When New Yorkers escape to Mexico for an island retreat, we usually hit the white sandy beaches with a cocktail in our hand, sunscreen lathered thick and our big sunglasses on. We tend to not stray from the resort, but Mexico also has hidden gems away from the shore that lend themselves to tourists looking for adventure, culture, history and more while still providing the essentials of all that Mexico has to offer.
Guaycura Hotel and Spa is a Mexican-getaway located in the village of Todos-Santos, a well-kept secret full of rich heritage and culture nicknamed “Pueblo Mágico,” a “magic town”. Todos-Santos, about an hour away from Los Cabos, is a known destination amongst artists with renowned art and architecture and has now caught the eyes of many tourists and adventurous vacationers. The Guaycura Hotel and Spa embraces the surrounding area of Todos-Santos, originally built in 1850, and was first used as a home to a local wealthy family and was then converted over the century as a school, art academy and policy academy before becoming the Guaycura.
Unawatuna beach in early morning
When I returned from Sri Lanka a couple of weeks ago, I got the typical question from friends, family, and coworkers: How was it? I’ve never been more baffled providing an answer. I managed to deduce it to this: Beautiful. Scary. And sometimes, pretty gross (which in my case, is mostly attributable to the thriving insect population).
I kept being struck by conflicting feelings everywhere I went. In the south, in Polhena, palm trees curve outward over the ocean like a scene from a postcard and stick fishermen are perched on poles for hours with the blue sky as a backdrop. But if you continue along the sand you’ll find a stretch that’s a virtual graveyard, strewn with remnants of the 2004 tsunami—brick walls, toilets, and sculptures lay battered and broken on the beach. Now the water that was once so violent and destructive to these homes and guesthouses only gently prods at their remains.
Rubble from the tsunami scattered on Polhena’s beaches
In Unawatuna, which was also wiped out by the tsunami but rebuilt successfully, the contrast is a peaceful-looking half moon of shoreline that gets pummeled with unpredictable, thunderous waves. You might be walking ankle deep in the surf or have laid a towel far from the water and suddenly find yourself thigh-deep or chasing after the towel as it gets sucked away by an erratic surge.
The North Face’s Minibus 23
Chances are pitching a tent isn’t your favorite part of the camping trip. In fact, I can recall many a quarrel with the ex over which pole goes where while we’re supposed to be relaxing in the wilderness. Leave it to The North Face to make things stylishly simple: The Minibus 23 is a tent for two with a color coded pole system and two zippered exits on each side of the tent—it’s quite a luxury when you don’t have to stumble over your significant other for a midnight bathroom break. For camping pros, the pluses of a Jake’s foot pole holder and DAC ball cap poles won’t be underappreciated when it comes to ease of setup. Plus, it’s super lightweight and pretty darn portable. Retail for this tent is suggested at $359. http://www.thenorthface.com
Attention NYC songwriters of any genre: Nashville is calling your name. New York can be a hard place to shut out the noise and listen for the creative voice within, so this summer, I joined my songwriting dad for a weekend intensive course in Nashville at NSAI’s (Nashville Songwriters Association International) song camp. Having been struck with a case of major writers block, I got a lot more than the dose of creative inspiration I was seeking.
Dubbed Music City, Nashville is one of the epicenters for aspiring songwriters. Although it still leans heavily toward country, it’s very likely that a night at the well-known Bluebird Café can include a performance by someone singing more mainstream pop hits, like Regie Hamm, winner of the American Idol Song Contest. You also have a good chance of seeing artists ranging from Jojo Herman of Widespread Panic to Carrie Underwood mingling with one another in the audience. Most people you meet (and you will meet many in this friendly city) moved to Nashville with a musical dream. Each person has a story to tell and will gladly share it with you whether through a song or conversation. One chart-topping successful songwriter and NSAI teacher, Jason Blume, told a story about eating catfood when he was first starting out. He has since written for Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, and many others. If you leave the city feeling uninspired, you should demand a refund. But I assure you, you won’t. It is a city of dreamers watching their dreams become reality.
Cannes is known mostly for the Cannes International Film Festival (http://www.festival-cannes.com) in May, when glitterati like George Clooney, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt sweep into town, grace the red carpet and make every paparazzi‘s dream come true. There are also a multitude of other media and television festivals that happen in Cannes year round, with varying degrees of glamour, taking place at the Palais des Festivals et des Congres.
If possible, avoid visiting Cannes during one of those times. (Go to the Palais website to check out their event calendar at http://www.palaisdesfestivals.com) Why? Because hotels are obscenely expensive, getting a reservation at a decent restaurant is like the search for the Holy Grail, and getting a drink at any bar is a gladiator sport. I know, because several times a year I go to Cannes and have to work at some of these events. Amidst my sleep deprived days, I do manage to squeeze in a few seconds of ME-time at this French Riviera town. And if I had one work-free day (I can dream, can’t I?) this is what my day would be:-
It would start with a stroll along the Promenade de la Croisette with the beach on one side, and beautiful old world hotels and upscale stores lining the other. Be careful, you could do some serious damage on the credit card if you get tempted to go shopping here. Instead, focus on the beach where you can see sandcastle artists creating some of the most fantastic sculptures, and watch pooches trotting next to their fit owners. Don’t forget to dip your toes into the Mediterranean!
