Notable Headlines & Deal Flow

Auto Museum in Chicago Is Shutting Down and Selling Off 295 Pristine Collector Cars Sept 19-21 (The Drive)

Why family offices increasingly act as anchor investors in alternative funds (Crain’s Currency)

📣Deal Flow Spotlight: Social good company (Dance Happy Designs) with products designed & made by individuals with Down Syndrome expands to Nordstrom & seeks 2.5M to further expansion. ➡️Tax benefit for investors (Reply) if interested in learning more (Nordstrom purchase link)

These Private Airport Terminals Bring Charter-Jet Luxuries to Commercial Flyers (Robb Report)

Records Shattered At 104th Saratoga Sale (BloodHorse)

5 Travel Recovery Tips

Whether you’re in transit for 2 hours or 20 by plane, train, or automobile, arriving refreshed often feels impossible.

These are my top 5 recovery strategies that have taken my bounce-back time from days to under an hour. Now that’s real luxury.

1. Fly BLADE
Nothing kills the mood like landing in paradise only to sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Enter BLADE: once a New York insider secret, now a nationwide must. With heliports and lounges in Los Angeles, South Florida, Las Vegas, and just about anywhere with a private airstrip, BLADE transforms post-flight stress into smooth arrivals.

And it’s not just helicopters anymore, BLADE now offers impressively accessible private jet options for those going the extra mile in style.

The brand's passenger division was recently acquired by Joby Aviation (CNBC), a leader in electric vertical takeoff. Here’s hoping the perks stay and the service soars. Not all acquisitions spell doom; just look at Velocity Black, thriving under Capital One.

➡️Want a code? Reply to this email and ask for my code for 10% off your first flight

2. Tarmac to Total Reset: Mobile IV Therapy

Long flights don't just mess with your schedule, they wage war on your body. Cabin pressure, recycled air, and dehydration wear you down before the meetings even start.

The Solution: IV therapy that comes to you.

Forget waiting rooms. Mobile IV therapy comes to you wherever you are and delivers hydration, bioavailable B12, and antioxidants directly into your system in under 45 minutes. It's the difference between dragging yourself through your first day and being present for it.

The Ultimate Power Move: If you're in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, or Miami, you can arrange for a mobile IV service to come to you at a Reserve P/S private airport suite. Imagine stepping off your plane and into a luxury lounge where medical-grade recovery happens while you decompress. You leave the airport more energized than when you arrived.

Insider Secret: Request a paramedic/RN combo team. Their needle skills are unmatched—first stick, every time.

Top Providers: Hydrate You, Drip Hydration (nationwide)

The Reality: This isn't about being high-maintenance. It's about being high-functioning when it matters most.

3. The Spaaaaa & Shower:

The spa recommendations? You saw this coming.

Even after BLADE and IV therapy, there's something irreplaceable about having skilled hands work out the kinks from hours of sitting and the tension from whatever deal you just closed at 30,000 feet. Consider it pre-emptive maintenance for all the walking, handshaking, and power meetings ahead.

The Strategic Advantage: Spa visits aren't just about relaxation, it is about maintaining you while traveling. Anyone who's tried to hit the hotel gym after a brutal flight knows the struggle. A good massage session resets your body's willingness to move, making those 6 AM hotel gym sessions happen.

Insider Access: Visiting any of my go-to spots below? Email me directly. I'll recommend the massage therapists who understand the difference between a nice rubdown and actual therapeutic work. The kind who can find knots you didn't know existed and eliminate them in 50 minutes.

The Bottom Line: Your body is your most important asset. Treat it accordingly. Don’t skip the shower post-massage, it is a must not a nice thing to do.

Highly Recommended Spas (want the full list? Reply and let me know)

• Valmont Spas (Hotel Bel Air, Setai Miami, Carlyle NYC)

• Valmont in Europe (Le Meurice, Lausanne, Madrid to name a few)

• Carlyle NYC

• Hotel Equinox NYC

• Spa at Solage in Calistoga, California

• Calluna Spa at the Equestrian Hotel in Ocala, Florida

• Spa at The Joule Dallas

Spas to avoid due to multiple bad experiences on different trips

• Lotte New York Palace (horrible)

• Four Seasons Dallas

• Waldorf Astoria Atlanta (Atlanta Alert: Proceed with caution. The city's prepayment policy has created a service problem, when spas get paid upfront, the motivation to deliver exceptional experiences tends to evaporate. Even premium locations like the Four Seasons falls victim to this dynamic. The massages feel rushed and barely acceptable for five-star hotels)

• Beverly Hills Hotel (opt for sister property Hotel Bel Air instead)

• Aman New York, Amangani (Aman is best experienced abroad)

4. Hydration, Hydration Hydration.

   Not all water is created equal, especially when your body is recovering from recycled airplane air and time zone changes.

   The Reality Check: Most bottled water comes loaded with PFAS (forever chemicals that live up to their name). According to Oasis Health App, which tests over 10,000 different waters, finding truly clean hydration is harder than finding a decent airport massage.

   A few recommendations:

   • Saratoga Springs

   • Evian

   • Arrowhead

     PSA: if you are traveling to New York City in the near future, do NOT drink the tap water. It has been linked to Legionnaires disease deaths this summer.

5. The arrival strategy that separates the pros from amateurs (Buffer days)

   The Reality: Travel delays have become the rule, not the exception. Staffing shortages plague everything from commercial airlines to private aviation. That "quick hop" to close a deal can turn into an overnight airport adventure that torpedoes your entire week.

   Proof: my last “day trip” via Amtrak to Philadelphia turned into an overnight affair (thank God for Hotel Tonight).

   The Strategic Advantage: Your fellow board members, clients, and portfolio companies expect you to operate at an A+ level. The buffer day ensures you walk into that room sharp, rested, and fully present.

   The Math: One extra hotel or social club night stay costs less than the deal you might risk while operating at sub 100%.

5 travel essentials that transform chaos into comfort

1. Weighted Eye Mask - my husband can’t sleep on or off a plane without his weighted eye mask. It’s that good.

   1. Want the scented version? Asutra Eye Weighted Eye Mask with Lavender

2. SNOOZ Go Portable Sound Machine - drowns out airplane sounds and unfortunate road noise if you happen to be in a hotel room that faces a busy road

3. Etekcity Digital Hanging Luggage Scale - a must if you plan on buying anything on your travels

4. Comfort Shoes - even though TSA (Finally) allows us to keep our shoes on, that does not mean you should wear sneakers on the plane itself- men & women options linked separately (best sneakers we have ever worn and we weren’t even looking to buy “designer.”

5. Fomin - travel smart foaming bath soap sheets for hand washing (great for traveling with kids)

What's your most ridiculous but essential summer indulgence?

Reply and let us know (will be kept anonymous).

I am thrilled to have you as a member of this community, where every moment—whether in-person or virtual—is an opportunity to forge lasting connections and create unforgettable memories

Hitting up a polo match this summer or fall? Drop a photo whether via email or tag me on social media, I’d love to see where you go (remember polo matches are exceptionally family friendly and amazing for networking & summer get-togethers). Something for everyone.

Ciao,

Elena

p.s. I love getting to know you all; please feel free to send me a note on any of these platforms:

• Follow me on Instagram or LinkedIn