Travel + Leisure Magazine,
April 2003

The Deprivation Vacation
By Erik Torkells

There’s a wave of travelers who are making do with less — deserted islands, silent retreats, anti-smoking cruises. Has abstinence become the new indulgence?

Rita Rivest says first-timers have been known to fortify themselves in advance of coming to Sage Hill, her well-being retreat in Ojai, California, where there’s no meat, alcohol, or wheat. Rivest uses car services to bring guests to the retreat, and she knows all the drivers. When one arrived late, she got him to admit that the guest had insisted on visiting a nearby Krispy Kreme.