{"id":2322,"date":"2020-07-27T10:58:33","date_gmt":"2020-07-27T14:58:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.vacayou.com\/?p=2322"},"modified":"2023-11-03T19:14:19","modified_gmt":"2023-11-03T23:14:19","slug":"well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/","title":{"rendered":"Well Q&#038;A: Legacy, Longevity &#038; Reinvention at Rancho La Puerta"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Rancho&nbsp;La Puerta (The Ranch) in the mountains of Baja California is one of those places that \u201cwellness travel addicts\u201d (like me) dream of visiting.&nbsp;That dream was fulfilled for me in 2009. To spend an entire week at a destination spa, especially one like The Ranch is life-altering. The landscaping is breathtaking with inspiring sculptures to discover and the scent of fresh rosemary in the air.&nbsp;Mt. Kuchamaa provides not only a gorgeous backdrop but incredible hiking opportunities. There were two spas that I took full advantage of!&nbsp;Fitness options were broad and I tried several new things including drumming (surprisingly aerobic) which was fabulous. The food was healthy, creative; the lectures and master classes were mind-expanding.&nbsp;And the staff and guests made my first solo destination spa experience welcoming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The highlight of my stay was attending a talk given by my hero and the founder of&nbsp;Rancho&nbsp;La Puerta, Deborah Szkeley.&nbsp;Almost every Monday evening, Deborah has been holding court since The Ranch opened 80 years ago.&nbsp;Her knowledge, wisdom and perspective have truly changed me in so many ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This Well Q&amp;A is with Herv\u00e9 Blondel, the General Manager of <a href=\"https:\/\/rancholapuerta.com\/\">Rancho La Puerta<\/a>. We discuss what makes The Ranch a unique immersive wellness resort\/destination spa and the camaraderie that develops from their philosophy that there is always space for learning and to become better.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-2322 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_bazar-summer\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_Bazar-Summer-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"summer bazar at rancho la puerta\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_labyrinth\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_labyrinth-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"three ladies meditating in labrynth at rancho la puerta\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/rancho-la-puerta-meditation-fog\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta-meditation-fog-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/rancho-la-puerta-pool-view\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta-pool-view-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"pool view with mountains in background at rancho la puerta\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_cielo-terra-1\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_Cielo-Terra-1-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"view of cielo terra at rancho la puerta\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_cielo-terra-1-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_Cielo-Terra-1-1-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"view of cielo terra at rancho la puerta\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_lounge\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_lounge-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"beautiful lounge at rancho la puerta\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-inside-rancho-la-puerta\">Inside Rancho La Puerta<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1595859523410\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Sallie: What makes Rancho La Puerta a unique wellness resort and destination spa?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\"><em>Herv\u00e9: I have been spoiled by being at The Ranch. Here there is always space for learning to become \u201cSiempre Mejor\u201d (Always Better). I have been working in hospitality for 30 years and The Ranch is one of a kind, for its location, the gardens, the energy from Mount Kuchumaa, the staff and the guests. Some of them have been to different spas all over the world and come back to The Ranch and tell me, \u201cthis is the best place I\u2019ve ever been.\u201d I think it is the camaraderie we have within The Ranch community that really sets us apart.<\/em><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1595859399383\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">S: Tell us three things most people don\u2019t know about Rancho La Puerta.<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\"><em>H:\u00a0(1) We have three generations of staff working at the same time at The Ranch in different departments. Many staff started their careers at The Ranch.\u00a0(2) The Ranch rescues cats and fosters them on property. The reason we have a turnover of these animals is because many of our guests adopt the cats and take them home.\u00a0(3) Macario Olea is our master ceramicist. He makes all of the signs at The Ranch, the ones that our guests are familiar with and that they see all around the property pointing them in different directions.<\/em><br\/><br\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"2100\" src=\"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_-signs-2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" style=\"max-width: 100%; height: auto;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_-signs-2.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_-signs-2-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_-signs-2-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_-signs-2-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_-signs-2-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_-signs-2-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_-signs-2-1200x1800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_-signs-2-600x900.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" \/><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1595859320371\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">S: What motivates you to do what you do?\u00a0What is your \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\"><em>H:\u00a0I am inspired by the passion of the people I work with and work for. I am motivated by the energy that I receive from the amazing people I encounter every day. I enjoy working in a social environment. The camaraderie of the guests is unlike anything I have experienced in my career. The spirit of the guests, The Ranch, and the greater Tecate community motivates me and makes me happy. I wake up smiling every morning knowing that something new awaits me as every day is different and exciting.<\/em><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1595859449129\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">S: Who has had a deep, lasting influence on your life?\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\"><em>H: When I was growing up I spent a lot of time at my neighbor Simone\u2019s house.\u00a0She was an art collector, great chef<\/em> <em>and hosted a variety of guests with different backgrounds. She was extremely hospitable and had opera singers and other people with diverse professions as house guests. <\/em><br\/><br\/><em>Simone was supportive of me<\/em> <em>and when I was with her I was like a little sponge, always learning new things. She introduced me to the fascinating people who stayed with her and she also taught me how to love cooking. We always experimented together<\/em>;<em> for example, we made dishes from a Middle Ages cookbook.Through Simone, I learned that I liked to make things with my hands.Today, ceramics, Japanese woodworking and chocolate making are all things I enjoy creating with my hands (during my spare time). We all need a creative side to bring balance into our lives.<\/em><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1595859461497\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">S: What does \u201cwellness\u201d look like for you in your daily life?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\"><em>H<\/em>: <em>I eat lots of ice cream, lots of cream<\/em> <em>and lots of meat.<\/em> <em>I\u2019m joking! In all seriousness, health and wellness is a philosophy that I learned at The Ranch and it adds balance to my lifestyle. It is about achieving wellness in the mind, body and spirit. I eat organic and seasonal foods<\/em> <em>and I appreciate the journey from the farm to my table.<br\/><br\/>When I wake up in the morning, bright and early, I go for a run around The Ranch track. I listen to music, and occasionally I pause to look at the Mt. Kuchamaa and Alex\u2019s Oak. I also use this time to meditate. Meditation does not have to take place in a bedroom or on a mountain in stillness; I practice a moving meditation when I run.<\/em><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1595859475064\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">S: Rancho La Puerta has amazing cuisine.\u00a0Tell us about one of your favorite dishes.<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\"><em>H: I appreciate all the dishes at The Ranch. The Wednesday salmon is a guest favorite, but we also have an array of vegetarian dishes that are amazing \u2013 dishes I never expected to see. The creativity in our kitchens makes our cuisine unlike anything I have ever encountered. The food is healthy and flavorful and many of our guests take recipes back home with them. Our culinary team also cooks based on the seasonality of the produce. For example, if mulberries are in season then guests will see them in their salads, in vinaigrettes and in their flan dessert. The Ranch teaches us how seasonality is key and that we need to get a variety of healthy foods onto our plates. And yes, I too love the Wednesday salmon.<\/em><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1595859551133\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">S: You work for one of the most iconic, special people in the world of spa and wellness and my personal hero, Deborah Szkeley. What have you learned from Deborah?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\"><em>H: Pay attention to details! It took me two years to gain her confidence. I remember taking a walk with Deborah around The Ranch. She said, \u201cHerv\u00e9 move this, do that, and cut the trees, I cannot see Alex\u2019s Oak.\u201d She\u2019s always on point and cares deeply about the details, even today. And that\u2019s what makes The Ranch different \u2013 the little details that nobody notices at the end of the day, but that makes things better. Deborah has a strong personality, and she is very sweet and loves the people who work at The Ranch. She has created a connection with the guests that go further than them being guests; they have become friends. The Ranch is more like a big family rather than a resort and we love it when our family comes back home to The Ranch<strong>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-about-herve-blondel\">About Herv\u00e9 Blondel<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"427\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta.jpg\" alt=\"headshot of herve blondel, general manager of rancho la puerta\" class=\"wp-post-2322 wp-image-2323\" style=\"width:213px;height:319px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta.jpg 427w, https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 427px) 100vw, 427px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Herv\u00e9 Blondel is the General Manager of Rancho La Puerta. He brings 30 years of multicultural hospitality experience to The Ranch from numerous properties including Mandarin Oriental, Hotel Nikko, Starwood Luxury Collection and Accor Hotels in Europe, as well as boutique hotels including Joie de Vivre Hospitality and Leading Hotels of the World.&nbsp;Herv\u00e9 has worked in many countries including Spain, France, England, Venezuela, the US and Mexico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Herv\u00e9 holds a cooking degree from the Ecole Ferrandi in Paris, as well as a degree in computer sciences and management from the Ecole de la Chambre de Commerce et d\u2019Industrie in Paris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About Vacayou<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At Vacayou [pronounced VACAY &#8211; YOU], we believe that travel has the power to change lives. The power to <strong>revive, rejuvenate and redirect your inner wellness warrior<\/strong>. And that\u2019s why we\u2019re here. Vacayou brings the world of wellness travel to you!<br><br>No matter how far or how adventurous, our team scours the globe to curate the best in wellness travel. But the booking process can often be time-consuming and complicated. We\u2019ve made it much easier for you to <strong>search, discover, and book wellness and active vacations<\/strong>. With Vacayou\u2019s Instant Book, <strong>your dream wellness getaway is now just one click away<\/strong>.<br><br>Start the trip of your lifetime today, with <a href=\"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/\">Vacayou<\/a>. We are here to help create a healthier global community through wellness and active travel.<br><br>To keep up with the latest wellness trends and experiences, be sure to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/signup.vacayou.com\/en-us\/newsletter-opt-in\">subscribe to our newsletter<\/a>.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rancho&nbsp;La Puerta (The Ranch) in the mountains of Baja California is one of those places that \u201cwellness travel addicts\u201d (like me) dream of visiting.&nbsp;That dream was fulfilled for me in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":2336,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","loftocean_post_format_gallery":"","loftocean_post_format_gallery_ids":"","loftocean_post_format_gallery_urls":"","loftocean_post_format_video_id":"","loftocean_post_format_video_url":"","loftocean_post_format_video_type":"","loftocean_post_format_video":"","loftocean_post_format_audio_type":"","loftocean_post_format_audio_url":"","loftocean_post_format_audio_id":"","loftocean_post_format_audio":"","fallsky_single_post_hide_thumbnail":"","fallsky_single_post_template":"","fallsky_single_post_sidebar":"","loftocean-featured-post":"off","loftocean-like-count":0,"loftocean-view-count":9124,"loftocean_post_co_authors":"","loftocean_single_post_author_order":"","fallsky_page_header_layout":"","fallsky_hide_before_page_content_ad":"","fallsky_hide_after_page_content_ad":"","_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2322","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-well-qa"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Well Q&amp;A: Legacy, Longevity &amp; Reinvention at Rancho La Puerta<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In this Well Q&amp;A, we talk with GM Herv\u00e9 Blondel about what makes Rancho La Puerta a unique wellness resort and how their camaraderie is unmatched.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Well Q&amp;A: Legacy, Longevity &amp; Reinvention at Rancho La Puerta\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In this Well Q&amp;A, we talk with GM Herv\u00e9 Blondel about what makes Rancho La Puerta a unique wellness resort and how their camaraderie is unmatched.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Vacayou Travel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MindBodySpiritNetwork\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-07-27T14:58:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-11-03T23:14:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta-meditation-fog-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1440\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sallie Fraenkel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sallie Fraenkel\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vacayou.com\\\/magazine\\\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vacayou.com\\\/magazine\\\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Sallie Fraenkel\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vacayou.com\\\/magazine\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6dbe203677a6f97b382435a83a6dfade\"},\"headline\":\"Well Q&#038;A: Legacy, Longevity &#038; 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The reason we have a turnover of these animals is because many of our guests adopt the cats and take them home.\u00a0(3) Macario Olea is our master ceramicist. He makes all of the signs at The Ranch, the ones that our guests are familiar with and that they see all around the property pointing them in different directions.u003c\\\/emu003eu003cbr \\\/u003eu003cbr \\\/u003eu003cimg alt=u0022u0022 src=u0022https:\\\/\\\/vacayou.com\\\/magazine\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/07\\\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_-signs-2.jpgu0022 \\\/u003e\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vacayou.com\\\/magazine\\\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\\\/#faq-question-1595859320371\",\"position\":3,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vacayou.com\\\/magazine\\\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\\\/#faq-question-1595859320371\",\"name\":\"S: What motivates you to do what you do?\u00a0What is your \u201cWhy?\u201d\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"u003cemu003eH:\u00a0I am inspired by the passion of the people I work with and work for. I am motivated by the energy that I receive from the amazing people I encounter every day. I enjoy working in a social environment. The camaraderie of the guests is unlike anything I have experienced in my career. The spirit of the guests, The Ranch, and the greater Tecate community motivates me and makes me happy. 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She was extremely hospitable and had opera singers and other people with diverse professions as house guests. u003c\\\/emu003eu003cbr \\\/u003eu003cbr \\\/u003eu003cemu003eSimone was supportive of meu003c\\\/emu003e u003cemu003eand when I was with her I was like a little sponge, always learning new things. She introduced me to the fascinating people who stayed with her and she also taught me how to love cooking. We always experimented togetheru003c\\\/emu003e;u003cemu003e for example, we made dishes from a Middle Ages cookbook.Through Simone, I learned that I liked to make things with my hands.Today, ceramics, Japanese woodworking and chocolate making are all things I enjoy creating with my hands (during my spare time). 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I eat organic and seasonal foodsu003c\\\/emu003e u003cemu003eand I appreciate the journey from the farm to my table.u003cbr \\\/u003eu003cbr \\\/u003eWhen I wake up in the morning, bright and early, I go for a run around The Ranch track. I listen to music, and occasionally I pause to look at the Mt. Kuchamaa and Alex\u2019s Oak. I also use this time to meditate. Meditation does not have to take place in a bedroom or on a mountain in stillness; I practice a moving meditation when I run.u003c\\\/emu003e\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vacayou.com\\\/magazine\\\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\\\/#faq-question-1595859475064\",\"position\":6,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vacayou.com\\\/magazine\\\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\\\/#faq-question-1595859475064\",\"name\":\"S: Rancho La Puerta has amazing cuisine.\u00a0Tell us about one of your favorite dishes.\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"u003cemu003eH: I appreciate all the dishes at The Ranch. The Wednesday salmon is a guest favorite, but we also have an array of vegetarian dishes that are amazing \u2013 dishes I never expected to see. The creativity in our kitchens makes our cuisine unlike anything I have ever encountered. 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She has a lifelong passion for and expertise in wellness travel which she uses in her consulting practice. Sallie is the former CMO and COO of Spafinder Inc.\u00ae and Executive Vice President of the Global Wellness Summit.","sameAs":["https:\/\/mindbodyspiritnet.com","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MindBodySpiritNetwork\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/mindbodyspiritnetwork\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/salliefraenkel\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/salliepins\/boards\/"],"url":"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/author\/salliefraenkel\/"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/#faq-question-1595859523410","position":1,"url":"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/#faq-question-1595859523410","name":"Sallie: What makes Rancho La Puerta a unique wellness resort and destination spa?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"u003cemu003eHerv\u00e9: I have been spoiled by being at The Ranch. Here there is always space for learning to become \u201cSiempre Mejor\u201d (Always Better). I have been working in hospitality for 30 years and The Ranch is one of a kind, for its location, the gardens, the energy from Mount Kuchumaa, the staff and the guests. Some of them have been to different spas all over the world and come back to The Ranch and tell me, \u201cthis is the best place I\u2019ve ever been.\u201d I think it is the camaraderie we have within The Ranch community that really sets us apart.u003c\/emu003e","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/#faq-question-1595859399383","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/#faq-question-1595859399383","name":"S: Tell us three things most people don\u2019t know about Rancho La Puerta.","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"u003cemu003eH:\u00a0(1) We have three generations of staff working at the same time at The Ranch in different departments. Many staff started their careers at The Ranch.\u00a0(2) The Ranch rescues cats and fosters them on property. The reason we have a turnover of these animals is because many of our guests adopt the cats and take them home.\u00a0(3) Macario Olea is our master ceramicist. He makes all of the signs at The Ranch, the ones that our guests are familiar with and that they see all around the property pointing them in different directions.u003c\/emu003eu003cbr \/u003eu003cbr \/u003eu003cimg alt=u0022u0022 src=u0022https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rancho-la-puerta_2019_-signs-2.jpgu0022 \/u003e","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/#faq-question-1595859320371","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/#faq-question-1595859320371","name":"S: What motivates you to do what you do?\u00a0What is your \u201cWhy?\u201d","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"u003cemu003eH:\u00a0I am inspired by the passion of the people I work with and work for. I am motivated by the energy that I receive from the amazing people I encounter every day. I enjoy working in a social environment. The camaraderie of the guests is unlike anything I have experienced in my career. The spirit of the guests, The Ranch, and the greater Tecate community motivates me and makes me happy. I wake up smiling every morning knowing that something new awaits me as every day is different and exciting.u003c\/emu003e","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/#faq-question-1595859449129","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/#faq-question-1595859449129","name":"S: Who has had a deep, lasting influence on your life?\u00a0","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"u003cemu003eH: When I was growing up I spent a lot of time at my neighbor Simone\u2019s house.\u00a0She was an art collector, great chefu003c\/emu003e u003cemu003eand hosted a variety of guests with different backgrounds. She was extremely hospitable and had opera singers and other people with diverse professions as house guests. u003c\/emu003eu003cbr \/u003eu003cbr \/u003eu003cemu003eSimone was supportive of meu003c\/emu003e u003cemu003eand when I was with her I was like a little sponge, always learning new things. She introduced me to the fascinating people who stayed with her and she also taught me how to love cooking. We always experimented togetheru003c\/emu003e;u003cemu003e for example, we made dishes from a Middle Ages cookbook.Through Simone, I learned that I liked to make things with my hands.Today, ceramics, Japanese woodworking and chocolate making are all things I enjoy creating with my hands (during my spare time). We all need a creative side to bring balance into our lives.u003c\/emu003e","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/#faq-question-1595859461497","position":5,"url":"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/#faq-question-1595859461497","name":"S: What does \u201cwellness\u201d look like for you in your daily life?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"u003cemu003eHu003c\/emu003e: u003cemu003eI eat lots of ice cream, lots of creamu003c\/emu003e u003cemu003eand lots of meat.u003c\/emu003e u003cemu003eI\u2019m joking! In all seriousness, health and wellness is a philosophy that I learned at The Ranch and it adds balance to my lifestyle. It is about achieving wellness in the mind, body and spirit. I eat organic and seasonal foodsu003c\/emu003e u003cemu003eand I appreciate the journey from the farm to my table.u003cbr \/u003eu003cbr \/u003eWhen I wake up in the morning, bright and early, I go for a run around The Ranch track. I listen to music, and occasionally I pause to look at the Mt. Kuchamaa and Alex\u2019s Oak. I also use this time to meditate. Meditation does not have to take place in a bedroom or on a mountain in stillness; I practice a moving meditation when I run.u003c\/emu003e","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/#faq-question-1595859475064","position":6,"url":"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/#faq-question-1595859475064","name":"S: Rancho La Puerta has amazing cuisine.\u00a0Tell us about one of your favorite dishes.","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"u003cemu003eH: I appreciate all the dishes at The Ranch. The Wednesday salmon is a guest favorite, but we also have an array of vegetarian dishes that are amazing \u2013 dishes I never expected to see. The creativity in our kitchens makes our cuisine unlike anything I have ever encountered. The food is healthy and flavorful and many of our guests take recipes back home with them. Our culinary team also cooks based on the seasonality of the produce. For example, if mulberries are in season then guests will see them in their salads, in vinaigrettes and in their flan dessert. The Ranch teaches us how seasonality is key and that we need to get a variety of healthy foods onto our plates. And yes, I too love the Wednesday salmon.u003c\/emu003e","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/#faq-question-1595859551133","position":7,"url":"https:\/\/vacayou.com\/magazine\/well-qa-herve-blondel-rancho-la-puerta\/#faq-question-1595859551133","name":"S: You work for one of the most iconic, special people in the world of spa and wellness and my personal hero, Deborah Szkeley. What have you learned from Deborah?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"u003cemu003eH: Pay attention to details! It took me two years to gain her confidence. I remember taking a walk with Deborah around The Ranch. She said, \u201cHerv\u00e9 move this, do that, and cut the trees, I cannot see Alex\u2019s Oak.\u201d She\u2019s always on point and cares deeply about the details, even today. And that\u2019s what makes The Ranch different \u2013 the little details that nobody notices at the end of the day, but that makes things better. Deborah has a strong personality, and she is very sweet and loves the people who work at The Ranch. She has created a connection with the guests that go further than them being guests; they have become friends. 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