I’m Back From My Magic Adventure!

As you may have read in my previous post I recently had little magic infused into my life and got to go a little adventure.

If you missed the original story, here it is.

Many of you have been asking how it went so I thought I’d share my experience with you.

I’m always amazed when I get on a plane, and in what seems like an instance, I’m in another world.

 

I flew out Friday morning November 6th early and arrived in San Francisco by 8am. I rented a car and explored a little of the city before heading to Napa.  San Francisco is stunning!  Just beautiful, reminds me a bit of Vancouver.

I then drove to Napa and settled in at the hotel. That evening a group of us attending Elizabeth Gilbert’s workshop met up for dinner at the hotel bar. It was such fun meeting new women with similar interests. I really need to do this sort of thing more often! It fills the soul.

Dinner in Napa

The workshop started at 9am Saturday morning. We were all very excited!  About 300 people attended, there were about 5 men.  The energy of the group was fantastic!

Liz is such a great speaker, so articulate and insightful. I hadn’t really considered that it was a writing workshop, I had thought more that she would just be talking to us.  She had us write six letters with different themes.  I really enjoyed it and found it very enlightening.  At the end of the workshop I got to meet her briefly.   It was very exciting! Unfortunately she did not allow photos.

Shortly after the end of the workshop I hit the road back to the San Francisco airport. My goodness, those American highways, wholly smokes they are big!

Oh la la! 😉

I traveled all night (13 hours door to door) and arrived in paradise the next morning: Tulum, Mexico.  I went straight to meet with my group.

I had a really wonderful week with some wonderful women! We ate incredible food, enjoyed the sun, went floating down a river, salsa dancing, walks on the beach, jungle adventures, exploring shops, did Pilates, yoga, stretching, had some really great sessions goal setting, spa treatments. It was all wonderful!

Our guide was a little Tarzan.

All in all, it was a dream!  I am so glad I went and it all worked out.

I invite you to think up an adventure for yourself, big or small, at home or away.  Think of something you can do to infuse a little excitement in your life, a little magic.  When you believe in magic it really starts to happen.

One thing I’ve noticed about an exciting event is that it lasts way past the event itself.  There is the anticipation leading up to the event, then the event itself and then afterwards there is an afterglow, the event stays with us in our memory where we get to relive it over and over. So really it becomes so much more than just the event itself.

Ah the fruit!

Advertisements

Read Full Post »

Come Away With Me!

It’s not too late to come on my RETREAT to Tulum, Mexico

just 9 weeks away!

November 8th to 15th, 2014

Know someone who would love to come?  Please share!

 

 

RATES    PHOTOS   REGISTER

Did you know?

Statistically, airfare is at it’s lowest 60 days prior to departure

Best time to buy is Tuesdays at noon PST

Read Full Post »

Retreat Photos!

Fifteen wonderful women, age 30 to 81,

joined me on my second annual Retreat to Tulum, Mexico in early November.

.

It was a truly magical week .

.

Our perfect little cove.

.

Yes it is actually this beautiful.

.

The Retreat was…

“A great pleasure because of the beauty of the place and the wonderful bunch who I shared it with.”

“Aaaamazing! Total bliss in every way. I loved the location, the food and the service was impeccable. I really needed the break and it was all I could have hoped for.”

.

Walks here are just, well, “aaah”.

The water was warm & sweet.

.

“I completely loved the retreat!! Just what I needed and am still missing it every day.”

.

Hangin’ around.

.

My favorite part of the Retreat was...

“Hmmm….that’s tough to answer.  I loved the feeling of no responsibility for one!  I really loved Ali’s classes. My body changed in the week. I loved the meditations and breath work too. Walks along the beach, not having to cook or drive…I really loved it all.”

.

“Hard to say, however, I loved the routine of doing regular exercise every day. Made me feel good and I could see the improvement in my body.”

.

Our lovely studio.

“How I miss our group!  It was so very special for me.”

This cute little Iguana had his own spot in the Yoga Studio where he would watch our classes.

.

A fun evening out dancing & watching the amazing locals Salsa dancing.

.

“Enjoyed meeting you and loved your playful and fun loving spirit. I also valued how much thought and energy you had put in to make everything appear relaxed and easy. I know that takes a lot of preparation and work!  I was very pleased to be in the company of a wonderful group of women and was delighted that we represented so many decades of living! 30 – 80 was such a great span of time.”

.

Coffee grinds body scrub on the beach, so much fun!

.

“I loved the amazing women that were there, it was such a great mix. I loved the food and the pilates. I loved the early mornings and the quiet, I slept amazing.”

.

So much beauty everywhere.

.

“I enjoyed the goal setting and it has made me think more about goals and it’s something I’m planning to continue with your setup about breaking them down into steps. Makes me realize how little I think out of my box.”

.

The food was… “very good. I ate and ate and lost 3 pounds.”

.

“Fantastic food… my favorite were all the salads and fresh fruits, so colourful and tasty with all the different little shoots in them. Although I ate too much on many occasions, I didn’t go up in weight. Also good to have authentic Mexican food, tapas and tortillas which were as light as a feather. The dining room crew were very friendly and service was prompt. They went out of their way to help us.”

.

The view from the Restaurant.

.

“Loved the excursions, it was nice to get out and mix with the knowledgeable locals. They do such a great job with it all and I love that about Mexico, they really want you to be there and enjoy their country.”

.

Excursion to the Muyil ruins.  Our guide grew up playing in the ruins and the secret tunnels underneath.

 .

Our excursion to the Sian Kaan Preserve.

Floating down an ancient Mayan Canal was nothing short of magical.

.

Biking through the ancient Mayan city of Coba with a climb up to the Honey Bee God Pyramid.

.

“I think you did the most incredible job I have ever seen for organizing a trip of 16 women, you thought of everything and answered questions before I could ask them. It is truly a gift. You are a great teacher too and I really enjoyed the classes. Thank you so much Ali for the whole week and the build up to the week, it was so special. XOXOXO”

.

Lounging around.

Little treasures everywhere.

.

“I think you were amazing Ali. I especially enjoyed meeting new people and they had such different and interesting lives.  I know I am one very lucky lady to have gone to the retreat and it is amazing how ONE WEEK can change one’s perspective on things.”

.

Can’t wait until next year!

.

“The retreat was a “10” for me.  Thank you for all thoughtful touches and hard work.  You made it very special and I am very grateful to have had the experience.”

~

Registration is now open for next year.

I hope you will join me!

Nov 8th to 15th, 2014

Tulum, Mexico

WEBSITE

REGISTER

2012 Retreat Photos

*PS.  Big thank you to Sarah Lovely for her beautiful photos!

Some of these were taken by me, some by her.

Read Full Post »

Retreat Photos!

Sunrise was a spiritual experience.

“Thank you so much for the wonderful retreat, Ali, it was everything you promised and much, much more. I can truly say that my body, mind and soul was rejuvenated.  You made it all possible with your kindness, thoughtfulness and planning everything to the final detail – it was very special – and all we had to do was soak it all up and live in the moment.“

The resort at sunrise… heavenly.

“Ali, your retreat was unreal! It was the perfect combination of challenging pilates & yoga, relaxation, meditation and adventure. Thank you for putting together such a special experience.”

Barefoot all week.

“…it was wonderful; I can’t imagine it being better; you found a perfect location and provided the organization and leadership to make it meaningful.”

Sand was so powdery soft.. sigh.

“It was like summer camp for adults: lots of different activities that were fun but structured so that you could have time to yourself as well as with others, and not be too busy; the meals were superb; the location surpassed any others I’ve seen in the Yucatan; and there were new people to meet and share time with.  It was only a week but nevertheless long enough to totally “get away from it all”!!”

50 Shades of Turquoise

My favorite part was…

“the food!! the fitness!! the beach!! It’s hard to say. Not having to think about anything came to my mind first…a true retreat.”

“the pilates class and the long walks on the beach.”

“I really enjoyed the restorative yoga. It was really unlike I have ever done before, and I found it unbelievably relaxing and mind-opening.”

The food was fresh and delicious!

“I can’t believe I ate so much & didn’t gain any weight, even with all the second helpings of everything including dessert!! It was great to have so much to choose from at each meal – so much fruit, & so many delicious salads & yummy soups to complement the main courses.”

The Buffet.

The food was… “excellent! I looked forward to every meal and was never dissatisfied: a creative, well-prepared blend of fresh food offering diverse flavors and sensations.”

Fresh coconuts for drinking!

~

Coco crazy!

~

Lushness all around.

~

Our cabanas.. lovely.

The resort…

“Couldn’t have been better, top notch.   I loved the way the staff were so friendly, even getting to know us by name.   I loved the tranquility.”

Every room has a little foot bath so you can rinse your feet before entering.

“The room was wonderful – spacious, clean, and the water was always hot and water pressure great. The view of course was incredible, looking E/SE onto the beach catching the sunrise and yet shaded by palms in the heat of the day.”

Quite simply, heaven on earth.

“The location was superb, and being on the little cove, the beach was protected. You could walk either way on the beach in the morning, and there were a few little stores just metres down the road.”

Our little cove was perfect for swimming.

~

Can you think of a more heavenly place for a walk?

~

Biking through the Coba ruins.  An ancient Mayan city once home to 50,000 people.

“Excursions were really fun- it was great to have a variety of day trips to chose from, and they were great.”

A little walk into town to browse the quaint little shops.

 ~

The beach in town.

~

Our Yoga and Pilates Studio.

“I appreciated your presentation of diverse levels of difficulty and encouragement for each of us to stay at our preferred level. I also am thankful that you were persistent in reminding us to breath and perform all the actions necessary to achieve a stronger core.”

~

The Spa reception.

~

Face masks on the beach – we’re only being so serious because our faces will crack!

~

Time passed very slowly.

~

“I felt my body letting go of extreme tension.”

~

The main decision of the week: Hammock or Lounge chair?

~

It was worth getting up early to watch the sun rise!

~

“You did an excellent job preparing everything Ali! I can’t wait til next year!”

~

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR NEXT YEAR’S RETREAT

November 2 – 9, 2013

~

Take advantage of the early bird bonus: 1 free half day excursion & $50 spa credit

~

info

register

Read Full Post »

Wish you were here!

Pilates & Restorative Yoga Retreat with Ali

Good-bye rain!

Hello Sunshine!

Hello Palm Trees!

First of many sunrise walks.

Heaven on earth!

Lounging

It doesn’t get much better than this!

Time is passing slowly, a day begins to feel like a week

Mayan adventures – felt like Indiana Jones!

Cheers!

Mud face masks on the beach

Read Full Post »

Come away with me!

(I made this video myself with my own footage & photos)

Register by June 22nd & receive a free half-day excursion (value $50)

Space is limited, so don’t delay.

click here for more info

rates   –   excursions   –   faq   –   spouse   –   register   –   info

Read Full Post »

Here I am!

The resort is a little village made up of cute cabanas... on the perfect beach.

I’m back!  I was away for a week on a reconnaissance trip to Mexico to check out the Maya Tulum Resort where I will be leading a retreat next November (details coming soon).  I am thrilled to report that the resort and the area was everything I had hoped it would be.

The cute cabanas.

The resort is located in a region of small boutique hotels just ten minutes from the Tulum Ruins in the outskirts of the small town of Tulum (one and half hours South of Cancun).  There are no beach vendors or time share salesman!

After dinner on the day of my arrival, I lay in the moonlight gazing at a billion stars, it was heavenly to say the least.(Yes that is moonlight not sunlight!)

The resort is on the most beautiful part of the beach: clear turquoise water, fine white sand, warm and breezy with lush tropical vegetation. The atmosphere is, in one word, HEAVENLY. There is a peacefulness and tranquility to this place that time slows down, each day felt like a week.

The food was delicious, the spa treatments sublime, the atmosphere relaxed. The excursions were everything I had hoped; interesting and fun.

Sunrise... the view from my cabana.

I have to tell you I had never gone on a retreat for myself, a vacation focused on “me” time.  Even though this was not a real retreat for me as I was very busy running around taking pictures and checking everything out, I did feel the time away, the daily yoga classes, the fresh food, the ocean, the quiet, the time to reflect was having an effect on me.  With the incredibly busy life I lead, I cannot remember the last time I had the time to just “be” with no one else’s needs to consider but my own.

The beach was perfect.

Each day I felt my “gas tank” filling up.  By the end of the week I felt restored and refreshed.  It was like pressing the re-boot button.  Physically, I felt stronger, healthier, energized and more flexible from the daily classes.  Mentally, I felt more at ease, had new perspectives, fresh ideas, realizations and creativity brewing.

The Tulum Ruins sit on the cliffs overlooking the ocean, beautiful!

Most people stayed at the resort and relaxed but since I was there to check things out I went on a few excursions.   They were everything I had hoped they would be.

The Tulum Ruins beach was stunning and very refreshing!

First, I went to the Tulum Ruins, the only Mayan city  on the ocean.  There is something magical about visiting a place where ancient people once roamed.  The turquoise water was perfect for a refreshing dip!

I felt like Indiana Jones being around these pyramids.

Incredible view from the lookout tower of the Sian Kaan biosphere reserve.

My second excursion was to the Muyil ruins, a smaller less visited archaeological site.  I felt I was in an Indiana Jones movie being around those pyramids!  We then walked through the jungle and climbed a look-out tower for an incredible view of the area; the Sian Kaan biosphere reserve, beautiful!  Exiting the jungle we were welcomed with fresh succulent fruit before we boarded a boat for a ride across the lagoon to an ancient canal where we visited a secret Mayan temple, Indiana Jones indeed!

The ancient canal we floated down at the centre of the lagoon - a magical place.

Then we jumped in the canal and floated along with the gentle current…  enchanting.  Back across the lagoon we were greeted with wine and cheese.  It was a fabulous day.

My last excursion was to the Aktun Chen caverns. I had never been to such a place, I was blown away!  The area around Tulum is made of limestone, a porous rock, when it rains the water sifts through the limestone and creates rivers and water holes underground.  We walked for an hour through the most amazing caverns filled with thousands of stalactites, stalagmites and natural sculptures (and a few bats, but really, just a few).  My photos don’t do the place justice, you have to feel the sheer size and other worldliness of the place yourself.

Inside the caverns I felt like I was on a different planet.

On the way back we stopped at the Xunaan Ha Cenote for a swim, a Cenote is when the ceiling of an underground sink hole collapses making it an above ground sink hole, perfect for swimming!  The water is fresh and sweet.  While there, scuba divers emerged from underneath!  They had just been diving in 20 km of tunnels under the sink hole!

The lusciously swimmable cenote.

The rest of the time I went for long walks on the beach (where I bumped into a Victoria’s Secret swimsuit photo-shoot! but more on that later), swimming in the ocean, lying in a hammock, reading, making new friends, massages, a clay mud treatment, walked to the little town, lay in the sun, eating delicious food….  so much to do so little time.

I just loved this painting at the entrance to the cenote.

All in all my trip was a great success, I’m already looking forward to returning next year for my first annual retreat, hope you can join me, there is still a lot to discover! (Sunday night salsa dancing and snorkeling with turtles, for instance).

The fine white sand... I spent the entire week barefoot.

PS.  Double-click on any photo to see it bigger.

Read Full Post »