Global Travel From Texas

Tuscany p. 16 New Zealand p. 28 London & the Cotswolds p. 10 Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula p.50 Lands of the Midnight Sun p. 24 plus Acapulco p. 34

BROADMOOR FLY FISHING | SAVANNAH | NEW MEXICO

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | Jet Setter Mexico

(Continued from page 41)

After ordering a blackberry margarita from the poolside bar, I leisurely drank in the serene surroundings. It was early May, the tail end of high season. But this pool—one of four at the resort—was practically empty. It was lovely to be in this peaceful jungle setting as the sun began to set.

I strolled next door to Fuego, Mahekal’s newest oceanfront restaurant. With no walls to hinder the ocean view, and live music to accompany a feast of Mexican and Latin American cuisine, this was a candlelit meal to remember. As with all four of Mahekal’s onsite restaurants, Fuego’s ingredients are locally sourced, cooked fresh, and served with artistic flair. Every course was as beautiful as it was delicious.

In fact, every bite I took at Mahekal turned out to be a delight to my senses. I couldn’t get enough of the local fruits, fresh-squeezed orange juice, green smoothies, and even Fuego’s unique breakfast pizza served with an egg on top.

When staying at Mahekal Beach Resort, there is very little reason to leave.

42 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Special Travel Issue 2019

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | Jet Setter Central America

Living the Dream Down South

By Samantha Cook

Las Catalinas and Recreo offer a different way of life in Guanacaste.

A direct three-hour flight from Houston, the Liberia airport is easy to navigate and a quick drive to either Las Catalinas or Recreo, two totally different Costa Rican experiences. With some Texans reluctant to travel to Mexico’s beach resorts, Costa Rica is becoming the new jewel down south.

Las Catalinas, on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, was started in 2010 as the vision of an Atlanta businessman. While the town sits on 1,200 acres, only 20% of that acreage will be built on; the rest will be left as virgin tropical forest. Las Catalinas’ architects have designed a diverse walkable village with a unique community that folks visit and don’t want to leave.

The plan is to build a town that lasts for centuries, a timeless tropical theme using hyper local materials. The design has to meet three criteria:

1. Is it walkable? 2. Does it maintain privacy? 3. Does it optimize the use of the land? The view corridors of this hill town are amazing!

Currently (as of February 2019), approximately 10 families, six with children, live in Las Catalinas and the rest of the housing is rented out. In this resort-based economy, the goal is to have 40% full-time residents in this first phase, called “Beach Town.”

It is not uncommon for visitors to come to Las Catalinas for a two to three week holiday. Visitors realize that, with that length of stay, you really get to experience the town, almost like a sabbatical from the so-called real world. Wi-Fi is optional in each apartment or villa so you can work and stay connected to whatever degree you choose.

Make sure you fully experience the beauty of the environment in Las Catalinas by stopping by the outfitter Pura Vida Ride, where you can rent kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, snorkel equipment and mountain bikes for one of the best mountain biking experiences in the country.

Take a dip in the pool while watching the sun descend into the Pacific Ocean at Las Catalinas.

courtesy photo

46 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Special Travel Issue 2019

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | Jet Setter Stateside

south dakota department of tourism

Al Fresco Art & the Perfect Getaway Weekend in

Sioux Falls

By Haven Lindsey

For most busy Americans, a weekend getaway is often more restorative than a long vacation – it requires less planning and tends to be easier to get away from busy schedules for a few days than for a week or more. If you’re looking for a place that checks everything on your ‘Weekend Getaway List,’ then check into Sioux Falls.

South Dakota’s largest and most diverse city (60 languages are spoken in the local high school), Sioux Falls embodies small-town friendliness with big-city possibilities. Perhaps the most enchanting thing about this jewel of a city, that rests on a large outcropping of pink-colored rock known as Sioux Quartzite, is the wealth of outdoor art, music and culture.

Art Al Fresco

In 2004, the city of Sioux Falls decided to embrace the notion of ‘Al Fresco Art’ to add artistic pizzazz to its historical district and introduced Sculpture Walk. Visitors are welcome to see, touch, photograph and pose with more than 50 original outdoor sculptures displayed

year-round. The annual exhibit changes its sculptures each year.

In its latest addition, Sculpture Walk has unveiled a permanent, signature piece that is sure to elevate its respected art reputation to one of national prominence. The Arc of Dreams is a massive stainless steel sculpture that spans the width of the Big Sioux River. The sculpture is nearly the length of a football field and pays tribute to dreamers everywhere.

In addition to its active outdoor art scene, Sioux Falls is home to Washington Pavilion, a worthy destination on its own. Located in a renovated high school, the stately building with its impressive windows and pink Sioux Quartzite exterior is home to off-Broadway productions, presentations, galleries, children’s workshops and a preschool to encourage and inspire discovery and creativity.

In keeping with the al fresco theme, Sioux Falls is also home to Levitt on the Falls, a new outdoor music venue that offers 50 free concerts a year. The enterprising city doesn’t stop with the arts; it also hits the mark with all things on the culinary checklist.

52 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Special Travel Issue 2019