A letter from Angela
Editor’s Note: Our beloved founder, Angela Ritchie, passed away in April 2024 following a brave and determined journey with cancer. Angela was an inspirational force who taught all of us so much and her wish was for Ace Camps to grow and thrive for years to come. Please find below a letter from Angela sharing her thoughts on Ace Camps in 2020.
Hi - I’m Angela Ritchie, the Founder, and Director of Ace Camps Travel Company.
As many of you know, Ace Camps Travel is much more than a business for me. From the first time I helped to organize workshops in Whistler, Canada I learned that when people come together as solo travelers or with friends, a special bond is created. As time passed, our trips and workshops grew and our itineraries expanded to include offerings all over the world. Ace Camps gave everyone a chance to spend time with someone they admired, to learn from other guests, to be introduced to the people and cultures of other countries and to learn a skill. Connecting people - This is my passion.
Someone once said to me, “It’s not all about the art, Angela” meaning these experiences were not just to increase one’s knowledge in creative learning but learning in many ways. Our experiences taught us a way to learn about others both attending the trip and those who we encountered and collaborated with along the way.
We have developed a community that is woven together, a community where friendships and supportive relationships have developed. This is what happens when you are experiencing completely new environments together. The tiniest occurrences that happen when traveling can reveal the most valuable memories and emotional connections.
When what we come to know as the most important parts of our lives change in a flash, we are reminded that poetry can help us to cope with new realities and think about the unknowns ahead. Words can be calming, humous, inspirational and can bring us together in ways that show us we are similar and share the same emotions. The opening line of the poem, “If You Get There Before I Do”, by Dick Allen is “Air out the linens, unlatch the shutters on the eastern side, and maybe find that deck of Bicycle cards lost near the sofa” brings a sense of calm, allowing one to notice the light, slow down, hear and see and touch the real world and leaves us with future possibilities of gathering together.
Poetry and travel are simply two different modes of exploring the world, of learning who we are, what we believe and how it all fits together. With words, we can share our vulnerabilities, scars and our strengths. Some of you are baking bread, some of us are planting seeds - maybe it's a growth thing, the yeast, the seeds in my little pots that I check on each morning. The reality is that, while most of the world might be on pause right now, our lives are still happening.
Here at Ace Camps, we are working behind the scenes to continue organizing, developing + creating the greatest learning adventures all over this amazing world. We are really looking forward to seeing our past guests again and to meeting those of you that will be joining us for the first time.
Take care + keep in touch,
Angela
Ace Camp | Bea Peltre | East County Clare, Ireland
This Ace Camp was all about the food and culture of Ireland as told through the styling of their food; desserts, produce, meats and cheese. Learn More!
I've just returned from Ireland after spending time in East County Clare and with the group who signed up, more than a year ago, for the Ace Camp with Bea Peltre. As I sit at my computer in the dark wide awake very early in the day I am reminiscing about our time as I look through the photos.
This Ace Camp was all about the food and culture of Ireland as told through the styling of their food; desserts, produce, meats and cheese. It was also about adventuring through East County Clare, Ireland to visit small towns, charity shops, restaurants, pubs and other spontaneous journeys that unfold as they do.
Before I post some images of our trip I'd like to thank Bea Peltre for her help in making this Ace Camp such a success.
Thank you Bea and all that joined in and thank Alison Bell, who is a childhood (and adult) friend of mine, who came as our chef.
Welcome to St. Tola's Organic Goat Cheese Farm
left: a donkey who wandered on the property, top right: at St. Tola's Organic Goat cheese farm, bottom right: our lunch.
left: Shane telling us there's an eagle over yonder, top right: Bea at the pub (thanks to Shane who drove us there!, bottom right: our lunch spot.
top left: the ducks on the property, bottom left: a thrift store find, top right: the thrift store, bottom right: near the house.
left top: food left for the animals, left bottom: Alison in the kitchen, top right: Alison cooking, bottom right: our detour to the woollen mill.
Ace Camp | Aran Goyoaga | Whistler, British Columbia
Take a look at some photos from our trip to Whistler and Pemberton in British Columbia, Canada. We had such a fantastic Ace Camp! Click here to learn more!
Well, well, well.... A most fabulous group of 12 people headed to my hometown for a workshop in food styling and photography with Aran Goyoaga a few weekends ago.
Our first day was at a private home where everyone had the opportunity to share in the process of cooking some of the food used for the photo shoots.
The next day we heading to North Arm Farm in Pemberton followed by a picnic in the high alpine of Whistler Mountain.
On the third day of the workshop we shopped at the farmer's market for food to use during the afternoon shoot and headed to the Alta Lake house for our final day. Farm in the valley against the backdrop of Mount Currie, gondola ride to the top of Whistler mountain, walk to Alta Lake and shopping at the Whistler Farmer's Market - such a fantastic Ace Camp we had!
Posted below are some of the photos showing you our journeys and workshop and listed below are the participant who took the images.
Aran wanted the participants (those who had websites and blogs) to post a story - here is my story...
A HUGE thank you to Aran Goyoaga and Nadia Dole - Aran's assistant, and quite frankly as it turned out mine as well - for coming to Whistler and sharing your excellent work and vision.
image: Megan Fleiner
slideshow images: Anna Naphtali
On the second day we got on a bus and headed to Pemberton and North Arm Farm.
image: Anna Naphtali
image: Mardi Michels
top row / Eva Dailberl / Mardi Michels / Melissa Quantz - bottom row / Melissa Quantz / Megan Mitchell / Megan Mitchell
images: Eva Dailberl
We took the gondola to the top of Whistler Mountain and ventured to our picnic spot and while Nadia made a fabulous heirloom tomato salad the girls took various food shots in the woods. (If you are on Instagram you can see more photos at #acecampwhistler) Everyone helped carrying our supplies as we walked in the mountains feeling like characters out of a movie - like The Sound of Music or something....
top: Melissa Quantz / middle: Melissa Quantz / bottom: Jodi Moreno
On the 3rd day we headed to the Whistler Farmer's Market for a photo shoot. Aran, Nadia and I bought some produce for our lake house lesson while the girls walked around taking some pretty awesome shots. Here are a few in a slideshow.
We hopped in some taxis and heading off to Alta Lake and following a 10 minute walk along the Valley Trail we made it to the Alta Lake House. This house is not accessible by car and is used for workshops and other programs in Whistler. It was a beautiful day on the lake that day and the light at the house and the dock was perfect for food photography.