Amber Jewlery by Oscar***

Great jewelry can be found all over Tulum. People are selling in shops, on the avenue and up and down the beach. Every piece is different and reflects the artists that made it. I had the pleasure about a year and half ago becoming friends with 1 such artist.

Oscar Castell Blanch Tovilla is such an amazing artist and person. Before I even knew of his many talents, he struck me as a wonderful person. our kids are good friends and we have many mutual friends. I was lucky to get a lot of time to spend with this great guy. One day we were sitting at a friends house and I complimented him on his beautiful amber necklace that he was wearing. He replied- "thanks, I made it."

this particular piece of amber had a stunning carving and was threaded on a string of equally beautiful beads. It looked so amazing on him. Before moving to Tulum I had not seen such beautiful amber and now I see it all over. but very few pieces are as stunning as some of the ones that Oscar has. His son also has a beautiful necklace that looked so great on him. I really want to get one for my son.

Amber has been used in jewelry since the stone age. It is made of tree resin that has aged and hardened for millions of years. It's deep - well- amber color has made it a favorite for jewelry but! haha. Used in ancient Greece and throughout history for in medicines. Amber has many healing powers as well.



Oscar makes beautiful jewelry out of breathtaking pieces of Amber from Chiapas, Mexico. Some are smooth pebbles and others more raw. Many of the pieces hold natures treasures that have fossilized in the amber and others have been carved with breathtaking images of Mayan gods. In addition to the amber, Oscar uses prehistoric stones to accentuate these amazing pieces.



Perfect for adults and children, the healing and protective powers of these amber necklaces and stones are the perfect addition to any collection. I am getting one for my son for his birthday. It looks great on him and this powerful energy close to his heart is very good for him.



Oscar is a man of many talents. In addition to making beautiful jewelry- he is also a talented DJ. Known as DJ Rushcar, his beats can be heard in many locations around town. You can see where you can find him on the Tulum Living Events Calendar.



One project of Oscars that I am most excited to learn more about is Dos Palmas. This healing piece of land is where Oscar and his talented friends are creating a magical retreat location. This is a place where visitors can experience the culture and magic of this area. Highlighting the healing properties of mesoamerica utilizing massage, treatments, yoga, temezcals, and ceremonies, the experiences of Dos Palmas promises to be an unforgettable experience.



You can read more about this project very soon. I will report back with all of the details. You can check the calendar for times and dates of events and temezcals.

Massages by Gina**

Getting a massage in Tulum is a wonderful experience. The sun and warmth, the sounds of the Caribbean Sea, the magical ingredients in the lotions and potions all combine to create the perfect massage. This week I celebrate my anniversary and my husband and I really wanted to celebrate and celebrate we did.

I surprised my husband when he came home from work by getting us each massages by my dear friend and wonderful massage artist, Gina. Gina is such an amazing woman. She lives near me and is the 1st person I go to with any sort of ailment because she always knows what to do and some all natural potion for it. It is truly amazing. She is also a great cook and we have grown to be wonderful friends.

I had heard that she was absolutely amazing and I was so excited to be getting this massage. Gina has created a very wonderful spa studio in her home that features artwork by her very talented husband. The feeling that she has created is amazing and really adds to the massage. For this special occasion she came to my home to do the massages, at my request and that was perfect. Hubby walked in and we were ready. I put on an iTunes playlist and we got started! The oil that Gina used was wonderful. It is a mix of her own creating and it has a wonderful smell of chocolate.

The massage was strong and deep and it felt so amazing. Gina packs some serious strength in her hands and I could feel the fibers in my muscles under her hands. Using her whole arm in this unbelievable pattern just sent me to a new world. Ever since my birthday I have been in need of some serious relaxing and this certainly did the trick.

When I was finished and hubby was getting his massage I just melted into happiness. I felt so great. The chocolate oil is even still intoxicating. What a perfect start to a wonderful evening. My husband does not get to many massages. He does a lot of physical work and forgets how great a massage feels. He absolutely loved his massage and felt so great afterwards. I can defiantly see more massages in his future.

Gina’s original background was as a social worker and it was working in hospitals with patients that she first started to incorporate touch and massage into her practice to help heal. It was at this point that she began to learn about Reiki and she found her true calling and passion. She had found an ideology of healing that matched how she felt healing should be and she dove into the practice and began to learn more and more. She began working with reflexology, hot stones and holistic massage. Her massages are a mix of these various techniques.

Gina, originally from Mexico City, has lived in the Rivera Maya for 30 years. She finds that there is a special healing energy in this area that combines the power of the ruins, the cenotes and the Caribbean Sea to create an intoxicating blend of healing energy. This powerful energy helps promote her art of healing in the area. She is an artist.

Not only does Gina get deep into your muscles, but her energy is so incredible. You feel this amazing lightning afterwards and it is amazing. I would be happy to help put you in touch with Gina if you are interested in getting a massage.

ADO bus lines around Tulum***

The ADO bus line is the main bus line that runs around Mexico and the Rivera Maya. I get a lot of questions about these buses and their safety. I have been on the the bus many times back and forth to the airport and to smaller towns around the Yucatan. The buses are very safe and very comfortable. You can read more about how to go to the Cancun airport from Tulum on the ADO buses here.

There is also a new shuttle ADO bus from Tulum to the airport 4 times a day. Check the schedule at the bus station in Tulum to see if this cost effective option will work for you. This is definatly the cheapest way to get to the airport.

To some of the smaller towns you may also end up on the Mayab bus line. These buses will stop more frequently and might be in a little less of great shape. But they are still very nice and comfortable. There are many stops at other towns which offers a good chance to get out and use the restroom and buy some of the amazing Mayan food being sold by vendors near the station. Many times people will come right up on the bus and pass through with sopes or sodas for sale.

You can buy your ticket from the bus station or from the bus driver themselves. If you are at the station, buy it from the window. The buses like everything else around here operate on Mexican Time. you really need to be flexible and not get upset. Trust me- there is nothing that yelling at the ticket person that the bus is an hour late or came and left 45 minutes early is going to do. Just be flexible and have a good attitude. You can get a good idea of bus prices at the ADO website. Mayab is usually a little cheaper.

In Tulum it is on the main avenue right next to Charlie's. Charlies is also my favorite place to meet people who are coming on the bus because you can never be quiet sure what time they will get there. So I always tell people to take a right out of the station and go into the first restaurant.

I alsways feel very safe on the bus but I also use common scense.

Russian Gypsy Card Readings from the Princess of the Runes, Crystal

Any one who has had the privilege of receiving clarity and serenity from a well delivered card reading knows that the services provided by these gifted people have the power to change lives. One such gifted spirit, the Princess of the Runes, is among us here in Tulum, Mexico.

Tulum Mexico has for years been a place that has nurtured the rarer talents of the world around. Having a deep history as a very magical place since the time of the ancient Maya, the energy around Tulum has drawn in beautiful people with truly tranquil minds and hearts.

Receiving a card reading from the acclaimed Princess of the Runes is a special treat for any visitor to the area. The Princess of the Runes also knows as Crystal was recently highlighted in an article in the New York Times, “36 hours in Tulum, Mexico.”


Crystal’s journey to find her gift began when she was just a young girl growing up in a loving family who encouraged her to dream, explore and love the world with an open mind. As she grew with a deep love of the universe and the belief that she would always be taking care of by her, Crystal’s destiny as a gifted reader began to root. After the death of a friend when she was a teenager she began to explore the healing power of crystals and began to gain further insight into her life.



After first discovering her gift with reading cards, Crystal began to delve deeper in to the understanding and meaning behind the 25 cards laid out in front of her. The cards, made up of 25 square cards each with 4 one half images. As the cards are placed before the reader the cards are adjusted to reveal any tiles that form 1 image from the 2 halves. As the images are decoded by the Princess of the Runes depending in the position in which they are laid, the cards begin to give insight and clarity to a wide array of questions.

Crystal expanded her skill and trained with the Rune Goddess before moving to Tulum with her husband, Tulum’s premier tattoo artist, and their young children to share her skill with the community here. Surrounded by the nature she loves so much, she lives in the lush jungles around Tulum and enjoys a peaceful and fulfilled life. Her light and gift is a wonderful experience and one that I am so happy I have gotten to experience.

Crystal is available for private readings and for parties and can also do readings over the phone. Her highly sought after skills are a treasure to witness. Ocho Tulum, one of Tulum's best beach hotels, has recently brought her in to do card readings for guests on Friday nights in their beautiful beach front restaurant giving guests the opportunity to get this amazing service for only customary 100-200 peso tip. That is quite the bargain for these rare readings.

In addition to her wonderful talents at a card reader, Crystal also sells the acclaimed Shankari jewelry. Seen all over Hollywood and beautiful boutiques and art galleries all over the world, each of these pieces is a true one of a kind work of art and is as priceless as they are amazing. She is also the authorized seller of the acclaimed Dutzi Design bags. These bags are 100% recycled and support a workshop of Mayan women here in the area. These amazing bags have been featured in several magazines and are being sold in boutiques in New York and Paris.

Tattooluum: Fine Art and Tattoo Studio

**As this is a page of first hand experiences, these are my own pictures. You can see so many more examples of the art work and tattoos shown here at the link below***

I have finally gotten to see one of Tulum’s premier tattoo artists in action the other day. I have seen a lot of his work and am eagerly anticipating my own piece of body art. Updates on that coming in October.


This first tattoo was that of my husband. I was not sure what to expect with what my husband was describing to me but when I saw the artist’s 1st sketch I started to get a good idea and was getting really excited about what I saw. Here is a little background on the man behind that tattoo.

Olmo Hinojosa was born in Mexico and spent most of his young life in the Cancun area. When asked about when he first got interested in drawing he sat quietly for a few moments and then responded with the answer that seemed pretty obvious. “I cannot remember a time when I was not into drawing” he says.


As a teenager he moved to the state of Washington in the United States and saw a whole new side of natural beauty that he had not witnessed before. The juxtaposition of the Rivera Maya to the Pacific Northwest served as inspiration for the aspiring artists and he began to invest more energy into photography, a long time passion of his. With the lush backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, he began to photograph the landscapes of the state while continually soaking up inspiration for his art.

The 4 years he spent in Washington served as an awakening. He began to learn fresh ideas, new ways of thinking and exploring the various realms of spirituality. As his horizon widened and armed with a new passion for beauty and art he moved back to the Cancun area to be near his family where he met his beautiful wife, Crystal. Who herself has her own magical tricks up her sleeve. Check out more about her gifts as a Russian Gypsy card reader here.
While traveling throughout the United States and Mexico with his wife, Olmo began to extend his creative talents into tattooing. He began by doing tattoos for friends where he quickly gained a great reputation.

After arriving back in Cancun, he practiced the art of drawing on the human body while doing henna tattoos on the beaches of Cancun. It did not take long for his talent to be recognized and he was quickly taken in as an apprentice by a talented tattoo artist in the area.



Craving a simpler lifestyle and wanting once again to be surrounded by the natural beauty that he had grown to admire in the Pacific Northwest, Olmo and his young family moved to Tulum. In Tulum, they opened Tattooluum: Fine Art and Tattoo Studio, Tulum’s first combined art gallery and tattoo studio.

The art gallery features spectacular pieces of art created by Tulum’s most talented artists’ including Olmo as well as his extremely talented father, Alfredo. The gallery is full of stunning paintings and drawings, creative sculpture and beautiful hand made furniture.


Also available are the one of kind pieces made from natural materials that, by using artistic touches and embellishments, creates a new shape and a new life for the once bare wood. And the stunning pieces of Shankari jewelry. These “Talismans of Power” are stunning one of a kind pieces that are completely unmatched by any other bobble found in Tulum. You can read much more about these pieces here.


Anyway, back to Olmo and Tattooluum. As Tulum has grown and changed, so has the location of Tattooluum. As they finalize a new location, Olmo is available as a mobile tattoo artist.
With Ruben’s work schedule he was only able to get the outline done. I think it is going to look great. I will update with more pictures once I have them. This is also part of a cover up of a former tattoo which is what you can see in the photos.

And it will only be a few short weeks until I do my tattoo! YEAH!!! We will also be taking in my daughter to get her ears pierced for her 6th birthday. You can check out all of the amazing piercings at the sites below as well.

You can check out a lot more photos of his work at these links.

Their website
Inked Nation
Myspace
Facebook

Quality babysitter in Tulum

Every time that I have gone on vacation since having children it has been a very different vacation from the ones when it was just my husband and I. There are so many wonderful activities that we get to experience as a family but then there are others that do not get to happen.


Living in Tulum I have seen so many famlies come to the area and have to miss out on certain activities because of the group that they are traveling with. The ruins are amazing but they can be difficult with a young child, for example. And I know how wonderful a dinner on the beach, sitting under the moon as the Caribbean Sea crashes just meters away from you. There are wonderful bars and clubs that really get your heart pumping on a hot tropical night. I want everyone to have the chance to experience some of those magical memories. For those who are looking to experience kite boarding on the winds of Tulum or exploring the underwater caves of the Yucatan, we can provide child care so that you are free to wonder in all of the beauty that is Tulum

Contact us for high quality babysitters. Our babysitters speak English and most have children of their own. You can feel assured that your children are being well looked after and are enjoying Mexican hospitality in the safety that we mothers expect.

Kids can enjoy outside activities in the park and in the kids pool as well as games and books. Healthy snacks of things such as tropical fruits and yogurt keep kids energy up and bellies full.

Now you can enjoy all aspects of your vacation. Contact us at TulumLiving@yahoo.com or via phone: Mexico: (984)119-7397 USA: (415)738-0739

Fashion Look Spa - estetica & spa

When we first moved to Mexico I had no idea where to go for any of the beauty stuff in Tulum. I had seen a few places that cut hair in town but nothing salon like in the states. I was so excited when I went to my friends new cafe Melie and he told me about the spa upstairs.

As I climbed the stairs into the buildings second floor and walked through the glass doors on the spa, I felt like I was right back in San Francisco. The windows were very large and overlooked some very nice greenery outside which really added to the decor of the place. The breeze came in so nicely and moved through the space making it very comfortable to be in even on this very hot day.

The product wall was large, beautifully displayed and full of products that I recognized to be of very high quality. There was a nice little waiting area that was full of plants and had comfortable furniture. It was also right near the window which is always good for comfort.

There were 4 fully stocked hair stations. All of them had windows on the sides and the fresh air made the whole space very light and airy. The chairs were simple and confortable looking.

There were 3 manicurist tables. The best part of this that I saw was that they had OPI nail polish. I love OPI nail polish and I could tell that they used other high quality tools. Everything was so clean and sterile and I was iching to get a manicure but maybe next time.


There were also 2 washing stations and here again, I could tell that they used great products. All the areas were spotlessly clean and seemed to be brand new. The whole place has a very open, fresh and clean feeling and look to it.

The beautiful image that is on the glass wall that separates the treatment area is amazing and definitely adds to the ambiance. The rest of the artwork and decorative items bring a bit of color and movement and the candles and plants add a sense of life and peace.

The treatment room is large and open and draped with large soft white curtains. There is a large water fall in one corner and a large natural arrangement in a vase in another corner. The treatment room was also clean and calming.

I will be going back to get a list of services and get an idea of how much things cost. This is a place that I cannot wait to go and get a much needed pedicure. When I do I will tell you all about it.

This spa is located on the 2nd floor of Calle andromedia entre, centro y satelite.

Now if you are like me... that will be impossible to find. TodoTulum.com has probably the best maps in town. You can pick them up all over town. You can see where I am talking about here. The spa is directly across the street from Le Bistro on this map. Le Bistro is a little bit up the block from the corner and the spa is on the corner. It is really hard to tell that by looking at a map.

Once I get more info on the prices and services I will let you know!

Want to be on Tulum Living?

Are you interested in advertising with Tulum Living?

Put your events on Tulum Living Calendar.
We have an interactive calendar on our website. This calendar is accessible from the Tulum Living website as well as the http://www.todotulum.com/ website and will have promotional spots on other Tulum websites.

The calendar is interactive and categorized so visitors can easily find out the events that they want to attend.

Visitors can also add these events to their own calendars at the touch of a button.

It is my goal to create the first and only ALL TULUM- calendar of events so that visitors and locals can find out about all of the great events around town (before they happen)


Contracts are for 1 year and your events are updated throughout the year so that we reflect the current information. If you are interested in being on the calendar please email me at TulumLiving@yahoo.com.

The cost is only 4,000 pesos A YEAR!!!! That is less the 335 pesos a month. This is a great resource and we look forward to having the most up to date - detailed calendar in Tulum.

Advertising:
We will be selling ad space on the website as well. As it is pretty much the only resource of events in Tulum I imagine that we will get even more hits then we already do. Ad contracts are for 6 months. All ads must be link ready. We will be selling the following ad spaces:

Calendar sponsor:
The person or company that sponsors the monthly calendar will receive: 1800 ps/mo
A large banner ad on the calendar page with a “March Calendar sponsored by…” as well as all of their events listed on the calendar.


Standard banner ad: (200X50 pixels) 280 ps/mo
Standard banner double ad: (200X100) 350 ps/mo
Tower ad: (300 X 250 pixels) 425 ps/mo
Full banner ad: (690 X 90 pixels) 500 ps/mo

**** Exact pixel sizes may adjust slightly for aesthetics on the page****


This is only one of our 2 projects. The other project is the Tulum Living School project. We are helping to repair the public schools in Tulum while promoting recycling and recycling education. We have set up a donation opportunity so people can help sponsor these projects. You can read more about it on http://www.TulumSchools.blogspot.com/