Eat, Drink, Hike, Repeat

Whole Foods embarks on Whole Journeys, an international, food-focused travel venture

This spring marks a period of exceptional growth for Whole Foods, a company that's quickly becoming the Google of the food industry. On the heels of a wellness center announcement, Whole Foods reveals its plans for Whole Journeys, an international, food-focused travel venture.

Beginning in April, Whole Journeys will take groups of 16 people maximum to Turkey, Italy, Spain, China, France and Switzerland with itineraries chock-full of soft adventures and hands-on culinary experiences.

"The goal is to further connect our customers to their food, where it comes from and the traditions of food in that region, not to promote Whole Foods." - Heather Kennedy, Whole Journeys coordinator

Choose the biking trip across Italy and you won't have to worry about how much pasta you consume, or hike through the Dolomites and learn the secrets of making yogurt and cheese. Each trip is fit to certain tastes and activity levels, and Whole Journeys has launched with over a dozen to choose from.

"These trips will allow customers to experience a culture through their food and food traditions," Heather Kennedy, Whole Journeys coordinator, tells CultureMap. "Our guests will see the region from a unique perspective while doing an activity, such as walking, hiking, rafting, or cycling. Approaching an ancient hill-top town in Tuscany on a bicycle or while walking is a much different experience than seeing it from the window of a tour bus. "

She says it's the company's intent to support the various regions' economies as best it can while keeping the luxury level mid to high. "We are staying in local, boutique hotels, we’ll use passionate local guides and we’ll visit open-air markets, restaurants and producers inherent to the region — all of which will have a positive impact on local economies."

If concerned that the trips will be overtly branded with Whole Foods paraphernalia and language, Kennedy says the company's name may come up, but it's Whole Journeys' goal to be as authentic as possible.

"Some trips will provide the opportunity to meet with a local producer that creates products we carry in some of our stores, or similar to what we carry. But the goal is to further connect our customers to their food, where it comes from and the traditions of food in that region, not to promote Whole Foods."

For those interested in learning the deeper stories of the food we consume, reserve a spot on a trip on Whole Journeys website and temper those glasses of wine with a few hikes in the Hill Country.

A Whole Journeys cooking class in Tuscany.

Photo courtesy of Whole Foods

A Whole Journeys cooking class in Tuscany.

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SKIN IN THE GAME

Renowned Hill Country tattoo artist inks new sacred geometry app

Photo courtesy of Dillon Forte

Dillion Forte at his "tattoo ranch" in the Texas Hill Country.

In the world of tattooing, there may seem to be few better rat traps left to build, but Dillon Forte aims to change that. In October, the renowned Wimberley-based tattoo artist and entrepreneur introduced a new iPadOS app to bring ancient symbology into the digital age.

Forte has made a worldwide name for his black dot work (a contemporary take on stick-and-poke techniques) and ambitious undertakings like tattooing underwater and opening a “tattoo ranch.” His ink appears on Usher, Chris Hemsworth, and Kehlani.

Still, he is most recognized for his sacred geometry designs, using patterns to convey various meanings. His interest led him to create the Sacred Geometry Drawing App, a convenient way for novices and experts to develop and export their creations.

The app grew out of his own practice. Over the past decade, he has used tablets and freehand techniques to achieve his highly symmetrical artwork but grew to realize existing tools were not always easy to use.

“The app is an attempt and fulfillment of my desire to make sacred geometry accessible and bring the ability to create into the fingertips of as many people as possible,” Forte tells CultureMap via email, adding a tagline: “symmetry made simply.”

He says he wished the app was available when developing his signature style as a tattoo artist, but it was designed with a broad range of users in mind. He hopes that designers, educators, and artists will find a use for it.

A short intro to the app's capabilities is available on YouTube. It looks like a standard drawing app, starting with a blank canvas and some tools like pens, pencils, colors, and of course, straight line and dot makers.

A "symmetry index" anchors the functionality and expands it to something between 2D art and 3D modeling. In addition to generating shapes like repeating patterns and spirals, the app also creates 3D shapes with grids, so that the artist can map their design in real space or even create sculptures. There is also an index for explaining the spiritual meaning of some standard designs.

“Geometry often prompts an intimidating feeling when it comes to making art,” Forte continues. “The fundamentally complex and often academic nature of math-based art can induce a sense of fear in the potential user instead of creating a sense of awe. The purpose of the sacred geometry app is to cultivate the latter."

Creatives interested in constructing their own geometric masterpieces can download the app at the App Store for free, and in-app purchases are available.

technology apps tattoos arts