I’m back! Guys, I wish I could explain how different I feel from last week. Five days on a tropical island can really change an anxious exhausted New Yorker into a happy, peaceful one. Inspired by my friend Hallie’s Fashion Week recaps, I thought I’d share a recap of some of our trip highlights. Enjoy!

Wednesday:
5:30 am
Waking up when it’s still dark out definitely doesn’t suit me. I’ve been so exhausted lately that this doesn’t feel much different than usual.

7:30 Speeding in a cab to Newark airport, trying to chug two green juices before we get there. That was a poor choice.

9:30am: En route to Turks and Caicos! Finally the exhaustion hits and I am pretty much comatose until we start our initial descent towards turquoise waters. Except, of course, for the 30 minutes I spend talking to the flight attendant who complimented my travel outfit which spun into a deep conversation about our mutual love of Pinterest. Natch.

1:30pm: We arrive at The Gansevoort, greeted by rum punch and a sunny 85 degree day. Tears actually come to my eyes. I’ve never seen anything so vibrant, or tasted anything so sweet. This (actual view from the lobby below) must be heaven!

1:45pm: We pound fish tacos with mango salsa for lunch before bum rushing the beach like a couple of hermits who have never seen sunlight before in their lives. I might as well be skipping I’m so happy.

6:00pm Core fusion yoga class in an outside pavilion (but not before a quick sunset selfie!). The breeze is blowing, the music is calming. This is so relaxing. Ohm, yo. Ohhhh wait did you just say 4 push ups with that chaturanga? And 8 squats in chair pose? This class is no joke…Sweating aggressively.

8:00pm The day was a blur but we’ve somehow made it to a cute local outside restaurant, sipping on mojitos and eating coconut crusted grouper and fried conch.

10:00pm: Passing out. Ready to make up for months of poor sleep.

Thursday:
8:00am wake up feeling rested and refreshed for the first time in as long as I can remember. Open the curtains to our stunning ocean view and feel blessed, happy, and hungry. Tears start to come again. I knew I needed this trip but I had seriously forgotten how it felt to feel so good. That sounds cheesy but it’s 100% true!

10:00am: On the beach again. Reading a book. Life is good.

12:00pm: Why did I decide to snorkel again? A fellow snorkeler informs us of barracudas ahead. Eff that, I’m outta here. I swim as if I’m being chased by sharks to shore. I never should have watched Blackfish last week!

1:00pm: Fish tacos again. This might be an addiction. Followed by a piña colada. I gave up dessert for lent but piñas are excluded on the ground that they’re alcoholic beverages… My thought process is dicey at best but I’m stickin to it.

5:30pm: We shoot an outfit for the blog (stay tuned later this week) before drinking a G&T (for me) and a scotch on the rocks (for him) on a beach bed watching the sunset. Talk about romance!

7:00pm: We find ourselves at the Turks and Caicos fish fry. What is that, you ask? Here is what I experience: Grilled lobster tail, fried fish, a live band, lots of white people trying to dance, and drinking rum out of coconut… Coco locos.

8:00pm: Snuck into the hot tub after one too many coco locos. We think we’re being stealth but apparently not. Luckily we’ve made friends with the security guard who agrees to let us hang for 30 more minutes. Below is the actual view from the hot tub.

Friday:
8:30am: Waking up for Core Fusion barre class… Or actually never mind back to sleep. Vacation is vacation. I’d rather just head straight to the beach.

1:00pm Lunch at a Mexican restaurant a short walk down the beach. We saunter, taking our time, splashing in the water on the way. Fish tacos again. Like there’s a choice at this point.

3:00pm Paddle boarding next to Anel out on the open ocean (let’s be real, we’re still pretty close to the beach). Feeling so blissed out and happy. My arms are burning but it is so worth it. I am terrified of falling into these barracuda-ridden waters but I manage to stay up right the whole time!

5:30pm Another gorgeous sunset. They get more and more magical every night.

8:30pm Drinking a glass of rosé at Stelle, the restaurant at the Gansevoort eating lobster, conch cevice, and branzino with fennel and orange. This was the perfect trip for me to forget my fish oil. I think I have enough Omega-3s to last me a lifetime.

Saturday:

10:00am Are those rain clouds? We’ll risk it and set up shop on the beach per usual.

11:30am Well that was a mistake! A brief morning shower drives us back to the hotel. With nothing else to do, we decide that drinking a couple of dark and stormies is the only way to go. Good choice, they’re incredible.

2:00pm Sun is finally out! Reading my book under an umbrella and get lost in the story, only to come back to reality 3 hours later. I love when that happens.

5:00pm Shooting one more outfit post because I love you guys and the outfit was kind of epic.

5:45 Taking our last romantic stroll along the beach with Anel. I can’t believe it’s already our last night here!

8:30pm Sitting at the most romantic outside restaurant, Coco Bistro, eating lobster and avocado spring rolls, more dark and stormies (why not?) and reviewing the highlights of our trip.

Sunday:
7:30 am Wake up early to say goodbye to paradise. A quick breakfast followed by one last look at the view before taking off to the airport. It was an incredible 5 days and I wouldn’t change a thing. I thank Anel, myself, and the universe for blessing me with opportunities like this trip. I will come home a new, refreshed woman.