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Sarah Livia Brightwood

Rancho La Puerta President & Landscape Designer

by Judy Kirkwood

Founded by Edmond and Deborah Szekely in the 1940s, Rancho La Puerta is considered “the original destination spa.” Their daughter, Sarah Livia Brightwood, Ranch president and landscape designer, is responsible for the gardens, buildings, the organic farm “Tres Estrellas,” and a new cooking school, “La Cocina Que Canta.” She currently spends part of the year in Devon, England.

What was it like to grow up in a natural spa environment as the child of pioneers in the wellness movement? I grew up at the foot of a sacred mountain in Northern Mexico, in a valley teeming with life: frogs, swallows, coyotes, goats, and stars. From the eyes of a child half a century ago Rancho La Puerta was more like a village, or a kibbutz, than a resort. I was raised by many aunties and uncles as I spent my days weaving in and out of the gardens, dining room, vineyards, stables, chicken coop, and goat corral. When I was twelve I began to take exercise and dance classes along with our guests and to listen to my father’s evening lectures. The love of nature and respect for the natural wisdom of our bodies that I had absorbed unconsciously as a child became a core part of my journey into adulthood.

When and how did your ranch origins lead you to England? My mother was very involved with the Shakespeare Festival at the Old Globe Theater and by the time I was a teen I had fallen deeply in love with the beauty of the English countryside, the gardens, and folk music. In my college years I studied English gardens and within the context of my studies in ecology and landscape architecture. My lyrical, romantic, and artistic self found its home.

What is your future vision for Rancho La Puerta? In the past year I have designed both La Cocina Que Canta, Rancho La Puerta’s Culinary Center, and a new glorious activity pool to enhance our guests’ experience. As the child of an eclectic, artistic father and a creative, energetic mother I will continue to bring new ideas and programs into the Ranch environment while respecting the magic that lives at Rancho La Puerta.

January/February 2009

Healing Lifestyles & Spas Team
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