Eating My Way Through Panama

I love to travel every year for my birthday and this year was no different. I decided to do a Yoga Retreat in Panama, which allowed me to check off another country from my list. My birthday was back in November but time has flown by since! Spent one and a half weeks in Panama, then returned to several of my own birthday celebrations, then Thanksgiving, and now suddenly we’re deep into December holiday parties. And this is the reason for my super late post.

Panama is very similar to Costa Rica—mountains, lots of greenery, rainforests, beaches, and a beautiful countryside. The advantage that Panama has over Costa Rica is that the capital has a lot more to do—the famous Panama Canal, Old Town, variety of restaurants, and luxury hotels. I spent a few days in Panama City and was impressed with the food. Some of the restaurants I ate at are Lazotea, Mahalo, Maito, Santa Rita, and Fonda La Que Hay. While Maito is one of Latin America’s 50’s Best, my favorite experience was at Lazotea. Lazotea is set on the rooftop of a building in Panama’s Old Town. Fun ambiance and beautiful view. The dishes were delectible and creative. Their dessert was a show in itself with fresh rose petals freeze-dried at the table and sprinkled on top of a lychee mousse. Check out the reel I made showcasing my night at their restaurant. I also really loved exploring the night life and having drinks at La Pulperia, Casa Casco, Tantalo, Pedro’s Rum Bar, Selina, and Hotel La Compania. I stayed at American Trade Hotel, which is a great hotel conveniently located in the main square of old town. However, I really loved Hotel La Compania down the street. It’s a little pricier, which is why I didn’t end up staying there, but in hindsight, it probably would have been worth it. They have great hotel bar, a delicious restaurant (I had a really good matcha latte and salad there), and a cute courtyard. To see more pictures from my trip, make sure you check out my Instagram.

Most of my time was spent in Cambutal, which is a seven hour drive from the city. Cambutal is a small beachside town north of the Panama city, with black sanded beaches and surrounded by mountains. While the town is tiny and quaint, there are many outdoor excursions and adventure options available, such as surfing, horseback riding, hiking, waterfalls, and biking. However, I had the unfortunate bad luck of rain for 5 of the 6 days I was staying at the Sansora Resort in Cambutal. Because it was the end of rainy season, I had expected rain but was thinking it would be more like spurts of rain. I was wrong. It POURED for days nonstop. Not sure if I caught a virus or if it was the constant rain and humidity, but I got sick on my third day in Panama, which made most of the trip quite uncomfortable unfortunately.

Yoga classes were intense and I definitely got a good workout in. Other than that, I didn’t do much else but rest since I was sick. Some people went surfing, hiking, and horseback riding in the rain, but timing for that was limited due to the weather. The food was amazing though. We were served three meals a day and our dinner was a 3-course production. I don’t normally eat that much. I ate very well. So of course, I returned home at least 5 pounds heavier.

The trip wasn’t as relaxing as I had hoped. In addition to the rain and being sick, my only flip flops broke at the beginning of the trip, my clothes were stinky (from the humidity at the beach), I got 20 mosquito bites, 2 gigantic pimples on my face (that lefts scars). I was happy to return home to sunny LA. It’s definitely easy to take what you have for granted. And sometimes you need to leave to appreciate what you have. I don’t think I will be doing anymore yoga retreats for my birthday. I used to love doing them. They have always been a healing and spiritual experience for me. This trip did not feel that way for me (for additional reasons I didn’t mention here). But maybe I don’t need them anymore. Maybe I’ve outgrown them. Who knows. But there will definitely be more travel in my future.

Lost in Tulum

I generally dread my birthday in November every year… for many silly reasons. This year, I decided to treat myself to a yoga retreat for my birthday so that I would have something fun to look forward to. I decided on Tulum as my destination and Amansala for my retreat. Verdict: I had the BEST time!!!

Each morning started with meditation at 7am, then a 2-3 mile beach walk, and yoga all before breakfast. The morning continued with either a fitness class or a tour that involved physical activity (cycling to and from the Mayan ruins, swimming in a cenote, or kayaking). This was followed by lunch and free time, mostly lounging on a day bed on the beach. Then there was the option to do 2 more fitness classes before ending the day with evening yoga.

Classes were not mandatory. I had the option to be as active or as lazy as I wanted. I listened to my body and soul. I’m not usually a very physically active person. But I also sometimes get restless staying still for too long. This combined with the super hot fitness trainers motivated me to participate in more classes than I had expected. And I’m glad I did! It felt rewarding to challenge myself physically.

All meals were included in the retreat, but only healthy dishes were served—fresh green juices, fruit, yogurt, granola, small (tiny) tacos, and lots and lots of salad! I returned home to Los Angeles feeling stronger and lighter, physically and emotionally. I was ready to make some changes. I chopped off 6 inches of my hair, quit my job, got a ukelele, and bought a one way ticket home to Boston for the holidays. Am I crazy?! Maybe. But I think it’s time for a change. I am ready to clear some space in my life to make room for something better. What that means exactly, I’m not sure… I’m taking a chance.

Finding Inspiration...

As I mentioned in my About section, I don't really know what I'm doing.  I have never made a professional cookbook before.  I have never not worked a corporate job before.  Making the decision to take the rest of the year off to work on a creative passion project was liberating, but also simultaneously terrifying!  At first, I was excited and inspired.  Then in the next moment, I felt discouraged and doubtful of myself.  It is difficult to make that first step.  Actually, I take that back.  It's fucking scary to take that first step.  But it's even harder to take those second, third, and forth steps!  The drive that forces you to make that initial decision is an adrenaline rush.  But then it wears off.  Somehow, you have to find the courage to push through your moment of self-doubt to keep moving and taking action.  And it has not been easy.  It has been a journey.  It has been a learning process. I've had lots of pep talks with myself.  My friends have had pep talks with me.  Who knew I needed so much support?!  And that's okay!  At least that is what I'm learning.  It's okay to ask for support.  I have often felt discouraged each time I encountered an obstacle.  But I have had to remind myself not to get overwhelmed with the bigger picture and to focus on that next step that I need to make in order to keep myself moving forward.  This week, I felt recharged after taking a break from my cookbook for one day to help my friend with her yoga photoshoot.  We spent the first part of the day at El Matador Beach in Malibu taking beautiful shots in the sand, on the rocks, in the water. We took a nice little lunch break at Malibu Seafood along the PCH.  I treated myself to a WHOLE lobster for lunch!  We then spent golden hour at Pan Pacific Park near The Grove climbing trees and doing yoga poses down in the dirt.  We ended the day sipping on wine on my balcony at sunset.  It may have been just one day of ordinary activities, but it was the fuel and inspiration I needed this week to keep moving forward.