It’s been over 3 months since I’ve written a blog post and I honestly don’t even know how that happened or where the time has gone. For over 10 years of my life I wrote a blog post almost every single morning. It not only has been part of my profession but it’s been a way of life for me. Blogging is one of my greatest loves. I’m going to put a little bit more focus here on the blog and I would love to know if you are still reading blogs..leave me a comment and let me know.
A few weeks ago, I celebrated my 40th birthday…yes the big 4-0 ( January8th ). I had always had a lot of anticipation for the big “over the hill” birthday, I always imagined I’d have a huge bash with all of my family and friends. As my birthday approached, I felt a little disappointed because Covid certainly gave the world a big change of plans and my 40th birthday dreams were dashed. So, while I couldn’t necessarily have a huge gathering, I did some research on traveling safely during the quarantine. Traveling is one of my greatest loves. Especially when travel involves a beach, I swear I always have a spiritually connected experience.
When in doubt, Mexico. I was fortunate enough to plan a getaway to a small little Mexican island with two girlfriends. This was the mom break we needed from our families and little ones. We traveled to a small island off of the coast of Cancun called Isla Mujeres, the island of Women. It was always known as the sanctuary & home of the Goddess Ixchel. The Mayan Goddess of love, fertility, healing & the moon. Women would come from all over and bring little statues of women to place on the island and as an offering to the goddess so that they would be blessed with lasting love & healthy pregnancies. 💕When the Spanish conquerors discovered the island in 1517 they found hundreds of tiny little statues of women on the beaches and so named the island...Isla Mujeres. We totally gushed over the history of the island.
REASONS WHY I LOVE MEXICO
One. My love affair with Mexico started when I was a young girl. I can’t really remember the first time I ever went to Mexico but most of my family is actually from Mexico. When I was young, we would take road trips to visit family and the first time I ate my first meal in Mexico, I was absolutely hooked.
Two. Each town is so unique. My favorite place to visit in Mexico is Tulum, I also love Cabo, Playa Del Carmen, Acapulco and Mexico City. For this trip, however, we wanted to try something different. We were craving low-key, laid back and super authentic. Isla Mujeres was perfect for us. I have to say, I was totally impressed by the safety measures. Everyone wore masks, they kept socially distanced and hotel capacities were completely to a minimum. Our experience at our hotel was so nice, we felt like the hotel was our private villa, because of the lack of guests, we got the royal treatment. We split our time between two hotels Izla Hotel + Privilege Aluxes. (I prefer PA because of the proximity to the better beach and shopping).
Three. I am obsessed with Mexican fashion & street style. The bright colors, the layers and the symbolism. I live for the roses, flowers and skulls. This trip actually inspired me so much. I had forgotten how much I truly love bright colors and pastels. The beautiful pinks, soft sky blue and sea greens all mixed together were absolutely mesmerizing. Just when I needed it, Mexico provided me with a TON of inspiration. I so needed a jolt of something different, something magical and unique. I wore my crystal bracelets EVERYWHERE! I got so many compliments on them, the colors and the vibe of stacked and layered bracelets. Very boho glam.
Four. The sun + the water. I have a spiritual experience every time I get into the ocean water in Mexico, its like my inner Moana comes alive. Being a mom of a toddler requires a lot of focus and attention. The second I got into the ocean water, I felt my body just melt into the sand. It’s hard to get that experience at home. My routine on a Mexican beach vacation is pretty much always the same.
Wake up: drink a bottle of water, coffee and green juice ( or some sort of healthy smoothie). I also like to do some form of body movement, yoga stretches are a go to. I need to feel like I did something good for my body.
Mid Morning: I like to smother sunscreen all over my face and wear a big hat to cover my skin and hair. These things have to stay looking youthful, especially as I age. I swear by this sunscreen every single day. It has a tint that goes with any skin tone and always makes me glow, plus its SPF 50+! Obsessed. I’m also big on sunscreen on my lips, I’m actually looking for a new one, any recs, please let me know.
Afternoon: Cocktail time. I love a good mimosa with grapefruit juice or a cocktail with cucumber. I also love to break out a good book. This trip, I brought the book Untamed by Glennon Doyle. I am contemplating grabbing a kindle however, having a hardcover book to carry in my bag was not my favorite thing.
Late day: I love a good trip to the spa. After a day in the hot sun, Aloe Vera and eucalyptus oils in the shower is my favorite experience.
Five. The food. I love a well thought out dish with interesting ingredients you wouldn’t think of putting together. Mexico does that so well. The peppers, the spices, the veggies, the freshest of fish. I absolutely love it all!
Five. Golden Hour. There aren’t many things more relaxing than a gorgeous ocean sunset. When the sun begins to go down and that dusk sets in, it is as if there is magic in the air. The way light shimmers on the water is majestic. The sunsets we experienced inspired me to design a stack of bracelets in that soft color palate. Again, when you travel you always get to experience new bursts in inspiration.
Six. The music. One of the evenings in town, we were having dinner and we were entertained by a guitarist who played the most gorgeous acoustic guitar. We were absolutely mesmerized by the music. We could have stayed all night listening to the sounds of the Spanish guitar, enjoying wine and gazing at the twinkling lights shimmering on the town.
More things I loved about our trip to Isla Mujeres:
Fresh coconut water on the beach….
Colorful interiors + art…
Have you ever been to Mexico? Where do you like to go and why? Tell me in the comments below.
