Puerto Rico has been at the top of my list of places to visit over the last couple of years — mainly because I wanted to support the US Territory, post-hurricane Maria. Puerto Rico has been in the news because of their protest of Gov. Ricardo Rossello, who was caught sending hundreds of pages of sexist, homophobic, inhumane messages including texts joking about the many citizens who lost their lives during Hurricane Maria. As of today, the Governor has finally resigned effective August 2nd.
When I visited Puerto Rico, I could feel the pride and resilience of the people, and their successful twelve-day protest proves it. Though more than 76% of Puerto Rican's identified as white, Puerto Rico is mixed and has African roots. In fact, one of its most popular dishes, Mofongo, is a green plantain mash that is served topped with a protein like chicken or seafood, which is derived from the West and Central African, fufu. To learn more about this history, you'll want to stop in Piñones in Loiza and take a tour with Derek. Loíza was where African slaves (of Yoruba descent) were forced to live and work by the Spanish colonizers during the slave trade.
Since Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico has made major strides and is ready and opening their arms to tourists to experience their sunshine-filled, cultural mecca.
Here is where I stayed, ate, shopped, danced, and learned in San Juan:
Where To Stay:
Casa Los Cummins
I can thank Hotel Tonight for introducing me to this eight-bedroom B&B run by fashion designer turned home designer, Lucy Cummins. The bright decor and home-like energy of the space were two of my favorite things about staying there — not to mention the location is close to most everything you'll want to see in San Juan. Casa Los Cummins also offers a complimentary breakfast with cereal, eggs, toast, and coffee (or tea).
The Dreamcatcher
Settled in Ocean Park, the nine-room, three-suite hotel is an ideal getaway for true rest and relaxation. I stayed at the The Dreamcatcher for three days in their Sanctuary room which included private outdoor facilities decked out with an outdoor shower. The property offered daily beachside yoga and meditation classes along with breakfast and brunch serving up vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options to its guests. What I loved even more about the property is that the beach is in our backyard within a two-minute walk from the hotel.
Caribe Hilton
The Caribe Hilton has been a San Juan staple for seventy years and has just reopened its doors after a multi-million dollar restoration initiative. With six oceanfront view pools, a private beach, and a swim-up bar — you won't have to leave the property for beach days.
Where To Eat:
Bebo's Cafe
Bebo's was recommended to me by a Puerto Rican native. If you get a chance to stop by, tell Eduardo I sent you and don't forget to have the crab Mofongo with a side of sangria.
Birria & Empanadas
Located in Old San Juan, the small bar serves cocktails with empanadas you won't want to pass up. I suggest the chorizo or chicken.
Casita Miramar
Casita Miramar was one of my best dining experiences in San Juan. The service was excellent. My whole snapper and seasonal rose apple mojito were my perfect last meal before departing the island.
Double Cake
Double Cake was another option recommended to me by a local. Double Cake is one of many woman-owned businesses in the walkable Calle Loiza in Santurce. Coffee- and sweets- lovers alike will get their fix. The bakery is known for its assortment of cupcakes, but I went for the pecan layered cake. I think it was the southern gal in me that made me go for that choice.
El Nie Bar
Okay, this isn't quite a restaurant as it is more like a dive bar, but the spicy salmon empanadas were so tasty I would take a special trip back to the island to have a bite of one.
Hecho En Casa
Steak mofongo with a side of cabbage and a mojito
Sheriden Chanel/xoNecole
Located in Old San Juan, this restaurant with its open windows and inviting staff touts offering a traditional approach to Puerto Rican cuisine. The island's staple mofongo is served here but in an open-faced take that is reminiscent of a pot pie and oh-so-delicious. They also have my favorite mojito of all time. And you can't leave without a shot of Gran Anejo rum, which if you didn't know is THE Puerto Rican rum (fun fact: Bacardi rum is actually Cuban despite having a distillery there). It hits different when you're actually in San Juan, trust.
What To Do:
El Yunque National Forest
You can't go to Puerto Rico without visiting one of its most regarded natural treasures, the El Yunque National Forest. While Puerto Rico is known for its beautiful beaches and water activities, El Yunque deserves just as much love. The tropical rainforest expands to about 29,000 acres and its vast beauty can be uncovered either alone or one of many excursions the island has to offer.
La Placita
This famed nightlife spot has been around for over 100 years and is the Thursday night hangout for people to let their inhibitions go and dance the night away. Imagine a block party times one thousand. La Placita made my trip to Puerto Rico one I'll never forget. I danced to music I knew from my hometown (The Migos and Lil Nas X were on blast) and shook my hips to Reggaeton classics and new additions from Puerto Rico's own Bad Bunny. Even though there were thousands of people bouncing from club to club (I don't like crowds), I never felt unsafe.
Esquina El Watusi
El Watusi
This is a local hangout where people spill out into the street with their Medalla Light, talk with their friends, and salsa dance the night away with live music as their soundtrack.
La Factoria
La Factoria is the Saturday night hotspot, and since my flight was out at 6 pm that day, I missed experiencing it firsthand. The nightlife spot has nearly a five-star rating on Yelp and lives up to what co-founder Roberto Berdecia hoped for, "We intended to create a space that will help elevate the Puerto Rican cocktail industry and take it to another level so that the country would gain worldwide recognition." If you're a whiskey drinker, the spiced old fashion seems to be a universal crowd-pleaser.
Get Photos With A Tour On The Side
Raul Lopez Mestres
When I reached out to Raul about his Street Art Photo + Walk, it was a long shot because his Airbnb Experience is usually sold out, but I was lucky, and he made room for me. We walked the streets of Santurce, took photos, and talked about what it means to be creative with loads of student loan debt (relatable, right?).
Johnny & June
To be honest, I hadn't given much thought to shopping while I was in Puerto Rico, but I'm glad I did. I started Googling and stumbled across a sister-run vintage shop in the Santurce district. They had vintage Moschino pieces and more reasonable options like the $38 pair of leather, snakeskin print pants I couldn't leave behind.
A Late Night Tour
When I travel solo to a new city, I usually skip the nightlife because I like to play it safe and do what my mom taught me, "You better be in this house when those street lights come on." But, thanks to Griselle and her tour, I was able to get an authentic experience of the nightlife in San Juan. Be sure to pack comfy shoes because there is a lot of walking, but the bars you go to and street art you see are well worth it.
Moni & Coli
As I was walking down Calle Loiza, I saw a cute little boutique and stopped in. This shop was also a sister-run business owned by Mónica and Nichole Oyola. What made this modern, well-decorated boutique special were the local vendors they carry in their shop like jewelry designer, Michelle Llavona.
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RELATED
Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
___
Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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And so, since this is the time of year when catching a cold (and/or the flu) is common, let’s talk about the impact that sleep (and again, a lack thereof) has on your immune system. That way, you can remain as healthy as possible during the fall and winter seasons.
1. Less Sleep Means More Colds
GiphyLike I stated in the intro, I’m pretty sure you’ve heard somewhere that the fall and winter are the seasons when people are most susceptible to catching a cold or coming down with the flu. And that’s exactly why I thought I would start this all off by sharing the fact that some studies reveal that if you get less than six hours of sleep, on a consistent basis, you end up making yourself more vulnerable to coming down with both. In fact, some research says that only 18 percent of people who get six-plus hours of rest caught a cold while almost 40 percent who got less than that did.
The logic behind it all is sleep gives your body time to build up the proteins and cells (like cytokines and T-cells) that you need to fight off certain viruses. So, if nothing bothers you more than having a stuffy nose or stubborn cough when it’s cold outside, getting more sleep is one way to prevent that from happening to you.
2. Less Sleep Means More Allergy Symptoms
GiphyAt the end of the day, an allergy is basically what transpires whenever your immune system “overreacts” to something that other people’s systems do not. And since sleep is what helps to keep your immune system nice and strong — well, I’m sure you get how less allergy-related symptoms and more sleep go hand in hand. Also, since sleep helps to decrease bodily inflammation (more on that in a bit) and inflammation can also intensify allergy symptoms, that’s just one more reason to get as much shut-eye as possible.
3. Less Sleep Means Potential Diabetes and Heart Disease
GiphyDid you know that in 2024, Black women were diagnosed with diabetes 24 percent more than any other adult demographic. Also, it continues to be a reality that heart disease is the leading cause of death for Black women. These two sobering statistics alone should be enough of an incentive to do whatever you can to keep the risk of diabetes and heart disease way down.
One way to do that is by getting more sleep. Aside from the fact that sleep strengthens your immune system to where it is easier for you to fight off illness and diseases, sleep can keep your blood sugar levels in a healthy space; plus, when it comes to your heart, it gives it, along with your arteries and blood vessels a break.
4. Less Sleep Means Less Time for Your Body to Push “Reset”
GiphyIf you really stopped to consider all that your body goes through during the day (you can read some about that here), you definitely would respect it enough to do your best to thank it by giving it no less than six hours of sleep, each and every night. Sleep is what helps to slow your brain and body down so they are able to “refuel” for the next day. After all, how can your body prevent you from getting sick if your immune system is too worn out to fight ailments off? Exactly.
5. More Sleep Helps You to Fight Off Infections
GiphySpeaking of, in order for your body to fight off infections, there are certain cells and antibodies within you that need to be healthy and strong — one way that they get and stay that way is by you getting a good amount of sleep. For instance, remember when I touched on cytokines earlier? Well, the same way that they help to prevent colds, they also help to prevent infections too. And since sleep lowers your cortisol (stress) levels, rest gives your body the time and space to build up an army that can fight off free radicals and other health-related challenges while you are awake.
6. More Sleep Lowers Bodily Inflammation
GiphyWhenever a health-related issue is mentioned on this platform, inflammation is something that is mentioned quite a bit. Probably the easiest way to explain inflammation is it’s how your body responds/reacts whenever something is happening to your body that shouldn’t be, whether it’s an illness, an injury, a germ or something that you may be allergic to.
If you happen to have chronic inflammation, some symptoms that are associated with that include fatigue, stiff joints, skin rashes, weight gain and moodiness.
The interesting thing about all of this is if you aren’t getting enough rest, you could be triggering inflammation in your body. That’s because studies reveal that a lack of sleep can elevate molecules that are associated with inflammation. So, if you don’t want inflammation to increase within your system, you should definitely catch more zzz’s.
7. More Sleep Regulates Hormones
GiphyWhen it comes to hormones like serotonin, estrogen and cortisol, believe it or not, they play a role in how your immune system acts and overreacts. That’s because, if your hormones are out of balance, that can cause your immune system to work harder than it actually should and that can make you more vulnerable to sickness. One way to keep your hormones leveled out? SLEEP.
That’s because sleep gives your body the opportunity to rest, repair and restore your hormone levels. On the other hand, when you are sleep deprived, that can put/keep your hormones on the ultimate roller coaster ride. #notgood
8. More Sleep Strengthens Vaccines
flu shot GIF - Find & Share on GIPHYGiphyIf you’re someone who is good for getting some sort of vaccine around this time of the year, make sure that you rest up before and after getting your shots. Not only does adequate rest before a vaccination help your immune system to be better receptive to your shots but sleep also helps your body to build up enough antibodies to make your vaccinations effective after getting them. Because if you’re gonna get pricked, shouldn’t it be worth it? My thoughts exactly.
Get some freakin’ sleep! Your immune system depends on it.
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