The history of our company begins not in 1995 when it was founded, but in 1987, the year I met my partner David. At the time we were college students in Boston who happened to meet through friends. Admittedly, we were an unlikely match. I was a "cowboy" from Montana who liked backpacking in the mountains, vicious games of ice hockey, backcountry skiing, and horseback riding. I sought the city as a refuge from my rural roots, and as a place where I could come out.

To me, David appeared to be the sophisticated urbanite. At dinner he could appreciate a wine list, choose the right type of oyster, and critique French onion soup - "Too much sage, not enough brandy." In college he studied cello performance, and worked the Boston classical music scene. While David might not have known the difference between cows and steers, or Douglas fir and ponderosa pine, I didn't know the difference between merlot and shiraz, or Haydn and Bach.

My idea of a date was canoeing in Vermont and his idea was waiting in line in front of Symphony Hall to get the last minute "cheap" tickets that we college students could afford. Somehow, opposites attracted. Never did I imagine what would become of our relationship and that our two personalities would merge into an entity. Today, we each contribute to the flavor of a unique experience. Left to my own devices, we'd be eating beenie-weenies on some remote mountaintop miles from civilization.

But David has his influence: nice hotels, good food, and a balance of activity and relaxation. In Switzerland we may hike during the day, but pamper ourselves in a four star hotel at night. After horseback riding in the Costa Rican cloud forest, we have a massage in the spa and soak in the hot springs. We try to find some creature comforts in our local destinations whether a remote beach in Baja or trek in the Himalayas.

---

Submit your review