221: The Cozy Episode
We had such a GREAT time at our inaugural PodCastaway Retreat with these amazing humans! Saying goodbye was bittersweet, but this weekend was only the beginning of Team 10K helping these and other new podcasters amplify their voices in the world of podcasting!
FOCUSRITE, our Speaker Sponsor TO THE RESCUE! Thank you, Dan Hughley, Sr. Marketing Manager of Focusrite for not only giving an amazing session, but for providing these beautiful Scarlett 2i2 interfaces to our PodCastaway participants!
Now, THAT’s what we call a SWAG BAG! photo credit: Desiree Montes
THANK YOU, OSSA COLLECTIVE for being our coffee station sponsor! You provided us with our morning pick me up and calmed us down with some chamomile at the end of the night.
PodCastaway Retreat started out in 10K style with custom-made Journey Across the Board charcuterie cones and grazing boards.
Thank you, Jon Barr, Sean Gerrity & John Gibson, Jr.!!
Having been raised in a very religious environment, Alison is currently captivated by The Righteous Gemstones, the hit dark comedy on HBO Max.
Always very careful during the pandemic, Lulu is loving that she can work in coffee shops again. Working at home can be good, but there are plenty of really important things to be done there too. So, coffee shops help her focus and get stuff done. She’s also obsessed with the drink she gets there- London Fog.
Hand in hand with her obsession this week, Lulu wishes for unlimited London Fogs to drink while she works out of a coffee shop.
Alison wishes that Disney would put the Annual Passes back on sale again so she could do the payment plan and have that as a fun option for her kids.
Well, it’s safe to say that Lulu and Alison have polar opposite ideas of what ‘cozy’ means to them! But, both are delicious! So, this week Lulu found what looks like an incredibly peaceful and cozy (in my mind too) retreat from the hustle and bustle of our fast-paced lives. “Eilean Shona nestles in a tranquil loch on the dramatic west coast of Scotland and is a car-free wilderness heaven. Days are filled with cooking and drinking around camp fires, wild swimming, reading, hiking, picnicking, kayaking, nature watching, and generally pottering about.” I mean, C’MON!! I want to ‘potter about’ in Scotland! In the dark…with no wifi… Wait, can I order a burly Scotsman to be my host/groundskeeper? And please, someone stop me from wanting to turn this tranquil isle into a British murder mystery!
This island has a rich history including the fact that J. M. Barrie spent the summer of 1920 on Eileen Shona with his foster son, Michael Llewelyn Davies, the principal inspiration for Peter Pan, while he was at work on the screenplay. Lulu chose the Old Schoolhouse for her peaceful 10K retreat with no electricity, phone signal, internet, nor neighbors. When Vanessa Branson helmed the renovation (owned by the family), she had the gaslights sourced from the manufacturer whose fittings are on Buckingham Palace. That’s what we call FANCY!
Now, when you rent on Eilean Shona, you better be prepared to stay for the week, as the ferry that transports you only comes on Wednesdays. They do have a shop on the island for normal amenities, but Lulu decided to come pretty prepared. And by ‘pretty prepared’ we mean…with a huge Harry & David Ultimate Wine Gift which would provide her a healthy array of meats, cheeses, candies and wine! Throw in a couple good books and a sketch pad and I think we have a perfect week planned!
Going full-on retreat rustic, Lulu got the Knight at Stavely Castle puzzle from Stave Puzzles. Now, this isn’t just your average ‘dump it on the table and go’ kind of puzzle. This is a hand painted, double decker, trick wooden puzzle! “Formed by five confusing puzzle layers, the stone will mystify you with its interchangeable pieces. Only by carefully configuring each layer will the knight be able to remove the sword.” Do yourself a favor and look them up. It’s fascinating what a niche market they’ve created!
And since there is no electricity, Lulu brought her own Feuerhand Hurricane Lamp to assist in the dark. Our Lulu surely does love a good headlamp!
Alison’s view of ‘cozy’ is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Not only location, but climate! While Lulu chose chilly and rustic Scotland, Alison chose tropical Oranjestad, Aruba! Staying at the Ritz-Carlton, Aruba, she had access to Flamingo Beach, “a private beach on Renaissance Island where a handful of pink flamingos roam the sugary white sands and turquoise waters of the Dutch Caribbean.” Now, you may already know that Alison loves a nude beach, but the mom in her had to point out that although going topless IS allowed on Flamingo Beach, it is not allowed in the family areas.
Breakfast was at One Happy Bowl for some healthy fare like Tofu Scramble with Avocado, Tomato Salsa & Pan Bati, Flamingo Pancakes, and Coconut Yogurt, Homemade Granola & Fresh Fruits. Then it was time to go shop for some ‘cozy’ things! So, it was off to the Renaissance Mall & Marketplace she went to spend 1K on some cozy items. Being in the Aruba sunshine can take its toll on your skin, so Alison made sure to stop in at the Aruba Aloe Vera Farm to take a tour to see how the aloe is processed as well as stock up on some great aloe products.
She had lunch at Que Pasa?, a “restaurant, bar and art gallery all in one experience!” And as if the Ritz-Carlton wasn’t enough, she stopped at the EFOREA Spa for some ‘cozy’ treatments before dinner at Screaming Eagle Aruba. This is what inspired her whole trip as the restaurant is very ‘loungey’ and gave her the feeling of luxurious coziness as she would eat great food and drink great wine while lazing around on couches and pillows. And always one to give back, Alison took 20 $100 bills and left them under pillows for people to find!
Alison hit the CVS jackpot when she went to checkout and didn’t have to pay a CENT! That’s her CVS Extra Care card in action, folks! And just imagine many miles her receipts would be to get to that level!
Lulu feels like this month she is truly living her mantra phrase of the year: Foster Bravery.
CHECK OUT THE CHARITIES WE FOUND IN THE CITIES WE VISITED:
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