This is my first post for my new blog "Straight On Till Morning" - wow thanks for stopping by! I hope to gather all the photos from my travels and share them here with you. I find that our memories can get muddled & lost with all the daily constants in our lives and we need to find a place and time to look back. That is why I wanted to build a curated space for my photography so I can truly take it all in. I hope "Straight On Till Morning" will inspire you to visit towns you have never heard of, travel to a country you may have been apprehensive about, or introduce you to a different restaurant in a vacation spot you been going to for years. Let the journey begin!
Bon Voyage!
My husband and I traveled to a secret paradise 3 hours south of Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco, Mexico for our Honeymoon. We rented a car in town and drove down the coast, staying at two secluded boutique hotels hidden amongst the lush beach jungles. Little did we know that Costa Careyes is a celebrity hot spot and very few Americans know of it. Founded by an Italian banker in 1968, this bohemian coastline has a lot to offer. The Hollywood Reporter recently wrote a piece on it so we suspect this tiny treasure is about to explode even more. I'm thankful we could experience it's untouched colors and organic rustic beauty for such a special time in our lives.
The ?!Careyes Bungalows at Playa Rosa was our first stop and once we arrived, we were treated like a Queen & King with their own private beach! With bright hot pink bungalows a few steps from the ocean it truly was the most romantic and secluded boutique hotel I have ever been to. The food was all local & fresh and served right on the beach so there was no reason to leave. This was the perfect remedy for a post wedding mind & body.
La Copa del Sol - est 2006
Catching the sun, this majestic sculpture (35 feet high / 88 feet diameter) rests on a cliff overlooking Playa Teopa. This visual marvel aligns with another art instillation, The Piramidion located a mile inland and during the equinoxes of March and September, when the sun sets it cupped by La Copa while illuminating The Piramidion.
Costa Careyes is known for its annual ArteCareyes Film & Arts Festival celebrating film, photography, music and contemporary art. Variety wrote: "Entering its eighth year, the strictly invite-only event, running April 26-30, is not your typical film fest. Held in collaboration with the Careyes Foundation, which establishes programs in education, sports, ecology and the arts for local communities, the emphasis of ArteCareyes is not on buying up content for distribution or negotiating sleek film biz deals, but on nurturing one’s inner artist and igniting the creativity in all who attend, a select guest list of some 500 people ranging from billionaire jet-setters to aspiring actors, writers and directors. Ecology is also a focal point of the gathering — this is a fest with a low carbon footprint."
As it was finally time to head back to Puerto Vallarta, we decided we couldn't leave Careyes yet and wanted to explore this beautiful coastline some more. After a little research, we booked a luxury boutique hotel last minute on our drive up the coast. Las Alamandas was completely deserted. We were unsure if we had stumbled upon someones palace or this was indeed a hotel. They upgraded our room to a suite overlooking a private beach and had to call in for the chef since the staff wasn't on site that day. We realized we arrived just as their off-season was ending so we had the resort to ourselves!
As it turns out, this hotel was a private getaway for many celebrities in the 90's. When I came across a photo of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston in the lobby I knew I was in a special place. Other photos included Robert DiNero, Sting & Cindy Crawford just to name a few! Word has it Pitt & Anniston threw a New Years Eve 2000 party with guests including George Clooney!
Views of the valleys of Mexico on our drive up the coast to Puerto Vallarta.
Arriving in Old Vallarta (the old town of Puerto Vallarta) was refreshing with all the bustling noises of the city and it's people. The cobble stone streets are very romantic and all the buildings are charming and colonial. We only stayed one night, but made sure to have dinner at Cafe Des Artistes. With an interior without a roof and many tropical trees, there are real birds flying above your head as you dive into your meal. I highly recommend this place for an intimate dinner party or a romantic date for two.
It was also Día de Muertos - "Day of The Dead" during our stay and while walking around at night, we came upon many alters with candles, photos, food & decorated skulls honoring those that had passed. The energy was just what we needed after quiet Careyes.
Our last stop of the trip was The St. Regis Punta Mita which was an hour north of Puerto Vallarta. It was the perfect way to end our honeymoon travels and rest until our flight back to San Francisco