Where'd You Go, 2019?

pc: @katieiredalee

To say I've been neglectful of this blog over the past year would be a massive understatement.

Somehow I got down to single digit posts in 2019... only 7 posts all year! And there was so much I wanted to write about! I didn't get to post as much as I wanted about our wedding, my yoga teacher training, about another summer spent with Groundswell or, especially, about being pregnant...

The year just flew by and so far 2020 isn't much different. Take this post for example... usually I get my annual recaps up in the first week of the month. Yet here we are, more than halfway into January. I'll blame it on pregnancy brain while I still can. ;)

This year I want to get back to writing and connecting here more, especially as I start new chapters in my life, becoming both a mother and an entrepreneur this year. I have a (great) feeling this will be a wild start to this next decade and I can't wait for all of it.

But before I kick off all of the exciting adventures ahead, I do want to make sure I jot down a proper recap and farewell to 2019. So here goes...

Desert X 2019

A few weeks ago, my friend Megan texted me a link to an article about this year's Desert X exhibit, a biennial art exhibit that debuted and last took place in 2017, during our last year at Coachella. I remember meaning to check it out on the way to Indio that year, but the excitement of our #LastChella drove us straight to the polo fields to soak up as much of the festival as possible.

This year, Desert X runs from February 9 to April 21st and showcases 19 artists in a variety of mediums, all using the desert as their canvas. The pieces cover a range of environmental, political and social issues from immigration to climate change, and span across the Coachella Valley, from Palm Springs down to the Salton Sea, with a few pieces in Tijuana and Ensenada this year as well. 

Not wanting to miss it again, Megan and I hit the road, sand storms and Big Horn Sheep crises be damned...

Thank You, 2017

There's been a meme going around the interwebs that goes something like this: "2016: Caterpillar; 2017: Cocoon; 2018: Butterfly." Cheesy? Yes. But also, accurate. At least for me.

2017 absolutely felt like a cocoon year. It started off with me still reeling from a rough 2016. I spent a lot of this year feeling vulnerable and apathetic, aimless and lost. I cried a lot on my way to work, I spent more time journaling than I have in years, I did a lot of going to bed right after I got home from work and I hunkered down for most of the year, not really having the energy or the desire to give much to others. I was just depleted... I couldn't "give" anything because I sort of felt like I had nothing left to give.

And for much of the year, what little I had left seemed to get exhausted by the news. Natural disasters, mass shootings, Trump's latest atrocity... there was never a time where it felt safe and so the cycle of vulnerability followed by my defense strategy of retreat and apathy continued.

But as I sat down yesterday reflecting, prepping this annual recap and looking at pictures from the year I realized that despite months of working through that depression, a lot of good stuff did happen in 2017. For instance, instead of deaths, there were births: 7 of our friends and 6 of my co-workers welcomed new babies into the world. Instead of poor health, there was self-care: unlike 2016 where I was constantly sick and stressed out and googling WebMD about my newly uncovered Lynch Syndrome, I don't think I visited WebMD once this year or had one health-related anxiety attack.

This was the year that Ryan and I began apart and ended engaged; the year that I recommitted to taking care of myself spiritually and healed so much through A Course in Miracles, surfing and solo travel; the year that I got involved by marching in protest, joining ACLU, making frequent calls to my representatives in Congress, donating when I could, making lifestyle changes and learning about important issues; and the year that I really learned how to let go of what wasn't serving me.

Ultimately, I'm thankful for 2017. It may have often been a dark one internally, but I see now how those dark spots were so necessary for what's coming up ahead. Here's a look back at everything that went into it...

Good Riddens, 2016

This post has had some harsher titles in drafts. Let's just say F bombs were involved.

I usually love writing these recaps each year, but this one was hard. 2016 started out mildly shitty and ended really shitty. And it was shitty for a lot of what happened in the middle too.

¡Viva la (Avenida) Revolución!

Growing up in Connecticut, all I knew about Tijuana was that it was the place where Marissa Cooper overdosed in an alley and almost died. God, The OC was such a great show. 

And as a San Diegan for the past 6 years, all I knew about TJ was that none of my friends liked the idea of going there. The ones who grew up here, including Ryan, and had gone all the time as kids, had spent the past 15 years hearing how bad it had become. And whether they grew up here or not, no one was really sure what there was to do on the other other side or why it was something that couldn't be done, if not better then at least safer, here in San Diego.

But slowly, over the past year, more and more of our friends and friends of friends started taking day trips to TJ and telling us just how much our neighboring city has evolved. 

With it's blossoming reputation as a foodie destination, it's vibrant art community, and it's deeply discounted tequila (watch out, you can only bring back 1 liter per person!), I was determined to make it to TJ before my 30th birthday as part of my 30 Before 30 list. And since our first trip in January, we've been back several times already! 

So to encourage more San Diegans to head south of the border, I've put together an easy little Tijuana daytrip guide. I say easy because all of these places are located on or very near to Av. Revolución, Tijauna's main street... essentially TJ on training wheels. Vaminos!

Surfing Sayulita

After all the trips I've made to the sweet little surf town of Sayulita, there was one thing I had yet to do:

Actually surf.

I'd to point out that I still didn't know how to swim the first time I went to Sayulita, but that really isn't much of an excuse. Sayulita's perfect beginner break is exactly what makes it such a popular spot for non-surfers and non-swimmers alike to get their first taste of stoke. The warm water and tiny waves break onto a sandy bottom and there are designated sections of the beach for every level of surfer. The opportunity to learn how to surf on this perfect starter break is what got me interested in visiting Sayulita in the first place!

But despite spending more than half my life wishing I was a surfer and despite the fact that I surfed in the ocean before I could swim in the ocean, I am most certainly a beginner. A beginner, by the way, who's never had a proper lesson. So when I headed to Sayulita this time around, I was determined to fix this. I only had to find the best surf instructors around.

And that's how I came across the Lunazul Surf School.

Adios, Mi Tortuga Bebé!

As far as bucket list items go, I'll be the first to admit that participating in a baby sea turtle release is probably more of a fringe choice than most. Still, it was something that I had always wanted to do, starting as a kid way back in the 90s, when I asked for a sea turtle adoption kit for Christmas (likely because of the stuffed animal that came with it). 

Last year, I found out that there was a sea turtle rescue right in Sayulita and during high season (November-January) they release babies almost nightly. I was so shocked that I had never heard of this before... after all the research I'd done before both of my previous trips to my favorite little retreat, I couldn't believe it had never come up. I started following the group that does the releases, Campamento Tortuguero Sayulita, on Facebook and the more photos I saw of those sweet, tiny tortugas, the more I wanted to be a part of a release. 

Take notes, kids: this is how you justify taking a semi-spontaneous weekend trip to Sayulita. Saving the sea turtles! 

Sayulita Mermaid Yogis Retreat: Part IV

And just like that, a whole year has passed since I took off on a yoga retreat with a group of girls I'd never met before. A year ago yesterday, I was on a flight back to San Diego from Puerto Vallarta, smiling to myself as I thought about the amazing week I'd just spent in Sayulita.

Today, as we get further and further into the fall season, I'm already trying to figure out my next trip back to Mexico. But before I do, I want to wrap up the recap from the trip I already took. Writing the recaps from the trip have let me hold onto it beyond that final plane ride home. Over the past year, I've found myself inspired to write them on rainy days, when I need a little dose of sunshine in my life.

It's not raining today but after a night of howling winds and a blustery morning, I could not have been craving Sayulita's sunny skies and warm waters any more than I am now.

Sayulita Mermaid Yogis Retreat: Part III

Where did August even come from?

I'm pretty sure that yesterday I was stoked about kicking off summer on Memorial Day weekend and somehow here we are, at the beginning of the end of my favorite season.

Sure, in San Diego it seems like we have an endless summer... and we sorta do. But I have 20+ years of East Coast seasons baked into my circadian rhythm. I can't help but feel like August is an endcap. Actually, I just saw a perfect description on Instagram this morning: August is like the Sunday of summer.

As of right now, I have yet to plan any end of summer activities and it's making me antsy. The only thing I have decided to do this month is participate in the #MermaidYogas yoga challenge on Instagram, even though I have a lot of catching up to do already! One of the prizes is the gorgeous Glide Lotus SUP Board... I'd say winning one of those puppies would be a pretty epic way to round out summer.

But in the meantime, the challenge is a nice way to stay connected with a fantastic group of merbabes who I first got acquainted with last November, when I went on a retreat with the founders of the Mermaid Yogis movement: Amelia of Stoked Yogi, Mandy of Zen Girl Chronicles and Janalyn of Horizon Light Productions.

Starting the challenge and seeing a bunch of these chicas at the One Love Movement yoga event on Saturday made me miss our adventures in Sayu and I remembered for the millionth time that I really needed to finish recapping our retreat on this blog. Plus, all of these wonderful women have just announced different retreats coming up this fall. So if you're thinking about going on your first yoga retreat, take this as a glowing endorsement for some of my favorite mermaids around!

Sayulita Mermaid Yogis Retreat: Part II

For most of the country, May is a welcome reprieve from months of horrendous weather. But in San Diego, it's actually the start of our cloudy season. May Gray and June Gloom are aptly titled after the marine layer that typically descends upon us right when most people are celebrating the start of summer.

I know right? Boo hoo, we get a month or two of partly cloudy weather. Poor San Diego.

But I'm not one to shy away from complaining about the weather. It's part of the reason I moved here: I was unbearable to listen to when I lived on the east coast.

During the first week of May, I tried to suck it up, but it's legit bumming me out now. The morning that I started this post was no different: clouds, wind and rain. I wore a sweater and my winter jacket to work. Sweater weather? It just sends me tearing for photos and memories of warmer times with far lighter (and fewer) clothes.

Which is what prompted me to write the second part of my Sayulita yoga retreat recap oh... only six or seven months after it happened. Ironically enough, I left off right when things were getting not-so-sunny in Mexico. But rainy Sayulita is still blissfully tropical... and I'll take warm and rainy over cold and cloudy any day.

Sayulita Life: Zip Lining Through the Mexican Jungle

Of all the ways Ryan and I have spent Valentine's Day, last year will always be one of my favorites. Valentine's Day fell on our last full day in Sayulita after a amazing week of sunsets, cervezas and relaxation. And while I wasn't sure how I expected to spend the holiday in Mexico, I don't think I expected it to include strapping myself to a cable and flying above the jungle at 30mph...

Sayulita Mermaid Yogis Retreat: Part I

This past November, I did something crazy.

That's how it felt at the time: crazy. Crazy to go on a yoga retreat when I wasn't that great at yoga. Crazy to spend a week in the jungle with girls I'd never met before. Crazy to spend so much money on a vacation to a place I'd already visited nine months earlier. Crazy to spend that much time away from Ryan and the dogs, crazy to sign up for so many water activities when I had only just learned to swim. Crazy.

But it wasn't crazy. Not even a little bit. In fact, it was one of the smartest, refreshing, and inspiring things I've ever done. And if I could go back to that drunken night in August at the bar with my friend Anjali, and have her encourage me to sign up all over again, I wouldn't change a thing.

I first learned about the trip on a blog written by a girl named Mandy. I'd followed Mandy's blog for years and never met her or taken her yoga classes even though she lived and taught in San Diego. Last summer, I read her post about an upcoming retreat in Sayulita and it sounded amazing: one week of yoga, SUP and surf in Mexico. I thought about it and thought about it and when I finally took the plunge and reserved my spot, I couldn't believe it.

And then, all of a sudden, it was November 8th, and I was about to get on a plane for Mexico.

Sayulita Life: Hotel Villas Sayulita & Health Center

pc: Angel

When I left Sayulita after a week's stay earlier this year, I had no idea when I'd be back. And I definitely didn't think I'd end up spending another week there only 9 months later.

But that's exactly where I found myself two Saturdays ago: on the first day of a week-long yoga retreat right in Sayulita.

I've spent the past week back at home sorting through photos and organizing my reflections from that trip into posts. And I'm so excited to share all of them. Starting with the gorgeous hotel that was our home for 8 days,

When Ryan and I went to Sayulita for our Valentine's Day vacation, we split our time between two hotels: Petit Hotel Hafa, right in the heart of town, and Playa Escondida, a resort that was a 10 minute drive from the town. And honestly, there were things about each place that we liked and things that we thought could have been better.

For instance, at Hafa, the bustle of the town (and that damn gas truck) woke us up at the crack of dawn each morning, with no regard for our hangovers. And though Escondida had that relaxing resort feel, it was inconveniently far from town when we needed to head in for something.

This time, during the week of the retreat, I stayed at the beautiful Villas Sayulita & Health Center, and honestly? This hotel combined the best of both worlds.

Missing Sayulita

It's shocking to me that we were only in Sayulita five months ago. It feels like it's been years since that trip... in some ways, maybe it has. I left my job, started a new job, left that job and came back to my old company in a new job. I started, suffered through and finished another MBA class. I did the Fast Metabolism Diet, went to Coachella, attended two weddings and threw a baby shower. All of these things required so much planning and time and sometimes effort that looking back, I can't believe they were all crammed into the past few months.

My body believes it though. I woke up today and I just felt tired. And tired had me craving Mexican beaches and lazing around town, downing cervezas. Sayulita was so perfectly relaxing and Ryan and I had such a great time there. Today, I missed it so much that only one thing could cheer me up: photos.

#TacoTuesday: Sayulita Tacos Roundup

Mmmm tacos. When we were in Sayulita we made a valiant effort to try as many taco places as possible. We asked for recommendations from locals, we researched online, and we stumbled into places. Our goal was to try at least a taco a day. 

Sadly, there's only so many tacos a person can eat over the course of a week. No matter how delicious most of them were. 

Shopped: Revolucion Del Sueno

I've been going through Mexico withdrawals fairly often lately. 

It definitely has a lot to do with the fact that I'm almost done with my first four swimming lessons. I'm anxious to go back and see how different our trip would have been with this new found confidence around water. 

But, if it wasn't for our time there, I would never have become as desperate and ready to learn as I was after we left. Spending so much time in and around the ocean made me crave the freedom that everyone else had.

I hope/plan on going back to Sayulita, maybe even next year, but until then, I've just been sorting through pictures and trying to write a few final posts to share from the trip. And since one of my favorite things about Sayulita was the shopping, I thought I'd share some images from one of the chicest stores in town, Revolucion del Sueno.

Sayulita Life: Playa Escondida Resort

Our beach house, Sol 3, at Playa Escondida Resort

For the second half of our visit to Sayulita, we stayed at the luxurious Playa Escondida Resort, about a 10 minute taxi ride through the jungle from the center of town. The whole time we were in town people would ask us where we were staying and when we told them part of our trip would be spent at Playa Escondida, the jealousy was apparent: everyone knew what a special place Playa Escondida is.

We grabbed a taxi in the center of town at the taxi line and off we went up hills with breathtaking views of the ocean, then down windy one-lane jungle roads until suddenly we had arrived. The amazing and sweet hotel manager, Asuri, was there to welcome us and gave us a tour of the resort. She showed us the resort's private beach first, complete with hammocks, lounge chairs, a volleyball net, and all kinds of water equipment to borrow, like boogie boards and life jackets.

Then we headed up to the Terraza, the beach bar with games, casual dining and a television. This, she said, was the place to be after dark (later, we confirmed it just to be sure ;)). Then she showed us the infinity jacuzzi and the way to the spa and finally, the pool and main restaurant. The pool is where Ryan and I looked at each other and realized we really had landed in paradise. We were offered welcome drinks and we had them right there, soaking it all in.

As soon as our room was ready, Asuri came back to help us find our way down the cobblestone paths. We had rented Sol 3: a huge beachfront house with our own private jacuzzi on the deck overlooking the ocean. Having seen the pictures, I had some idea of how gorgeous this room would be, but in reality, pictures didn't do it justice. We walked onto our top patio (we had a two-story patio!!) and immediately the rest of the resort disappeared. It was like we were the only house on the beach, with an unobstructed view of the ocean every which way possible.

Inside, the room was more romantic than I could have imagined. The bed had the breezy white linen canopy curtains that I've always imagined having one day. The windows across from the bed opened up to the most gorgeous view of the ocean... one that was amazing to wake up to but evening more amazing at night with the full moon glowing over the waves. I tried so hard to get a good picture of it, but in the end that's one that you just have to experience for yourself.

We unpacked and stuck our beers in the mini fridge, then headed to our sandy downstairs patio, complete with lounge chairs and our private jacuzzi. We cracked open our books and a couple of beers and spent the afternoon reading there. Occasionally, we had the surprise of being joined by some jungle life including a cute little garden snake and a friendly iguana who hung out by my feet as I read my book, all while enjoying our ocean view.

After a little while we decided we'd take a walk on the beach and try swimming a bit in the ocean. The waves were pretty strong and the beach dropped off fast, so I couldn't go in very far. Instead we made our way up to the infinity pool and had a couple of glasses of wine while floating around and watching the sun set. The water was so warm and the sunset was so beautiful that I was honestly in heaven.

The staff at Playa Escondida was incredibly on top of it and had not only reserved the best seat in the restaurant for us, but had it ready as soon as we were done with our swim. Our server, Lalo, was super fun and had plenty of great meal and wine recommendations for us, which helped to narrow down the huge menu. In the end, I chose the Pepper-Crusted Filet Mignon and Ryan had Lobster Ravioli.  We cleaned our plates and finished the night off with some more wine at Terraza, eventually taking to-go cups back to our jacuzzi.

This was only one of four amazing days at Playa Escondida, but it provides a pretty accurate picture of the rest of our time there. Between the staff putting together our trip to Marieta Islands and our ziplining excursion, and booking us each a 60-minute massage at their incredible spa, I couldn't have picked a better place to spend the final days of our vacation.

Mexico takes care of the beauty around you all on its own, but the people who work at the hotels and resorts in Sayulita are what really makes or breaks your stay. The staff at Playa Escondida not only made our stay, they made us lifelong fans of the resort. For a truly secluded and romantic escape to paradise during your next Sayulita visit, book a room at Playa Escondida and don't be shy about using the ear plugs they provide... the ocean gets loud at night!

Sayulita Life: Petit Hotel Hafa

Within a couple of hours of touching down at the Puerto Vallarta airport, we were in a cab speeding through jungle roads to Sayulita. I wasn't sure what to expect when we landed but I remembered that we had to walk out of the airport, make a left and cross the street bridge to get to the taxi line. It ended up being that easy. The cab ride to Sayulita was about 500 pesos or $40 dollars and took about 35-40 minutes.

Eventually, the road opened up and to our left was a road leading to a stone entryway arch that announced Sayulita in a can't-miss-it kind of way. Once we passed underneath it, the driver asked us for the address of the hotel and after we told him, he still had to stop and ask for directions. It ended up that all he had to do was continue straight through on Revolucion, past the town center and down the cobblestone road to the bright red and blue building on the left.

Petit Hotel Hafa was our home sweet home for the first half of our week in Sayulita and we stayed in the largest room, Room 1 for $85/night (price goes up to $105 if you stay less than 3 nights). This room is known for the walkway of hearts leading to its door. The first thing I noticed about the room was that it was a little darker than I expected, in comparison to the bright sunny day outside. But as the week went on, I realized that the limited exposure to natural light made for a cool escape from the Mexican heat. 

As for the room itself, it can sleep up to 3 people and the king size bed was two (very firm) single beds pushed together. It has a mini fridge (which proved helpful for beer and water storage) and a fan that provided all the breeze we needed, though you can purchase AC for an additional $5/night. We slept well after we got adjusted to the firmness of the mattress, but beware of the Zeta gas truck that comes around at the crack of dawn each morning to sell fuel to the townspeople. It blasts a ridiculously loud and catchy song as it loops the streets and from bed it sounds like it's happening right next to your face for about 5-10 minutes each morning. 

The bathroom in this room is pretty unique in that it's kind of like a cave: just one stone room with a palapa roof, a toilet, shower head, sink and mirror, separated from the bedroom by a flimsy, almost sheer linen curtain. It wasn't a problem for us, but if you're staying with friends or family, I hope you're very comfortable with showering and going to the bathroom around them. One thing that also surprised us was the inability to flush toilet paper: all tp has to be thrown out separately in the trash bin next to the toilet. This proved to be a theme throughout Sayulita. 

Our colorful Fresco towels were right at home here! 

Between the boutique decor, the rooftop deck with complimentary tequila, the price and the prime location, Petit Hotel Hafa is one of the best and most loved places to stay in town when in Sayulita. It's incredibly safe and only steps to nightlife and the town center or an easy 10 minute walk to the beach. But make sure that you reserve your room in advance: with only 5 rooms, they fill up pretty quickly!