Wellness: Thailand, Phuket: Where Heaven Kisses the Earth

Wellness: Thailand, Phuket: Where Heaven Kisses the Earth

The yoga session was a relaxing hour of gentle stretching and breathing. Afterwards I was shuttled back to my piece of paradise where I enjoyed breakfast of traditional Thai cuisine including sticky rice and mangos. After breakfast, I was pampered with a 60-minute refreshing facial. Because I got a bit too much sun the day…

Wellness: Fiji: De-stressing and Un-dressing on Waya Island

Wellness: Fiji: De-stressing and Un-dressing on Waya Island

by Alexa Trotta I found Nemo while snorkeling a few feet off the coast of a wild, deserted island in Fiji. His yellow-and-blue-striped body darted beneath my flippers, then disappeared into the winding blue, green, pink, and purple coral mountains of the serene undersea-scape surrounding us. I was miles from home—and a world away from…

Culture: Cartagena, Colombia: The Feeling of Safety

Culture: Cartagena, Colombia: The Feeling of Safety

by Stephanie Block Kidnapped. You’ll be kidnapped. Cartels will kidnap you. Cocoa and kidnapping, the druglord breakfast cereal. The prize inside the box is you, bound and gagged, wishing you’d gone to South Beach instead. This is how Colombia perched in my mind; a clawing bird ready to imprison me in its bleak and powdery…

Woman of the Year!

10 weeks, five designers, one poodle, two facial parties, one street stroll, two wine tastings, one clothing swap, countless prayers, many sleepless nights, one cinco de mayo celebration, dozens of volunteers, teams of supporters, $70,000 in cash, $40,000 in kind donations, and one Woman of the Year! That would be me. Thank you to everyone…