Pure Life Podcast

Pura Vida and welcome to our latest episode – Episode 41: Skin Nourishment and Piña Coloadas! We kick off this weeks episode with our “drink of the week” – the perfect piña colada cocktail. With summer right around the corner, beach vacations and tropical settings dominate our thoughts. Well . . . the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic means travel to the beach isn’t likely anytime soon. So, let’s bring the beach to us with a perfect piña coloada cocktail. This satisfyingly refreshing recipe is sure to set the perfect tone for a relaxing shelter-in-place stay-cation! Be sure to check out our latest blog for step-by-step instructions! Next, we start a discussion on some new nourishing skin care products we’ve been researching lately. With the current pause in travel, it’s a perfect time to do some much needed research and one of our focus areas has been skin care. With such a dizzying array of products to choose from, it’s hard to know what just works and what is all hype. We break down some recent all-natural skin care discoveries from Drunk Elephant, Ursa Major and CeraVe, giving an honest assessment of our top picks from these amazing brands. Enjoy!

Pura Vida and welcome to our latest podcast – Episode 40: Mojito Madness Virtual Happy Hour! It has been quite an emotional week – well month actually so far – and we’ve witnessed some truly sad but also very hopeful events. With all this and the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, it felt like a good opportunity to celebrate hope and reconnecting with each other – practicing social distancing of course. So grab your glass and plenty of ice, because it’s time for a virtual happy hour! This week, we kick off the happy hour with our “drink of the week” home-made cocktail. Our drink this week is the Mojito – a perfect spring and summer cocktail that goes down smooth and compliments just about any finger foods. We provide not only our own twist to the Mojito recipe but also introduce a variety of our favorite snacks. From chips and salsa, big soft pretzels to spring rolls and more, our eclectic recommendations provide the perfect compliment to our refreshing and easy-to-make mojito, ensuring a delicious and enjoyable virtual happy hour. Cheers!

Pura vida and welcome to our latest podcast – Episode 39, Travels, Tribulations and Bramble. It’s been a grueling couple of weeks since our last podcast and much has happened . . . so let’s get right to it! We kick off this weeks podcast with our “drink of the week” segment. This weeks concoction is a delicious and delectable cocktail called the Buffalo Bramble. Made with Vodka, Creme de Cassis and fresh blackberries, it’s a refreshing addition to our coping cocktails series, packing an equal punch of potency and flavor (click here for step-by-step instructions on how to make it youself)! Next we shift gears and dive into our latest findings on all things travel, including which countries are starting to lift travel restrictions, which ones aren’t, and how to deal with cancellations and refunds. We also talk about some of the changes to airlines and hotel cancellation and rescheduling policies affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as well as our experiences handling changes and cancellations. It’s a jam-packed episode, so strap in, grab your favorite cocktail (and be sure to check out this weeks Buffalo Bramble recipe) and enjoy the ride. Cheers!

Pura Vida and welcome to our latest podcast! We hope you all are staying healthy and safe throughout the current COVID-19 pandemic. As we welcome the slow re-opening of business and long for a return to “normal” it is important to face each day with patience, positivity and plenty of adult beverages (the three “p’s”). To that extent, this weeks recipe is a slight twist on a Peach Punch. A simple and refreshing cocktail, this version is a great way to take the edge off all things COVID. Salude! Next, we dive into a true gem nestled about two hours south of San Francisco, California; Monterey. Known for it’s famed cannery row, amazing aquarium, Pebble Beach golf course and ambiance galore, Monterey is a perfect destination for a quick weekend getaway or a more relaxed extended stay. Many of the shops and restaurants are soon to be re-opening, so now is the perfect time to start planning where to stay, what to do and what to eat. We break it down for you this week with some accommodations, attractions and restaurants that are sure to satisfy even the most discerning tastes. Enjoy!

Pura Vida and welcome to our latest episode! The last few weeks have been challenging to say the least. We’ve been adjusting to all that is COVID-19 including the on-going shelter-in-place as well as living more of our lives online. It’s taken us some time to get back into a “normal” routine but we’re finally getting our feet underneath us and are finding our rhythm. This week, we kick off the podcast with our “drink of the week” featuring one of my favorite bourbons called Basil Hayden’s. Basil Hayden’s is a light-bodied small-batch bourbon that goes down smoothly either neat or on the rocks (especially with Whiskey Ball ice cubes), and compliments any occasion. Cheers! The episode continues by addressing some alarming aspects of the current pandemic: the latest wave of online scams associated with COVID-19. Strap yourselves in as we explore some easy ways to keep you safe online – which is a great compliment to our recent blog. Enjoy!

Pura Vida and welcome to our latest episode! With the on-going pandemic that is COVID-19, we could all use a break from the news to focus on more enjoyable distractions. And one of our favorite distractions is doing research on traveling. So this week we continue our discussion on the best credit cards by diving into research we have been doing on airline specific rewards cards and programs . Before discussing the best airline credit cards, we start off this weeks episode with what we hope will be a favorite segment of the show: our weekly cocktail. And this week we break down a deliciously drinkable espresso martini! Refreshing, bold and packing a nice punch, an espresso martini goes great with any dinner or as a relaxing way to wind down an evening. The show continues with a discussion of some of the major airline credit card rewards programs that we have had experience with. With world-wide travel restrictions currently in place, now is the best time to research that next destination for when things returns to normal and to start racking up those rewards miles. Enjoy!

This unprecedented COVID-19 virus has affected all aspects of our lives. From toilet paper hording to infection rates, it seems each day brings more and more bad news. We are saddened and devastated by these ongoing developments and our hearts go out to all those affected. We have spent the past two weeks adjusting to working and schooling from home, cancelling upcoming trips and activities and trying to maintain a positive outlook. Thus we’re going to venture away from our normal format for the next few weeks and dive into some topics we hope you find helpful during these times. In this episode, we will break down a simple but satisfyingly delicious margarita. As we’ve mentioned before, we are known to enjoy some libations! And one of our favorites is a margarita, but not just your run-of-the-mill syrupy sweet concoction. We like the top shelf variety using our favorite margarita base; Don Julio Tequila. Join us as we break down bar kits essentials and precise measurements for making the best margaritas. Salud!

In the last episode, we provided some tips on how to identify the best credit card rewards program for your travel needs. In this episode, we go a bit deeper and explore some of the cards we personally own that have worked well for us. Whether traveling domestically or internationally, there are some great programs to satisfy where ever your travels take you. With the COVID-19 outbreak, it’s a perfect time to start doing some research on how to maximize your next hotel stay. And credit card rewards programs are a great way to earn immediate status at some of the top hotels and properties across the globe. What’s more, they are offering even more incentives to entice new subscribers. Many of the cards we cover in this episode offer: up to 3x’s rewards points towards stays, cash-back rewards for certain purchases as well as discounts for a variety of other amenities. We break it all down in this episode and share our favorite credit card travel rewards programs to help you maximize your points accumulation. Enjoy!

Every day we see ads for various credit cards. Whether it’s Capital One, American Express, Chase, or Discover, they all offer attractive rewards programs geared toward travel. But that begs the question: which are the best credit card rewards programs for me? Choosing the right travel rewards program can be time consuming, confusing and frustrating. In this weeks episode – Best Credit Card Rewards Programs: Part 1 – we break down the questions you need to answer as well as share some tips to help guide you through the maze of choices to maximize your travel rewards. Don’t miss our next episode where we’ll provide additional guidance as well as uncover some of the “gotchya’s” to avoid that we learned along the way. Enjoy!