I began this year with the intention to try new things. I became a certified yoga barre teacher, I collaborated with Marcella at her micro-restaurant, I got back into baking bread, I tried new workout classes. And when Mikayla, my beloved yoga teacher turned friend, shared with me that she was hosting a yoga retreat in Jamaica, I told myself I was going.
There’s more backstory, though. I connected with Daniela of AdZENture Retreats last year and cooked for a retreat she hosted with another yoga teacher in Joshua Tree. I really enjoyed cooking for that retreat. The guests were incredibly gracious, Daniela and I connected very quickly, and I liked the flow of the retreat itself. AdZENture partners with yoga instructors to curate unique retreats all over the world. Every retreat looks different depending on the instructor and their offerings and the location.
So cut to the end of last year, Mikayla and I are getting to know each other after her 9am power flow class on Fridays and Sundays, and she tells me she really wants to host a retreat. I immediately thought of Daniela, linked them through Instagram, and well, the rest is history. (Yes, everyone can give me credit for setting them up and then this retreat by proxy!!!)
I have cooked for many retreats of all different sorts. And so I was always picky and hesitant about retreats when it came to attending one myself. I had seen behind the curtain, had seen retreats where schedules were packed to the brim, had seen guests cracked open and vulnerable. I didn’t want to be cracked open, I didn’t want a packed schedule, and I didn’t want to have to be vulnerable if I didn’t want to be (but if you know me you know I am always vulnerable anyway). I just wanted to do yoga every day, potentially multiple times a day, and I wanted to relax. And this retreat encompassed just that.
I dragged Garrett along with me so we could try something new together and celebrate our one-year wedding anniversary. He also adores Mikayla and her style of teaching, so it was (relatively) easy to convince him to join me.
The Details/First Night
Typically, Garrett and I research and plan our trips to the umpteenth degree. We become obsessed and talk about it ad nauseum for months and weeks before. This trip was different because we didn’t need to plan anything except for our flights and optional spa treatments. I understand now why people use travel agents!
We took a red-eye from LAX to Newark and then from Newark to Montego Bay. A sprinter van was already booked and waiting for us. Garrett and I were the first to land, so while we waited for the other guests to arrive we grabbed a patty. We sat outside, sheltered from the pouring rain underneath the awning of the airport, eating our flaky, perfect, spice-filled snack.
We met the other guests and made the (suddenly sunny) two-ish hour drive to Negril. We all were tired and maybe even a little hangry from travel, but it’s amazing how quickly we went from strangers to friends - offering each other snacks, finding out how we all know Mikayla or heard about the retreat.
We got to the Skylark, our home for the next five days, and were welcomed with rum punch and cold towels. Mikayla was there to greet us, Daniela got all of us checked in, and then we settled in and changed before heading to Rockhouse (a 10 minute drive away) for our first dinner. Skylark and Rockhouse are sister hotels - there is a daily shuttle for guests of each property to enjoy the other - so we had many opportunities during our stay to check it out. Rockhouse has an onsite organic farm that provides produce for both hotel restaurants. We got to visit one day for a sound bath in one of the gardens and it was awesome to learn about their environmental practices and check out the current growth.
Every meal we ate together was included, another major perk (alcoholic or specialty drinks were extra). For our dinner at Rockhouse, we shared plantain chips with ackee dip, crab quesadillas, and a smoked marlin tostada. I got a gin spritz and curry vegetable stew. It was a delicious first meal enjoyed in front of a breathtaking view.
During dinner, Mikayla shared her intentions for the retreat, as well as her gratitude for our trust in her. Then we all had the chance to share our respective intentions. For some it was deepening their yoga practice or going with the flow, for others it was deepening their self love or sense of self, and for another few it was resetting after burn out (mine was a combo of all three).
After dinner, we made our way back to the Skylark and had a cozy, restorative first yoga session in the open-aired yoga shala we would come to know incredibly well in the week ahead. I drifted off to sleep in 2.5 seconds after this.
I could get into the specifics of each and every day, and I will get to the notable activities, but our itinerary for each day was pretty much as follows -
sunrise beach meditation
yoga
breakfast together
free time (for Garrett and I this meant sitting our asses in the cyan colored beach chairs and reading)
lunch together
free time or some sort of group activity
yoga workshop (inversion practice and guidance) or sound bath/restore flow
dinner together
What I liked the most about this retreat was how relaxed and flexible it was. Mikayla and Daniela did a fantastic job of reading the room, adjusting timings or flow styles as needed. It felt structured but not rigid. There was never any pressure. Our meals together were spent laughing, sharing, connecting. It was the ideal balance of community and individual time. There was even time and space for Garrett to work every day, and still enjoy the yoga and activities. The formula was ideal, in my opinion.
The Notables
Daily meals at Miss Lily’s, the Skylark’s restaurant - we had a specifically set menu for retreats/groups, but there were enough options to try something new every day, and we could add on from the regular menu for an additional cost. Most of us stuck to the vegan ackee cookup (ackee, callaloo greens, plantains and sweet potato) for breakfast each day, and I ate a lot of ital stew (veggie curry), jerk chicken, and coconut shrimp. Honorable mentions: crispy fish on coco bread, ackee and saltfish, cod fritters, jerk corn!
Catamaran day - Daniela booked this through the hotel I believe. It was SO fun. Drinks and lunch at a nearby island were included. We snorkeled, which I had never done before, and saw translucent moon jellyfish, striped fish, colorful reefs, and an old anchor. Even the storm that rolled in couldn’t stop us from having the best time.
The yoga - Mikayla is an incredible teacher and guide. She is a yoga instructor, trainer, sound practitioner, and an absolute joy to be around. I love the way she cues, the little (not so little) wisdoms she brings to each class, the way she ties in multiple meanings to approaching and holding a pose or meditation. Each class taught me something new about my practice or myself. If you’re in Los Angeles, I highly recommend taking a class of hers (her schedule is on her Instagram) and she’s hosting another retreat in Bali next year…
The spa at Skylark - Garrett and I booked a couple’s scrub, massage and soak. The massage therapists were amazing and so kind. We gifted ourselves two and a half hours to relax and soak it all in together (literally and figuratively).
The nights at Miss Lily’s - every night felt like a party, there was always a DJ playing reggaeton, plenty of Red Stripes and tropical drinks. We’d go around the table and share our highlights of the day, bad date stories, and pass each other bites. One of the nights, we all watched from the bar as Garrett and Mikayla’s mom cha-cha’d under the disco ball. By the last night, we were taking silly, zoomed out videos of each other and dancing on chairs (okay that was just me).
If you are looking for your next tropical vacation, I highly recommend visiting Jamaica. The people, the food, the weather, the green, the WATER!
And if you are feeling called to attend a retreat, I wholeheartedly and with gusto suggest that it be one of AdZENture’s and Mikayla’s. I left the experience with an assured sense of self, beautiful friendships, a full belly, a deepened yoga practice, and feeling well-rested. Maybe you’ll have a similar experience :)
