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Serenity comes in different forms for different people depending
upon where one is in his or her life. It can be wrapped in the warm
embrace of a loved one. It can be found in a church, a temple, a
mosque or a shrine. It can be discovered on the sandy shores of
a tropical isle. Or even in a bottle of the hard stuff though we
know this type of serenity is fleeting at best.
Serenity must have been breezing past Chicago on one of our notoriously
brutal winter days and stopped dead in it’s tracks when it saw me
frantically trying to meet the demands of my life. Did it witness
me moving quickly along Lake Michigan to get my five mile run in
before a hectic day at the office or did it see me yelling at my
kids as I tried in earnest to get them out the door and to school
on time? Did serenity watch me pass out at 9 o’clock at night after
a long day of non-stop client meetings and strategy sessions or
did it see me stressing in my home office over my bills? When serenity
came calling, offering me the opportunity to travel to Los Cabos,
Mexico on a press trip with my friend, Marian, I answered. This
trip took place in mid-May and the moment I decided to go, serenity
wrapped its arms around me and didn’t let go for five, count them,
five straight days!
I cannot recall a time in recent memory when I felt so relaxed and
at ease with my place in the world. It all started when I boarded
the flight at the international terminal of Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.
Although I was inhaling jet fuel, in the recesses of my mind I imagined
that I was already inhaling the scent of the ocean as it kissed
the shores of Los Cabos. Just the fact that I needed to whip out
my passport to hop on this flight to Mexico was a clear sign that
I was about to make a grand escape to a land far, far away, where
no one could find me unless I really wanted them to. And believe
me, I didn’t.
Upon takeoff, the Boeing 737 quickly hopped the fence at O’Hare
as though being chased by US Air Force fighter planes for flying
in a no-fly zone. After the pilot propelled the plane onward and
upward, it dipped then swayed and soared into the clouds. I smiled
thinking of the days that lie ahead of me. I pulled out my earphones
all set to create my Leslie in Cabo soundtrack, which mostly consisted
of the soothing, contemplative sounds of Ledisi, Esthero and Chrisette
Michelle. I must admit, I was somewhat conflicted about “creating”
my own vacation soundtrack for fear that I wouldn’t truly absorb
my new surroundings and enjoy the moment. Screw it, I thought to
myself. I really needed to hear Chrisette Michelle’s rich, deep
voice in my ear as she sings about the virtues of loving and being
loved like they did back in the days when commitment was golden…
Landing in Cabo was one of many sweet moments for
me as I was determined to stay in the present and enjoy each and
every bit of this experience without letting the frustrations of
yesterday or expectations of tomorrow take up any mental space in
my head. When I got off the plane, I was greeted by smiling local
faces and intense heat from the Mexican sun. My heart leapt from
excitement like it did when my cousins Stephanie and Todd would
come to Chicago during the summers of my childhood or when my mom
would buy me a new Judy Blume book to read. (See, it’s the little
things, man…the little things that thrill me although I have to
say that today I’d be more thrilled with getting a Gucci bag than
a Judy Blume book for anyone who may be thinking about surprising
me!)
Arriving at Marquis Los Cabos, the resort I would call home for
the next few days, I was pleasantly surprised by the breathtaking
view of the ocean and the amazing architecture and design of the
resort that evoked this thing called serenity.
No, this wasn’t the kind of trip where the resort staff thrusts
a cup of rum punch in your hand and leads you to the limbo line
on the beach the moment they run your credit card. Instead, Rodolfo,
the staffer who checked me in, welcomed me to Marquis Los Cabos
with a warm smile and helped me to the casita that oozed with Mexican
charm and splendor.
The moment I put my bags down and looked around my temporary digs,
I whipped out my bathing suit, grabbed my beach bag, iPod, sunglasses
and an ice cold Corona (now you know beer & alcohol in moderation,
people, would eventually be weaved into this story) and made my
way to the sunrise pool that appeared to flow right into the ocean.
I settled myself into the pool experience right away, listening
to Esthero, who sang of my melancholy moments that prompted me to
escape to Cabo when serenity came calling.
I took a moment to reflect on how my life has being going of late.
While Esthero and I had this mini-pity party that I would allow
to last only a hour or so, I enjoyed the sophisticated poolside
energy from other guests. I entered into serious chill mode and
couldn’t even believe how free I felt having countless hours to
myself to just lay poolside, drink a cocktail and THINK while a
slight breeze cooled my soon-to-be sunburned body. I couldn’t have
possibly been happier except if a sexy man was lying next to me
rubbing my back with oil and whispering sweet nothings in my ear.
Okay, never mind that fantasy. While the thought is titillating,
this short vacation wasn’t about that. It was about my new-found
serenity so let me stay focused!
As luck would have it, my friend Marian wasn’t able to get on her
flight from Denver to Los Cabos that day so I ended up being solo
which worked out fine. It would have been great if Marian arrived
on time but I welcomed every moment of solace I could get and required
no entertainment whatsoever though Marian and I spent an hour or
so texting back and forth amusing one another. So I hung out by
the pool until the evening, went back to the casita and laid by
our own private pool listening to more of my Leslie in Cabo soundtrack
(which also included a little Biggie Smalls, Maroon 5, Creed, Thelonius
Monk, Donny Hathaway and Eric Roberson…I’m versatile like that)
and feeling no pain from the two margaritas I had consumed over
the course of evening. I then showered, got myself all cute and
went to the resort’s quaint Dos Mares restaurant for dinner. The
food was fabulous and spicy just like I like it. I enjoyed the meal
in solitude, had another margarita (watch out now!), and listened
to a live performance of some Mexican and American classics on the
veranda. The breeze and the temperature were perfect and the waves
that crashed loudly against the shore were a constant reminder that
I wasn’t anywhere near Lake Michigan or home for that matter. The
almost full moon in the black Mexican sky painted a perfect picture
of…uh huh…serenity.
The next morning I awoke early to a breathtaking
sunrise and decided to run in the sand along the beach which was
just a few steps from the casita. Though it seemed like a good idea
at the time, it was hot as all hell on that beach and the uneven
sand wasn’t good for my ankles. As I ran, I was reminded that I
need to steer clear of injuries because I’m training for my ninth
marathon. I lasted only twenty minutes or so and gave up. The verdict
on working out in the sand? Pretty to look at but not to run in!
I went back to the villa, showered, changed and hit the pool. Later
that morning, Marian finally arrived at Marquis Los Cabos and joined
me by the pool. She shared her travel woes, we chilled some more
and agreed that we wouldn’t join the other journalists until dinner.
Serenity was the order of the moment.
Around seven that evening we went down to the beach to meet the
other people there for the press trip. They were waiting for us
as we had missed dinner the night before and the Canyon Canopy Tour
on ziplines (which sounded awesome, I’m sorry I missed it!) at Desertica
Cabo Multi Adventure Park, an adventurer’s playland about 30 minutes
from the resort. Clearly we missed some serious bonding time and
everyone seemed to be getting along splendidly. Our first evening
with the group set the tone for what was sure to be a wonderful
time with savvy, fun and talented journalists and their spouses/friends.
We viewed Saturn and the moon’s craters through a high-powered telescope
that first night and continued to bond over tequila and wine with
a heavy dose of laughter at the resort’s Dos Mares bar.
The next morning after I worked out in the very clean and accommodating
Marquis Los Cabos health club, we met the group and made our way
to the dock to board the Marquis Yacht where we sailed along the
Sea of Cortes for the afternoon. There were isolated coves and pristine
waters where we saw sea lions and unique fish. We enjoyed seeing
the famous Arch of Los Cabos and Lover’s Beach where the waters
of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortes come together under the
shadow of the arch.
Some decided to go snorkeling and others went kayaking. Back on
the yacht we all laid in the sun, drank, ate, listened to great
music and laughed and laughed and laughed. I must admit that never
have I been part of a group of people from different walks of life
that enjoyed each other so much. We each brought unique and dare
I say quirky qualities to our time in Los Cabos and the whole experience
was so very gratifying. There was Allie, Shimanti, Stefanie, Phil,
Amit, David, Kevin, Julie, Tamara, David, Bridget, Sheila and of
course Beth Preddy who organized the trip through her agency KWE
Group, a marketing communications and public relations firm that
specializes in luxury travel and lifestyle trends.
During our time together we engaged in serious and sometimes heated
conversations about Obama vs. Clinton vs. McCain as the next president
of the United States, we debated and laughed about the differences
between the US and Canada (David and Tamara are from Toronto), we
consumed delicious meals prepared by one of the famed Marquis Los
Cabos chefs, enjoyed spectacular views of the ocean during evening
cocktail hour in the presidential suite and spent time at the amazing
resort spa, delighting in some of the best body treatments money
can buy.
Thank you Marian and my new travel friends for
such a wonderful time. I look forward to our next adventure! And
to all my old friends and LeslieWrites readers, I highly recommend
visiting Marquis Los Cabos and settling in for a wonderful experience.
I arrived in Cabo with lots of excitement but also with the weight
of the world on my shoulders and left feeling calm, reenergized
and SO happy. The entire experience in Los Cabos felt like a dream
and brought me back to a place of—you guessed it—serenity.
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