When Plans Change...

My boyfriend, Bryan, has traveled to 40 countries. So, when it was time to celebrate his 40th birthday, we knew we couldn’t just drive to Atlantic City or visit a restaurant in Philly. It would have to be something extra special to ring in another trip around the sun.

Due to work and time constraints (read: us planning everything at the last minute), we were a bit limited to the Western Hemisphere. I looked around the Caribbean to try to take the easy route and even got pretty far into planning a trip to Grand Cayman. But lazing around expensive beaches sipping all-inclusive cocktails didn’t quite feel like “him” or “us.”

We finally decided on Montañita, Ecuador. It’s a small coastal town known for great waves and, apparently, its party scene. We weren’t too interested in backpacker partying (after 30 we get tired easily and our lower backs hurt), but we were looking for surf, massages, and beachfront stays at South American prices.

We booked our flights to Guayaquil and plotted a few towns to visit along the “Ruta del Sol.” Everything was set and ready to go.

The night before our trip, we ate dinner with Bryan’s parents and dropped my dog, Bailey, off for her staycation. As we were leaving, the news reporter announced a shocking event in Ecuador: 13 armed men held up a live TV station in Guayaquil (the city we were about to fly into.)

We held back from panicking. We’ve both traveled to some reputedly “dangerous” places and felt completely safe. Plus, we’d be staying near the beach, far from the city where the attack had occurred. I imagined it would be like worrying about violence in New York City from the quiet beaches of Long Beach Island.

We went back to my place and mused for a little while, but decided to stick with the plan. The next morning, we drove to JFK. About five minutes from pulling into our parking spot, we both got an alert. Jetblue had canceled our flight.

There wasn’t any weather in the area, and an hour on the phone with customer service confirmed it was because of the uncertainty of the situation. A top gang leader had escaped from prison, and he was encouraging acts of violence throughout the country. All of Ecuador was in a state of emergency. Jetblue rebooked us on a flight two days later, on Bryan’s actual birthday.

Confused (and for me a little scared), we turned around to head home. Desperate to find some way to turn the day around, I drove us to Asbury Park to bring Bryan to an awesome vegan restaurant. They even gave him a free piece of cake to lift his spirits.

We spent the night ruminating and deciding what to do. It might seem obvious that we should not go to Ecuador in a state of emergency, but we’re both fairly adventurous and were still considering it. My travel friend put it this way: If millions of people can live through the state of emergency, I can spend a week there. She went to Bolivia during a post-election lockdown and said it was one of her most memorable travel experiences.

The next morning, I got a text from Bryan’s mom that Bailey had been getting sick through the night. I paused my work calls and headed over to find a puppy in a state of nonstop vomiting and diarrhea. I thought back to the gross gas-station-parking-lot chicken bones she’d tried to eat during our North Carolina road trip… I took her home and booked a visit to the vet.

The innocent face of a girl who’s about to eat something that will ruin everyone’s good night’s sleep for the week:

The nagging feeling not to go was getting stronger for me. The US state department website hadn’t announced anything, and Bryan would probably choose nice waves over his personal safety any day. Of course, he wouldn’t ask me to do anything that made me feel unsafe, so ultimately, it was up to me what to do.

The next day, Bailey’s illness slowed down thanks to meds from the vet. They said it was something she ate (ahem, parking lot chicken bones, anyone?) And I made the call to say no to Ecuador.

We weren’t sure if our flight would even take off. I couldn’t handle another disappointing drive to JFK and back. And we didn’t have much booked and paid for, so we wouldn’t lose money by canceling. We turned our flights to points and started to look for alternative destinations. We couldn’t let the birthday trip be a total bust.

Although the trip didn’t work out as we planned, there were a few upsides:

1. Not planning far in advance worked in our favor. We didn’t lose any money in changing our plans.

2. People were kind all around, from the free birthday cake to Bryan’s mom staying up with Bailey to the hotel owners understanding the situation and not charging cancelation fees.

3. Bryan got to celebrate on his actual birthday with his family. Hibachi and a movie are always a treat!

4. We ended up experiencing a totally unexpected and new-to-us city in South America. Stay tuned for the next post to find out where we went!

Happy New Year!

Can we still say happy new year in the last days of January? Since I haven’t been here yet this year, I’d like to think so.

I ended the year in the best way: An LBI tiny wave sunset surf session with the greatest of friends. It was the perfect cap on a year that has, for me, been a transformative year in learning to surf and actually “getting it.” I’m starting to understand the power of winter wetsuits, and I swear, it’s really not that cold (until you get out of the water)! This picture was followed by a warm shower and many NYE snacks and cocktails.

The following week offered a much needed slowdown from working in the startup world. But you know I can’t stay put for too long. I decided to road trip down to North Carolina to visit my uncle with a stop in Harrisburg to see my sister on the way. We indulged in a cookie skillet for her belated birthday celebration.

And the next stay stopped in Frederick, MD for some of the best Detroit-style pizza I’ve ever had. Can you tell I haven’t made any diet-related new year’s resolutions?

My uncle has been recovering from a mid-year stroke and I was happy to see he’s doing well and taking care of himself. Besides him being in a wheelchair, it was a pretty normal visit. We played cards, cooked healthy meals, and watched a movie directed by Madonna. Being with family (and mostly off my laptop) was a nice way to reconnect and ease into the year.

My adventure partner was a bit skeptical about the long drives:

And so the sun set on 2023. I’m excited and ready to see what the next one has in store…

A Yoga Retreat in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

For the past three years, most of the vacations I’ve taken have been “work-cations” where I teach on yoga and surf retreats with Surf Sweat Serve. But this year, I decided I needed a 100% vacation, so I decided to sign up for a yoga retreat with my local New Jersey studio, Yoga Bohemia. No teaching, just taking it all in and enjoying classes taught by my lovely yogi friends.

The retreat started with two days in Antigua at the swanky Porta Hotel. I had been in the city for the week prior, and was excited to find the processions were going on for Holy Week. The flower arrangements used to decorate the streets were really amazing to see. I love when I end up in the right place at the right time for a one-of-a-kind experience!

Next, it was off to Lake Atitlan. The drive is long and winding (take Dramamine if you get carsick!) But near the end of the journey, the road opens up to a majestic view of the lake.

I had visited Lake Atitlan five years earlier and my experiences were similar. Both times I stayed at secluded hotels only accessible by boat. This trip, our group stayed at the Isla Verde Hotel in Santa Cruz. The food was fresh and tasty, and the winding paths up to the rooms were unforgettable (though a bit steep for older members of our group!) Walking down the hill from your room in the morning led to this view:

I did my best to relax and recharge, soaking in the hot tub and taking classes on the yoga deck. But there’s always so much to do on retreat! We took boat taxis to visit the towns that dot the lake, each with its own personality. San Juan is my favorite and the most colorful.

One morning, we took a sunrise hike to Indian Nose. That meant waking up at 3am, boating in the dark, riding in a van, and starting to climb in the dark. My headlamp died, so I only had the light of my phone to guide the way. The steep climb was worth it, though, when the sun peeked through the clouds and revealed the outlines of the lake. And the guides served us hot chocolate to add to the morning treat. These were my favorite views of the trip:

Our Favorite Things in Antigua, Guatemala

Antigua is such an enchanting city. The surrounding volcanos provide stunning backdrops and the popularity of rooftop cafes and bars offer excellent viewing points. Everywhere you look, you’re reminded of the beauty and power of nature.

A few years ago, I spent a month teaching yoga in Nicaragua and I stopped in Antigua on the way back. It was the kind of city where I had a feeling I’d return. This spring, I finally did.

Even though I’d originally planned to be there for a wedding that didn’t come to pass, there was still plenty to do in Antigua. These were just a few of our favorite things:

1. Roasting marshmallows at Pacaya Volcano

Many people come to Antigua to go volcano hiking (there are four active volcanos surrounding the city.) There’s one long overnight trek you can do on Acatenango, the big prominent volcano, but that one is known to be quite long and intense. We weren’t ready to put that much time and fitness into our hiking, so we decided to do a half-day hike to the nearby Pacaya volcano. We booked it through our hostel, and a group shuttle brought us to the hike.

We started in a crowded parking lot with locals trying to sell us horse and donkey rides to the top. Some people in our group said yes, but Bryan and I were happy to get the exercise in. We found the hike heart-pumping but not terribly challenging. The hardest part was walking through the sand/gravel to the summit. Some others in our group opted for the horseback ride as we got closer to the top.

At the “summit,” which is really just a viewpoint on the lava rocks, we had the chance to roast marshmallows on lava rocks. Obviously my favorite part!

The whole trip took about 1.5-2 hours each way. And we were treated to an incredible sunset on the way down.

2. Spending the day in Hobbitville

Our next favorite way to spend a day was visiting the village of Hobbitenango. Both of us are Lord of the Rings fans, so we were excited to find an amusement park dedicated to the lives of hobbits. You can spend the night in a hobbit hole:

We played games like archery and mini golf. I swung on multiple fun swings.

We had lunch at the cafe.

And there were lots of photo opportunities (including with someone dressed as Gandalf, but we didn’t want to pay.) We had a lovely time that day.

3. Visiting Caoba Farms

We also had a great time visiting Caoba Farms, an eco farm just outside of Antigua. It was easy to walk from the city. We had lunch and then ended up staying for a bit to walk around the grounds.

There were beautiful gardens and greenhouses. We also saw lots of animals: chickens, ducks, a sweet farm dog, and mini pigs! All coexisting in sweet eco farm harmony.

Apart from these activities, Antigua is just such a cool city. There are so many great restaurants, and it has a very “European” feel with cobblestone streets and town squares. I would definitely recommend anyone add it to their travel list.

El Paredon, Guatemala

Hi friends! Please forgive me for being a little (ok, a lot) behind. I’m currently sitting in London Gatwick airport, and it’s November. But first, I feel like I want to catch you up on a year of travels so far.

If you’ve been following my journey for a while, you know I am a traveler. I’ve been traveling since my parents took me on a plane as a wee babe when I was six months old. My mom likes recounting the story of how she didn’t know my weight in kilos, so she hoisted me on the counter to let the cashier determine my diaper size.

Flash forward 35 years… I’ve now been to 36 countries and have trotted the globe. You might have met me in Thailand or teaching yoga in Nicaragua or perhaps on working holiday in Australia. BUT if you’ve been following since then, you know I recently lived out another dream of mine and adopted a DOG! A post-covid puppy! Delight to my heart and woe to my traveling spirit. Lockdowns convinced me that I was done traveling and ready to settle down. Two years later and we’ll see about that…

A little while after adopting Bailey, I met my boyfriend Bryan. He puts the “No” in nomad. As in, no lease, no office, no borders, and… no pets. We cautiously fell in love and have had many conversations since on how to keep our nomadic spirits and me as a new dog parent happy. And through this year, we’ve miraculously managed to play both parts. Many thanks to our families, friends, and Rover on all sides.

I’ve already told you about our New Year adventures to Singapore and Borneo. The next trip was a month in Guatemala.

Going to Guatemala

Now, I was actually planning this trip before I met Bryan. Two close friends of mine were engaged and planning their wedding in a beautiful convent ruins church in Antigua. However, about a month beforehand, the engagement was called off. Bryan had been planning a Guatemala trip of his own for a friend’s birthday, so we decided to still go through with it. That’s how we came to land in the beach town of El Paredon.

And a beach town it was to a T. We stayed in an open air bungalow with a perfect view of the waves.

Sadly, those waves were too big and aggressive for most beginners (like myself) so I took a lesson and stayed in the white water near the shore. For entertainment and exercise, I took walks all the way down the beach, to find cool wooden shacks and volcano views.

We spent a week in the little town, enjoying our stay at the Surf House and going back for more and more amazing food at Chef in Flip Flops. Other highlights for me were kayaking in mangroves:

Even though we were all working remotely, time slowed down in coastal Guatemala. Each morning started with slow sips of coffee and wave checks from a hammock. Every evening, there was a great exodus out of hotels and houses to watch incredible sunsets from the beach.

El Salvador Retreat: October 1-8

Hi yoga friends!

I’m one week away from heading back to El Salvador for a surf and yoga retreat with my friend Pixie and her company, Surf Sweat Serve, from October 1st-8th, 2023. I’ll be teaching yoga classes every morning, and there will be plenty of time for surfing, swimming, adventuring, and relaxing by the pool. We still have a few spots open, and flights from both JFK and LAX are looking pretty good! If you’re a last-minute planner and still want to join, you can register here.

This will be my fourth Surf Sweat Serve trip because it’s just THAT good! It’s an experience that will change your life for the better. I was a little intimidated going to El Salvador at first (that was about four years ago), and it’s really truly a gem of a country that far exceeds its reputation. I can’t wait to be back.

This trip is a little different than previous years, because there will be more of a focus on the surf camp side of the trip. But don’t worry– all levels and all ages are welcome. If you’re new to surfing, it’s a perfect experience to try while feeling totally safe and supported. If you’re experienced, it’s an excellent way to deepen your skillset at any level. And if you don’t love surfing, there are plenty of other activities to make the trip your own.

When you sign up for this Surf Sweat Serve retreat, you’ll get:

• Airport shuttles to/from San Salvador airport

• Wifi

• 7 breakfasts

• 7 lunches or dinners (your choice)

• 7 wellness drinks (smoothies, juices, coconut waters)

• 14 non-alcoholic drinks

• Unlimited coffee!

• Morning yoga classes with me and Pixie

• Optional additional yoga classes with Puro Surf staff

• Breathwork and bootcamp classes with Pixie

• Journaling and processing playgrounds

• 6 professional surf lessons (including board, instruction, and equipment)

• 1 group surf trip

• 6 days of surf videos and photos

• Waterfall hike

• Beach cleanup

• 1 therapeutic massage

• Access to fitness center and lap pool

• Welcome kit and swag bag

• Ice bath experience

Choose your own adventure and join us by registering at this link.

New YouTube Yoga Class: Intermediate/Advanced Vinyasa

I have a new yoga class available on YouTube. This one aims to be a more vigorous vinyasa flow, so check it out and let me know what you think! I filmed it towards the end of going on a yoga retreat in Guatemala, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

5 Reasons to Visit Borneo

On New Year’s Day, we set off to explore a new place: Borneo. This revelation has left many friends and family members scratching their heads asking, “What is Borneo?” “Where is Borneo?” and “Why Borneo?”

Well, Borneo is the third-largest island in the world (not counting continents), and it’s off the east coast of Malaysia. It’s bigger than I ever knew! Our two initial reasons for going were: 1) It’s one of the last places on Earth where you can see wild orangutans, and 2) Bryan’s cousin has been living there for the past two years. The decision felt obvious; we had to go.

As we were planning and once we were there, we figured out some other great reasons to visit Borneo. It’s definitely worth a trip if you’re over on that side of the world; it even warrants a visit all its own.

1. Wild Orangutans

In Borneo, you can see attempt to see wild orangutans in a number of ways. There are options for multi-day treks and river cruises where you have the best chance of seeing them in their natural habitats. Most of these options require an additional flight, and the number of days you spend on the trek or cruise greatly increases your chance of spotting wildlife.

Being working people, we had limited time, so we chose to try seeing the orangutans in a semi-wild environment. We visited the Semenggoh Nature Reserve just outside the city of Kuching where orangutans roam freely from the wild into the reserve for feeding times. When we arrived, the employees told us it was unlikely we would see any orangutans that day. Because fruit season had begun. The orangutans wouldn’t need to come for feeding if they could find abundant fruit on their own. We opted to try our luck anyway.

We were meandering down to the viewing platform when we heard a rustling above us in the leaves. We looked up in awe to see an orangutan perched at the top of the telephone pole. She seemed to know the drill better than we did, and she waited until the guard crossed by to begin her descent. She steadily worked her way down to the platform, us tourists following her carefully behind.

They told us she was older (52!) and had recently been sick. She stayed on the platform in close view the whole time we were there, munching on jackfruit, durian, and sipping fruit juice from a bottle in the guard’s hand. We would see one more orangutan that day – a massive, younger male who came out of the forest for bananas and to show off his prowess at swinging from the vines. We kept our distance from him, but watched on wide-eyed.

2. National Parks

Borneo has a ton of national parks. There are 30 in the state of Sarawak alone (where we stayed when we visited Kuching.) There are dry and wet caves, beaches, jungles, and interesting rock formations. We learned there is a lot to see and do. More than we could ever fit into a one week trip.

We decided to start at the tip of Borneo, the meeting point between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea. We flew from Singapore into Kota Kinabalu and drove up north for some beach time. After three days at the tip, we spent a night in KK before catching another flight to Kuching (where Bryan’s cousin lives.)

We chose to visit Baku National Park for its scenic views, wild bearded pigs, and the promise of monkeys. We were not disappointed in any category. It was a bit tricky navigating the boat schedule to get to the park – the tide was too low so we spent an unexpected hour waiting to depart. But once we arrived, there was much to see.

About a minute into our trek, a female wild pig and her babies crossed our path. We stepped around them hesitantly, but they didn’t seem to notice us. The monkeys on the other hand gave us a bit of trouble when we got in their way. We spent about 30 extra minutes frozen on the trail, hoping they would let us through. We made it out unscathed (and un-bitten!) to cloudy but gorgeous views of the beach.

3. Culture and Cats in Kuching

We learned from our local guide that Sarawak, the state where we visited the city of Kuching, is sort of an “it place” to be from if you’re visiting the area. Sarawakians have a certain state pride and enjoy a number of benefits, including discounts and priorities. When the Malaysian flag is hung, the Sarawak flag is placed right beside it. (Fun fact: Borneo is owned by three different countries – Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. We stayed in the Malaysian region, but we heard it’s actually fairly easy to pass through customs between the regions if you’re up for a lot of driving.)

Kuching is, literally, the city of cats. Legend has it that when British explorer James Brooke first arrived in Kuching and asked the name of the town, his local guide thought Brooke was pointing towards a cat. The guide answered, ‘kucing’ which is Malay for cat.

There are cat statues all over the city, and cats are deemed highly respected creatures. There’s even a sizable cat museum that my boyfriend was kind enough to accompany me through. And the city itself is impressive. The Sarawak River river runs through the center, providing a picturesque landscape for the unique Darul Hana bridge and a beautiful golden mosque. We met kind people and sampled some delicious, multicultural food throughout the week.

4. Beach Time

Borneo is probably not the first place you hear about when it comes to beach vacations, but maybe it should be. We were there during the rainy season, and it rained heavily one of the days we were there, but the beaches were otherwise nice and uncrowded.

When we planned our trip, we considered Vietnam or Indonesia for better surfing, but we squeezed it in at the tip of Borneo instead. We rented boards from Blue Fin Surf & Dive and stayed at both the North Borneo Biostation and Tommy’s Place. There wasn’t too much information about surfing there online, so we were going in a bit blind with pretty low expectations. We had rented a car in Kota Kinabalu for the four hour drive north and arrived to the biostation late at night. The manager, Jonathan, stayed up to warmly greet us and show us to our room. It was a really nice little bungalow and Jonathan was a fantastic host. The hotel seemed a bit deserted post-Covid but for no reason – it was really nice and I hope someday soon returns to its full capacity!

Tommy’s Place was busier, with more families and travelers coming through. There is not much else nearby, so we were happy to eat most of our meals there and get a surfboard rental from just down the road. The surfing was small, but fun. I’m still a beginner, so I enjoy when it’s small and Bryan didn’t seem to mind. It’s worth mentioning that we made a 40 minute drive in total darkness twice to eat at and return to this small, family-owned restaurant called Hock Choeong. Jonathan recommended it and it’s that good.

5. Adventures Everywhere

We were excited for the many adventures of Borneo, but we really didn’t know what to expect. It turned out to be a little bit of everything – beach, surf, warm rainstorms, multicultural cities, national parks, wildlife, luxurious hotels (for super low prices by our standards), fun bars, and nice people. We stopped for wild monkeys on the road and visited a town full of gong factories.

Every day was a new adventure, and there’s so much more we didn’t see. I would happily go back for more.

Starting the Year in Singapore

I’m still catching up on my travels! It’s March and I’ve been on a few flights already this year. Right after Christmas, my boyfriend and I flew to Singapore. He needed to go there for work, but we departed a week early to squeeze in some vacation time. The hotel was expensed, and I would only needed to pay for my flight, so I said “Alright, let’s go!”

I took a convoluted way of getting there – about 36 hours from Newark to Las Vegas to San Francisco to Singapore. “They” say it’s about the journey more than the destination, right? The flight to Vegas in a middle seat actually made the 17-hour international flight seem easy and luxurious.

The airport stops were an act of tourism in themselves. I perused the Howard W. Cannon Aviation Museum at Harry Reid International. It’s a row of plaques and memorabilia that you might just walk by, but an interesting timeline to read through if you have a few or four hours to spare. Also, Shake Shack.

At San Francisco there’s a small terrace where you can enjoy a breath of fresh air outside – very necessary in the midst of 24 hours of flights! All-in-all the itinerary wasn’t great, but wasn’t too terrible, and then I was in Singapore with a day to spare before New Year’s Eve.

Bryan flew business class, and we aren’t going to talk about the differences between those two experiences! When I arrived, I was soon invited out to an office lunch, a celebration of his arrival and upcoming birthday. I wasn’t too jetlagged and agreed to tag along.

We visited a Chinese dim sum restaurant, and apparently it’s customary to order about one of everything on the menu. There were four of us, plus a colleague’s child in tow, and we probably ordered enough for ten people. It worked out for us Americans, though. We got to indulge in this trip’s first taste of Chinese fare. The highlights were dumplings and a whole freaking duck. And I’ll always have room for more bao buns, please and thank you!

My work takes a break between Christmas and New Year, so I got to partake in the hotel amenities and a nap while Bryan went back to the office. The next day, we visited Sentosa Island – basically Singapore’s version of Disney World. There’s a Universal Studios, a waterpark, beaches, and swimming areas. This was my third trip to Singapore and when I saw the bright blue water and the cable car, I felt like I’d finally arrived!

Ok, it’s swarming with people, but if you enjoy amusements and novelty, give it a try. Our favorite part of that day was more laid back. We took a dip in the water then strayed from the crowds by walking far down the beach path. Eventually we stumbled upon a beach volleyball game.

Then it was time for the main event: New Year’s Eve! I don’t know if there’s a better place to watch fireworks than Singapore (I didn’t venture down by the Opera House when I was in Sydney, so I don’t have much to compare.) The dazzling city overlooks Marina Bay and, on the 31st, sets off explosive displays all around the city. We grabbed a bottle of wine and attempted to set up camp in the thick of it all – why (wine) not? We didn’t have too set of a plan, but we landed pretty close to the bay in not-too-crowded of a spot.

Still jetlagged, we admittedly both took quick naps on the lawn before the fireworks started! There was a concert going on in the background, but that didn’t deter our slumber. Fortunately, we woke up in time for the fireworks to start around 11:30pm. There were hundreds of fireworks and coordinated drones dancing across the sky. The videos on an iPhone 12 don’t do it justice, but we were wowed. At midnight, we celebrated, and then in Singapore’s most-civilized fashion (seriously, I think there would be more chaos in an American small-town fireworks parking lot), we went back to the hotel and promptly to sleep.

We had a flight to catch the next morning and it was on to the next adventure…

Southern Road Trip

Well, this post has been a long time coming. But a couple months ago, my boyfriend and I loaded the Bailey dog into the car and took ourselves on a sweet southern road trip. Our main destination was St. Augustine, FL because the yoga studio where I teach here just opened up a new location down there. We aimed to do some yoga, surf, and enjoy the warmer weather, and that’s exactly what we did.

St. Augustine was very charming. I can see why Katie, our beloved Yoga Bohemia studio owner, couldn’t resist signing a lease down there. The streets were quiet during the week we stayed (they would pick up for the Night of Lights right after we left.) There were plenty of great restaurants with delicious food, and some quirky little bars, like Tini Martini, which was fully decked out for the light show.

We enjoyed a week of working from our Airbnb (with a couple days off of course), and learning more about the history of the U.S.’s oldest city. One of the highlights was touring Ft. Matanzas National Monument. Other highlights include eating a million biscuits and surfing under a sunset rainbow… the mental pictures are unbeatable!

St. Augustine favorites:

• The Floridian for dinner

• The Kookaburra for coffee and aussie pies

• Ice Plant Bar for dinner and drinks

• Beachside Diner for breakfast

• Island Donuts for donuts, of course

• Surf Station for all the surf stuff

On the way back, we spent a couple nights in Jacksonville Beach. It wasn’t my favorite since the main busy highway bumps right up to the beach. I didn’t find it to be a very enjoyable walking city, but it had it’s charms—like this barbecue board.

Jacksonville Beach favorites:

• The Bearded Pig for barbecue

• Jax Beach Brunch Haus (worth the wait for breakfast)

The biscuit fest would continue on as we kept driving north and stopped in Savannah briefly to visit my mom and stepdad. The weather was surprisingly cold for the south in November. I was hoping for summer and definitely didn’t pack the right clothing items for this trip!

We had a nice time staying at the pet-friendly Thunderbird Inn. This surely won’t be a comprehensive list of all my Savannah favorites, but these are the ones we made it to this time.

Savannah favorites:

• The Olde Pink House is a classic

• Zunzis has changed so much since its food truck days (and maybe not for the best), but the sandwiches still amaze

• The Thunderbird Inn was a fun, pet-friendly hotel

• Moodrights was casual and quirky for Bingo night

I love a good road trip and was so happy to have some company this time!

New yoga class on YouTube!

Hi friends. After a long (primarily puppy-driven) YouTube yoga hiatus, I’ve finally posted a video. This flow helped me loosen up after a long ride in the car to New York City and a day of working at a desk. I hope you find it useful. I’ll be planning to post more yoga classes over on my YouTube channel, so follow along if you’re a fan of doing online yoga videos. I like it because we can practice together from anywhere in the world. Enjoy, and have a great weekend!

Full Moon in Capricorn

Happy full moon! I got to spend a lot of time outside under it last night, while taking care of one sick puppy…

I have a dog now, by the way. I haven’t told you on here yet. Bailey came to me in February, from a rescue, looking like this:

I reluctantly agreed to foster her for 1-2 weeks, thinking I wouldn’t keep her long term since I was looking for a smaller, older, more male dog who could eventually be my furever friend. Four months later, here I am with the same, now-44 lb. female puppy. This month she looks like this:

She’s usually thriving, but this week has been sick. It’s been a rough couple of days, rounding off last week when I was sick (the covid finally got me!) But we are both home and healing under the remnants of the full moon in Capricorn.

It’s said this moon is a difficult one—one that may bring us back to memories of early 2020, when all the pandemic madness was just beginning. I can feel the reflections, with more talk of rising case numbers and infections, but hopefully things won’t get as intense as back then.

The astrology/moon blogs that I read (like Jen Racioppi’s Cosmic Health) ask us to reflect on the progress we’ve made since that time.

“Where were you then? Where are you now? What have you learned? What do you still need to shed?”

I might be an entirely different person! Early 2020 found me returning from romping down under in Australia, still bouncing around and unclear on any sort of direction. I was enjoying life, but I remember hoping for a more stable work situation and a sense of home. I landed very much home—in Poughkeepsie, NY at my dad’s house and then semi-sort-of “home” on Long Beach Island, NJ where I remain today.

I was on a break from teaching yoga while in Sydney. Luckily, backed by the learnings I picked up on that trip, I’m back to it and leading a teacher training with one of my yoga homes this summer.

Probably, for all of us, the past 2.5 years have forced us to grow up, maybe too much. Life is not as careless and free. Yet it feels more grounding and steady, and for me I’m glad it’s still happening here, near the beach:

We’re all a bit more serious and, I think, a bit more scared. But our relationships are stronger and deeper than before—they push our edges when we need and soften us when we need to be held. There’s a sense of bearing down, knowing that if we’ve made it this far, we can handle even more.

For me, having a puppy and steadier job (very contrary to my wandering ways) is pressing me to stay, be responsible to others, and give outside of myself. Some days it’s harder and heavier than it has been, but it makes me appreciate the smaller joys.

I’m learning, slowly and steadily. I spend too much time on the computer and the phone. I probably need to shed the desire to do everything and compartmentalize my relationships—work feels separate from life and vice versa. I’d love to be the fullest “me” in every work or life situation. I’m getting there.

I don’t have as many international adventures these days, but a few are in the works. I’ll keep sharing and I’m glad you’re still reading.

What’s this full moon bringing up for you?

Forcing vs. Flowing

(Wrote this on a plane about a week ago. I’m successfully back in NJ.)

I’m coming to you from the air today! After a surprise cancellation and rebooking (one of many happening these days, it seems), I’m on a flight to visit Los Angeles. I’ve been keeping a one line a day journal since 2020 (a thrilling year to start, by the way) and I can’t believe it’s officially been longer that I’ve lived in New Jersey than I lived in LA.

Planning my trip to California had me reflecting on the time I spent living there, and in my yoga classes this week, I’ve been talking about the difference between forcing and flowing in life. Looking back (with 20/20 hindsight, of course), the year and half I spent living on the west coast was definitely more on the “forcing” side.

I had just gotten out of a relationship, and didn’t want to be left behind or have the patience to wait and see what would happen naturally. I jumped at a low-paying service job in a run-down area with almost an hour commute from LA (not even counting traffic), found a place to live on Craigslist, and made my way into the thrill of the hustle.

Aside from the job (which mainly consisted of stuffing envelops and rearranging furniture—I only lasted a month), most things worked out fine and there were certainly moments of magic. California is glorious, my friendships were rich, and I managed to squeeze in a 500-hour yoga teacher training. But now that I’m removed (almost three years out), forcing my way into a new life made everything just the slightest bit harder. After I left the first job, I worked in tutoring, quite low-paying yoga gigs, and event catering. I drove SO much and watched my savings account dwindle. I wouldn’t change anything—it was all a special and memorable part of my path, but I see a big difference contrasted with today.

My move to New Jersey was anything but planned. A covid-induced end to my travels landed me at my mom and stepdad’s beach house for a few months (thanks, Mom!), which then became more than a year. The online tutoring company from LA reached out and gave me something to do during lockdown. Then I returned to a fun job I loved working in a restaurant, which kept me busy and provided a social life. Great yoga teaching positions continue to present themselves and grow (I’m leading my first teacher training this summer!). And after about a year of relentlessly searching and submitting about 200 applications, a new writing and marketing job appeared out of almost nowhere. All of today’s connections and opportunities seem manifested and aligned to my interests and goals. There is a certain level of flow. The seasons keep changing, and I keep watching to see what happens next.

This isn’t a call to avoid all struggle in life or to always take the easy way out. It’s simply a reminder to take a step back and reflect: Is the struggle necessary to achieve your goals or is it self-induced by forcing something that isn’t for you right now? If you examine your feelings 90% of the time, are you in a forced state or a flow state? Sometimes it takes three years of retrospect to tell the difference.

Let Yourself Land

There’s such a difference between the beginning of January and its final days. Here in the third week, I wonder, are you sticking to your resolutions? Have you altered them? Softened them to fit your real life? As we come back from the holiday chaos—increased energies, hectic schedules, indulgent diets—we try to take back the reigns at the beginning of the year with schedules, rules, and controls.

I, for one, enjoy this. It’s easier to have strict guidelines than to make a new decision every day. “I’m choosing not to drink this month.” I’m doing 30 minutes of cardio per day.” Ok, no questions. But then we get to the third week, and it’s time to check in on what’s working for us. There were the two mimosas on a football Sunday. Plus the day work was crazy and I only had twenty minutes to exercise before teaching a class. A few imperfections. They’ll have to be OK.

If you notice yourself slipping up a lot (and I mean daily or a few times a week), don’t start by beating yourself up or questioning your willpower. If you messed up, first offer yourself forgiveness. Then reflect. Where are you coming from—how was your energy and your life a month ago? Have you been realistic in what you could take on? Are your goals right for you or were they perhaps superhuman? Consider sharing them with a trusted friend.

I’m not suggesting you throw out all of your goals and lie down on the couch (although it’s Friday afternoon so I won’t be mad if you do), but allow some space to assess and readjust. Set yourself up with the best habits that you know you can, and then leave a little room for life to flow in between.

Have a wonderful weekend.

<3 Cori

2021

It’s still January (in case you haven’t already noticed from the freezing temps and the way it keeps snowing!) so I hope I can still do a 2021 recap. While it was another weird year of uncertainty for everyone, but SO much happened this year that I don’t want to forget…

Winter LBI sunsets. Snow! Two spring trips to California. My birthday celebration in Keystone, Colorado. Yoga on the beach, by the bay, and in the studio. Nature time in the Delaware Water Gap (and exploring more of my new state of NJ). Becoming an official New Jersey resident and finally unpacking all my stored boxes into my own apartment. A best friend’s wedding in Amsterdam plus a side trip to Paris. A lovely amount of trips to Harrisburg and other parts of PA to visit my sister. And last but not least, all the holiday festivities and a family trip to NYC after two years away.

My grandma celebrated her birthday last week, and when I called to wish her a happy one, she had some reflections to deliver. She considered the number, and I commented that we’re both getting older. But if someone offered her the chance to wake up tomorrow and be 25 or 35 again, would she do it? “Only if they’d promise I could live every year since then in exactly the same way,” she said.

I hope I feel the same when I reach my 80’s. At this rate, I think I will.

Holidays at "Home"

Happy New Year! Now that my full-time job is back in the swing of things this week, I’m realizing that December was really a nice break and slow down from the normal fast-paced madness. During that recharging period, “home” for the holidays really meant all over the place for the holidays, but I’m glad I got to visit and spend time with so many friends and family members. I was home to Poughkeepsie a couple of times, in Harrisburg with my sister a couple more, and had time at my apartment in South-Central Jersey for plenty of cookie baking.

Thanksgiving was hosted by my sister in Harrisburg. I crocheted these festive turkey napkin rings:

My mom and stepdad came up from Georgia to take us to New York City to see the tree and all the holiday decorations. It was still weirdly (and perfectly warm). We celebrated my sister’s engagement at the River Cafe in Brooklyn.

I finally attended my first Long Beach Island Ship Bottom Christmas parade. There’s nothing like a small town holiday parade. This one had lots of boats:

I decorated my place inside and outside. Thanks to anyone who contributed holiday hand-me-down decor!

And here are those cookies. I made six different kinds this year:

For Christmas, I stayed at my dad’s house in Poughkeepsie, NY. Christmas Eve is really our only big family holiday tradition, but last year was canceled for COVID and the year before I was away in Australia. It was great to be back together to gather and celebrate. We also got a lucky ski day in at home:

And lots of cuddle time with their new puppy, Jameson, who is growing much too fast:

That’s all I’ve got for now! Happy New Year, and I hope your resolutions are still going strong in week one.

El Salvador Yoga Retreat: A Day in the Life

I love challenging people’s expectations about what El Salvador is like. This was my third time visiting the country, and every time I am more impressed by the kind people, natural beauty, and travel experiences that it has to offer. If you’ve ever raised your eyebrows, gasped, or felt uncertain when you’ve heard about travel to El Salvador—and of course, we all want to be safe and every country has its dangerous areas—I beg you to question your assumptions!

For the past three years, I’ve been joining Surf Sweat Serve, a fitness and adventure retreat company founded by my friend Pixie Acia, as the yoga teacher/translator/coordinator slash “whatever you need since we’re a two-person team.” Each time I’m even more grateful for the people we meet and the opportunity to come return.

Here’s what a typical day in retreat life is like:

Morning

Almost every day starts with a morning yoga class, followed by the best coffee and breakfast. The hotel staff is always accommodating and even created a special menu for vegan guests this year.

The adventures, surfing, and workouts are incredible, but I think it’s the food and the community built at mealtimes that keeps everyone coming back! After breakfast, it’s usually time for a surfing lesson. The instructors take us up to the academy gym to go over the fundamentals, then we drive to a spot about 10 minutes away where the waves are good for beginners. Depending on the group’s experience levels, there are different spots with varying conditions.

You’ll always find black sand beaches and plenty of waves. After about 2 hours of surfing and beach time, we come back to the hotel for lunch.

Afternoon

Ceviche is a crowd favorite. I usually make my own combination of traditional rice and beans, tortilla, and avocado. Plus lots of spicy salsa.

Every day is a little bit different. Sometimes the mornings and afternoons are for an excursion, like hiking to a waterfall and jumping in:

Or taking part in the “service” part of Surf Sweat Serve by doing a beach cleanup:

And sometimes (usually towards the end of the trip) it’s nice to relax by the pool:

Evening

It starts off with a perfect sunset over the ocean.

Then Pixie leads one of her #DOITFORTHEDOPAMINE cardio and strength classes.

Each night, we gather together for dinner. Sometimes we’ll go to a nearby hostel like we did for Taco Tuesday, but usually it’s in the hotel dining room. There’s a full menu of items from typical El Salvadorean dishes to good old American cheeseburgers. Here is the traditional dish they made us for pupusa night:

(What is a pupusa?)

Don’t forget drinks and dessert:

We often end up talking around the table for hours, making it to bed just in time to do it all over again the next day. Any questions? If you’ve been on a yoga or adventure retreat, what was your favorite part?

Cheers!

Welcoming Fall

It always leaves a little hole in my heart when summer leaves. But we’re still out on the beach here, and I’ve had a few fun adventures in place and in store. October is the borderline between the heat and the slowing down. It gives us a little reminder to pause and notice what’s changed.

I’ve got pumpkins (probably rotting as we speak) outside of my door. And few crafts inside in the works.

Most days the weather has been good enough for some yoga and a late season surf.

The sunsets here are always unbeatable.

My sister stopped by to celebrate her engagement. We took a quick walk around Cedar Bonnet Island Park.

And we visited her and Will in Harrisburg, PA again. Talk about the land of craft fairs and festive fall decor!

My mom and stepdad are leaving soon for Georgia, so we took an extended lunch at Rat’s Restaurant in the Grounds for Sculpture. Yummy food and perfect scenery. Highly recommend!

I got into the spirit and baked some fall treats.

I’ve been boating a bit.

And tried my hand at making mussels for the first time. Delicious!

Last one. My grandma’s teacup collection is on full display in my new apartment kitchen:

Amsterdam in August

I swear I’ll get back to the present moment soon, but I did my first post-Covid international travel in August. It was a gorgeous week in Amsterdam to celebrate my best friend from elementary, middle, and high school’s wedding. It’s a beautiful thing to have friends that you’ve known and have known you for that long. Celebrate it wherever you can!

I’ll admit that I almost didn’t make the trip, because of all the uncertainty in the world. But I’m so glad I changed my mind due to a high sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) and some irresistable booking.com specials.

Amsterdam is a quaint city full of canals, flowers, and cute houseboats. It was actually my third time visiting (as I’ve mentioned, I’m spoiled by life). I went on a soccer trip in high school where we hit all the tourist spots. And a party trip in college for the red light district and coffee shops, during which we wandered around aimlessly until every day ended up in a hangry search for snacks. This time I simply wanted to ride bikes in parks and sit to slip my coffee nice and slow.

Arrival day was jet-lagged, and I can’t say I gave the Van Gogh Museum the full attention it deserved. But I recuperated from walking outside in the Vondelpark. I’m happy to say my body clock adjusted quickly after a good night’s sleep, and I was feeling fully refreshed for the wedding weekend.

I visited the daily street markets to try plenty of Dutch delicacies. My favorites were stroopwafels (like a firm waffle/cookie sandwich with caramel in the center) and poffertjes (puffy pancake balls covered in powdered sugar). I won’t rush back to the fried herring stand, but most everything else was delicious.

I secured my bike rental from the hotel and took it on a grand adventure across the city to the Amsterdam Forest. I’d heard about a little family goat farm where you can touch and feed the animals. I also heard about their yummy apple pie, and that’s my kind of a day.

There was an art and sculpture festival happening on the way back, so I passed through one of the “hip” parts of the city.

EVERYONE rides bikes here. Did you know? And I mean everyone…

The “rehearsal night” was a dinner cruise down a canal with some tasty Indonesian food.

And the wedding was perfectly intimate in a majestic little garden. Audrey and Nelson make a very fun and photogenic couple.

The weather report had predicted rain all week, but it hardly rained at all. The wedding day was ideal and I loved my first steps out of the country in a while.

Local Summer

Maybe you know, maybe you don’t. But September and the still warm part of summer is known around these parts as “Local Summer.” It is surely the best. People go away and you can enjoy all the good parts of summer life without the crowds. This year, both regular summer and local summer took me all around. Here are some of the best parts:

A fun yoga photoshoot in Tom’s River. I’m slowing expanding out to see other shore towns. I’ve loved Point Pleasant and Asbury Park. There’s so much more to get to know.

Glad life has brought me back to my old stomping grounds at the University of Delaware. I got to visit my favorite ice cream shop of all time (Woodside Farms Creamery). And I’ve eaten a lot of ice cream, so that’s saying something.

No summer is complete for me nowadays without a couple of trips to Harrisburg, PA. My sister lives there (she’s engaged now!!), and I appreciate being near enough to visit her for a weekend.

Central PA frequently exceeds my expectations. We tubed down the river at Sickman’s Mill.

I made a quick stop in the Hudson Valley to celebrate my dad’s birthday, retirement from IBM after 40 years (!!!), and my cousin’s wedding. We went to the Dutchess County Balloon Festival.

Back in Jersey, I walked around Stockton University’s pretty campus for the first time.

Oh yeah, and there was another dead whale.

That’s all the update for today.