Life’s a beach; my personal top three
The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, of the sea. Writer Isak Dinesen once said this, and I fully agree. There is something very healing and relaxing about being near the sea, and one of my favorite ways to spend a holiday is on the beach, either with family, friends or lovers. This is my top three of ‘salty’ hang outs:
South Beach, Miami: work it!
Imagine this: you wake up at 6 in the morning, sneak out while your daughter is still asleep, and go for a glorious run on the still empty beach. Then, when you’ve worked up a nice sweat, you take off all your clothes and jump in the cool refreshing water with a loud scream. Good morning, Miami! This is where I like to go to bond with my teenage daughter Zilver. There are nice wide beaches with a skyline dotted with gorgeous Art Deco hotels, the people watching is great and the night scene fun and outrageous.
Hotel: The Ritz-Carlton South Beach
My Miami vice: shopping! The Ritz-Carlton has two entrances; one on the beach, and one leading to a shopping paradise. How very convenient..
Talamanca Beach, Ibiza: BFFs on the loose
It’s quite ironic; I visit this party island every year, but hardly ever see the inside of a club. That’s because I like to come here for some hardcore BFF time; lingering al fresco dinners, long walks, beach work outs, all the while chatting about life, love and literature. Talamanca beach is long and wide, with white soft sand and shallow clear waters. Once, during a walk there with my friend I got so distracted by our lovely conversation that I went deeper and deeper into the sea, accidentally overcoming my fear of water!
Hotel: Ocean Drive Ibiza
Ibiza ritual: Every morning, we walk into Ibiza Town (a 15 minute walk) to visit café Croissant Show for the best breakfast –Belgian hot chocolate and perfectly soft boiled eggs- and amazing people watching.
Jimbaran Bay, Bali: in love on the Island of the Gods
There is only one way to describe this island: seriously sensual. Love is in the air, everywhere you go. And to get lost in that atmosphere with your lover is an almost religious experience. Whereas the beaches of Kuta and Seminyak can get pretty crowded, the Four Seasons in Jimbaran Bay is a zen-like oasis. Favorite spot there: my own private infinity plunge pool overlooking the deep blue ocean. Or should I say: the sea of love?
Hotel: Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay
My Bali binge – An orgy of wood-BBQ’d seafood –lobster, shrimp etc- on the beach outside the hotel, while watching the sunset with your feet in the sand.
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MD Friends
Building bridges
From the Erasmus Bridge and the Mercedes-Benz Museum to Qatar’s metro network; Ben van Berkel’s iconic landmarks bring people together in rapturous beauty, again and again. I talked with the Dutch architect and educator about sensuality, ‘healthy’ buildings and the remarkable parallels between our designs.
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MD Friends
More than a feeling
Don’t ignore your emotions; they are much more powerful than you can imagine. By linking the magical world of emotions with hard science, Dutch scientist Pierre Capel, professor emeritus in experimental immunology, shows us the consequences of our feelings and the power of our minds. The message: we can do much more than we think. “Meditate. It’s the single best thing you can do for your health.”
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Marlies Says
Keto curious?
The fact that I feel bikini-confident all year round is, of course, a nice bonus. But for me, the biggest payoff of following the keto diet is the way it optimizes my health and gives me tons of energy.
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Marlies Says
Super (skin) food
‘If you can’t eat it, why put it on your skin?’. I pretty much live by this beauty adage. After all, with your skin being one of your body’s largest organs, anything – and I mean anything! – you put onto your skin will end up in your bloodstream.
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