M.E.X.I.C.O.C.U.

These past few weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind. Between R going to L.A., me going to Mexico, getting boutique DESIGN and DREAMbooks produced and out of the office, embarking on the production of Evteks News and Fabrics & Furnishings International's Summer issue and readying myself mentally and physically for Vegas next week - I guess I've had a lot on the brain. Perhaps why I haven't much been blogging, and am now talking like Yoda.

I may be slowly losing it folks.

But - the bright side is that between all of that work, work and more work, I managed to fit in a few fun-filled activities that I'd love to gush about.

First off, there's Mexico. I haven't had much time to fill you in on my trip and what went down in the country of swine flu (which is totally being blown out of proportion, btw). For a brief rundown of the Banyan Tree Mayakoba, check out my blog on boutique DESIGN. But here, I'll tell you a little more of the fun details that BD readers may or may not be interested in. The first day at the resort, we toured the entire property from the all-pool villas to the residences that not only have their own private pools and hot tubs, but sit right on the beach overlooking the Caribbean Sea - which I do believe could not possibly be a more perfect shade of aquamarine. That night we dined at Saffron, the resort's authentic Thai restaurant. (Banyan Tree is a Thai brand with lots of properties dotting Asia and Europe, but the Mexico spot is the first North American opening.) The food - everything from green curry to roasted veggies to duck to sesame seed ice cream - was delicious, and the ambiance (an outdoor deck which juts out over the water of the resorts man-made canals) even better. It was good preparation for the next day which would be full of activity.

On Thursday, we trekked out to Coba, where we climbed the only still-climbable Mayan temple in the Riviera Maya's collection of ruins. Riding bikes through the ancient city, ziplining through the trees, canoeing through lakes and swimming in a cenote worked up quite an appetite for us journos, and sure enough it was satiated by a traditional, Mayan-style meal complete with fresh tortillas and ice-cold cervezas. Yum. Then we had to go back to the hotel and only two hours later...eat again. That was rough. But we managed - perhaps only because we weren't fed a seven-course meal like the night prior. Thank god.

The next day was Tulum - another ancient Mayan city; this one used as a trading port in the old days, and also as a giant calendar to predict the seasons and time of year by charting the solstices. Perched right on the beach, the city is as beautiful as it is haunting. I could only imagine what it must have been like thousands of years ago, living only by the sun and hoping for a plethora of goods to come your way through the port - how primitively exciting! That afternoon, after two days of trekking through ruins, it was time to be treated to an intense relaxation session, i.e. a three-hour Thai massage. How awful, right? Of course it was fabulous and of course the three hours seemed like one. I could use another round right now.

The last day, we had some time to relax, after an eco-tour through the canals of the Mayakoba development where I and the rest of the crew got to plant our very own trees! That's right, I now own a Button-wood Mangroves in the Riviera Maya...or at least that's what the Banyan Tree team has lead me to believe. After a day of lounging, we ventured to Playa del Carmen, where we happened upon the best taco bus ever. This woman sure knew how to whip up a fried jalapeno. We capped off the trip with a dinner at a traditional Mayan restaurant and were ready to head home.

As much as the adventure of the journey had me going, I was anxious to get back to NYC, especially to a certain Apt. 5K, where I was warmly welcomed with a kiss and a rose. (Note to self: think of this moment whenEVER feeling down about...well...anything.)

P.S. When I started writing this I ambitiously thought I'd cover Mexico and the Kills concert - hence the title, M.E.X.I.C.O.C.U., but I'm saving that for the next round.