ANGUILLA - BELMOND CAP JULUCA

Welcome to Cap Juluca in Anguilla. This luxury beachfront retreat in the British West Indies is known as the best beach in the Caribbean. Cap Juluca was designed and developed by Linda and Charles Hickox almost thirty years ago and has recently sold to Belmond Ltd., a hotel, and leisure company that operates luxury hotels, train services and river cruises around the world. Renovations are underway and by the end of 2018, get ready, because Cap Juluca's pristine stretch of sand is about to transform into a tropical show-stopper.

The resort's crescent-shaped Maundays Beach is the main attraction, along with the clear, turquoise water and soft white sand.  Water sports are a must... enjoy sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and snorkeling, or just float in luxury.

Cap Juluca was originally named for the rainbow spirit of the Arawak whose energy can still be felt amongst the sway of the palms and the tropical rain that comes and goes. The Arawaks were farmers and fishermen, and much of what is known about them today comes from the petroglyphs and archeological remains discovered in two ceremonial cave sites on the island.

Several years ago we visited Cap Juluca for the day, and we always said, "this is a place we must return to"  So happy to have returned for more than one day, let the vacation begin. Next time I stroll down this hallway there will be a brand new Cap Juluca,.

Happy hideaway in paradise.  Expect 80°F monthly mean temperature, with water temperatures generally ranging between 70°F and 80°F. If you choose to travel by private boat charter or shared sea shuttle, you can take the ferry from St. Maarten Depending on immigration and selected transportation, the boat trip from St. Maarten takes approximately 25 – 40 minutes, arriving at Anguilla’s Blowing Point. Shuttle to the hotel is approximately fifteen minutes. Commercial airlines fly direct to St.Maarten with a short boat ride to Anguilla or by air via Seaborne Airlines or Tradewind Aviation. 

Anguilla's main gateways are:

  • St. Maarten/St. Martin (SXM), 7 minutes
  • Puerto Rico (SJU), 45 minutes
  • Antigua (ANU), 45 minutes
  • St. Thomas (STT), 45 minutes

Looks good, feels good...it's all good.

Cap Juluca takes pride in their fresh meals with a garden-to-table approach, along with resort-grown herbs, and spices. There are some exciting new dining concepts on the way!

Sweat Betty Top - Hermés Scarf 

Sweat Betty Top - Hermés Scarf 

My favorite activity was riding horses with the popular Zambezi  Enjoy a little history of the island while touring surrounding beaches and one of my favorite moments, taking a cool plunge in the Caribbean. Don't miss out on this tourist attraction! You can book through their facebook page or guest services at the front desk. Maybe you've never settled up... no worries these horses know the program, you do tnothng but sit back, take in the view and enjoy the experience.

And you'll need plenty of this!  ColorScience Sun Protection. You'll find yourself logging in a little more beach time here at Cap Juluca.  Shop the post below.

Why not begin your day at CapJuluca with a morning jog, a walk on the beach, or a swim in the Caribbean Sea. It's almost a mile long and from sun rise to sun set, this velvety beach never gets old.

Here's a peek at the rooms for not too much longer, every villa has an ocean view. Enjoy your open shower after your fun in the sun. New renovations are on the way.

 No filter needed at Cap Juluca. The evening is as stunning as the daytime. Follow Cap Juluca on Facebook to stay updated on renovations, and for the reopen.

From your room right to the beach. Nudz Beachwear designs the perfect vacation cover up for all occasions. Be sure to use my discount code GratefulGardenia30 for your perfect cover up.

From your room right to the beach. Nudz Beachwear designs the perfect vacation cover up for all occasions. Be sure to use my discount code GratefulGardenia30 for your perfect cover up.

Anguilla style is laid-back chic, barefoot elegance, and a place to rejuvenate the soul. There are no cruise ships, casinos, or traffic,  just breathtaking beaches, and that Caribbean vibe. 

Next time you're ready to plan your vacation be sure to look out for the grand opening of Cap Juluca. You can follow them on Instagram @belmondcapjuluca. Cap Juluca is one of those special places, along with the people who work there. Belmond Hotels create the most amazing escapes, and after this extensive renovation, you'll be ready to book your next hideaway.  Thank you, Cap Juluca for a beautiful experience to add to our family memories, and we look forward to a brand new you... with that same old welcoming spirit.

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“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta

CHARCOAL YOUR WAY TO HEALTH AND BEAUTY

Are you ready for a little detox inside and out? Several months back I went for my yearly physical and I requested to have my mercury levels tested. I was having neck pain, my left hand was twitching (chalked that up to way too much time on my phone...) along with numbness in my hands and feet. My husband recommended I have my mercury levels tested, he too had experienced some of the same symptoms. Both of us are healthy eaters, enjoy our workouts and love sushi, that being said too much fish, sushi especially is not a good thing. His doctor suggested reading up on charcoal and try drinking one charcoal drink a day from Kreation Organic for a week. Here's a fact about Charcoal - It literally binds to toxins, and that binding effect makes it a great cleanser, inside and out. 

Between the toxin absorbing qualities of activated charcoal and the hydrating effects of coconut, Charcoalade is also a powerful hangover remedy. Activated charcoal is also used to treat poisonings, overdoses, spider bites, and stomach bugs. It abso…

Between the toxin absorbing qualities of activated charcoal and the hydrating effects of coconut, Charcoalade is also a powerful hangover remedy. Activated charcoal is also used to treat poisonings, overdoses, spider bites, and stomach bugs. It absorbs most toxins up to 60% making it ideal for detoxing. It also helps whiten your teeth!

My test results showed my levels were definitely at a high level, over 11 and Level 9 would be a much better level for me personally, my doctor recommended first of all...I lay off the sushi. Ok, Kreation here I come. Here was my routine - Three days a week, after my favorite workout class I would head to Wholefoods grab my favorite sushi while doing my grocery shopping and that would be my lunch- that's 18 - 20 pieces of sushi a month. This has been my routine for a little too long, and it was time to adjust my intake. There is so much information on Charcoal and I highly recommend reading the articles highlighted below if you haven't read up on high levels of mercury and the effect it can have on the mind and body. After a week of  Kreation Charcoalade, and zero sushi, my neck pain was significantly better, along with the numbness and the twitching of my hand. Literally after a week of drinking one juice a day things changed for the better. This worked for me, check with your doctor if you have any of these symptoms or other concerns that might lead you to think this relates to you.  It was a wake-up call on a few levels and to pay attention to what's going on with our oceans, and which fish is higher in mercury than others, along with the healing powers of charcoal, a natural detoxer. The articles I've listed below are worth a read if you're having any uncomfortable aches, pains or fogginess.

If you're not crazy about the taste of the Charcoal drink you can take 2 capsules a day with this Activated Charcoal. There are so many products out there, maybe you're not sure where to start, It's definitely worth reading about. After all, for over 10,000 years, healers from Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic Medicine, and Western Medicine have used activated charcoal to soak up poisons and improve intestinal health through a process called “adsorption” which means “to bind to” rather than “to absorb.”  Be sure to read about dosage, you also don't want to take too much charcoal.  Now let's look at charcoal for beauty.

I'm sure you're reading about the benefits of charcoal everywhere too, even in the beauty world. It does make sense if you think about it. Charcoal has been around for centuries and cultures. Native Americans relied on it to heal wounds and treat intestinal and digestive issues. The Japanese use it for dental hygiene, it's also a teeth whitener! It was first introduced as a beauty exfoliator in 1990 by Origins. I decided to try it out myself, if I felt better on the inside with the Charcoalade why not begin the beauty experiment on the inside?

Little Barn Apothecary created this Charcoal + Aloe Foaming Face Cleanser. This activated charcoal will leave your skin feeling tone!  I first discovered this from Love Goodly - A subscription box service and shop that delivers cruelty-free and toxic free beauty and healthier brands.

Think about all the free radicals we encounter the minute we walk out the door. Our phones, computers, door knobs, etc... toxins from the world around us clog our pores. When your pores aren't clear, neither is your complexion. Activated charcoal can draw out those impurities, leaving the pores clean.

Vitamin Sea Beauty - Black Sea Mud Charcoal Cooling & Antioxidant face mask will increase the circulation in your skin, between the Black Sea Mud & the Charcoal, your skin feels so clean along with tightening of the pores.

 Active charcoal acts like a magnet,  say goodbye to oil, dirt and other environmental debris from clogged pores. After eight to ten minutes, rinse with warm water and you're good to "glow"  I'm all for drawing out the toxins, charcoal seems like a good place to begin. I'll save my sushi cravings for a later date.

My search continues in all things health and beauty. I would love to hear from you some of your discoveries along the way for becoming your best self. Here's to the sharing of knowledge for all of us. 

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Articles on Charcoal :

https://blog.bulletproof.com/the-strangest-way-to-detox/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/mercury-how-to-get-this-l_b_469358.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/autism-mercury-toxicity_b_497047.html