Amidst the gentle April rains, a unique dining experience unfolded at the picturesque Lake Austin Spa. The culinary and beverage teams from Lake Austin Spa and Elementary joined forces

The setting was absolutely unbeatable, but the energy around the table made the event truly spectacular as everyone shared their meal, their stories, and their origins with each other until the sun got low enough that conversation hushed into awe and everyone got up from the table to watch the sun sink into the water.

We arrived at the stunning Alila Ventana Big Sur resort with plans for a dinner in the redwood grove just down the hill, a first for the property and a magical setting for Supper. But, Big Sur is a place where you listen to the land, and the land (and sky) had other ideas. The day of the Supper emerged grey and rainy, with temperatures in the 30s — not at all ideal conditions.

As the crisp, wintry winds sweep across the enchanting landscapes of Minnesota, there's a unique tradition that warms the hearts and palates of those who embrace the cold season with open arms. The long, dark nights of winter in the Land of 10,000 Lakes were illuminated by our Supper that brought a table

Watching the sun set over open water is a singular experience. It slowly swells from a pale yellow dot high above to a pink pulsing thing, slowly bleeding into its surroundings. It sinks towards the horizon so slowly for hours, until it just starts to touch the border between sea and sky. Then, like someone deep below the ocean started sucking the sky up through a boba straw, it disappears, leaving streaks of rose in its wake that eventually fade…

The hard-lined geometry of the building’s brick contrasted beautifully with lace and linen tablecloths lined with edible fruits and vegetables in rich fall colors, persimmons and squash and pomegranates creating a cornucopia to welcome the festive season still to come (all of which we donated to a local food pantry post-event).

‍There’s a particular feeling — a calmness of body and mind — that is familiar to anyone who has found themselves in a quiet woods in the afternoon, when the sun slants through the tree canopy in syrupy bars that cloud the trail ahead in a glittering haze. The achingly short days of fall only enhance the moment. Those thick rays of sunlight break up the chill of the shadows with piercing bands of subtle warmth.

Under the warm embrace of the Texan sun, October in Austin unfolded into a picturesque scene at our second Austin Supper of the year.

The light turned gold and filtered through the pecan trees as the quiet conversation at the table grew louder, bolstered by good food and wine and hours spent together as once strangers now became burgeoning friends. Time seemed to stretch out as everyone lingered over final sips of their Maker’s Mark cocktails and told one more good story, not wanting to break away to filter back to the big red barn on the horizon, wanting to stay here, in this moment made together on the outskirts of the trees.

Upstate New York is idyllic in the golden, sunny time between summer and fall. We arrived to the quiet town of Sharon Springs just as the leaves were starting to turn; the landscape was all green and amber and the rust color of brick and late-season flowers left out in the sun — interrupted by occasional bursts of bright Beekman yellow.