Category Archives: Lifestyle

 {terrifying and thrilling all at the same time} {his legs are so long it doesn’t even look like work} {such an awesome shot} Waterfall repelling was an amazing experience! It was terrifying and thrilling all at the same time and to do it with  a group of us made it so memorable. We were told we were in for a ‘water surprise,’ so you know, I was thinking maybe they’d take us to see a pretty waterfall or something… Instead, we were instructed to all sit down in a line right behind one another. One of the crew members was up top using his body to block the streaming water. Once we were all set, the crew member got up and the rush of water all came at us. So unexpected but so picture perfect, right?!

{hot springs pool} {Arenal volcano} {street vendors} {this was the most amazing fresh strawberry drink} {shops ‘in town’} {more fun drinks} Our second half of the trip was spent in the scenic city of Arenal Costa Rica. Here we enjoyed a lot more pool time, having dinner in town, souvenir shopping, waterfall repelling and zip lining, and a whole lotta buffet breakfast (a side note- a huge thanks to the bf for translating everything. Who knew being fluent in Portuguese and taking Spanish in High School could be so instrumental?). Due to Arenal’s volcano geothermal activity, they’re a ton of beautiful hot springs throughout the city, however, my annoying heat rash prevented us from experiencing them. Dumb skin! Stay tuned for waterfall repelling pics and a little ‘water surprise.’

{groom and groomsmen} {wedding destination aka paradise} {my stud} {besties} {best men} {groom’s side of the family} {sunset shot. wearing a one shoulder tobi dress} {such a magical place to get married. bride is in a D & G gown} {intimate dinner at one large table} Karen and Chris tied the knot in an intimate ceremony on the beach just in time for sunset. There’s something so magical about seeing a couple get married on the beach; bare feet in the sand, hearing the ocean in the background, fresh air, it’s all just so serene. I think the greatest thing about a destination wedding is it’s intimacy. We all sat at a long table, best men and maids of honor gave speeches, parents shared their love, we all cried, and we all felt the love for the couple and from the couple. Such a special day… what you don’t see is us (too many glasses of wine results in no photos) lighting sky lanterns on the beach and letting them go in the sky, dancing the night away, and the entire party getting pushed in the pool with our clothes on.  Such a special day and night.

{leaving shore} {stunning views and a ton of booze} {docked the boat and we all jumped in} {front of the catamaran- tan shesh} {my first ever piña colada} {paddle boarding for 2 – yeah, didn’t work} {I think we both fell in right after this shot} {the sunset was just breath taking} The sunset catamaran cruise was one of the highlights of our trip. Beautiful weather, open bar, breath taking views, and a sunset that was just magical. I experienced my first piña colada, faced my fear of jumping off the boat, and stood up on my first paddle board experience. We were met by a ton of unexpected jelly fish, in which, a group of us got bit (including the bf) but nothing a little vinegar couldn’t take care of. No doubt, an experience of a lifetime!

{hotel opened up to the beach} {the pool at the Tamarindo Diria Hotel} {just a few steps from our room} {view at lunch} {morning bloody mary} {another beachfront restaurant} {strawberry daiquiri} {the cutest surfing dog} {a daily occurrence, chips, guac, and beans} Although the city is extremely touristy, the beaches in Tamarindo are absolutely beautiful. Hotel Diria was the perfect location for our introduction to Costa Rica; the hotel itself opened up to the beach, we were surrounded by beautiful views, spoiled with a large restaurant and bar, and had a ton of fun activities at our fingertips. The weather was humid and hot all day long. We all suffered from mosquito bites. And I think we all drank and partied way too hard (p.s. I don’t drink, so can you only imagine?). It was a crazy 4 days in Tamarindo, but it was so worth it. Such a fun place to be with a large group. More pics to come from our day on the Catamaran and the sunset beach wedding.