[Thailand] Best Stay of My Life

August 8, 2017August 7, 20174 Comments

There’s traveling. Then there’s traveling for your honeymoon.

Your heart is still full of wedding joy, eager to embrace whatever comes, thirsty for adventures. There are no limitations from the body, mind or even your wallet. With the excuse of “once in a lifetime” we say yes to everything that ignites a sense of passion for this amazing world we live in.

During our Thailand honeymoon, we decided to stay at the Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas during our stay in Phuket and let me tell you, we were absolutely blown away. Never in my sweet life had I stayed in a place like this. We had our own private villa with a private pool, outdoor shower, lagoon cabana and excellent service. I will let the photos speak for themselves.

Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas - Cristina Nogueras - Beaches and Brie - Phuket Thailand

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Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas - Cristina Nogueras - Beaches and Brie - Phuket Thailand

I know Puerto Rico is my paradise, but this place was out of this world. Outside of our villa, the views were not that bad either, including sunset cocktails up on a tree house. Every detail here was taken care of, from lighting up torches before the sunset to welcome drinks by the water so you don’t even have to sweat your check-in process.

Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas - Cristina Nogueras - Beaches and Brie - Phuket Thailand

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Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas - Cristina Nogueras - Beaches and Brie - Phuket Thailand

Forget about work hard, play hard.

Work hard, relax harder.

¡Feliz Navidad!

December 25, 2015Leave a comment

Whether you are on top of a snowy mountain or basking in the Caribbean sun, I hope you are all happy and surrounded by loved ones. That’s what it’s all about, right?

Focus on what you have today and cherish it. Take a moment to let those far away know you are thinking of them. Enjoy every second, even if you are in your pj’s watching tacky Christmas movies. There’s no place for hate today, let’s keep that living on.

Happy Holidays!!

5 Places I am Thankful for

November 26, 2015November 25, 2015Leave a comment

I love this time of year. There are so many reasons to celebrate, be with family and EAT. In spite of everything people have to say about Thanksgiving and how we are superficial for celebrating one day and then shopping our lives away the rest of the season, I still love this day.

This year, I decided to count my blessings in the form of places, thankful for everything these places represent and what they have offered me.

5. Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

The oldest settlement in Puerto Rico, this old town is full of wonders. You can’t get bored in Old San Juan. You can find all types of food, from food trucks to fancy latin fusion cuisine. You can also find all sorts of drinks, from Puerto Rican “moonshine” or “chichaito” to a classic passion fruit sangría. I am thankful for all the fun times Old San Juan has given me, from late night with friends to fun days with family, it all happens here.

4. Strasbourg, France

Yes, I love Paris and all of its enchantment. Still, I am completely biased to Strasbourg. This city in the region of Alsace, just minutes away from Germany, is very underrated. The unique fusion you find here is quite incomparable. L’Alsace for dummies? Like if France and Germany had a baby, but of course, there is so much more to it. I am thankful for Strasbourg’s culture and history, this city opened my eyes to so many things and I will always be thankful for that. Thanks to Strasbourg and my wonderful host family, I also discovered my true love for food.

3. Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is always on my list. It is a special city I am always waiting to return to. Have only been there for a few days, but I fell in love with it. I’m thankful for this city’s vibrant colors, inspiring architecture and delicious food.

2. New York, New York

Ah, where to begin with this little gem? I have a love/hate relationship with this city. It is easy to forget it’s electric magic when you are deep in the trenches questioning your life choices, but this place makes you better and stronger by just being there. I am thankful for everything this city inspires me to be and for all the food from the world I have at my reach. New York, you make me stronger and wiser with each passing day.

1. Puerto Rico

You think I would limit Puerto Rico to just Old San Juan? Wrong. Puerto Rico is my favorite place in the world. I doubt any of the places in my bucket list could ever change that. I am thankful for Puerto Rico’s people, we are not perfect, but we are pretty awesome. I am thankful for the incredible ecological diversity you can find in this little island. I’m thankful for all the amazing food you can taste here, from my mother’s cooking to the many restaurants that offer hundreds of plantain plate varieties. I am thankful for Puerto Rico because it is an intrical part of who I am.

What places are you thankful for? Would love to hear your stories!

Happy Thanksgiving!

On giving thanks… with a side of puppies.

November 28, 2013November 18, 20151 Comment

Source: http://www.loveitsomuch.com/

Giving thanks…

Remember? Thanksgiving? The whole reason you eat turkey?

I know, it’s hard to remember when all you see is Christmas lights and black Friday deals. I know Thanksgiving is supposed to be about giving thanks and all that. To be honest, for me it’s all about being with family and people you love. If you think about it, that’s a reason to be thankful, so there you have it. No matter how you wish to look at it, you have to be thankful during Thanksgiving, maybe it’s because you are off work or because you saved a ridiculous amount of money on something you did not even need to begin with, but you are thankful and you know it.

This will be my 7th Thanksgiving that I spend away from home without my family. Sounds tragic, but I’ve been blessed to be able to spend it with special people each and every year. Whether it has been with my friend attempting to cook a turkey in Boston freshman year of college, abroad in France with my amazing host family or even last year with another friend roaming the streets of NYC looking for a place that was open for cheap turkey feasting (cheap being the key word).

That’s what it’s all about, feeling that warmth from the people that you love and being able to say: “Woah, I’m lucky to have people that love me.” Distance sucks, but even in the distance I know I have SO many people that love me and care about me. Sure, I can be thankful for so many other things in my life, but I’m gonna let myself be cheesy and this year I’m going to be thankful for love in all of its forms. Whether it’s my mom’s morning text, a friend’s hug, a lover’s kiss or a puppy picture in my phone’s background.

However, just in case you still need some reasons to be thankful today, here are some Thanksgiving themed puppy pictures.

Source: http://puppypicsonline.com/tag/thanksgiving-puppy/