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About three weeks ago, Bob and I took our belated honeymoon in Belize.  We spent a week on Ambergris Caye, a small island just a 15 minute flight in a (tiny) plane from the mainland.  We stayed at Matachica, on the northern part of the island which is quieter and less inhabited than the southern portion where San Pedro, the only “town” to speak of on the island, is located.  San Pedro consists of three narrow streets, all about a half mile long, that are full of pedestrians and golf carts (the preferred method of transit on the island).  We only saw a handful of cars the entire time we were there and they were all taxis.

We spent most of our time on the beach or swimming in the pool and the sea.  We also got a lot of reading in and definitely caught up on our sleep.  And I tried paddle boarding for the first time, something I’d wanted to do for awhile.  The highlight of the trip was an afternoon snorkeling Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley – which is exactly what it sounds like – and area full of nurse sharks and gigantic stingrays.  They were harmless and swam just inches from us.  We even got to touch them in the wild (the sharks felt like sandpaper and the sting rays felt like wet, slimy mushrooms).  We also saw sea turtles, eagle rays, lobster and a super long, super scary green eel.

Side note, our resort was just a few houses north of John McAfee’s place and we arrived the day after his neighbor was murdered.  We heard about it our first day there, at the bar, from two guests who had heard the gunshot (and met the now-deceased neighbor just days before).  A day or so later, it was all over the news and most of the major networks had descended on the island.  Dateline even filmed a segment on our resort’s grounds while we were swimming in the pool just a few feet away.  If you haven’t heard about this crazy story, you can learn more here.

view from the plane flying from Belize City to Ambergris Caye

view from the plane flying from Belize City to Ambergris Caye

Matachica

Matachica

the view north from Matachica's dock

the view north from Matachica’s dock

there were tons of crabs (and geckos) running around the resort

there were tons of crabs (and geckos) running around the resort

Pineapple Casita - our home for the week

Pineapple Casita – our home for the week

the inside of our casita

the inside of our casita

the infinity pool at Matachica

the infinity pool at Matachica

the hot tub and, my favorite part, lounge chairs IN the pool

the hot tub and, my favorite part, lounge chairs IN the pool

complimentary paddle boats, kayaks, bikes, snorkel gear & paddle boards

complimentary paddle boats, kayaks, bikes, snorkel gear & paddle boards

san pedro / ambergris caye

san pedro / ambergris caye

puposas at Warugama

puposas at Waruguma

Waruguma

Waruguma

san pedro / ambergris caye

san pedro / ambergris caye

jaguars - one of two nightclubs on the island

jaguars – one of two nightclubs on the island

Daddy Rock - the second nightclub on the island, although it wins #1 for creepiest club name

Daddy Rock – the second nightclub on the island, although it wins #1 for creepiest club name

palm tree love

palm tree love

sign in the belize city airport bathroom

sign in the belize city airport bathroom

It has been a hot and stormy week in Chicago.  Today is overcast with rain on and off – just the kind of day that makes me long for my couch, pj’s, a good movie and some comfort food.  But, alas, I’m stuck in my office.  But I can dream, right?  So, let’s see… In an ideal world I’d be on this couch, wearing these super cute pj’s and watching Moonrise Kingdom.  And, when I got hungry, this Tomato Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese would magically appear in front of me.  What about you?  What’s your go-to movie and meal on a stormy day?


(photos via the pursuit aesthetic; j.crew; everyday occasions; la belette rose)

We aren’t taking our honeymoon until November but I’m already dreaming of the beatiful beaches of Ambergris Caye.  We’ll be staying at Matachica Resort, which we fell in love with after scouring their website and reading their reviews (bonus – they don’t allow kids under 12!).  I’m hoping we can get scuba certified before we go.  Belize has the 2nd largest barrier reef, after Australia.

Where is your favorite tropical spot?

(photos via beach tomato)

I’m having one of those days where nothing seems to go right. Oh well, I guess that has to happen every once in awhile. I like Kate’s idea, from Wit + Delight (one of my absolute favorite blogs), of embracing a bad day, rather than trying to ignore it. She suggests currling up with comforting things, such as ice cream, a comfy sweater & a favorite movie, and letting yourself relax, rather than pushing through and trying to pretend all is well.

(photo via wit + delight)

 

B & I just booked our honeymoon and I couldn’t be more excited! We will be going to Belize in November. Yes, November. It’s seems so far away! For now, I’ll just have to settle for pictures…

We’ll be spending the majority of our time at Matachica, a resort on Ambergris Caye just off the coast of Northern Belize. We’ll be staying in a thatched hut just 50 feet from the waters edge! And we’re planning to get scuba certified before we go — which is both terrifying and extremely exciting to me. Belize is home of the second largest barrier reef in the world, as well as to the famous Blue Hole pictured below. We’re so excited!!

 

I was super excited to receive Brooks “Green Silence” running shoes for Christmas! They are some of the greenest, most environmentally friendly, running shoes available. I just tried them out this afternoon and I’m happy to report they’re really comfy and supportive — and you’d never be able to tell they aren’t made from normal running shoe materials. Instead, they boast:

-Biodegradable midsole (the first ever created)

-Biodegradable insole and collar foams

-Laces, gillies and reinforced webbing are 100% post-consumer recycled

-Water-based adhesives

-All dyes and colorants are non-toxic

-Packaging is 100% post-consumer recycled

You can purchase a pair of your own here. Here’s the color combo I got: