TRAVEL 🧳 BUG 🐞

part 3

 

Hi loliiiipop 🌸

welcome back to this conversation on why traveling solo is for the soul.

About ten years ago, when I first began my yoga practice, there was a place in Thailand that seemed to call to me. I remember looking at it and thinking, one day I’ll go there when I’m ready to get certified in yoga. At the time it felt like a vision meant for a future version of myself.

A little over two years ago, I finally booked that trip. I was ready to take the leap. But just before leaving, I received a call from my job asking if I was ready to step into a regional manager position. They wanted to promote me.

Suddenly I was standing between two paths.

One path led to Thailand, yoga training, and the unknown.

The other led to growth in my career with a company I love deeply.

At that moment, staying felt aligned. I had left my previous job wanting to make a difference in how I would lead, and this opportunity gave me exactly that. So I stayed. I trained. I grew. And I postponed the trip.

Sometimes intuition doesn’t say go now.

Sometimes it says not yet.

The truth about intuition is that it rarely shows up as a loud voice telling us exactly what to do. Most of the time it’s quiet. It’s something you feel in moments of stillness, when your mind settles and you begin to sense what is gently pulling you forward.

And now, here I am.

Taking the trip I once put to the side.

Standing in the place that called to me all those years ago.

But something about it feels different now. Back then, I imagined coming here to transform into someone new. Today, it feels more like I’ve arrived as the person I’ve been becoming all along.

Which brings me to a question I’ve been sitting with lately:

What is life trying to teach you?

If I’m honest, my answer right now is simple.

I don’t know.

And that’s exactly why I’m here.

I am incredibly blessed. I have so much to be grateful for. A career I’ve grown in, people I love, opportunities that have shaped me. From the outside, life looks full and in many ways it is.

But sometimes growth doesn’t come from fixing what’s broken.

Sometimes it comes from exploring what’s calling you deeper.

Right now I don’t fully know what life is trying to teach me. But I have a feeling the answers don’t come from thinking harder, they come from showing up for myself.

That’s what this trip is for.

Solo travel creates the kind of space that everyday life rarely gives us. When you step away from routine and noise, something powerful happens: you begin to hear yourself more clearly.

Your thoughts slow down.

Your curiosity expands.

Your intuition gets a little louder.

And somewhere in that space between unfamiliar streets, quiet mornings, and new perspectives, you start to uncover things about yourself that were always there, just waiting for your attention.

So maybe the real lesson isn’t about having the answers right away.

Maybe the lesson is about being brave enough to go searching for them.

If life is asking you a question right now… listen.

You don’t need to know the ending.

You just need the courage to take the next step toward yourself.And sometimes, that step looks like a solo trip to a place your heart has been whispering about for years.

Not because you’re lost.

But because you’re ready to meet whatever part of you is waiting to be discovered.

love, lola 🍒✨

 

 

 

 

 

 

part 2

 

welcome back babe🐞 you ask and I shall deliver. Here are the ins and outs of Rio in a nutshell 🩵

 ✨coming home, and falling in love over and over again

Rio de Janeiro will always feel like home to me. No matter how many times I come back, the city has a way of pulling me in gently and reminding me who I am. Returning home always feels so wholesome.

I stayed in Leblon, one of my favorite neighborhoods. It’s calm, walkable, and close to everything, with the beach right there and Cristo Redentor watching quietly from above. Waking up here never gets old. We stayed at the cutest Airbnb overseeing Cristo Redentor, it was probably my top 3 Airbnb stays. I always try to find the cute spots 🥰

How I like to explore Rio🚴🏻♀️

If you want to experience Rio like a local, bike rides are everything.

My go-to route is biking from Leblon through Ipanema, Copacabana, and into Leme. Each area has its own vibe. Leblon is relaxed, Ipanema is social, Copacabana is full of energy, and Leme feels a little more tucked away. You’re always by the ocean, passing people exercising, chatting, and stopping for coconut water.

Another favorite ride is heading toward São Conrado Beach, passing the favela along the way. Rio has layers, and seeing them side by side is part of what makes the city real. São Conrado is stunning and usually quieter, and watching the paragliders land is always fun. Yummy açaí spot there too!!

For something calmer, I love biking around the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas. It’s peaceful, scenic, and such a nice way to slow down.

 

The views I never get tired of:

Even as someone from Rio, Pão de Açúcar is always a must for me every time. I spent the day there, I take my time, and eat at the Brazilian restaurant at the top. Most days they have live music around 6pm and you can have some drinks and dance all night. The views are unreal, and it’s one of those places you don’t need to rush.

Cristo Redentor is something we grow up seeing, but going up there always feels special. Pro tip: buy your ticket ahead of time, it makes the whole experience smoother and more enjoyable.

Praia Vermelha is hands down my favorite beach in Rio. It’s smaller, calmer, and surrounded by mountains, which makes it feel extra special. Right next to it is Terra Brasilis, one of my favorite restaurants. The food is authentic Brazilian and so good but the line gets crazy, so reservations are a must.

If I need greenery and a slower pace, Jardim Botânico/Botanical Garden is where I go. It’s beautiful, peaceful, and perfect for walking and clearing your head.

 

My favorite cozy spots:

Livraria Travessa in Ipanema is one of my favorite places in the city. It’s the cutest bookstore, perfect for reading or working, and the restaurant upstairs makes it easy to stay for hours. It feels very “me,” and very Rio. I freaking love it there. 

Beach days outside the city:

I also spent time in Cabo Frio visiting family. It’s one of my favorite beach spots, clear water, soft white sand, and very chill energy. It’s the kind of place where you bring snacks, stay all day, and don’t rush anything.

And if you’re nearby, Arraial do Cabo is a must for boat days. The water is unreal (this is the Brazilian Caribbean), and it never stops feeling magical.

 

Brazilian food I always crave:

If you’re coming to Rio, these are non-negotiable:

Caipirinha – Brazil’s national drink, made with cachaça, lime, sugar, and ice

Bolinho de Bacalhau – Fried codfish balls with Portuguese roots, crispy and comforting

Pão de Queijo – Cheesy, warm, and originally from Minas Gerais

Moqueca de Peixe – A rich fish stew with coconut milk and dendê oil, especially popular along the coast

Brigadeiro – A classic Brazilian dessert made with condensed milk and cocoa (pure nostalgia)

There is a lot more like picanha churrasco is a MUST if you eat meat!

Where I love to eat

Cardin (Leblon) – My go-to breakfast spot

Zazá Bistrô – Perfect for lunch or dinner with creative Brazilian flavors

Terra Brasilis – Authentic food + one of the best views in the city

Garota de Ipanema – A classic that never goes out of style

Roda de samba energy!!!!! You’ve got to do this 💗

Going to a roda de samba is one of the best ways to feel Brazilian culture. Musicians sit in a circle, people gather around, and the energy is joyful and warm. You don’t need to know the lyrics, just show up, clap along, and let yourself feel the magic!

💭✨

Coming back to Rio always reminds me why this city has my heart. It’s beautiful, imperfect, full of life, and deeply grounding. Rio isn’t just a place, it’s a feeling.

And for those of you who keep asking how to experience Rio beyond the tourist version… just know this: I’m quietly planning something special here. In 2027, I’ll be hosting a retreat in Rio designed around movement, culture, rest, and connection

showing you the city the way I know and love it🫂✨

More on that soon 💗

Stay close.

— lola 🌸

 

Hi loliiiipop

welcome to a brand new topic. 

why traveling solo is for the soul.

What if your inner guide is asking to travel solo?

Have you ever taken a trip just for you—
not to escape life, but to meet yourself more fully within it?

There’s something sacred about solo travel.
It invites freedom. Curiosity. Stillness. Presence.
It’s less about the destination, and more about coming home to yourself.

When you travel alone, you allow:

• your creative side to roam without limit

• your mind to quiet and your spirit to speak

• your heart to reflect, realign, and rediscover

• your senses to savor real, meaningful moments

• your soul to feel the joy of simply being

You begin to understand what life feels like when it’s undistracted and intentional. It becomes a kind of moving meditation—an invitation to listen inward and just be.

The more we practice this—pausing, exploring, reconnecting—the more we discover who we truly are.
And from that self-awareness blooms something powerful: empathy, clarity, connection.
Not just with ourselves—but with everything around us.

So if your heart’s been nudging you to go somewhere…
Listen.

Choose a place that mirrors the energy you need.
A quiet forest. A vibrant city. A coastal breeze.

Then go.
Travel not to check boxes—but to feel something new.
To remember something ancient.
To walk with yourself as both guide and guest.

I hope you take that trip.
For yourself. With love.
And may it bring you home to you.

— Lola 🌸