Where to begin my friends?! It’s been quite some time since I have posted, as a result of a busy and prosperous summer. Prosperous, in a wholesome and fulfilling light with friends, family and travels. I have spent the last week and a half backpacking around Costa Rica with one of my bestest friends and now my sister. It has been quite the adventure. We begun in San Jose and made our way over the mountains and through the valleys, traveling high and low to experience all that Costa Rica has to offer.

On the second night here, I had my entire backpack stolen from our hotel room, and although I felt disappointed and slightly taken advantage of, it makes me realize how lucky I am to live where I do with all that I have. The truth is that those goods have little importance to me, and yet to those who don’t have as much those material things are like gold. Ironically, I had the intention of giving away virtually all of my clothes at the end of my journey, but a higher power had a different plan in store for me.

Aside from that little bump in the road, this trip has been a fantastic adventure. Arenal was breathtaking, filled with a lake we skinny dipped in, a volcano to stare in awe of and waterfalls pouring out natures love. I convinced Mary Beth to go horseback riding while we were here, and to say the least that was more rigorous than anticipated. Nonetheless, being followed by blue butterflies through the mountains to a waterfall, with nature at your fingertips was a memory not to be forgotten.

After the adventures in Arenal, a pit stop was made in La Fortuna to deal with the policia from my robbery. However, we didn’t let this take more time than necessary and after our business was done here we quickly continued on to Playa Samara. The drive across this part of the country was amazing, not to mention the talks that were shared in transit, both bringing tears to my eyes and making me laugh till I cried.

Pulling into our tree top abode, Dos Aguas, it felt like Playa Samara was welcoming us with open arms. Did I mention that Mary Beth was taking photos in exchange for a few of the places we stayed; this meant we got the tree top suite which felt like the coolest tree fort anyone could ever dream of. After walking around and chatting with the locals, I immediately found comfort in this little beach town. I fell in love with the beach here, the cute restaurants and stores I frequented, and the people I met. Did I mention that Mary Beth and one of the girls who worked at Dos Aguas surprised me with a birthday cake?! Couldn’t think of a better way to ring in MY new year, than with one of my bestest friends in such a neat spot. What a lucky girl I am!

After staying in Samara for a couple days and regaining love for Costa Rica, we traveled long and far up to Nicoya, over and around to Malpais and Santa Theresa. This was one hell of a drive, with much time spent venturing over pot-holed, dirt roads that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. After five long hours, we picked up my little sissy at a bakery and spent the night at Casa Zen. This was a very cute surf town, where I drank yummy coffee, wandered the streets, ate delicious food and sacrificed my soul to the sun gods:)

Thankfully, our next stop Montezuma, was very close. This was yet another adorable beach town on the Pacific. Brightly painted wooden structures lined the streets and peaceful beaches were plentiful. Here we spent time on the beaches, zip lined through the jungle and jumped off waterfalls by day; listened to live music, enjoyed local drinks and played cards by night. There were times we were perhaps overly aware of our surroundings and who had their eyes on us, but this is what makes it an adventure and gives appreciation to where we come from.

From here, Mary Beth headed home and Cati and I continued by ferry to Jaco and down to Quepos. We spent brief time in Manuel Antonio, and then headed back to San Jose in order to venture to the other side – The Caribbean. We are now in Playa Viejo de Talamanca and I absolutely love the town. Once again I feel as though I am being watched over, wink wink. This town has been exactly what I was looking for, mellow and warm in more than one way.. I have thoroughly enjoyed lying in the sand reading, playing in the water and rejuvenating. The people have been friendly and our hotel is perfect. In a few days we plan on continuing south to Bocas del Toro and Panama City.

It is the times away from home, the times you are outside of your comfort zone that you discover more about yourself and more of what the world has to offer you. It is in these experiences that we shed our old layers and expose new facets of ourselves. It makes me think of snake shedding his skin or a butterfly flying out of her cocoon…

Pura Vida xo

You don’t need many, but having a couple best friends can make all the difference. My mom used to always say, “you just need one.” As with most things, she was so right. It’s easy to think more is better, but having one or two you can count on is all you really need.

Thank you to all my amigos. I certainly wouldn’t be the person I am today without all of you..xo

Practicing love is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself.  I often find that people create there own unhappiness, and equally there own happiness.  It is a constant effort, and life is hard.  Of course we all get sad or frustrated, disappointed, angry and so on, but we needn’t not wallow in this.  It’s important to get back on track, remembering you are creating your path and the uni-verse is presenting you with what you need.  You have heard this a thousand times – when you are happy and in love with yourself, happiness and love finds you.

What can you do to create more happiness and love?  I hear people, including myself, complain: “I’m bored with my job, I don’t know what I want to do with my life, my boyfriends isn’t doing what I want..”  If you are unhappy with your job what will you do to change this?  If you are frustrated with your lover what steps will you take to improve this?  Of course we cannot change certain situations, but we can change how we experience them.

I’m not claiming that its all easy-peasy and that we should never get frustrated or sad, but when you recognize these frustrations, implement change and new perspective, you allow yourself to experience what you are looking for.  In turn, you create happiness and love.

This happiness and love is contagious – so once you feel it, breathe it, swim in it – it has no choice but to radiate back and forth in everything you have your hands in.  It is an exchange within each area of your body and being, within all that you create and come in contact with.

I have fallen in love with Lucky Peach: It is a quarterly journal, which includes personal essays, taste tests, recipes, interviews, and much much more. In a time when many magazines are scaling back, Lucky Peach feels shockingly rich in content. I feel it’s safe to say that this journal is a little off the beaten path, but the information is up to date and worth reading.  It has taken me a couple times of picking it up to get hooked; but once I discovered what it’s all about, I was in.

I absolutely love that this journal has its own niche, bridging the latest on nutrition and food with a funky, artsy style.

What is your favorite informative read?

Its amazing how few opportunities we are given in this day and age to disconnect: to turn off one’s phone, email, Facebook, Instagram, bank account.. I just got off the plane, one of the few places we are told to ‘please turn off your phones.’  It made me think.  Two thoughts were running through my head – one: The notion that so many people have such a difficult time separating from the outside world, as most of us are addicted; and two: I should do this more often, and I’ll tell you why.

I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off yesterday, as I knew I was leaving for Seattle today.  I was in meetings, seeing clients, doing errands, taking the dog to the park, and all the while I was texting, emailing, ‘Face-booking,’ in between.  And, it did feel good because I was productive and I felt connected to those I care about and wanted to be in touch with.  However, I have realized it’s equally as important to turn off your phone and computer and stop moving!  Get in touch with your inside world and see how you feel and what is going on with you.  Do you know how hard this is?  Do any of you meditate and do you do it regularly?

I was in a group healing-mediation circle a while back and the teacher asked all of us to try meditating just 10 minutes each day.  Me, being the stubborn Leo that I am thought are you kidding of course I can meditate 10 minutes a day.  Nonetheless, its harder than it appears to be because we are all so Connected to the outside world.  We are less and less Connected to the inside world, meaning our own little beings.  Once you find a way to meditate, in other words, sitting quietly for just 10 minutes here and there, you will quickly be surprised at how many realizations you come to.  Its sort of like sleeping in the sense that your muscles repair and bodies reenergize at night; when you quiet your mind, yet remain awake and present, you are able to solve so many of your own quandaries.  It is amazing!

I challenge all of you to turn off your phones and meditate for just 10 minutes each day.  If that seems like too much, try doing it 2 or 3 times a week.

And by the way, if you are sitting here saying I don’t know how to meditate, it sounds scarier that it is.  Meditating, is just a fancy way of saying; sitting with yourself, in your own thoughts.  If your mind starts to wonder to your ‘to do’ list try and bring it back to being in the present moment.  The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become with your own thoughts, and the experiences will grow more enlightening and rewarding.