Nizuc Spa & Resort

Our stay at Nizuc Resort & Spa was a dream come true. It truly is the perfect resort to visit if you’re looking to slow down for a while and immerse yourself in a luxurious travel experience. Each one of the six restaurants on the property feature meals planned and prepared by award-winning chefs.

My favorite moments included a tequila flight tasting paired with the perfect fruit and treat, a complimentary snorkeling excursion on a boat just off the shore of our beach, and the most amazing spa with an exceptional aqua therapy experience.

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Best Date Night Restaurants in Dallas

Shop Outfit

With so many incredible food options in Dallas, it can be hard to narrow down where to dine on a Friday night! I prefer a restaurant with good energy, good food, and great service.

After working a long week, I cherish the moments I get to sit down and be humbly served a delicious, thoughtfully prepared meal. I typically cook meals Sunday-Thursday evening for my little family. But the weekends are my time to unwind, reward myself and enjoy my loved ones!

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Secrets The Vine, Cancun – Resort Review

Secrets The Vine, Cancun, Mexico

Last week, I was blessed with yet another tropical vacation to one of my favorite places to relax: Mexico. From Dallas, it’s an easy two-hour flight, making it a simple travel day typically resulting in champagne by 2PM. This was probably the tenth all-inclusive resort I’ve stayed at, so I’m pretty much a pro at making the most of this kind of resort!

Secrets The Vine is an adults only resort that has 3 pools, a large beach and seven restaurants to choose from. There are daily events such as mixology classes, wine tasting, dancing, water aerobics, yoga, tabata, cooking classes & more.

The beach has several water sports you can take advantage of like parasailing or jet skiing. There are also plenty of chairs and umbrellas to lay on the beach if you prefer. I always stay by the pool but will make my way down to the beach a few times throughout the day to swim in the waves!

The wi-fi is FREE (hence my constant Insta updates) and the rooms include an iPad type device that you can order room service on, check out the daily events, and much more. This hotel is truly top-notch, boasts modern design and makes it very easy for incredibly busy people to relax with convenience and incredible service.

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10 Must Do’s In Las Vegas

We just got back from an amazing trip to Las Vegas that was SO long but short. Have ya’ll ever gotten home from a trip and thought… that felt like forever but also went by in a blink of an eye? It’s like post-trip FOMO // depression // can I sleep now?

I don’t normally take early morning/late evening flights unless it’s for work, but I took the cheap route on this trip (flights are cheaper at this time since no one in their right mind would want to fly at these hours for fun).

But I have to pat myself on the back and say… it was actually cool to do SO much in only four days. While I’m still recovering from it all, I’ll sleep when I die!

Our flight arrived at 6:55AM – YES – AM – on Thursday morning and returned to Dallas at 11:30PM on Sunday evening, getting us home around 12:30AM since I checked a bag (girl probs).

We spent four FULL days in Vegas to see our sweet friends get married poolside at The Mirage. It truly was a gorgeous ceremony and fun after party. But we made sure to make a trip out of it as well.

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The Finest Resort – Playa Mujeres, Mexico

Relax. Unwind. Destress. Reconnect.

Words can’t describe the feeling I had after leaving this magical resort. I left pampered, relaxed and full. Not just full of food from our indulgent all-inclusive stay, but also full of happiness and a new sense of peace. Ahhhh…I wish I could live in this state of zen forever!

After a busy start to the year, a break from the daily workflow was much appreciated. World class service, a modern atmosphere, unlimited amounts of delicious food, champagne, and tequila with NOTHING on the agenda. This trip was perfection.

We arrived in Cancun on a Thursday afternoon and stayed until Tuesday afternoon. While 5 nights and 6 days was a good amount of time, I easily could have stayed 3 more nights.

Before arriving, we researched the resort through YouTube and found several clips of bloggers describing their experience at the resort. We saw how much there was to do at the resort and planned to get there with nothing on the agenda.

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St. Thomas: Travel Guide

As I write this post, I am truly at a loss for words (friends may find this hard to believe… somehow I always have something to say :X) But I really am having a hard time finding the words to describe the remarkable beauty we encountered throughout this entire trip. To explain the feelings I had upon departure of the island, my eyes quickly filled with tears as the taxi dropped us off at the Cyril E. King airport. I was saddened to put an end to a week full of exploring, relaxing, reconnecting with the earth around me, and simply clearing my mind in order to return home refreshed and refocused. After doing some research on Pinterest, Google and the traditional asking locals around town, I can confidently share what I feel to be a solid list of things to do in St. Thomas!

Get $300 To Visit The US Virgin Islands in 2017

YES!!! It’s true – visit any of the US Virgin Islands this year and get a free $300 to use on tours, kayaking, dive shops or anything that offers historical perspective on the islands. (more…)

5 Things To Do In Dallas On Saturday Morning

dallas saturday morning

I know what you might be thinking. Saturday mornings??? This is sleep in time…

Studies show if you wake up on the weekends around the same time you do during the work week, you won’t feel as tired when Monday/the rest of the week comes along. I’m still testing this theory because I am a BIG sleeper. I could sleep all day if I could. But – I know how it feels when you sleep too long (normally 10 hours or more) and it really does ruin the day when your sleep tank is too full.

With a full work week taking up a lot of time and energy, you owe yourself some “me” time. Do something all alone, something new and something that might bring you out of your comfort zone. You’ll be surprised as to what is in store 🙂

There are some really fun things you can do on Saturday mornings to get your day started, and perhaps not feel as guilty once brunch time rolls around.

| 1. Yoga At Klyde Warren Park |

Every Saturday at 10AM, enjoy a FREE yoga class at Klyde Warren Park, hosted by the Dallas Yoga Center. Wake up and start the day feeling centered, stretched and positive. Chicken and waffles at brunch? You got this! You already completed a work out today.

| 2. Dance It Off |

At Lifetime Premier Club, join top fitness instructor Bobbi W. as she leads over 100 students in a dance jam sesh – guys AND girls! Rumor is, a famous Dallas billionaire makes some appearances at this class, you may want to try it. Just don’t try and pitch your latest business venture, he’s not in business mode here.

| 3. Feel The Breeze At White Rock Lake |

White Rock Lake is gorgeous in the mornings. You can watch sail boats or rowing teams drift across the lake as the sun slowly moves towards it’s peak for the day. The dog park is huge and has a separate section connected to the lake. The trail is over 8 miles long leaving you plenty of room to bike or jog along with other Dallasites ready to start their weekend right.

| 4. People Watching At Katy Trail |

If you’re feeling extra Dallas-y this morning, you can head over to the Katy Trail and see what Dallas looks like up close and personal. You’ll see a somewhat diverse crowd, all in some way shape or form dedicated to that Saturday morning work out or walk of shame. Sometimes it’s hard to tell, but on your way down you can stop at Katy Ice House for breakfast or beer.

| 5. Knox & Henderson |

If you’re not into fitness and just trying to get your brunch on, I love eating at Toulouse Café & Bar. You almost feel like you’re not in Texas anymore. Here’s their morning spread. Once you’re done, you can walk around and explore the different stores. Some of my faves include:

Betty Lou: great for cute gifts for any occasion, lots of books, cards, mugs, cups & knick knacks

Apple: I don’t need to explain

Z Gallerie: if anyone wants to give me a $20,000 gift card here, I won’t be mad 🙂

As I spend more time in Dallas, I plan to continue to explore and find new fun places to share. What’s your favorite thing to do Saturday morning? Have you tried waking up around the same time you normally do for work? Push yourself to try this next weekend with a plan to do something new and fun. I promise you won’t regret it!

XXXO ~Mary

Miami Miami Miami

Well, I’ve fallen in love. And not just with a new city.

Of all the times I’ve visited Florida, I never questioned whether I’d seen it all. Between Destin, Clearwater, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Myers and West Palm Beach, I figured I had been lucky enough to experience the state of sunshine, humidity, white sandy beaches and alligators. What I didn’t realize is that I had been missing out on the main attraction.

Miami is the American paradise. Crystal clear water, soft white sand and a bright blue sky, the geography is what you pay for. In my mind, Miami would be a wild, Vegas-like city with a constant party anthem. The Fontanbleau had plenty of that going on, but there was still a nice, calm, relaxing vibe just laying by the pool or by the beach, hearing the waves come in and spending a day at the spa. It was definitely more relaxing than I anticipated. It’s really all about what you make of it. If you want to go out and party, you can. If you want to stay at your resort, relax, people watch and take in the scenery, you can do that as well.

IMG_1155

| Fontainebleau |

The Fontainebleau Hotel was fabulous. There are several hotel towers on the resort property. We stayed on the 18th floor of the Sorrento tower and enjoyed a breathtaking view of the pool, beach and enitre resort. On Saturday, 50 Cent performed at the pool and we were able to watch from our hotel balcony. My favorite features of the room:

-Jetted tub in the bathroom enclosed by moving doors-leave the doors open to see the rest of the room or close for privacy

-Mac computer work space-I was able to get online when I needed to easily and for not extra cost 😉

-The kitchen set up-there was a mini fridge, ice maker, microwave, dishes, silverware-instead of worrying about where to eat every meal, we were able to make a lot of “in between meals” snacks. Did I mention poptarts? We’re sophisticated like that.

-The balcony- sitting on the balcony and looking over the water or people watching was a favorite <3

-The robes- funny to note this but I tend to be particular about hotel robes… some are too stiff, sometimes they smell weird. Sometimes I question whether they were washed after the previous guest. The robes in our room were a really soft, super stretchy material. They were definitely not the sexiest robe I’ve come across, but they were over-sized and basically swallowed me alive. I felt like a kid again! But damn were they comfortable.

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| Views |

On Sunday we walked down the Miami boardwalk. It was different than the California boardwalks I’m used to, the wide paved sidewalks with open views of the beach, roller blades and joggers. The Miami boardwalk is more narrow built with wooden planks and surrounded by tropical trees. Next time I’d like to go a few more miles down to see what I can get myself into. We walked over the Indian Creek bridge and got a nice photo break there. The hotel had a few charter yachts available for rent, I think the larger vessel in the fleet was around 150 feet? Seemed like they were going for a reasonable rate, perhaps next time we’ll take one for a spin for a day or two.. 😛

The beach was gorgeous and the waves were very calm. It’s been a few years since I’ve been on the Atlantic Ocean. I almost forgot what it was like to be able to walk hundreds of feet out into the water and it be impossible to stand. Although I could’ve ventured further out, I stayed closer to the shore. As I get older, I find myself more fearful of experiencing that first shark encounter and I’ll take drastic measures to ensure that never happens.

The rain came several times during the afternoons, but it was nice to not get completely scorched by the sun. I actually fell asleep during one of the showers. We had a nice little setup under an umbrella, so it did not bother me one bit. Plus, rain always scares people away, so it cleared up the pool and beach areas for a few hours.

The night views were gorgeous. With so many lights, the pool was entirely lit up. We snuck onto the balcony of Hakassan and got some great night shots. The view from the balcony in the evening was stunning as well.

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| Tastes |

There are several restaurants on the hotel property. I try to get a ton of pictures but always manage to regret not taking more. I kept note of the restaurants and cafes we visited…

La Cote: burger, pina colada

This was the poolside bar/restaurant. It was two stories and had its own DJ during the day. The bar was slammed but we got a table pretty quickly. Food was good. Pina Colada was…just that. A sweet, delicious, coconut-y drink. I watched the bartender pour just over a shot of Bacardi in the bottom of the cup and the rest came out of a frozen pina colada machine. Needless to say, even a child wouldn’t have gotten a buzz out of this drink…lucky for them I’m a sucker for anything frozen whether alcohol lives in the drink or not.

Scarpetta: chicken with vegetables, truffle pasta

This was the place you go for date night and pre-night-out-in-Miami eats. Classy vibe, everyone was dressed to the nines or for a night out. The food was pretty incredible. They serve a delicious assortment of breads before dinner. My favorite bread was a crossiant like bread with a small taste of cheese and bacon. Yum! The entrees were amazing, several ingredients and time involved in making these dishes. My only complaint would be the portions were small. Which in the end I was thankful for, there was no overindulging here.

Hakassan: Sunday Drinks

This was the most popular place. It was entirely booked but we managed to grab a drink at the bar. Asian inspired cuisine with hand crafted cocktails. I wish we could’ve gotten a table..next time!

Vida: Sunday Night

A more casual affair, Vida had a large variety of options. Mostly American food. Their signature dish was a family style pick your meat and vegetables plate, served with several side plates and serve wear. A share your plate kind of meal.

Fresh: Monday Snacks

This cafe was just off the pool.. I may or may not have gotten a large triple scoop mint chocolate chip ice cream cone from here. My memory seems to leave me hanging here…

Michael Mina 74: Happy Hour-pink slippers, truffle popcorn

Happy Hour featured several delicious cocktails and craft beers plus free bites! Truffle butter popcorn…to die. Also, tomato mozzarella balsamic vinaigrette bites. Amazing.

| Travel |

I am a self-proclaimed Southwest Airlines lover and fan for life. But I must say how impressed I was by the American Airlines service, specifically on our flight to Miami. We got to fly in the new Boeing – 767. The seats laid completely flat and honestly there were so many directions, up, down, all around… I couldn’t figure out the controls. But I could’ve stayed on that plane for ten hours if I needed to. My fear of flying to Europe may officially be a thing of the past if this is the type of seat I’d get to sit in. Plus, one thing that may have helped: the wine pours were fat. My first “first class” experience, I wish I had been more prepared! Drinks were served with a warmed mix of nuts. To my surprise, the food was good for airplane food. I haven’t indulged in a full meal on an airplane since before 9/11, so I was happily surprised by the quality. Beef, mac&cheese with shellfish, cheese roll and salad finished off by a warm chocolate chip cookie. Needless to say, I don’t think I lost any weight on this trip.

All in all, I loved Miami and I can’t wait to go back and see more. I’d like to send a special thank you to my sweet boyfriend for bringing me to a new city where we could get away from our busy lives and relax for a few days.

Until next time…

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Cabo Pano

On March 12, 2015, I was unaware of how my life would be changed by an impromptu ‘adult spring break’ trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Only ten months after starting my first real job, I decided it was time for me to get out and do what I do best: travel and meet new people. Growing up, my mom traveled all over the states for her job and she would bring me with her as often as she could get me out of school. Traveling is second nature for me and it was time for me to get out of my comfort zone.

I live by the idea – work hard // play hard – and I had spent the previous ten months focused solely on my job and bettering myself for my future. I did work hard, and while I took days off here and there, I hadn’t left home since before I graduated college. So much has changed since I left college in such a short period of time. So many positive things have happened, but with that, some negatives too. I hadn’t taken a serious moment to think and realize how important it is to stop and smell the roses. Advertising is a fast paced, fast moving industry which fits perfectly with my personality and skill set, but what I had failed to acknowledge is the need for reflection and self actualization in the midst of chaos. Vacation and traveling to new places brings you to a place where you can find more about yourself, who you are, what you want, and what you are going to do to get it. I was fortunate to have numerous opportunities growing up to have these kind of experiences, but now that I am the only person in control of my life, I’ve found the importance in forcing yourself to get out of your zone for a bit in order to reconnect. Without further a due, here is the story of the most amazing trip I’ve experienced.

Nightlife

On our first night in Cabo, we hit the town. I was shocked that the bars/clubs were actually not half bad. I’ve visited other Mexican towns and cities but Cabo’s nightlife was similar to places I’ve been to in America. First we visited Pink Kitty, from there it was a back and forth between Vaquero, Mandala and El Squid Row. During the day, we hit Mango Deck where all the college spring breakers were partying. It was pretty sick. Not much elaboration needed here – go if you want to see how bad a$* of a time it is.

lastnight

The Boat

On our second day in Cabo we met someone who we now consider a dear friend – Saul! – who would offer us a nice private boat ride to the Arch (famous landmark in Cabo). What we didn’t know we would experience is seeing over a dozen mother whales with their babies breeching in and out of the water. It was incredible. Another exciting unexpected event was not one but two BIG fish caught. A 100 pound marlin and a 30 pound fish (I forget what it was called :P). That was a great experience for the guys on the boat. We drank, danced, swam, fished and had way too much fun for a total of six hours on the water. I would do anything to do it again. After we got off the boat, some of the group was able to eat the fish we caught. The rest of us (the singles) went to Mango Deck for some margs!
boat

the crew

The Beach/Hotel

Our hotel was all inclusive and let me just say I think I can speak for all of us that our workout regimens and diets pre-trip were completely destroyed during and post trip. But it was so worth it! The rooms were perfectly air conditioned, the pool with a swim up bar was right down the hall, and my favorite – the beach – was just beyond the pool. We played sand volleyball on the beach, threw a football closer to the water, and took TONS of GoPro footage in the water. It was pure bliss.

beach     beach volley

I could write a novel about this trip and will definitely add to this rendition, but for now I will leave it at this.

I LOVE CABO <3

whale

Cabo Wabo

arch

On March 12, 2015, I was unaware of how my life would be changed by an impromptu ‘adult spring break’ trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Only ten months after starting my first real job, I decided it was time for me to get out and do what I do best: travel and meet new people. Growing up, my mom traveled all over the states for her job and she would bring me with her as often as she could get me out of school. Traveling is second nature for me and it was time for me to get out of my comfort zone.

I live by the idea – work hard // play hard – and I had spent the previous ten months focused solely on my job and bettering myself for my future. I did work hard, and while I took days off here and there, I hadn’t left home since before I graduated college. So much has changed since I left college in such a short period of time. So many positive things have happened, but with that, some negatives too. I hadn’t taken a serious moment to think and realize how important it is to stop and smell the roses. Advertising is a fast paced, fast moving industry which fits perfectly with my personality and skill set, but what I had failed to acknowledge is the need for reflection and self actualization in the midst of chaos. Vacation and traveling to new places brings you to a place where you can find more about yourself, who you are, what you want, and what you are going to do to get it. I was fortunate to have numerous opportunities growing up to have these kind of experiences, but now that I am the only person in control of my life, I’ve found the importance in forcing yourself to get out of your zone for a bit in order to reconnect. Without further a due, here is the story of the most amazing trip I’ve experienced.

Nightlife

On our first night in Cabo, we hit the town. I was shocked that the bars/clubs were actually not half bad. I’ve visited other Mexican towns and cities but Cabo’s nightlife was similar to places I’ve been to in America. First we visited Pink Kitty, from there it was a back and forth between Vaquero, Mandala and El Squid Row. During the day, we hit Mango Deck where all the college spring breakers were partying. It was pretty sick. Not much elaboration needed here – go if you want to see how bad a$* of a time it is.

lastnight

The Boat

On our second day in Cabo we met someone who we now consider a dear friend – Saul! – who would offer us a nice private boat ride to the Arch (famous landmark in Cabo). What we didn’t know we would experience is seeing over a dozen mother whales with their babies breeching in and out of the water. It was incredible. Another exciting unexpected event was not one but two BIG fish caught. A 100 pound marlin and a 30 pound fish (I forget what it was called :P). That was a great experience for the guys on the boat. We drank, danced, swam, fished and had way too much fun for a total of six hours on the water. I would do anything to do it again. After we got off the boat, some of the group was able to eat the fish we caught. The rest of us (the singles) went to Mango Deck for some margs!
boat

the crew

The Beach/Hotel

Our hotel was all inclusive and let me just say I think I can speak for all of us that our workout regimens and diets pre-trip were completely destroyed during and post trip. But it was so worth it! The rooms were perfectly air conditioned, the pool with a swim up bar was right down the hall, and my favorite – the beach – was just beyond the pool. We played sand volleyball on the beach, threw a football closer to the water, and took TONS of GoPro footage in the water. It was pure bliss.

beachbeach volley

I could write a novel about this trip and will definitely add to this rendition, but for now I will leave it at this.

I LOVE CABO <3

whale hat