Lavish Lifestyles Concierge

10/09/2025

✨ Beyond the Bucket List: What Luxury Travelers Will Seek in 2026 ✨

Luxury travel is changing. The question is no longer “Where should I go?” or “How much will it cost?” Instead, it’s: "What do I want to feel?” "What will this experience give me that I can’t find anywhere else?”

For 17 years, I’ve designed bespoke journeys for couples, families, and solo travelers — while also curating global brand activations and nonprofit galas. Across both worlds, I see the same shift: people no longer want to just check boxes on a bucket list. The new luxury is about experiences that feel personal, rare, and deeply connected to culture.

Here’s where I see luxury travel heading for 2026:

🇲🇦 Morocco → Exclusive riad buyouts in Marrakech — rooftop dinners under lantern light, hammam rituals reserved just for you, and artisan-led workshops that bring centuries of craft to life.

🇬🇷 Greece → Private villas overlooking the Aegean paired with insider access to chefs and vintners — volcanic-soil vineyard tastings in Santorini or a cooking lesson in Paros with recipes passed down through generations.

🇶🇦 Qatar → A blend of modern opulence and heritage: curated art collections in Doha by day, luxury desert glamping under the stars by night.

🇬🇭 Ghana → Avant-garde tasting menus by Michelin-trained chefs, fireside chats with global fashion leaders, and gallery tours guided by curators who connect you directly with artists.

🇿🇦 South Africa → Private vineyard visits with trailblazing Black women winemakers, paired with conservation-driven safari lodges.

🇯🇵 Japan → Quiet refinement through ryokan stays, private onsen baths, kaiseki dining, and rare access to master artisans.

🏝 Maldives → Sustainability as luxury: reef-to-table dining, marine conservation with resident biologists, and untouched seclusion.

✨ Takeaway: If you’re planning your next journey, don’t start with “Where do I want to go?” Instead, ask: "What do I want to feel?”
Because the future of luxury isn’t about price tags or Instagram influencer posts. It’s about intention, insider access, and meaningful experiences that can’t be mass-produced or replicated.

✨For those who don’t Google “luxury travel”… they call us™ — Lavish Lifestyles Concierge

07/09/2025

✨ Exciting news this weekend! ✨
R&R Luxury — one of Ghana’s leading skincare houses, founded by Valerie Obaze, spotlighted our collaboration on their Instagram 🙌🏾

When we journey to Ghana this New Year’s Eve, our group will sit down with their team for coffee + conversation, learning how they’ve built a global beauty brand rooted in one of West Africa’s most treasured natural resources: shea butter 🌿

💡 Did you know? Shea butter is made in the African Shea Belt — a region spanning 21 African countries. Out of these, the most common sources of quality shea butter are Nigeria, Ghana, and Northern Uganda. The process is all-natural: harvesting shea nuts, cracking, roasting, milling, and boiling them to extract the rich oil that hardens into butter. Truly Africa’s gift to global skincare ✨

This journey isn’t just about travel — it’s about insider access, authentic stories, and connecting with the creators shaping culture.

🌍 Ghana NYE | Dec 28–Jan 3
👉 Reserve your spot: curatedbycynika.com

04/09/2025

25/08/2025

Ghana NYE Dec 28 – Jan 3rd 🇬🇭 Fireside chats with Ghana’s leading Entreprenuers and Creatives — including Christie Brown’s Creative Director, whose designs have been worn by Beyoncé.

🇬🇭 Private dinners with award-winning and Michelin-trained West African chefs
�🇬🇭 Four-star luxury accommodations
�🇬🇭 Private curator-led art gallery tours and conversations with artists, with opportunities to commission original works

🇬🇭 Notable historian will personally guide us through Ghana’s historic sites — including the Assin Manso Ancestral Slave River. Drawing from his research on slavery, culture, memory, and identity, he will offer powerful context on the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, trauma, and healing — bringing unmatched depth and meaning to the experience.

Drawing on my many personal relationships throughout Ghana, this is a luxurious, culturally immersive way to welcome 2026 — uplifting, inspiring, and unforgettable.

🌍 Limited to 20 travelers�👉 Join the journey: www.curatedbycynika.com

15/08/2025

🎥 Speaking on the Future Stage at World Travel Market (WTM) Africa in Cape Town — Sound on 🔈

🌍 From New York to Cape Town… and onto the global stage at World Travel Market Africa, an event that drew over 6,000 travel, tourism, and hospitality professionals from around the world. ✈️

I was honored to join an incredible panel of women to tackle a powerful question:
💬 Why is Africa sleeping on Diaspora Dollars?

Grateful to International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) and World Travel Market Africa for the invitation to speak and for their incredible hospitality. ✨

07/08/2025

It's a vacation, let's not make it a nightmare! ✈️

Before you pack your bags for your dream getaway, have you checked if your medications are allowed in your transit and destination country?

In 17 years of planning experiential travel and events, I've learned a truly worry-free vacation means handling every detail—even the ones you've never thought about. As a seasoned travel planner, we do more than just plan travel; we keep our hand on the pulse of all things travel related. The stunning view is the reward, but peace of mind is the real luxury.

Did you know that many common over-the-counter and prescription drugs in the U.S. are illegal or restricted in other countries?

💊 OTC cold and flu meds like Nyquil are restricted in Japan due to ingredients.
💊 Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) is banned in Japan and Mexico.
💊 Sleeping pills and anti-anxiety meds, such as those containing zolpidem (Ambien) or benzodiazepines (Xanax), are restricted in countries like the UAE and Indonesia.
💊 Codeine is a controlled substance in the UAE and banned in countries like Japan and Greece.
💊 ADHD medications like Adderall and Ritalin require special permits in many places, including Japan and Singapore.
💊 Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) is restricted in Japan and Zambia.

Tip: Always keep all medications in their original, labeled packaging, and have a doctor's letter and supporting documentation from your pharmacy as to the medicine's usage. And ALWAYS PLACE IN YOUR CARRY ON BAG!

As a Travel Advisor & Event Producer, I handle the logistics so you can focus on relaxation. Don't leave your next trip to chance. Let's make your next getaway truly worry-free. ✨

Message me to start planning!

30/07/2025

Whether you're a small business owner looking to expand your reach, or a major corporation aiming to maximize your impact, there's a strategic blind spot we all need to address.

My new article dives into why underestimating small businesses can limit big brands' true impact – and what that means for your next move.

Discover key takeaways for driving significant results, regardless of budget size. Read the full story here 👇

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Forget the notion that impact requires a huge budget. This past June at Cannes Lions, my independent, boutique, woman-owned firm, Lavish Lifestyles Concierge, demonstrated how strategic ingenuity can achieve significant results.

26/07/2025

When you love what you do, and it shows! ✨

07/07/2025

Activated at Cannes Lions! ✅ For 72 years, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has been the global benchmark for excellence in advertising and marketing. Traditionally, only multi-million and billion-dollar brands activate at this prestigious event due to its cost-prohibitive nature. So, for a small business like mine to activate? It was no easy or small endeavor, but WE DID IT!

As the Founder of Lavish Lifestyles Concierge, an Event & Travel Planning company, I always bet on myself. That conviction led me to sign a contract for my villa in Cannes, France, 10 months ago, committing to host my first Cannes Lions activation.

I truly believe when you visualize success so vividly that you refuse to entertain any other outcome, that's when you create unstoppable momentum.

The kindness of vendors in Cannes was absolutely pivotal; they worked with such a collaborative spirit that truly made anything possible. My time, energy, belief, and countless hours of unseen labor were the real currencies deployed, paying off in a way mere dollars never could. It's a powerful lesson in what's truly possible when you refuse to let anything define your potential.

My profound gratitude goes to my family, friends, and the immense support of all who believed in this activation. Thank you to everyone who came out Monday, June 16th to the C-Suite Villa, a Lavish Lifestyles Concierge production, and to those special individuals who served as my vital sounding boards. To my esteemed panelists, thank you for your insightful contributions.

And my biggest thanks to God, without whom The C-Suite Villa would have remained a cherished dream, but instead became an undeniable reality.

13/06/2025

Attending CANNES LIONS please RSVP. We have a steller lineup ending with a dynamic fireside chat with Susan Credle, Global Creative Advisor, IPG. Followed by Rosé Hour 5-6pm with mini chair massages.

Monday June 16th 10am-6pm. We have 4 Shuttles looping all day starting at 9am from the JW Marriott until last pickup at 5:15pm from JW Marriott. ✨

Win a stay at a Villa in Montego Bay Jamaica 🇯🇲

Win a getaway for two to a 5-star safari lodge in the Serengeti, Tanzania 🇹🇿

Win lunch for two at the Carlton Hotel Cannes 🇫🇷

Must be present to win. RSVP: https://csuitevilla.lovable.app

11/06/2025

Escape the Croisette bustle and join us for garden conversations in a zen-like setting curated for C-Suite executives, creatives, advertising agencies and brands. This intimate gathering offers a unique opportunity to foster meaningful connections, gain inspiration, and truly recharge. RSVP: https://csuitevilla.lovable.app

03/06/2025

What an incredible opportunity to have been invited to the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum! As a Travel Advisor and Entrepreneur, it was truly invaluable to hear from and meet so many visionary leaders in hospitality, including CEOs from Marriott, Accor, Kempinski, IHG, Hilton, and Corinthia Hotels.

From insightful roundtables to inspiring ballroom discussions, the forum deeply highlighted the evolving path of luxury hospitality. I really valued the chance to connect with fellow industry professionals and learn directly from those who are shaping the future of travel.

This forum truly reinforced my commitment to continually enhancing my expertise and strategies for navigating the evolving luxury travel landscape.