Coffee Rica!

Pura Vida from coffee country! I am kicking off day ten of my trip, sitting poolside relaxing with a big cup of Costa Rican joe. While this trip has had so many amazing moments (which I will share more of later), the constant supply of coffee has been a definite highlight.

One thing my journey through Costa Rica has taught me is to value time, and my favorite moment of everyday has been my morning coffee break. 

Whether I am indulging in a fancy cappuccino or a simple cafe con leche, I take a little journey with every sip. A small and relaxing caffeinated trip! 

I never expected my morning joe to be such a integral part of my trip, but sometimes you need a new perspective. And perhaps a little cinnamon love! 

 A dear friend told me a little secret while out at lunch the other day. She shared her desire to add new spice to her morning routine, and to do so she made a simple change... Her coffee cup. She explained that even the most mundane or typical part of your day, can be tweaked ever so slightly to bring new light. Now, she smiles every time she sips on her coffee from her new floral cup.

Granted, my revitalized coffee venture involves a new country with a better view, something much more difficult to duplicate in my kitchen. But perhaps a small Costa Rican token or a new bag of brew will keep my coffee time hot after my return from paradise. 

With love & lipstick, 

Xoxo

Extra Baggage

We all carry extra baggage, and I don't know about you, but I hate paying those pocket-punching extra fees. So when I have a case of the "ineedtobringeverythings", traveling can be a pain in my coach-sized seat. 

 Even a seasoned traveler encounters packing problems from time to time. Generally, I can pack a suitcase for 7-10 days in about 5 minutes... And still look polished. However, this past week during my Costa Rica travel preparation, I hit a major road block. I found myself unbelievably overwhelmed thinking about what to pack. I couldn't grasp the concept of packing for 15 days in multiple climates, for multiple environments, and for various occasions. I even Googled online packing lists, but that just added fuel to the fire. 

Suggestions:

"Twenty t-shirts"... I own 2! 

"Four pairs of tennis shoes"... I own 1! 

"Rain ponchos"... But those aren't fashionable!!

"Fanny pack"... Um, no. Just, no.

 I had none of this "recommended" gear. So, my natural reaction? Freak out and pack everything. 

 Just travel with my entire wardrobe? Perfect solution! 

Yes, I pulled out everything, literally EVERYTHING, I deemed excursion appropriate and started from the beginning. And out of all this mess, here is what actually ended up in my suitcase (specifically clothing):

• 14- workout/hike/outdoorsy/casual tops (most wet/dry, 2 fitted tees, 8 tanks, most with a built in bra, 4 cotton tanks).
• 12- workout/hike/outdoorsy/casual pants/shorts/capris- i.e. bottoms ( wet/dry: 4 capris, 3 pants, 2 shorts, non-wet/dry: 3 shorts)
• 4- over shirts (3 long sleeve, one short sleeve, for wearing over the tanks above as needed)
• 3- tissue shirts (2 long sleeve, 1 short sleeve- for wear over lace bralettes, suits and tanks for casual wear)
• 2- casual sandals
• 1- tennis shoe
• 1- wet/dry hike/tennis shoe
• 1- fun boots (mild hikes/nature walks, to wear on plane, with cutoff shorts, cute dress, going out wear)
• 9- bras (1 regular, 1 strapless, 4 lace bralette, 3 sports bras)
• 11- pairs of socks
• 18- pairs of undies
• 4- dresses (2 long, 2 short)
• 1- skirt
• 3- fun shirts (to match with shorts/ skirt for going out on the town)
• 4- swimsuits
• 1- swimsuit coverup

YES! I packed ALL of the above. Everything fit perfectly in a medium, easy carry suitcase I borrowed from a fab friend. This adventure was no place for my traditional roller bag. 

Its fits! (Pug not included...)

Now that I am all packed and ready to go, I can feel my stress level just melting away. My packing fiasco was a great reality check, and regrounded me as a traveler. With each new journey there is always something new to be learned, and for me, I was reminded once again how to drop that extra baggage.

Now I am ready to hit the skies bound for Costa Rica, confident nothing extra will be weighing me down. 

See you on the beach!

With love & lipstick,

Xoxo