MAGIC
Once in a while you have a magical experience.
The one that sticks with you, ingrained in your memory.
Of course my magical experience could be your disaster but when its yours and it checks all the right boxes it's a keeper down to every little detail!
About 2 weeks ago I had one. I was lucky enough to be a guest at The Plantation in Puerto Rico, an authentic, hilltop hacienda that made you feel as if you were either on a well planned movie set or living back in time.
The property was run down in a perfect sort of way and that is where the magic began (for me). As we entered the long winding drive we saw horse stables and my first thought was farm but during the course of the night I found out the owner of The Plantation rehabilitates horses.
So fun to exit the car and be greeted by these 5 men playing local music! As as we started up the steep, cobblestone pathway to the hacienda I just may have had goosebumps and I was quietly thankful for the Birkenstock sandals I was wearing.
Our reward for making to the top was a blue colored rum based drink. The boxes in my mental checklist were quickly filling up!
But I was far too busy taking in the sights to focus beyond the straw. For a creative, decor-loving, garden-appreciating gal like me it was overwhelming.
Think open air concept as in no walls! And it actually sunk in when shortly after we arrived it started to rain. Turns out most of the spaces had roofs, but no walls.
But it was the way all the spaces connected to each other effortlessly that amazed me.
Flowering vines climbed roof lines and draped down just enough to be in my sight line, while planters, palms, flowers and greenery filled every nook and corner making it feel like one gigantic indoor outdoor garden.
And the twinkling magical part was each roof lines was also draped in white lights. Once the sun set the entire place sparkled in a vintage, rustic, tropical sort of way.
We found the Rumelier and spent far too long listening to how he infuses flavor into his 40 some-odd bottles.
We tried passion fruit, pomegranate, coconut, black sesame seed, banana, spices that while engulfed in a small flame were crushed with a mortar and pedestal then mixed with rum in a flour sack before going into our shot glass, and a few others that escape me.
We wandered into a large living room type space with a giant hearth and a very large, round wood coffee table with this beautiful centerpiece. It was a low and very wide bowl with cut fuchsia flowers.
And in the corner at a desk sat a gentleman rolling cigars for any takers.
During the course of the evening I saw 3 spaces that were actual rooms with doors, walls and ceilings. The library, lined with books and perfectly worn leather furniture, and 2 bedrooms were in this part of the home, below.
Dinner was served and I tried the pork that was on full display when we entered the Plantation, roasting on a large metal rod, and a few other local specialties. We sat at long wood tables lined with vintage-looking lace runners and candelabras.
Even the powder bath screamed authentic hacienda. The counter was a worn, rustic sliver of wood.
And although our group was about 100 strong it felt as if we were at a dinner party for 12!
Sadly, the night came to an end but not before we visited the Rumelier again and watched salsa dancers perform.
The one that sticks with you, ingrained in your memory.
Of course my magical experience could be your disaster but when its yours and it checks all the right boxes it's a keeper down to every little detail!
About 2 weeks ago I had one. I was lucky enough to be a guest at The Plantation in Puerto Rico, an authentic, hilltop hacienda that made you feel as if you were either on a well planned movie set or living back in time.
The property was run down in a perfect sort of way and that is where the magic began (for me). As we entered the long winding drive we saw horse stables and my first thought was farm but during the course of the night I found out the owner of The Plantation rehabilitates horses.
So fun to exit the car and be greeted by these 5 men playing local music! As as we started up the steep, cobblestone pathway to the hacienda I just may have had goosebumps and I was quietly thankful for the Birkenstock sandals I was wearing.
Our reward for making to the top was a blue colored rum based drink. The boxes in my mental checklist were quickly filling up!
But I was far too busy taking in the sights to focus beyond the straw. For a creative, decor-loving, garden-appreciating gal like me it was overwhelming.
Think open air concept as in no walls! And it actually sunk in when shortly after we arrived it started to rain. Turns out most of the spaces had roofs, but no walls.
But it was the way all the spaces connected to each other effortlessly that amazed me.
Flowering vines climbed roof lines and draped down just enough to be in my sight line, while planters, palms, flowers and greenery filled every nook and corner making it feel like one gigantic indoor outdoor garden.
And the twinkling magical part was each roof lines was also draped in white lights. Once the sun set the entire place sparkled in a vintage, rustic, tropical sort of way.
We found the Rumelier and spent far too long listening to how he infuses flavor into his 40 some-odd bottles.
We wandered into a large living room type space with a giant hearth and a very large, round wood coffee table with this beautiful centerpiece. It was a low and very wide bowl with cut fuchsia flowers.
And in the corner at a desk sat a gentleman rolling cigars for any takers.
During the course of the evening I saw 3 spaces that were actual rooms with doors, walls and ceilings. The library, lined with books and perfectly worn leather furniture, and 2 bedrooms were in this part of the home, below.
Dinner was served and I tried the pork that was on full display when we entered the Plantation, roasting on a large metal rod, and a few other local specialties. We sat at long wood tables lined with vintage-looking lace runners and candelabras.
And although our group was about 100 strong it felt as if we were at a dinner party for 12!
Sadly, the night came to an end but not before we visited the Rumelier again and watched salsa dancers perform.
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