Dear Friends,
Grab your favorite beverage — wine or hot cocoa — this month’s newsletter is a long one! But with a year this full of growth, gratitude, and exciting developments, we couldn’t help ourselves. Thanks for reading along!
As an LGBTBE certified luxury travel LGBTQ concierge committed to no-group-tour experiences, we’ve spent our first year proving that the best travel happens when you’re not herded onto a bus with strangers. As we close out this remarkable year, we find ourselves reflecting on what makes travel — and life — truly meaningful: The connections we create, the stories we share, and the moments that stay with us long after we’ve returned home.
From the Founder’s Desk
This month has been a beautiful reminder of why I transitioned from a 30-year architecture career into curating experiences. Just as I once designed spaces that brought people together, I now design journeys that forge authentic connections — whether it’s a private cellar door opening in California’s coastal wine country or a chef guiding you through a vibrant Italian market before cooking alongside you.
My partner Graham and I built CKcurated on a simple belief: travel should transform you, not just transport you. It’s not a one-person show — it takes both of us, along with our trusted network of local partners around the world, to create the deeply personal experiences our clients deserve.
-CK
A Year of Growth and Resilience
Earlier this year, many of us wondered if DEI initiatives would survive the political hurricane from Washington DC. But as the saying goes, what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. As a proudly LGBTBE® certified, gay-owned business, we’ve doubled down on our commitment to building authentic connections within our community and with our allies.
Our LGBTBE® certification, facilitated through the Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA), represents more than just a credential — it’s a commitment to the LGBTQ+ business community and to corporate partners seeking qualified diverse suppliers. GGBA has been instrumental in connecting us with resources, networking opportunities, and advocacy that help small LGBTQ+ owned businesses like ours thrive in an increasingly competitive (and often hazardous) landscape. Our mission extends beyond curating exceptional travel — we’re dedicated to helping other small businesses succeed, creating a rising tide that lifts all boats.
What We’ve Been Curating
1. Our First Clients Have Returned — And They’re Raving!
This year, we sent our first clients on transformative journeys to Ireland, Spain, and Portugal. Watching them return with stories of unexpected friendships with local artisans, castle visits, and meals they’ll remember forever — that’s why we do this work. Their feedback has been instrumental in helping us grow and refine our approach. And here’s the beautiful truth: in our line of work, referrals are the best marketing funnel. Word of mouth from delighted travelers carries more weight than any advertisement ever could. Digital media validates what we say we are and helps us stay connected with you — but the real proof is in the stories our clients share when they return home transformed.
2. Expanding Our Global Reach
We’re currently planning journeys for clients heading to Japan and Hong Kong — destinations close to CK’s heart, given his Asian roots.
And we’re seeing exciting momentum in Latinx-rich cultures: Mexico City’s vibrant design and culinary scenes, Buenos Aires’ sophisticated food and wine culture, and New Mexico’s stunning fusion of Native American, Spanish, and contemporary Southwestern culture in their art and food. Want to brush up on your Spanish language before you go? We can arrange tutoring for that, too.
Our geographical diversity means we can design authentic experiences across continents, always with the same philosophy: connection over crowds, depth over checklist tourism.
3. California Wine Excursions — Officially Launched in 2025!
This year, we successfully launched our California Wine Excursions program, and the response has been extraordinary. CK also earned his WSET Level 3 certification and is now working towards the full WSET Diploma — deepening the expertise he brings to every curated experience.
We’re bringing people out of their screen-scrolling living rooms and into the heart of wine country, connecting them with small-batch winemakers who pour their passion into every bottle.
We’ve established relationships across 7 AVAs (American Viticultural Areas), creating intimate experiences you simply won’t find on any crowded tour bus or generic wine-tasting checklist.
4. Europe through the Front Door
Forget the “back door”— we’re taking you through the front door, where our travelers are welcomed as respectable guests of the host country. While others are shuttling tour groups through the same tired itineraries in Italy, Spain, and Portugal, we’re opening front doors that don’t appear in guidebooks. Private vineyard visits where the winemaker becomes your friend. Family-run trattorias where La Nonna teaches you her pasta secrets. Artisan workshops where you’re not a spectator, but a welcomed guest at the table.
Here’s what makes us different: We don’t group strangers together. Full stop. You won’t find yourself on a bus with twenty people you’ve never met, all from your own country, awkwardly making small talk between stops. Our experiences are designed for you and your chosen travel companions — whether that’s your partner, your best friends, or your family. Travel isn’t about herding tourists. It’s about creating space for genuine connection with the people and places you’re visiting.
This matters especially in overtourism-weary destinations like Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Locals adore foreigners and are incredibly generous hosts — but they lose interest fast when tourists cluster together, especially at mealtimes, speaking only English and missing the entire point of being there. Our approach ensures you’re actually engaging with the culture, not insulating yourself from it. You’ll sit at tables with locals, practice the language (however imperfect), and experience genuine warmth and hospitality. We don’t do crowds. We don’t do cookie-cutter. We do connection, authenticity, and the kind of travel that changes you.
5. Corporate Retreats, Reimagined
We’ve been working with forward-thinking companies who understand that the best team-building doesn’t happen in hotel conference rooms. Picture your team bonding, while blending wines with a winemaker in Sonoma, or gathering around a chef’s table for a meal y’all helped prepare. These are the experiences that build real connection and lasting memories.
And here’s something corporate planners need to know: Our LGBTBE® certification makes us a qualified diverse supplier for companies with supplier diversity programs. Working with CKcurated doesn’t just deliver an unforgettable experience — it helps your organization meet diversity spend goals while supporting a certified LGBTQ+ owned small business. It’s a win-win that brings both impact and innovation to your corporate events.
Beyond Business: Giving Back
This season has also reinforced our commitment to our community. Our volunteer work with 18 Reasons — a nonprofit teaching center and community kitchen in San Francisco’s Mission District — reminds us that while we curate luxury experiences, we must never lose sight of giving back to the communities that nourish us.
18 Reasons works to empower people with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to eat well and live healthier lives. They provide affordable cooking classes, nutrition education, and food access programs for underserved communities throughout the Bay Area. CK serves as a chef instructor, teaching home cooking techniques and advocating for healthy eating, and he participates in their fundraising efforts to support food security initiatives. It’s a privilege to use his culinary passion to help ensure that everyone — regardless of income — has access to nutritious food and the skills to prepare it.
What’s Coming in 2026
Monterey: The Up-and-Coming Wine Region
We’re actively developing relationships with winemakers and chefs in the Monterey region — California’s most exciting emerging wine destination. Ocean-kissed vineyards, innovative winemakers, world-class culinary talent, and none of the Napa crowds? Yes, please! Stay tuned for curated Monterey experiences launching in the new year.
Reinventing Ourselves in the Digital Age
In the spirit of continuous growth, CK has been immersing himself in social media marketing and AI education — because self-reinvention doesn’t stop when one launches a business, it accelerates! We’ve been blasting the internet with fresh content almost daily across our platforms. While we know that referrals are our most powerful marketing tool, digital media serves an important role: It validates who we are, keeps us connected with you, and gives potential clients a window into the CKcurated experience before they ever reach out.
If you haven’t been following along, you’re missing out on behind-the-scenes glimpses, travel inspiration, and the stories that fuel our work.
Connect with us everywhere:
- Instagram: [@ck_curated] – Daily glimpses of our recent adventures from the Sphere in Las Vegas to intimate Sonoma wine experiences
- LinkedIn: [@CKcurated] – Connect for B2B opportunities, corporate retreat planning, and professional networking
- Facebook: [@CKcurated] – Catch our volunteer work with 18 Reasons and dive deeper into our travel philosophy
- YouTube: [youtube.com/@CKcurated] – If you’re not active on Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook, you can still catch a glimpse of what we do through our travels, kitchen creations, and wine adventures here. It’s all the inspiration, all the authenticity, just a different platform. (And the only one CK’s Mom uses to keep an eye on the team!)
We’ve been busy, and we want you along for the journey — so follow, engage, share our content, and reach out!
An Invitation
If 2025 is the year you’re ready to travel differently — to skip the crowded tours and discover the authentic heart of a place — we would love to hear from you.
Whether you’re dreaming of European hill towns, California wine country, Asian adventures, the rich cultures of Latin America, or staying in the USA, let’s design something extraordinary together.
Remember: You don’t need to do it yourself. That’s what we’re here for!
Wishing you joy, connection, and meaningful moments this holiday season —
celebrating Christmas, Kwanzaa (“Kwan” carries special meaning for CK!), Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice, or simply the turning of the year.
With gratitude and warmest wishes for 2026,
CK & Graham
CKcurated — LGBTBE® Certified | Proudly Gay-Owned
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