Tag Archives: fun

Have You Heard?

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My colleague and I are planning our first Pilates and Yoga retreat to Costa Rica from February 9-15th, 2020! The final date to reserve your spot is coming up on November 1st, 2019.
If you missed my previous announcements or posts, here is some information on what to expect. Full details and photos available at www.thesleepypineapple.com 
COSTA RICA YOGilates Retreat 2020-6
Details |
7 days and 6 nights
nutritious breakfast and dinner included daily
luxury villa with infinity pool
steps to pristine beaches
daily Yoga and Pilates
private and shared room options
concierge services
group zip-lining excursion included
additional excursions or massage treatments available
one hour private yoga or Pilates session included
includes transfer to and from the airport
This retreat was designed with both relaxation and adventure in mind. This unique approach to our wellness retreat allows you to customize your experience and create the retreat of your dreams.
Included in your package are breakfast and dinner daily, two Pilates or yoga group classes daily, a one-hour private session and a group excursion to nearby Rio Perdido for zip lining, thermal river and hot springs.
Transfer to and from Liberia International Airport is also included. Airfare is not included.
Additional excursions, day trips, private sessions or spa services are available at an additional charge.
What a typical day looks like at the retreat | example
7 am
morning yoga flow to prepare you for your day
8:30 am
a healthy and delicious breakfast is served
9:30 am
A guided run along the beach (optional)
11 am to 5 pm
Forest zip lining excursion with lunch of local delicacies (optional)
6:30 pm
Restorative Pilates class to wind down from your day
7:30 pm
Group dinner with our travel community
We want to encourage you to bond with the group, ask questions to the instructors, start discussions about health or fitness with others or take time out for yourself if needed. This is more than a retreat, this is a self-care experience. Embrace your wellbeing.
Pricing |
Oceanview King Room with balcony and ensuite (double occupancy)                    $2650
Shared twin room with ensuite                $1950
Shared queen room with ensuite             $2150
Prices are per person in CDN dollars. Taxes extra (13%). Shared rooms have two beds per room. Maximum 10 guests in the villa.
Please inquire for single occupancy pricing.
Room options are available on a first-come-first-served basis and are subject to availability.
Airfare is not included and is the responsibility of the guest to arrange. Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia is just 25 minutes to the property.
Excursions and massage services are available at an additional cost and can be arranged prior to the retreat. Should you wish to wait until you arrive or organize a last-minute excursion, there will be booking options available from the concierge and are subject to availability.
Please inquire for available options.
Individual or semi-private Pilates or Yoga sessions are available at an additional cost of $80 (cdn) per session for up to 3 people. This is a great option if you are unfamiliar with these modalities or if you want personalized clarifications, adjustments or modifications.
For bookings or more information please contact Shawn Marie by email at hello@thesleepypineapple.com or by submitting your inquiry below. 
To reserve your space a 50% non-refundable payment is required. The remaining 50% payment is due by November 1st, 2019 and is non-refundable.
We understand that there are circumstances out of our control but unfortunately, due to the nature of the retreat, all payments must be non-refundable.
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Changing It Up

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“Change is the only constant in life.”-Heraclitus
3C2B87C4-3884-4B5A-BCC9-378AD1F9C618 2Today happens to be the last day of one of my co-workers who has worked at the studio for nearly two decades. She is the first instructor I ever took Pilates with at that very same studio, that I now work at as well. Luckily for me, she has become not only a mentor to me but also a friend. It is the end of an era. But change is a constant and as humans we need change to let us grow, challenge us and propel us into opportunities we wouldn’t have considered otherwise. Change can be good, albeit difficult at times.
This change comes just over a month after another co-worker/client/friend unexpectedly passed away. That change was the awful kind, that shakes you up inside and makes you examine your own life a bit more, your health and that of your family. Looking for clues and answers where there are none. He was a genuine, kind and passionate person who gave is all to his friends, family, partner and students and his absence is felt. Last weekend a few co-workers and I, along with hundreds of others, went to his celebration of life. His family, friends and students rallied together to put on performances showing their love. It was incredible to witness this tribute and his presence was felt in each and every moment.
His passing and my other co-worker leaving her position are very different on the spectrum of loss and change but both are impacting in their own ways. Change is inevitable, but all the more reason to cherish each moment, to celebrate, to hug, to laugh, to encourage, to remember.
Sometimes we have to take a step back to appreciate what we have and sometimes to see what we are missing. I’ve been giving a lot of thought to my work/life balance and what I want out of my career over the last year (see my recent post here). These recent changes have both affected me in different ways and even more so, I want to take some time this summer to enjoy my life and my family more. Career is important absolutely and I want to feel successful and proud of my work. I still have plans to grow and expand my business and that is important, to continue to be fulfilled in your career path. But taking the time to enjoy your friends, family and time by yourself is equally important. This last month has reinforced that concept to me. I already knew it but sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the hustle and forget that time is fleeting.
Just a reminder.
xo Shawn

Nice, France | Part Deux

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It occurred to me recently that I have not written here in such a long time! I have a new website venture (www.thesleepypineapple.com) where I am focusing more on food and fitness. Travel is my first love though and this blog was such a big part of my life for so long! There are many more places and sites I have yet to tell you about too! It was sad for me for awhile there, my life in Toronto became a bit stale when I first returned from my whirlwind trip. Talking about my adventures made me sad and I became a bit depressed again. The good news is I persevered! I am now teaching Pilates and working at the studio full time! I began school for Holistic Nutrition and I am doing very well over all. I still give myself too much to do and I’m trying to juggle multiple jobs and new endeavours, but I am happy. I continue to dream big and I am working towards those dreams everyday!

Last fall I got to return to the place where it all began, Nice, France. I was lucky enough to bring my boyfriend this time and show him around. He thought it was picturesque and stunning. If they didn’t speak French, I could probably get him to move there with me! I showed him the Promenade des Anglais, Place Massena, the Chateau de Nice and the old town Vieille Ville.IMG_1752IMG_0190IMG_1635We stayed in a six floor walk up, we found on Air Bnb, that had the sweetest little balcony that looked out on the city. I would 100% stay there again, even with all the stairs! I was blocks from the beach and the lively tourist section of the city, which wasn’t as busy due to us arriving in early September.

We did lose our luggage on the way there, as we flew via Frankfurt from Dublin and there was a bomb scare that very morning. Thanks to a mix up we also lost two days waiting for the luggage to arrive and had to go to the airport to pick it up in the end, 3 days after we arrived. While I do hate we couldn’t even go swimming because we were waiting for luggage and I missed out on seeing some of my old haunts from when I was there in 2013, I still loved every second of being there! I’m also incredibly thankful for my travellers insurance!

Luggage aside, we did get to the beach multiple days and I swam my little heart out! We also took a day trip to Monaco and Eze! If you look at past posts, Eze is magical and it was just as beautiful as I remembered. Lovely little shops and cafes, stunning views and adorable surroundings. We sat on a patio over looking the sea and had some drinks. We wandered through the small pathways and up to the church, where I lit a candle for my father (as I do in all churches). We even hiked down to Eze sur la Mer, which was MUCH longer than I remembered and definitely much hotter as well!

In Monaco, I changed my mind at the last minute and we went to the old town first and then to Monte Carlo. That was a mistake! Because, we by the time we made it to Monte Carlo, it was passed 1pm and my boyfriend couldn’t get in with his flip flops. I think I was more disappointed for him, then he was about not getting to go in. We did sit in front at a cafe and had some Monaco brand beer, which was quite good though. Afterward we made our way into the smaller casino next door and lost some money, all in good fun of course! There was a lot of construction though and I will admit, it did ruin the ambiance of the area quite a bit. It didn’t have that same luxurious quality and the designer sports cars were lacking in numbers. It was still a fun excursion and a great day!

We did buy some groceries and had a full kitchen but surprisingly we ate out quite a bit more than we expected. There is no shortage of foods to try and while we tried to eat cheaply at breakfast and lunch, dinner out and drinks seemed to be standard practice. It is just such a lively and fun vibe at night, the city comes to life! It’s hard to explain but we loved wandering the streets and stopping to have a drink at an outdoor table, people watching and talking. It was my favourite part of the trip.

I hope to return again soon, it seems to be every three years right now, just by coincidence! I do hope to make it back sooner the time. Of course, I want to see many new places as well, but Nice will always have my heart!

September 2016

 

 

Las Vegas, Nevada

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(Sunrise from our hotel room)

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(Fremont street)

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(Glitter Gulch)

As promised, here are my adventures in Vegas! My friend Vanessa and I arrived into McCarren International at approx. 10:30pm on the Friday before my birthday. After checking into the Hard Rock Hotel, where we were surprised by a complementary room upgrade, we decided to explore. Being huge classic rock fans (especially Vanessa), the Hard Rock was the perfect place to stay. It was very windy outside and we opted to see what our hotel had to offer. It was a fun first night with a late dinner at Pink Taco, drinks and lots of picture taking. We went to bed pretty early for Vegas standards so we could get a good start the next morning. Saturday was my birthday! We started the day with room service coffee (amazing) and ventured out to the strip for some shopping. In the first shopping centre we entered, we discovered Fat Tuesday. One of many such shops, at Fat Tuesday you can buy almost any kind of frozen drink your little heart desires! When you see photos of people in Vegas with giant drink cups, this is probably what they are drinking. They also have $1 Jell-O shots, which we gladly did. The best part is you get to take your cup and continue walking around and shopping. You’ve got to love the relaxed drinking laws! This is what we did for the rest of the afternoon, finally returning to the hotel in the early evening for a (pretty drunk) nap. Note: daiquiris contain a lot of sugar, which equals a hangover. After dragging ourselves out to dinner (a delicious steak dinner in the Wynn hotel) we decided to try our luck at Tao nightclub. We quickly got our second wind and just as quickly we made some friends. A bouncer called us over to join a bachelor party in the VIP area. Normally this would not appeal to me but they ended up being the nicest group of guys. All from Texas, they were the epitome of southern gentlemen. We danced into the wee hours of the morning with our new friends before heading back to our hotel. Just to give you an example of the character of these men; we took a taxi back to our hotel and as we tried to pay, we learned they had already pre-paid! That group of guys, along with Vanessa, gave me the best 30th birthday I ever could have asked for!

Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.

Sunday was obviously a day of rest by the pool, which quickly turned into our third wind and we made some more friends with a couple from Orange County. We left just before sunset to head down to “old” Vegas also known as Fremont street. While I was in Ireland, I met a woman named Patti on a tour who actually lives in Las Vegas. We met up with her and she showed us all around Fremont street. It was so much fun and exactly what I thought Vegas would be like. The signs are all lit up everywhere you look. There is a different energy here too that’s hard to put into words, it really is the “Fremont Experience”. We saw all the landmarks that you associate to Vegas; including Binion’s, the Golden Nugget, Vegas Vic and Glitter Gulch (to name a few). We also saw the impressive canopy of lights and caught a Bon Jovi “concert”. Patti then drove us along the strip to show us all the sights we missed during our drunken daiquiri escapade. It was a perfect end to our Vegas adventure. I would like to return one day even if it’s just to eat! But really, there was just too much to do and see in such a short period of time. Still, I had the best time and I am beyond happy to have gotten to go and experience all we did see.
Happy Birthday to me!

October 24- 28, 2014