sexy gone crazy

I have a little secret: I've been "dieting." Crazy, Sexy Diet-ing that is. Shayne (my coworker) and I have dedicated ourselves to a 21-day cleanse created by the fabulous Kris Carr that eliminates coffee, alcohol, gluten, animal products, and sugar for optimum health. Sounds daunting, doesn't it? I know it does and I totally agree. But, I read her book, and those that have know that she brings inspiration to a whole new level. Her story alone might as well be miraculous! Not to mention that although I lost weight abroad (thanks to active days, 3-square meals, and a plethora of fresh fruit and vegetables), the traveling lifestyle I adore so much didn't leave me in tip-top shape. So, here I am: living at home, working in the city, and trying my absolute best to detox my body, mind, and spirit.

This evening, for instance, I skipped out on Friday happy hour to go home and prepare a "healthy, spiritually wealthy" meal. I chopped broccoli and steamed it alongside shredded bok choy, cabbage, and radicchio. I baked a small sweet potato. I cooked quinoa, red and pearled, in vegetable broth and then added some soaked almonds and spices to the mix. And after thoroughly enjoying it all (promise), I warmed some almond milk with cinnamon and enjoyed my hot treat alongside a few squares of organic dark chocolate. 

Earlier today I also practiced yoga, survived meditation (barely), and repeated my favorite affirmation (so far) to myself, "I am so frickin' cool and delicious and pretty and witty and sharp! I love every inch of me! Who wouldn't?" Ha. It hasn't exactly been easy, but with each day I honestly have been feeling better. And I haven't been stressing or obsessing. By the chance that I do "bottom out" or "revolt," I'll just "giggle and recommit." "[My] overall goal is to have a peaceful feeling in [my] heart and in [my] body. It's that simple." Now, if you'd like, you can follow my day-by-day journey here... and "like" The Well Daily too :).

Wishing you a very, very happy weekend!

bocas del toro: dos

Tuesday in Bocas was a great one. I slept in after a night out which was a treat in and of itself. We had an air-conditioned room too :) delightful.

Then I had a strawberry banana batitdo with hemp protein from Bocas Blended, conveniently located right around the corner from our hostel. Delish. Although I certainly enjoy an authentic meal experience, I loved that there were so many expat restaurant options too.

After a couple of hours of work, we got our shit (excuse my French) together and headed south on Isla Colon.

It was a $5 round trip bus ride through the winding roads of plantations.

But eventually, we got here.

And saw this.

We'd made it to Starfish beach, and it was beautiful. The sun was bright, the sand was soft, the water was clear and many a shade of blue.

We sought a private pocket of beach to set up camp.

And then we made our way full force into the lagoon. There were hardly any waves and it was shallow for miles, or so it seemed.

Following an hour of swimming, we explored further down the beach to find out why oh why it had it's named.

Within 20 minutes we saw 'em. Big, orange, and beautiful, there were starfish seemingly everywhere. I've never seen anything like it.

It was a seemingly perfect day. We headed back to the bus around five to head home, shower, and move on to happy hour. But, paradise had different plans for us.

We missed our bus. In our hour and a half wait, we chose to dine. I couldn't have been happier.

Mmm, grilled mackerel, salad, coconut rice and beans, fried plantains.

Satisfied, we sat at the bus stop chatting. Or rather, they sat chatting and I walked around taking photos like it was my job. I just couldn't help myself.

I also dabbled in a bit of toe sketching. What do ya think? ;)

Like I said, a seemingly perfect day. Until Wednesday came along... 

pipas in bocas

Yep, I'm still here. Panama is a fascinating country- the weather and landscape are beautiful, the people are diverse and oftentimes rather pushy (which is unfortunate yet understandable), and the food has been mediocre at best. But, yesterday I went on a boat ride with a group of seven friends from around the world. We saw dolphins, we went snorkeling, and we beached it at a national park. It was fabulous, I'm still exhausted, and as such I've decided to share an important instructional post with you all.

Pipas are baby green coconuts; the same ones that produce the coconut water collected and bottled up in popular beverages like Zico and Vita Coco. They're plentiful in Costa Rica and Panama, among other countries, thereby making coconut water free here. How? Please allow my friends to demonstrate:

Although I certainly am not encouraging consistently taking from nature without a second thought, sometimes, after a long day at the beach, the water from one pipa makes all the difference. It's both hydrating and full of potassium, electrolytes, and other nutrients. That, and smashing them is kinda fun. 

Mmm, mmm, good. ¡Hasta luego!

monkeying around in cahuita

Hola from Panama! It has been too long, my friends. At this very moment though, I am safe and sound in Bocas del Toro with high-speed wi-fi so we shall be catching up with each other very nicely. I hope you're as excited as I am :).

Situated along the Carribean Coast, Cahuita is a quaint, relaxing beach town situated to another national (rainforest) park. It receives it's fair share of backpackers though, case in point: Café Chocolatte.

We arrived there late on Wednesday evening so I awoke the next morning, starving, and ready to explore. I enjoyed a vegetarian plate from the incredible Swedish-founded Café Chocolatte alongside a perfect cup of coffee con leché.

Happily fueled, Matt and I embarked on a hike. Join me as I re-live it, won't you?

 [Howler monkey spotting!]

 [See the sloth?]

The hike was cut short due to flooding on the trail. Luckily, however, the heavens opened up as soon as we arrived at the beach. I wasn't ready for the water but that doesn't mean I didn't splash around a bit! It was beautiful.

And look who we saw on our walk back? More monos! White-faced capucins, to be exact. The set pictured above is one of two pairs. They're so adorable and it's incredible to see them in the wild.

The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering to the other side of the island, finding cheap empanadas for a late lunch/snack and singing old Disney songs. Really. Except, not exactly, because I was the only one singing ;).

That night we each had a casado Carribean-style. Mine included the expected salad, rice, and beans, with a special vegetables in coconut milk addition and the replacement of fried plantains with plantain chips. After an active day and satisfying meal, I slept very well that night.

Friday morning we packed ourselves up and got on yet another bus headed south. Our small town break was nice but we were ready for a big time backpackers hub. Stay tuned for a recap of our fabulous Puerto Viejo weekend!

lovely bunch of coconuts

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh... I am so excited right now! Life is good, life is great, and it's getting even better. In addition to the various wonderful things I shared with you yesterday, I am now an official editor at Go Backpacking, the independent travel website and community that I've been contributing to for the past few months, AND I've landed a fabulous freelancing position as a trend blogger for a certain newspaper located in New York's summertime playground. More details to come :).

Do I sound too braggy? Gosh, I hope not. It's just, I've worked really hard, and everything seems to be falling into place all of sudden, and I am just thrilled! Whew. Bring on the food-ish news: As I have the past few mornings, I once again started my day with some delectable coconut water. If you've never tried the real kind, I highly suggest it. It's incredibly creamy and refreshing and amazing. Not to mention that it's also supposedly a hangover cure. I believe I can get back to you on the truth to that one following my Saturday night birthday celebration ;). Spring Street Naturals and the surrounding Soho nightlife, here I come!

Until then, I may very well make a stop at this fresh produce stand in the new Yankee stadium when I pair up with Leslie for our umpteeth reunion :). Side note, I hope that our "twin power" brings some luck since my lovely Yanks didn't exactly pull through yesterday. Fingers crossed! And, wow. Can you say random thoughts and run-on sentences? I think I'm overexerting my own writing. Before I get too carried away, I will bid you adieu, and probably until Monday because...

• Friday: Lunch date, Yankee game
• Saturday: Family time, Birthday dinner & drinks
• Sunday: Relaxing day at the Lake House (boat included)
• Monday: Blog, Read blogs, Unplanned fun, etc. 
• Tuesday: First day at Quirky! 

Have a spectacular and safe Memorial Day weekend, my darling friends! See you soon! I promise to hype down beforehand ;).