In my hotel room there’s a little kitchenette with a toaster, a fridge, a coffee machine but not a stove. That means no cooking for me this vacation, which isn’t the end of the world; I get to go out and sample all the food here in Cabarete And I can tell you that I did a really good job; I’ve been to many places hunting down the best food. I wish I would get paid to eat LOL.

When I’m vacationing enjoying some unhealthy yummy food like pizza, pasta, French fries and ice cream is very much part of it. All in moderation of course, I don’t want to feel sluggish an bloated when I go home, I want to feel like a million bucks! Eating healthy and exercising is key to achieve that.

It’s always a bit more challenging to find healthy food; most menus only have a few healthy options but I managed to find some very tasty dishes. In the picframe you can see some of them: sitr-fry, soy chicken with veggies and rice, Chicken salad with blue cheese, apple and walnuts, and the most delicious grilled garlic lobster. Yes I’ve been spoiling myself  I also make sure to eat lots of fruits, veggies and I drink lots of water. ( ocean water included haha)

Kiteboarding is a great workout, it feels like I’m using every muscle in my body, burning lots of calories while playing with the elements of nature!  Laurel Eastman’s kiteboarding school has very good instructors, one of them is the Dutch Maurice. We were talking about “Models Do Eat” and he happens to be a talented cook and super passionate about his food. Thai food is one of his specialties  and guess what? He was so nice to share his Tom Kha Gai soup recipe with me! I can’t wait to try this recipe when I’m back home!  Yes, of course I’ll share it with you too!

A big smile and a perfect morning breeze from Cabarete!

XO Jill

Share

When I was a little I always dreamed of having a pet monkey. My parents explained to me that this was impossible, so I had to settle for a hamster. Yesterday I heard about a monkey reservation where it’s possible to feed monkeys…..it took me about 1 second to sign up! This morning we drove deep into the mountains and arrived at a location that reminded me of Jurrasic park. After a quick safety briefing the guide walked me into the jungle while carrying a basket full of peanuts and fruits.  Suddenly I was surrounded by a group of curious and hungry squirrel monkeys. The guide handed me a plate filled with food and within seconds these monkeys were climbing all over me, gently taking the soft fruits, peanuts and raisins from the plate I was holding. They were sooooo sweet, sitting all over me, munching away, leaving me with an empty plate and a shirt filled with fruit stains… Monkeys DO eat Their little faces are soooo cute….I felt like a mom for a few minutes LOL

After playing with the monkeys I strapped myself into a tight harness to conquer seven insanely long and fast zip lines over the most beautiful green and lush landscapes.  And as a bonus we ended the morning with a free fall into a bat cave, which really got my adrenaline pumping!

All this adventurous stuff made me hungry so I went to Gorditos in Cabarete, a famous taco joint that is known for their delicious fish taco’s. As I arrived they were just carrying a freshly caught 50 pound Mahi Mahi into the store. 10 minutes later I was eating one of the most delicious fish taco I’ve ever had!

Now it was time to do what I came for….Kite Boarding (or surfing). The wind picks up around 1PM and it was a gorgeous day! I took an instructor with me as I’d never been kiting in waves like this before. Boy, it was like learning how to kiteboard all over. Gusty winds, rough and deep water….I must have swallowed a gallon of ocean water today

This is an ideal vacation day for me, I feel refreshed and relaxed while writing this while watching the sun set. I’m so very grateful to be here….

What does your ideal vacation day look like?

XO Jill

Share

It’s a serious undertaking to go to Ikea. There’s no other store I know of in which you have to walk a mile through a showroom labyrinth before you get to pull the things you want. The way Ikea makes you navigate through the store is so smart. After walking the mile long showroom I’m overwhelmed by the amount of things a human can possibly need. I need to sit down to think through all my options, what better place to do so at the conveniently located restaurant right after the showroom. Let’s satisfy the greedy feeling with some food LOL

I always have to have the meatballs with gravy and the berry sauce. I would go to Ikea just for this; probably not all that healthy but oh-so-good. One portion of meatballs and a plate of veggies, mashed potatoes and white fish fuelled me right up to make the final decisions and to pull the heavy pieces out of the storage room.

When I finally got to check out and paid for everything I got lured into a separate food section. Can you believe this?! Here I go again.. ; Buying Swedish chocolate, lemonade, cookies, crackers.. Oh boy.. Whoever thought of this strategy must be rich.

I wanted to be in and out within an hour and a half.. Three hours later with a car full of goodies I’m driving home singing along with the radio chewing on Ikea cookies. Happy to be done and already looking forward to the next time!

Have a fun-filled weekend sweet friends!

XO

Jill

Share

I read today that Miranda Kerr told Vogue that she sticks to an organic diet and stays hydrated wit a lot of alkaline water. I do that too, I alkalize my water by adding a big squeeze of lemon or a cap of apple cider vinegar. To me it’s common sense now, but it wasn’t years ago. That’s why I’d like to share this with you.

We are constantly told that we need to drink lots of water every day, to stay hydrated, for our body to function properly and to flush toxins out. But what’s the quality of the water that we are drinking? Most of our tap water is polluted and contains traces of chlorine, fluoride anti-biotic, hormones and metals. Every time we are drinking water those traces also enter our body.

Filtering water helps but it also removes important minerals. And beyond water filtration, there’s the issue of pH; processed water is acidic. When our bodies are too acidic, we experience low energy, fatigue, digestive issues, weight gain etc.

Ugh.. drinking water doesn’t sound all that simple anymore.

But it can be simple.. Just be aware that there are a lot of differences in quality just like produce that’s sprayed with chemicals or organic produce. Choose to drink purified water, just like you choose to eat organic. You deserve the best!

Alkaline water can neutralize acid in your bloodstream, boost your metabolism and help your body absorb nutrients more effectively. Some even say that alkaline water can help prevent disease and slow the aging process. Try to make it a habit to add some lemon, apple cider vinegar or baking soda (1/2 teaspoon to a gallon) to alkalize your water. You really don’t have to every time.. but now you know what it can do for you, you might as well

Love,

Jill

Share

Did you know that beauty products are like food to our skin? When you apply the product your skin absorbs it right into your bloodstream. So yes it’s common sense that you want to feed it with good products!

Unfortunately most products contain harmful toxins and some are cancer related. Even the more expensive brands and brands that advertise with “natural ingredients” might mislead you with their advertisements! The companies say the doses are small enough not to be harmful, but come on; we use these products every day!

I read that the average women in the US uses twelve personal care products every day (men 6) And that there’s about 12 chemicals in each product.. Do the math! Ugh…:(

What can you do? Inform yourself and make smart and conscious choices. Start reading labels, is an ingredient hard to pronounce? It’s very likely a chemical! Google the main ingredients, do some research. Go for all natural products!

Just like with food I’ve replaced most of my “processed” beauty products with great products that are natural and some even organic. I use “Out of Arica” body lotion, “A la maison” body shower gel,”Josie Maran argan” daily moisturizer and Tom’s toothpaste and deodorant.

It might be a bit overwhelming to replace the products that you are used to, so just start with one thing. I suggest to start with what you use most of

For more info and a list of ingredients to avoid:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/toxic_cosmetics.cfm

http://www.fitsugar.com/10-Toxic-Cosmetic-Ingredients-Avoid-204330

video: http://www.collective-evolution.com/2012/04/10/you-have-the-right-to-know-17-chemicals-to-avoid-in-cosmetic-and-personal-care-products/

Share

I went to bed late last night and when I woke up this morning I felt tired and really wanted to sleep another hour or two. But I didn’t have time so I got out of bed and washed my face when my eye caught a purifying mask. I’ve been wanting to give it 20 minutes of my time but I’ve been too busy.

Hmmm ok.. Let’s see., I’m all about using my time wisely; so I put the mask on my face and meditated for 20 minutes, which supposedly equals a few hours of sleep! I killed two birds with one stone and started my day rested and radiant!

Try it sometime!

Share

It’s me and my wonderful friend Martha Graeff (www.aroundinstyle.com) in the picture. A real moment of us chatting on the beach here in Miami
It was great meeting “streetstyle” blogger Scott Schuman, the man behind www.TheSartorialist.com which gets over 14 million page views per month!

He’s a very nice, passionate and genuine man, and that reflects in his work! Thanks Scott!
Link to post: bit.ly/Y9UHPF

Share

I love this picture of Sofia Vergara in this months Vogue.
She’s showing of her wonderful curves in a dress that you won’t often see anywhere near a stove. But hey why not?! Let’s dress up when cooking, even if nobody is watching, just for the fun of it!

Share