About Us

A Journey That Came Full Circle

I left Aruba at twelve years old. What followed was a life shaped by travel, new cultures, and the people I met along the way. From the United States to Ireland and beyond, every place taught me something about hospitality, connection, and what it truly means to feel at home.

Nine years ago, I returned to Aruba and founded Taste My Aruba. What began as a passion project grew into an award-winning culinary experience, featured by HBO, Forbes, and USA Today. From the outside, it looked like success.

Behind the scenes, I was running on empty.

When Success Was No Longer Enough

Years of giving everything to my work eventually caught up with me. I was burned out, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

For the first time in years, I stepped away.

Over the next two years, I travelled through Europe and its islands with no agenda other than to recover. I slowed down. I spent time in nature. I learned new wellness practices. Most importantly, I learned to listen to myself again.

That journey changed how I think about wellbeing.

I realized that true nourishment extends far beyond food. It includes how we move, how we rest, how we connect, and how we care for ourselves every day.

Healing is not a destination. It is a practice.

Why the Ocean Matters

Growing up on an island, the ocean has always been part of my life.

During my recovery, I found myself returning to the water again and again. Its steady rhythm reminded me to slow down, breathe deeply, and let go of the constant pressure to keep going.

The ocean became a place where I could think clearly, find perspective, and begin rebuilding myself one day at a time.

That experience remains at the heart of every Retreat by Taste.

An Invitation

Retreat by Taste was created from lived experience.

It is a space for those who have spent so much of their lives caring for others, building businesses, leading teams, or simply carrying more than anyone sees.

You do not need to have all the answers.

You only need to give yourself permission to pause.

I would be honored to walk part of that journey with you.