritual rebirth unfolding upon the Earth.

Goswami relates the global dynamics to the pranic flow of the universal chakra system, to further emphasize that as the sense of service cultivated within us reaches within our organ system and raises in resonance, a collapse into higher order will be realized as humanity naturally ascends into energetic alignment with the electromagnetic blueprint of unrealized potential within us each.

As the call of the Mother Earth for rebirth ripples through humanity, creating an anxiety that drives man into the inner realms to master his heart’s inner fire. In pursuit of peace, the bio-photonic light emission that we discharge, locally and throughout the interconnected chakra consciousness stream, is enriched with our sentient awareness and nourishes the collective Christ – Krisha consciousness grid with our love. Amrita, the nutrient of divine harmony, drives the evolution of our collective species and potentially immortality.

In addition to prayanam and kriya yoga practices to still the inner conflict and align the body with noble action, kundalini practice raises one’s serpent power to purify the organ system, dissolving toxic emotions to gradual heal and unravel conditioning belief system to allow healing of the body and ascension of consciousness with the activation of the underlying universal blueprint. The portal to ascension is realized within.

With intentional, devotional practice of worship to the goddess within, one can control the activation of the internal guidance system, the hormonal system, to generate vitality and health within the body. With focused intention on self-regeneration, the resurgence of mitochondrial function activates dormant cellular memory and a multi-dimensional awareness of self to organically birth

itself into higher sentience, manifesting gifts to serve in the crystallization of the new Earth being formed.

Through the realization of the organ intelligence, new relationships, business incentives are formed as life evolves to support to the growing collective sentience of self-respect and honor for the kingdom birthed within us all, creating vibratory fields of purified intentions and thoughtforms. Just as thoughts are dangerous, emotions are ever more so contagious, as freedom is embodied, perceived shackles are gradually dissolved within and ensue throughout the family system.

In Santa Monica, Calif., Reality Center co-founder Don Estes, who in 1990, published Sensory Resonance Theory, uses proprietary frequency technologies to activate the same parts of the brain that are stimulated by deep meditation and psychedelic therapies in order to create a renewed sense of purpose, feelings of interconnectedness, and elevated well-being within clients.

With every cycle of cosmic realization, humanity evolves higher sentient heart-intelligence into the infinite underpinnings of our evolutionary process and origins. Amrita, the very nectar produced through our pursuit of the creator’s truth, our source of devotion to the goddess of life, reveals a spiritual metamorphosis that gradually expands our senses to resonate with the celestial aspects of reality, as our raised vibration enhances our immunity and supports the potential for immortality. As the Earth planes shift into a higher dimensional reality, the Goddess within shall guide us through the transformative process of becoming who we’ve always been.

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MOLD YOUR MIND " T H E M E N TA L B R E A K- D O W N " P O D C A S T I S N O W O N A L L S T R E A M I N G P L AT F O R M S

BE YOUR OWN

BEST FRIEND COACH JOEY VELEZ

MENTAL WELLNESS CONTRIBUTOR @velezmentalperformance

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E ALL HAVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHOM WE SEEK OUT WHEN WE EXPERIENCE TOUGH TIMES. THEY PROVIDE A SENSE OF COMFORT AND SAFETY, ARE VIEWED AS A SECURITY BLANKET, AND ALLOW US THE SPACE TO BE OURSELVES. When the roles are reversed, the support provided does not really change.

However, the internal dialogue we experience during times of struggle often does not match the dialogue coming from another individual. We are often our own biggest critics, harder on ourselves, less lenient, and with higher expectations on how to overcome life's challenges.

So it begs the question, What changes?

Why is it that it is easier to provide support to others, but not ourselves? One PAGE 176

reason could be the expectation that we should not need other people in order to get through difficulties.

This is the concept of resiliency, on which there is a misunderstanding of what being resilient actually means.

Many individuals believe that being resilient means you overcome adversity by yourself, when in reality, it actually takes a village. Having a strong support system can help you overcome these challenges more efficiently and effectively, and can also help you manage and process the “in-the-moment” emotions and feelings you may experience.

So, if your best friend going through some tough times came to you, would you tell them, “Figure it out on your own?” My guess is that the answer would be, No. Therefore, you must learn to also be your own best friend and not just your biggest critic.

BEING YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND In order to become your own best friend, it starts with your internal dialogue. The things you say to yourself impact the emotions you experience and both the physical and physiological reactions you have in that moment, which is going to impact what you do J O E Y V E L E Z / P O LO L I F E S T Y L E S

moving forward. Just like with your car, you want to fill your car with the appropriate gasoline to make it run more optimally.

Therefore, if you notice your internal dialogue is not helpful, then reframe those statements to something more productive. You can even ask yourself, “Would I say this to my best friend?”, which can be used as a trigger to switch your thinking. The intent is not to be more positive, but sometimes it is about keeping things from getting worse and maintaining the current state you are in.

Another strategy you can do comes through the practice of journaling and reflection. When going through challenging times, sometimes the best thing is to vent and brain dump everything you are thinking about.

If a person is not available, you can always write those thoughts down on a piece of paper. This process can help get those thoughts out of your head and onto a piece of paper, but can also help you process those thoughts and emotions from a more objective perspective.

Maybe getting those thoughts onto paper helps you understand that things aren’t as bad as your mind is making them to be. You can also imagine that

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THOUGHTS MATTER

you are either writing a letter to a friend, or writing yourself a letter from the point of view of your best friend. This allows you to change the tone of the dialogue toward, “What do they/I need to hear right now?”, which may be what you need to continue moving in a forward direction.

FINAL THOUGHTS Your friends should not be the only people to benefit from your support. You can use the same strategy on yourself when you are going through difficult times. It may be uncomfortable at first since it is common to be your own biggest critic, but if that helps you get

through difficult times, is it not worth it?

Learn to support yourself just like you would support your family and friends.

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BUGATTI TOURBILLON Perfection in every detail.

Pour l'éternité.

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