After a short 35 minute drive form Liberia airport, through the dry tropical forest of the Guanacaste region, Jessica and I have finally arrived to the beautifully lush peninsula of Papagayo, Costa Rica where the Andaz resort is quietly nestled.
One of the first things I realized upon arrival, was that we were in for some serious R&R and nature time. The resort is quite secluded and located upon the hill side of the Bay of Culebra. It boasts an open layout with natural interiors, inviting the outside in so you feel a definite presence of nature everywhere you go here. Another unique quality about the resort is that they offer a little something for everyone. Between three incredible restaurants, two beaches that offer completely different settings, three infinity pools (one for adults only) the Andaz is a place for people of all ages and all walks of life. All you are asked to do is relax and freely be yourself.
With that said, I'm not really sure if it's everything I just listed above or their famous freshly caught and prepared to order ceviche (served inside coconut bowls)... or soaking in the infinity pools while watching the Howler monkeys play... oh or the rainforest shower with an open door that brought the ocean and jungle right into my room... I mean the list just goes on.. but I think it's safe to say I found a place that fulfilled my list of a dream vacation. And now I can see why people choose to come back to this resort time and time again. It's a place where vacation and home meet. Which in my case, could be a dangerous combination, given the fact that I'm currently debating if I should just pack up shop back home and call it a life here. I guess this is that "Pura Vida" life that I've been hearing all about. And I wouldn't have it any other way!
Andaz Papagayo
It's so nice to be back home in Barcelona... I can't tell you how much I missed this place after being away for 7 months! My two weeks back have been full of castings and shooting so this past weekend I had a free day and decided to escape up the coast to one of my favorite beach towns in Costa Brava. As much as I love going to the beach in Barcelona, it's not the most relaxing as the sand is a bit dirty and it tends to be packed full of people the months of June and July. So instead I like to make the one hour drive up the coast to Platja d'Aro, where the beaches are a little less packed, and there's so much more to see and do. There are hiking paths all along the coastline that will take you to a variety of hidden coves/beaches, old ruins that still line the water and little beach bars to chill out at and grab sangria or cervezas.. It's no wonder why artists such as Picasso, Klein and Dalí would frequently escape to Costa Brava to find inspiration for their work.. This place is truly magic.
Hi loves, I'm sorry for my absence on the website lately.. I've been busy the past few months working on a project with my sister but now I'm back home in Barcelona and will get back into the swing of things.... ;) Anyways, I wanted to share some photos of my trip to Brazil with you guys.. as most of you know, Brazil has been on the top of my travel list for years and this year for my birthday, I decided I was finally going to make the trek.. even though I only had a week to do so..
The only thing on my agenda this trip was to relax, explore and just enjoy time with friends.. I think it's nice to detach every once in a while from work and social media and just fully enjoy being in a place... Honestly, I can't remember the last time I was able to do so... but I'm just thankful that out of all places, I was able to do so here.
My time was spent between Maresias and Guaruja (where my family lives).. Both places are so beautiful but in entirely different ways... but Maresias is the epitome of heaven on earth. A quiet little beach town, nestled between lush green mountains.. white sand beaches and is somehow rain or shine... you can't help but admire God's work here.. and wonder if maybe He spent just a little extra time on this place... I know I have a few favorite destinations but Maresias has topped them all. My entire experience there holds a special place in my heart that definitely cannot be replaced. I think I'll let the photos speak for themselves... I can't wait to go back and explore more of this beautiful country soon! XO
Getting a one way ticket to Amsterdam was one of the best decisions I've made in a long time. I've been wanting to visit this place for years.. All I hear from people is, "It's the best city in Europe..." or "oh you think that place is cool, just wait 'til you see Amsterdam.." So with that in mind, a one way ticket seemed like the best option. :) Also, I have quite a few friends that live here, so instead of researching places to go or things to see like I usually would, I decided to go with the flow and let them show us around this amazing city.
My tips for anyone planning to visit Amsterdam:
- Rent bikes and get lost riding through the canal mazes.
- Visit De 9 Straatjes. My favorite part. Here you'll find streets lined with countless boutiques and amazing restaurants/cafes.
- See the city from the water. Rent a boat with friends or jump on one of the tour boats. This is the best way to see the city. (oh and bring a bottle of Rose hehe)
- Visit the W Hotel and head up to the top floor for drinks at sunset.
- Have dinner at the Duchess. Share everything and order the Scallops and Lobster. ;)
Here's a few snapshots from my quick but magical trip to the island of Fomentera with Indah.
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I've received the warmest of welcomes here in Lisbon and it's all thanks to the Four Seasons Ritz Hotel. My stay has been above and beyond what I had hoped for. Between impeccable guest services and all the luxurious amenities this hotel offers, they've definitely set the bar high for any future hotel stays. Thank you Four Seasons Ritz for making my time here in Lisbon unforgettable. The day's full of adventure and relaxation were just what I needed! I will surely be back soon!
I couldn't visit Lisbon without making a short drive to one of Europe's most charming medieval towns. Located near the coast in central western Portugal, Sintra is known for it's ancient royal history and romantic Moorish/Manueline castles that line it's foothills. Being a history buff and architecture enthusiast, I found myself overwhelmed by all of the perfectly preserved treasures this place provides. The town offers a visually stimulating mix of Moroccan, Egyptian, Gothic and Renaissance design that made me quickly realize where some of Sintra's first settlers originated from. It's no wonder this beautiful town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
And after spending half of the day roaming around castles, Jessica and I made the windy drive through the Colares wine region to the beach side city of Cascais. Unfortunately the weather was not in our favor to enjoy the beach but the charming little town surely made up for that. And come summer time, I know exactly where I'll be returning to! :)
Bom Dia from Lisboa! I can't tell you all how happy I am to be here.. I've waited years to visit this city and when I finally found the opportunity to do so, I jumped on it. And with the help of my friends and family (who are all from here) I have quite the agenda set out for me.
Lisbon is famous for it's laid back lifestyle, scenic and cultural beauty... Between the rolling hills and cable cars I find that it shares a lot of similarities with San Francisco... Except here you'll find much warmer weather, historical sites on every corner, and shop windows filled with pastel de natas and hearty Portuguese cuisine. To me, this city is a recipe for happiness! I'll be sharing with you my favorite restaurants and "must see sites" in my next post! Xo
I'm so, so happy to be back in my "home away from home." My heart will forever be divided between California and Spain so being able to split my time between both places was very important for me. And I feel beyond fortunate that I now have the capability to do so through modeling and the blog.
So here I am again and this time, I have my good friend Jessica (Bon Traveler) here with me for a few weeks of stopping by familiar places and new spots. Our first stop was Barcelona where we explored the city mostly by foot, eating our way through the markets and cafes, and did a bit of sightseeing. Barcelona is always a favorite place to go, as the culture is incredible.
After a quick stay, now we're off to Girona > Madrid > Lisbon!
Here's a few unseen pics from my trip to Vienna. I will surely have to visit this beautiful city again as I only had two days here. But between seeing the lipizzaner stallions, exploring the ginormous Christmas marts and spending countless hours at the Museum of Natural History (a must see for History buffs like me), I think I did well with the short time I had. Also, I know now that I have quite a few followers from Vienna, so I would love to hear any recommendations you guys may have as I would love to get back to this city ASAP!
Three days in Capri was hardly enough.. This little mediterranean island, although small in size, has such diversity when it comes to scenery and things to do . Each area has it's own vibe and "local charm" that has stayed unchanged for centuries. But one thing that stays consistent throughout Capri, is it's natural beauty made up of limestone cliffs and lush gardens that will literally make you feel suspended over the ocean (not for the faint of heart).. Although my stay here was short, I am so thankful to have experienced this magical little island. And to all the beautiful souls I met along the way, thank you for making my trip that much more special!
Out of all the years I've spent visiting Italy, I can't believe this is my first time in the Amalfi Coast. People have been telling me for years that it's the most beautiful place in all of Italy and possibly the world, but I was always more than happy in Tuscany. The North is magical in an entirely different way but the south is all the clichés of "jaw dropping and breath-takingly" beautiful. It's hard to fathom how a place like this is even real. The waters are either crystal clear blue or shades of Emerald depending on the time of day. The towns have so much charm and authenticity kept alive for hundreds of years and the best part is all of the hidden beaches and restaurants along the coast that you can only get to by boat. My sister and I had the time of our lives yesterday when we took a private boat all the way up and down the coast stopping at every hidden cave, beach, and restaurant that you can only access by water. 4 days here have seemed to go by so slowly and I'm so thankful for that but I'm still not ready to leave, so we decided to stay and extra 3 days to see more of the surrounding islands. Here's my photo diary so far. I hope my pictures will inspire you to make the trip and experience how life changing Amalfi really is! 💙
The past three days in Florence have flown by.. but it was just enough time to reconnect with old friends and show my sister all the main attractions/hidden gems of this city... From spending an entire day exploring the Boboli Gardens, climbing the 463 steps of Giotto's Bell Tower for a 360 view of the city/Duomo, eating more gelato than I'd like to remember by the Arno, and watching the sunset on the Ponte Vecchio from the rooftop bar of the Westin, I think we did Flornece right with what little time we had here.. Off to Postiano we go! 💙
I just love spur of the moment trips! I had originally planned to visit my family in Portugal this week but when my sister told me she had booked herself a ticket to Italy and was landing in just a few short hours, I had no choice but to change plans, grab by backpack and hop on a plane.. Haha. So with that said, my sister and I have decided to do a little bonding by eating and drinking our way through Italy. Our first stop is (her favorite city) Venice and next we head to my most cherished city, Florence. But our trip doesn't stop there! Stay tuned to see where we end up next.. Arrivederci! 🇮🇹
