Playa Aesthetic

... día y todos los días.  [Fuente](https://www.youtube... eso sin que se vea "*Aesthetic*", sino que es un verano... álbum musical ambientado en la playa durante la estación más amada... - Gorras - Sombreros de playa - Camisas abotonadas - Pantalones...

... influencer en la playa con outfit fashion” ��️ ✨ wallpapers aesthetic para cambiar...

... influencer en la playa con outfit fashion” ��️ ✨ wallpapers aesthetic para cambiar...

... de salud. Ahora todo es "aesthetic": los conjuntos de gimnasio que... odias correr, camina por la playa. El punto es no dejar...

I'll cut to it — my wife and I built a thing and we want the r/BurningMan crowd to tell us if it's actually good or rubbish. We made it because we kept seeing cheap AliExpress led lights on the Playa and wanted something different with real depth. The current version is only button controlled with a rechargeable battery (through a type c connector). Our next working prototype is a synchronized pendants through Bluetooth connection, so a group of people can pulse together, react to music, or move through color patterns in sync. https://preview.redd.it/twfmyn8few3h1.jpg?width=944&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5c261b06469f85b876954916b7081492e0b01f32 https://preview.redd.it/vz82j5wzfw3h1.jpg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2def8a63059a8ea20a9914ec9d9d9ec79ccf5758 Some questions we're wrestling with: — Does the sync-between-people concept resonate ? — What kills light wearables for you? (battery life? durability in dust? aesthetics?) — Is this something you'd actually integrate into your outfit or does it feel gimmicky? No sales pitch. We're two people who love the Playa trying to build something worthy for it. *** ADDITIONAL INFORMATOIN *** - THANKS everyone for the much appreciated comments!! Since a lot are asking about the sync features - here is the layout: 1. Phone app would be used to create groups of pendant that bind to a single master pendant. There is not real Bluetooth sync - but a master which is advertising the current state of the entire group. 2. The phone which is binding everyone to a single master will program the group's animations as well - that way all the element in the group will have the same animation compatible with the master's 'playlist' (so to speak) 3. I don't think there is a reliable way to sync a new element to the master on the go - without a phone mediating the UUID parameters to the new element. Would be researching about it. 4. I will be using a Nordic chip to as the MCU since they are so power efficient. Have already ran the setup on a dev board - now only left to manufacture the new PCB with the nordic chip. Some other features and information: 1. In general - this is a jewelry piece - so keeping it lightweight and fairly small is important for us. battery is the heaviest component unfortunately. currently it is a 450mAh battery. 2. charging is through a type USB c connector. Other option are not relevant since everybody has those already (iphone and android). 3. We will be launching additional models - pendant, earrings and bracelets in the future. If anyone is willing to drop us a like on IG message me - that would be very supportive ! submitted by /u/MechanicalLEDMaster to r/BurningMan [link] [comments]

Precios de NYC, playas feas y privatizadas llenas de sargazo, todo lleno de beach clubs, te estafan por todo, tacos de $200 pesos, todo es 'aesthetic' y para el instagram, cenotes llenos de e.coli, leyes de zonificación horribles y construcciones ilegales sin consideración por el ecosistema, hoteles 'boutique' con el mismo precio de algunos hoteles mas fregones en las maldivas y lleno de hipsters europeos/influencers/y turista mamador que le caga la zona hotelera en Cancun porque "ahi si es muy americanizado" Dejenle esta zona a los extranjeros y no compartan las playas que si valen la pena submitted by /u/PopNo5397 to r/tulum [link] [comments]

Hi everyone! I’m planning a birthday trip to Mexico this October and would love some recommendations We’re a group of 6 total: 3 couples (myself + bf, my sister + her bf — we’re all in our 20s) My parents (in their 50s) What we’re looking for: Budget: ideally around $1,500–low $2,000s per person (CAD) All-inclusive (flights + resort ideally) Clean, modern rooms (this is a big one for me — I care a lot about aesthetics) Beautiful beach (swimmable + clear water preferred) Good food (not expecting a Michelin star but definitely not bland) Gluten-free options (my sister is gluten-free) Fun but not crazy party vibes — something that works for both 20s + 50s Good drinks + nice pool areas I’ve been looking at the TRS Coral Hotel in Playa Mujeres. While it looks amazing (love the rooms + adults-only vibe), I’ve seen mixed reviews about the food and overall experience. Some people say it’s great, others say it’s hit or miss. From what I’ve read: Pros: beautiful, modern rooms + butler service + access to a bigger resort next door Cons: food can be inconsistent and not always “luxury-level.” With certain reviews I read, I’m now second-guessing Questions: Has anyone stayed at TRS Coral recently? Worth it or not? Any better alternatives in this price range that have: better food nicer beaches Still aesthetic/clean rooms? Any resorts that are especially good for mixed-age groups like ours? Bonus if you’ve had experience with gluten-free dining at all-inclusives We’re flying from Canada if that helps! Would really appreciate any recommendations, personal experiences, or even resorts to avoid submitted by /u/Maleficent-Ant-8970 to r/AllInclusiveResorts [link] [comments]

I stayed at the property with fellow FATTravel mods [u/codigofar](u/codigofar) and [u/middlename_adventure](u/middlename_adventure) but I realized after a few recent posts on this sub that none of us ever ended up writing up the trip. Due to some big group cancellations after the incidents in Puerto Vallarta in February, they have offered some serious discounts for their shoulder season - up to 50% off in some cases, and if you book through your TA, perks apply as well. I know this is FAT travel but listen, a deal is a deal, so I will let you decide if this property needs a visit - I personally enjoyed my stay. Hopefully this is helpful. Overview Susurros del Corazón opened in 2022 on a stretch of beach in Punta de Mita, just a little south outside the gates of the private Punta Mita resort community. You're in your own gated enclave rather than the larger development that houses the Four Seasons and St. Regis. The property sits between jungle cliffs on a long stretch of private beach facing Bahía de Banderas, with views of the Marietas Islands from most of the resort. "Susurros del Corazón" translates to "whispers of the heart," which sounds like marketing copy until you spend some time there and realize it's actually a reasonable description. The property has a grounded, contemporary Mexican identity running through everything from the architecture to the handmade soap in the rooms. It's polished without being buttoned up, and design-forward without sacrificing warmth. Under GM Christian González, who came from Rosewood Mayakoba and has a long Four Seasons background, the service culture here feels intentional and well-led. Fly into Puerto Vallarta (PVR). Transfer is about 45 minutes. The resort can arrange transport at approximately $150–200 each way. One thing to know before booking: there is nothing truly walkable from the property. If you like to wander off for a coffee or an unplanned taco tasting, this is not that kind of setup. You need resort transport or a car to get anywhere. About Me I'm a travel advisor, and I also travel to (mostly to FAT and Chubby properties) 12+ weeks a year, almost always with my kids. I evaluate every property through those two lenses. Accommodations 59 hotel-style rooms across three categories — Studios, Casitas, and Suites — plus 30 residences for larger groups. Rooms are big - starting at 800sf, all have a private terrace. There are no pull out couches here - only rollaways (one per bedroom is the rule of thumb), and they wont place them in studios. The aesthetic is minimal and clearly place-specific: stone, clay, woven textures, soft white and beige palettes, Mexican artisan furnishings and textiles throughout. The design lets the views do the work. Residences and Casas — two- to five-bedroom cliffside residences up to 6,000 sq ft, plus the flagship Pacifico Casa at 21,000 sq ft with seven bedrooms, private infinity pool, jacuzzi, fitness studio, sauna, steam room, and games room. These come with a dedicated cuate and full kitchen. The property will pre-stock groceries before arrival. Each room is stocked with locally made robes, bug spray, bath products, and thoughtful extras. I saw the First Class Jerk post about crappy hotel coffee and I think this hotel breaks the mold - they deliver a tray with your order (free, at a time you select the night before) to your room daily and I still think about how awesome it was. Your designated contact throughout the stay is called a "cuate" — the word means "friend" in Spanish, not butler, which is a deliberate choice that reflects the tone of the property. You reach them by text. Responsive, helpful, and in my experience effective at tracking down whatever you need, reservations, activities, etc. Dining Two main restaurants plus a few additional concepts. Casamilpa — the signature beachfront restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Farm-to-table Mexican with local ingredients. This is where most guests anchor their days. The breakfast here was very good, and I loved that the staff greeted me by name all of the days I was there: chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, fresh pastries, and a morning hot chocolate that was insanely good. At dinner, the lobster and farro dish and the carne altos were standouts. La Boquita — open-air taqueria steps from the sand, open from noon. Festive atmosphere, wicker lanterns, casual. Fresh ceviches, tacos, agave cocktails. Acapulco — adults-only swim-up bar at the adults-only pool. Mexican bites and agave-forward cocktails with a 1970s Acapulco soundtrack. Drinks went down suspiciously fast here - or there was some kind of evaporation vortex. Suffice it to say the bartender knows what he's doing. Don Surf / Mita — coffee, juice, and pastries from 7am for an early morning before classes or beach time. I did get up and go to a yoga class - I was mildly hungover and the green juice and the excellent yoga teacher helped. During high season, a rotating pop-up concept adds sushi, seafood, or picnic-style offerings to the mix. Not as much dining variety as larger properties, but the quality of what's here is consistently high. There was a pretty good variety of non-alcoholic beer and cocktails available which I felt was a really nice touch. Pool / Spa / Fitness Three infinity-edge pools cascading down toward the beach, and when we were there we saw quite a few celebrities, if that is your vibe. One scowled at me because he thought I was staring at him, but it was actually a much bigger celebrity right behind him. The beach is swimmable although conditions vary, and the sand here is notably soft and fine. ONDA Spa has 12 treatment rooms plus a couples suite, ask for one of the two rooms overlooking the bay. You don't need a treatment booked to access the facilities, but the treatments themselves are genuinely excellent, particularly the signature wave massage. The cacao ceremony is worth doing: the guide is grounded rather than performative (I initially was skeptical but ended up loving it), and the Nahual spirit animal readings were super cool (I am an Eagle, obviously). Complimentary fitness programming runs daily: beach yoga, sunrise meditations, surf fitness (balancing on a surfboard over stability balls), Latin dance, elemental classes, sound baths. The hat-making class with Mowi is a standout activity — I came home with something I actually wear, not another branded tote. Ok I came home with one of those too. Surfing lessons (I had my ass handed to me while the very patient and competent instructor told me maybe I am better off sticking to the pool), Marietas Islands snorkel tours, whale watching (November through March), zip-lining in the Sierra Madre, Polaris off-road excursions, and private fishing charters are all bookable through the resort. Lots of options. You won't get bored. Kids Club Kids Club is open daily 9am to 5pm. Programming is activity-heavy and culturally rooted: playa drums on the beach, seashell crafts, piñata making, Mexican folk pottery, mocktails mixology, sunset painting. Babysitting services are available for younger children. For families with infants, the property goes notably far: cribs (not pack 'n plays), microwaves for sterilizing bottles, diaper pails. Service The service culture here has the fingerprints of its GM throughout. Christian González came from Rosewood Mayakoba with a Four Seasons background and the result is a staff that feels both warm and professionally calibrated. Who This Is For Design-forward travelers and families who want an intimate destination property, a strong sense of place, and a swimmable beach. This is not a large resort with a hundred amenities — it's a smaller property that does fewer things at a higher level. Couples, honeymoons, girls trips, and group travel. Who This Is Not For Travelers who need a lot of variety in dining and nightlife. Two main restaurants plus a pool bar is the full picture. Guests who like to wander. There is not much walkable from the property. You need the resort or a car for everything off-site. Families expecting a large kids club with lots of energy and many other children. The programming is good; the scale is small. High season helps, but this isn't a property where the kids club is buzzing with 40 kids. submitted by /u/Alarming-Ganache77 to r/FATTravel [link] [comments]

We just returned from Atelier Playa Mujeres and absolutely LOVED IT BEYOND—from warm, heartfelt service, to gourmet food, amazing cocktails, resort aesthetic, etc. We were a bit disappointed with the beach but that did not deter us from an amazing experience! In thinking about our trip next year, I’d love to find a resort similar to Atelier but with a gorgeous white sand beach and crystal blue water!! Thinking Feb of next year for context. Thanks!!! submitted by /u/madrmorr to r/AllInclusiveResorts [link] [comments]

submitted by /u/lacaritona to r/Memesbuenaonda [link] [comments]

Maes, tengo una duda gigante Tengo 22 años, veo que muchaaa gente de mi generación del cole y en general conocidos ya con esta edad están sacando carros de agencia, andan con el último iPhone, pasan viajando a otros países, solo ropa de marca, salidas todos los fines a restaurantes y cafeterías aesthetic, playa, malls, etc... A mí se me hace imposible siquiera concebir vivir así o permitirme tantas cosas que "desangran" el salario y la liquidez ¿Realmente los trabajos en zona franca, inglés, IT, etc... dan para tanto o es pura tarjeta de crédito? edit: algunos comentarios dicen que no me compare o que me enfoque en mí o así, legal solo es duda, debate económico-social, chill gente jajaj submitted by /u/DALTA03 to r/Ticos [link] [comments]

Main pool Recently spent a week at Xcaret’s La Casa de la Playa located in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico. My wife and I chose this place after looking at properties in the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Hawaii, and Mexico. Shoutout to Arianna from SWL’s group for helping us with our planning and booking. Travel and arrival: We flew into Cancun on a Saturday afternoon, airport was a zoo but only took about 15 mins to get through customs and get our bag which was lucky as I’ve heard it can take a long time. CDLP guests can hangout in Xcaret’s lounge outside the exit of the airport to wait for their transportation to the property, but they were ready as soon as we left the airport and we were lead by someone to our private transportation from the airport to the hotel. They drove us in a nice SUV to CDLP which took about an hour. Lobby Stairs off lobby to the beach Balcony off of lobby overlooking beach Once we arrived at the property, we were greeted by the hotel staff right away, they took our bags and we met one of our butlers who would be taking care of us for the week. They gave us a welcome beverage while we signed a few things and then lead us to our room. View from room's balcony of main pool and ocean Private balcony/plunge pool for our room Room: We booked an Ocean View Suite, which was on level 2. No upgrade, but there are only 60ish rooms at this property so wasn’t really expecting one. Plus the only rooms really above ours in quality would be the presidential suite and maybe another somewhat larger suite. The room was pretty spacious, the photos on CDLP's for the Ocean View suite are from the same room we stayed in but I threw a couple extras in above. Room was very clean, there was plenty of closet/storage space for suitcases and clothes, a safe, large shower with 2 rain spouts that opened to both the bathroom and the side area that lead outside to the large stone tub and to another outside room which we didn't really use. The outside side room was large and wasn't really sure what it would be used for as there were only 2 chairs in it. Seemed a little bit like wasted space. We had a curious spider monkey who would come by our balcony every other day, they were friendly although we didn't try to touch or feed it (because you shouldn't). I would also recommend not leaving your door open in case they get bold and go into your room while you're gone. Service: Overall the service at this property was excellent. They assign two butler's to your room and you use Whatsapp to communicate any of your requests to them. They're available 24/7. Our two butlers were very receptive to our requests, and generally went above and beyond. They helped us book all of our reservations (we made none before arriving which wasn't a problem). There were a couple instances where some requests took a while, but it wasn't that big of a deal for us. All of the staff at the restaurants were very attentive and quick, people would learn your name which was a nice touch. No matter where you were on the property, someone would be available to get you food, drink, whatever you needed. Housekeeping came twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening for turndown service. They would leave little gifts every night in the evening which was cool and you could take home. The room was basically always clean because of how frequently they came. Sometimes the property's "jellyfish team" would come by and feed the jellyfish that are in every room which they breed onsite. Your butler would also pop by every day to restock your minibar with whatever you request. Miscellaneous property notes: CDLP has a cool wine cellar that you can go into and just take bottles from to bring back to your room or drink by the pools. There's a paddleball court on level 5 but it was closed for renovation while we were there. They have 2 poolside bars, one by the main pool and one called Sky bar which was a rooftop bar/pool open every day. This tended to be a little less crowded than the main pool and you got great sun coverage up there so we went there a few times. The infinity pool overlooking the ocean had spectacular views. They had a bar where you could just go and drink tequila/mezcal 24/7, self-service. They had a chocolate room where they had different chocolate treats and ice cream available 24/7. The resort is pretty small compared to the other two hotels and was very walkable. It never felt crowded due to only having 60 rooms. First couple days we barely saw other guests and then it was a bit busier towards the end of the week. Beach access was easily and seats were always available. Service was quick and attentive. Views were great. Food and drink: The food and beverage at this all inclusive was very, very good. All inclusives have a bad reputation for quality of food, but CDLP definitely does not share that reputation. We went to almost every restaurant at CDLP (there are many restaurants at the other two hotels you have access to which I will get into later). All of them were excellent and offered a bit of variety. huitlacoche omelete at Tuch de Luna Some pastries from Tuch de Luna View from our table for breakfast Tuch de Luna: Where we ate breakfast almost every morning. Beautiful views from the terrace where you can eat. They had a good selection of food and drink, as well as a self-serve bakery and charcuterie sections. We also did their full moon dinner accompanied by a little mayan ceremony on the beach which was very cool. Lumbre: One of my favorite dinners from our first night. They had a delicious welcome drink with mezcal, pineapple, hibiscus and other fruit juices. Forgot to take pictures but it was great. XAL Pancakes at XAL Croissant french toast, one of my favorite meals of the week XAL: We only went here for breakfast but it was probably my favorite breakfast of the week. This was located at beach level and had a cool vibe. Ribeye tacos, in-room dining In-room dining In-room dining In-room dining: The in-room dining was actually pretty good compared to a lot of other properties. Since the room was so nice and you had your own private pool, it was hard to leave sometimes so having the option to get food delivered to your suite was really nice. BIO cave vegan restaurant Other restaurants: We had dinner and breakfast at several other restaurants at Hotel Arte and Hotel Mexico which are the two other hotels part of Xcaret property. You could walk to most of them easily, but you could also take the private transportation anywhere from CDLP. Some standouts were La Silla (northern mexican cuisine), Kibi Kibi (lebanese/mexican), Fuego (italian-fusion), Tah-Xido (japanese). We also went to BIO for breakfast which is the vegan restaurant at Hotel Mexico and we're pretty sure something there made my wife sick. I felt completely fine after breakfast though. It had a cool atmosphere. Private room for treatments at spa Muluk Spa: My wife and I both got treatments at the spa which were both incredible. The staff was very welcoming and attentive, offering drinks and food upon arrival. For certain treatments, you get access to their hydrotherapy room which included a private pool separate from the rest of the spa. The staff who did treatments were very accommodating and professional. My wife got a facial and I got a pedicure. Overall notes: Because CDLP is part of Xcaret, you have access to all of their parks. They have 5-6 parks that you can go to, some close, some a little further. We only went to Xcaret park since this was mostly a relax and unwind trip for us, but we got to see a lot of animals which was neat. The owner of the hotel and founder of Xcaret is an architect and you can really tell by design of the property. It was beautifully designed, and very naturally built into the landscape of the environment. There are lots of caves and it seamlessly blends with the surrounding jungle and coastline. One of my favorite aesthetics. There are iguanas and geckos everywhere, but no issues with bugs even though you are in a humid, jungle-like environment. We got a bit unlucky with the sargassum seaweed coming in earlier than usual though it wasn't a huge issue. The resort puts in a lot of effort to remove it from the beach. A really big batch of it came in on our last night there though and it was a bit smelly but what are you gonna do, that's nature. This was one of the best properties we have been to, especially for an all-inclusive. We were genuinely sad to have to return home to winter weather and will definitely be back here. If you have any questions I'll do my best to answer. submitted by /u/beachwoodbop to r/FATTravel [link] [comments]

Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya is one of the adults only resorts in the Mexican Caribbean that I personally keep coming back to. It manages to sit in that space where it feels upscale but still realistic price-wise compared to many other Cancun all inclusive resorts. recommend booking through Travelingos - price were way cheaper than booking with Expedia or the resort. we did the golden superior junior suite and that room was amazing, The private pool rooms looked amazing but were over our budget. The service is consistently strong, the atmosphere is relaxed without being boring, and the overall experience feels easy rather than overproduced. What makes it stand out for me is the sense of space. The tropical grounds are wide, the layout doesn’t feel cramped, and it balances calm daytime energy with livelier evenings without turning into a party heavy property. Food: 8/10 Food at Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya is reliable and above average for this category. The French and Italian restaurants tend to be the strongest, and the steak and seafood options are usually solid. Breakfast at the buffet is one of the better parts of the dining experience, especially for longer stays. Dinner can start to feel slightly repetitive after several nights, particularly if you rotate between the same few spots. This isn’t a resort you book purely for a culinary adventure. It’s more about consistent quality across the week rather than standout fine dining. Rooms: 7.5/10 The room design leans classic Caribbean rather than ultra modern. Think warm tones, wood, and a more traditional resort look instead of glass and concrete minimalism. Everything feels spacious and comfortable, and in my stays it’s been well maintained and clean. Valentin Imperial also offers several higher-tier room categories with private pool access, including the Dunas Private Pool Ocean View Suites and swim up style options located in one of the best areas of the property. If you don’t care about that kind of setup, the regular junior suites still do the job. They’re big enough, the beds are comfortable, and for most people they’ll be more than fine. Beach: 7.5/10 The resort sits on Playa del Secreto, which gives it a long, wide stretch of sand. It’s a good beach for walking and relaxing, and there’s usually enough space between loungers that it doesn’t feel packed. Like most of Riviera Maya, seaweed can be seasonal. Some days the water looks great, other days it’s less impressive. Staff work on maintenance, but conditions depend on nature more than anything else. If your entire trip depends on having a flawless beach every single day, you can find better options. Pools: 9/10 The main pool is one of the strongest features of Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya. It’s large, visually impressive, and spread out enough that even when the resort is busy, it rarely feels chaotic. The swim up bar area can get lively, but you can easily find quieter corners without feeling isolated. For travelers who prioritize pool time over ocean time, this is where the resort really stands out compared to many other adults-only all inclusive options in Riviera Maya. Service: 8.5/10 Service is consistently friendly and attentive without feeling forced. Staff interactions feel natural, and issues are generally handled quickly. It’s not ultra-formal luxury service, but it’s reliable and warm. Across multiple stays, the consistency has been one of the biggest positives. Price / Value This is where Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya still makes a strong case for itself in 2026. It’s not cheap, but compared to other adults only resorts offering a similar level, many of them cost significantly more and in my opinion don’t necessarily deliver a better overall experience. It sits in a range where you feel like you’re paying for space, pools, and atmosphere rather than hype. Downsides The room style won’t appeal to travelers looking for cutting-edge contemporary design. Beach conditions can vary depending on season. Dining, while good, may feel repetitive on longer stays. Evening entertainment is decent but not a major highlight. Who this resort is for Couples looking for a relaxing Travelers who spend most of their time in the pool area. Guests who want a balanced mix of calm days and moderately lively evenings. Who it may not be for Travelers prioritize sleek, brand-new design aesthetics. Guests are expecting gourmet level dining. Anyone looking for a high energy party scene. People who like that postcard turquoise water. Overall If you’re trying to figure out from all the Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya reviews whether it’s still worth booking in 2026, the short answer is yes, as long as your expectations are in the right place. It’s one of those resorts that doesn’t try to be everything at once, but does a lot of important things well. submitted by /u/Round_Skirt8701 to r/CancunTravelGuide [link] [comments]

Hi, I'm a journalist who writes for Forbes and reports on conservation and sustainable hotels for my own magazine, Azure Road. I'm pasting in the article I just published on Azure Road here. I understand and accept I'm not here to promote my site, just provide helpful advice. In light of that, Nekajui is VERY high end and expensive, and so it seemed a good fit to share my insights here. https://preview.redd.it/xrucyq6zwagg1.png?width=1500&format=png&auto=webp&s=6522b31e9153900577d16b2218c9e8a4346d1842 The Azure Road Take On my first night at Nekajui, I crossed the suspended bridge alone, barefoot in the robe from my room, following the glow of lanterns below. In the distance, the Pacific cut a dark band that merged into a sky crowded with stars. The hum of insects, a low, steady buzz, made it feel as if the peninsula itself were breathing. By the time I reached the far side, I had that rare sensation of being very far from the life I’d flown in from, yet strangely more awake to it. Nekajui Peninsula Papagayo, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, lives in that contrast. Located on the Papagayo Peninsula, it draws its name from a Chorotega word for “lush garden,” fitting for an ultra-luxury resort set in one of the most biodiverse corners of Costa Rica. Nekajui offers unapologetically high-end living: private plunge pools, treetop tents, a funicular to an Iberian-inspired beach club. On arrival, I was assigned a manzu, a personal concierge named for the Chorotega word for “friend,” whose WhatsApp ping quietly replaces the front desk. At times, that level of luxury can seem incongruous with sustainability and conservation. But the property has been shaped with a careful eye on how it was built and how it operates, given it sits on a peninsula where 70 percent of the land must remain protected and the surrounding Área de Conservación Guanacaste is recognized by UNESCO. The result is not a hardship version of responsibility, but a resort where food sourcing, waste management, and careful design are deliberately part of the brief. You feel the effort not in a plaque on a wall, but in the way your morning gallo pinto tastes of a specific place, how the art tells the story of Guanacaste, and how a walk back from a treatment in the trees delivers you into a forest that is being actively cared for, not just admired. https://preview.redd.it/hsxomcg1xagg1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=6e13f2e5e2e5c74765b1cb644390f6f3ae59a78a Sustainability Chops With a name drawn from the Chorotega word for “lush garden” and a concierge called “friend,” Nekajui could have stopped at gestures. It doesn’t. The setting on Papagayo, where most of the land has to remain protected, means the resort has to think about how its presence fits into a larger living system rather than just dressing the part. A lot of that work happened before guests ever checked in. When the hillside was terraced for rooms and paths, most of what teams carved out stayed on site instead of becoming construction waste. Those materials now show up as stone retaining walls, cladding, and even headboards. The buildings follow the contours of the land, so forest and ravines are threaded between suites and common areas instead of flattened into lawns. Walking to breakfast or the spa, you pass through original forest canopy, not a replanted approximation of one. The food and beverage program follows the same logic around waste and reuse. Breakfast at Mirador trades an endless buffet for à la carte ordering, which dramatically cuts food waste while feeling just as indulgent. Across the restaurants, the kitchen leans on local produce and seafood and prepares nearly everything from scratch. https://preview.redd.it/bc57qfs2xagg1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=ab393115f976ee434ed538c3e7a3eb8fcd501526 The coffee and cocktail programs show this philosophy most clearly. At Café Rincón, beans from Costa Rican partner farms are roasted on-site, and tastings are led by people who grow the beans. Behind the bar, a dedicated lab and small distillery work with whole fruits and botanicals, turning peels, seeds, and stems into infusions and syrups rather than binning them. The end result looks like a polished cocktail list, but the low-waste approach is built into every drink. https://preview.redd.it/b6ye5yc4xagg1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=01b021eec15f06de362842d0ad23b4445266054e Nekajui also doesn’t pretend it exists in a bubble. It plugs into peninsula-wide efforts on land and sea, from coral restoration in nearby bays to wildlife monitoring and habitat restoration in the forest. One of the flagship projects, Culebra Reef Gardens, focuses on rebuilding coral structures just offshore. The resort and its developer also support Creciendo Juntos, a long-running community program that fosters education, health, and job training in neighboring towns. As a guest, you can engage a little or a lot, but the point is that the Indigenous names, local art, and stories on the walls are backed by ongoing work, not just aesthetics. Who It’s For Nekajui is for high-end travelers looking for a gentle immersion into nature without sacrificing thread count. It suits couples who are happy to let a day stretch from the pool to lunch to sunset cocktails without checking their phones. Families with older kids or teens will find plenty to do, from ziplining and surf lessons to wildlife walks and boat trips out into the gulf, but this is not a resort built around water slides and mascots. The energy leans more “well-traveled friend’s place on a protected coastline” than “big all-inclusive.” If you need loud nightlife and a dozen bars competing for your attention, you’ll probably be happier elsewhere. Location The Papagayo Peninsula curves into the Gulf like a series of green knuckles, each one ending in a small bay or headland. Getting to the hotel is straightforward: fly into Liberia’s Guanacaste Airport, meet your driver upon arrival, and settle in for the 45-minute ride to the resort. The property itself sits high above Bahía Huevos and Playa Pochote, so from most terraces you see treetops and open water, with boats slipping in and out of the coves far below. Once you’re checked in, the scale shrinks. Electric buggies handle the steep slopes, whether you have mobility problems or simply want an easy ride. A funicular shuttles you down to Niri Beach Club, though you’re free to tackle the 200-stairs up and down for more NEAT in your day. A network of paths and stairways connects rooms, restaurants, and Spa & Wellness. If you want to see more of Papagayo, there are biking and walking routes that make it feel like one extended neighborhood, just with better wildlife. https://preview.redd.it/bdf0pr37xagg1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=2ade3aade6446c11db766b55ad6f7aa119e0c614 Rooms and Suites Nekajui has 107 ocean-facing accommodations in total: 77 guestrooms, 27 suites, three two-bedroom treetop tents, and one four-bedroom Grand Villa. All are oriented toward the water, so most views frame both forest and sea. Guestrooms come with floor-to-ceiling glass, a generous bathroom, and a terrace or balcony; many include a plunge pool or outdoor shower. Suites add separate living areas and larger outdoor spaces, and the four-bedroom Grand Villa is set up as a standalone house with its own pool and wide views over the bay. The three treetop tents sit higher in the canopy and combine canvas with solid construction. Each has two bedrooms, a shared living area, proper indoor bathrooms, a plunge pool, and a deck that looks out across the trees toward the water. Across all categories, the design language is consistent: teak and other local woods, stone, carved panels that reference Chorotega patterns, caña brava on terrace ceilings, and handmade tile in the bathrooms. Multi-panel doors open wide so the rooms connect directly to their terraces rather than feeling closed off. Every accommodation is paired with a manzu, the resort’s personal concierge, who manages restaurant bookings, transport, and activities directly, rather than through a traditional front desk. https://preview.redd.it/yhd76xj8xagg1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=07aa2be7f188425de712716415d5d54ed74d26f7 Food and Drink Nekajui runs a tight constellation of restaurants and bars rather than a giant “something for everyone” spread. Executive Chef Lulu Elízaga steers the ship, and each outlet has a clear personality. Puna, the flagship dining venue, sits at the center of it all. Peruvian chef Diego Muñoz, who made his name on modern coastal cooking, shaped the concept. The menu reads like Latin America on a shoreline: bright ceviches, fish and meats cooked over charcoal, vegetables with a point of view. Inside Puna, the six-seat counter concept called Paruro, offers an omakase-style sequence that riffs on Lima’s Chinatown, folding Asian flavors into Peruvian technique. Down at Pochote Bay, Niri Beach Club straddles the line between restaurant and all-day hangout. You reach it by the beach funicular, then sit down to Iberian coastal food: wood-fired seafood, cocas, and grill-heavy plates meant to share. The wine list skews Spanish and Portuguese, with a strong showing of smaller, low-intervention producers, which gives the place more of a beach-town restaurant feel than a hotel outlet. For some, dining by lantern in the warm breeze of night, will feel more transporting than a repast inside the hotel’s interior. Back up the hill, Mirador handles breakfast with a sea view. Instead of a buffet, staff bring curated trays and small plates to the table, then serves a la carte cooked dishes from the menu. Brisa, next to the infinity pool, serves both lunch and dinner with salads, grilled fish, and tasty desserts. Café Rincón, a cafe for smoothies, breakfast bites, and coffee, demonstrates the hotel’s thoughtfully executed coffee and cacao program. The property sources beans from Costa Rican farmer who roasts them on-site for the extensive single origin coffe program. Take a class on Costa Rican coffee and brewing customs or grab an espresso, latte, and other milk-based drinks. Lighter dishes and pastries make it the natural stop between activities, or the place you duck into when the afternoon heat hits. The bar program stitches everything together. Ámbar, an open-air cocktail bar suspended at canopy level, frames sunset over the bay with drinks built around regional fruits and botanicals. La Casona, just off the lobby, feels more like a living room with a serious backbar: herb-forward cocktails served with snacks and small plates, whether taken outside to sip by the firepit or enjoyed indoors. After dinner at Puna, step inside a speakeasy for another round of cocktails, though you’ll want an appointment to secure one of the few tables in the intimate space. https://preview.redd.it/x989c9x9xagg1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=50ba376d4b51aa207f158f60ba5cebde79fcc358 Spa and Wellness The Spa & Wellness center sits among the treetops with long views over Pochote Bay. Named for the Chorotega word for “water,” the 27,000-square-foot complex includes a large hydrotherapy pool, six ocean-facing treatment cabanas, two private spa suites in the main building, and saunas that frame the Pacific. Guests arrive through an open-air pavilion built in traditional Bahareque style, with bamboo and wood frames packed with a mix of mud, straw, and sand. Furnishings made by local artisans give the entrance the feel of a refined rural structure rather than a conventional spa lobby. Treatments use regional ingredients and Ayuna products from Spain, with options that range from sound-based sessions and earth-focused bodywork to classic massages and facials. Nearby, Naku House, named for the Chorotega word for “fire,” hosts movement practices including Primal Dance and Energy Rolling. Pool and Amenities Most of the resort’s daytime life gathers around the cliff-edge infinity pools near Brisa, with loungers lining the narrow beach below. Beyond the property, Nekajui plugs into Peninsula Papagayo’s wider offerings. The Outpost at Palmares Preserve, a 250-acre protected area that encircles the resort, serves as the base for The Explorers program, with ziplining, aerial trekking, guided wildlife hikes, and canoe excursions through mangroves. SurfX coaches lead trips to nearby breaks such as Witch’s Rock and Ollie’s Point, and the peninsula adds windsurfing, paddleboarding, scuba, snorkeling, and sailing. Golfers have access to the private 18-hole Arnold Palmer Signature course, an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary with ocean vistas on most holes and a clubhouse and racquet center within walking distance. Other outdoor activities include tennis and pickleball on HAR-TRU courts at the Racquet Center, use of the MoveStrong outdoor “jungle gym” rigs at the forest edge, and walks or runs along the six-mile Papagayo Trail. A complimentary all-electric bike-share system makes it easy to move around the peninsula. Papagayo Park, the newest addition to the peninsula, adds a community-focused layer above Prieta Bay, with additional tennis and pickleball courts, a lap pool, bocce courts, and fitness platforms among the trees. Because several hotels on the peninsula have residences, the park also includes a dog park and casual spots for a snack, such as Patio Social and the Cono Loco gelateria. https://preview.redd.it/kvzwktlbxagg1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=b07eefe47eb6e026a786b5ff9208b1a0a6758c56 What to Know Before You Go Nekajui works as year-round destination, with hot, dry days from roughly December through April and greener, wetter weather the rest of the year. The heaviest rains usually occur in September and October. You’ll fly into Liberia’s Guanacaste Airport (LIR), then it’s about a 45-minute transfer to the peninsula, which the resort arranges. Once you’re there, you can move easily bewteen spaces on foot, with golf carts, or electric bikes. The hotel also arranges shuttles between other penisula properties, including Andaz Costa Rica and Four Seasons, whether for dining or spa appointments. A rental car only really makes sense if you plan to explore well beyond the peninsula on your own. Rates generally start around $1,500–$2,400+ per night for entry-level rooms, often exceeding $2,500 during high season. Lower rates can fall to approximately $1,100 in September, while luxury suites and treetop tents can exceed $7,000 per night. VERDICT: Gorgeous, expensive, good with occasionally great food. I expected more from the flagship restaurant, to be honest, and found Niri by the beach, far more atmospheric and fun (and good.) Not much to the beach but a lot of activities are available. One thing I didn't like on arrival (and didn't realize) is that Papagayo is basically a gated enclave for the rich which made me feel like I was in South Florida. All in, a great experience but a bit sanitized if you're looking for true wilderness luxury. Happy to answer any other questions. submitted by /u/FollowAzureRoad to r/chubbytravel [link] [comments]

is any one disappointed there was no cloud style sounding songs like most of the snippets showcased? I feel it is not his sound and he did exactly what everyone actually was wanting. (Mushroom clouds, thunder, grim freestyle) this just honestly sounds very mainstream. Playa, stay here for life(which I swear is a don toliver throwaway beat lol) , no trespassing, stfu, it’s all just mainstream slop? And it’s funny because I don’t think the mainstream will even except this. He should have stuck with the grim aesthetic. Dark, cloudy, villain type of vibe. I know ruby rosary didn’t do well but I mean.. no beat drop?!!! Man.. I wanted a lot a lot more. Beggars can’t be choosers I guess. submitted by /u/helikrypter to r/asaprocky [link] [comments]

Relatively new to this and my old board was cracking, got a new deck and finished her up today. I love it so much it’s going to be hard to skate 😂 Softer wheels till I get more comfortable on the board, the only trucks that would fit a freestyle board they had in the shop 🥲 and grip tape I couldn’t say no to submitted by /u/SnooCalculations232 to r/SkateboardSetups [link] [comments]

Hey everyone, figured I’d put together a full Cancun guide for anyone planning a trip this year. I’ve been living in Cancun for the past seven years, and I’ve spent time in pretty much all the major resort areas - Cancun, Playa/Costa Mujeres, Riviera Cancun, PDC, and Tulum. Over the years I’ve picked up a few things (some the easy way, some not so much), so here’s a full breakdown of what’s worth knowing before you come. Flights & Getting In Cancun airport can feel like organized chaos, but it works. Most major U.S. cities fly direct, so getting here is easy. Once you land, ignore anyone inside the terminal who tries to “help” you with transportation, those are timeshare people. Walk straight outside to meet your real driver or shuttle company. Airport taxis are notoriously overpriced, so always book your ride ahead of time. If you didn’t, there’s the ADO bus option — it’s cheap, air conditioned, and reliable, but it’s more of a budget move. If you want to save yourself the hassle, a pre booked private transfer is way more comfortable and faster. If you rent a car, check for scratches and take a short video before leaving the lot, it might save you a headache later. Weather & Best Time to Visit Cancun and the Riviera Maya have warm, tropical weather all year round - it’s one of those destinations where there’s really no “bad” time to visit. Dry Season (November–April): These months are usually the most popular. sunny skies, warm days, and calm water. It’s perfect beach weather almost every day, with very little rain. Spring & Early Summer (May–June): Still a great time to come. the ocean is warm, prices drop a bit after easter, and even though you might get a short afternoon shower here and there, it usually passes within an hour and the sun comes right back out. Rainier Season (July–October): This is when the region technically enters its “wet” season, but it doesn’t mean endless rain. Most days are still sunny or partly cloudy, and if it rains, it’s usually for a short period before clearing up. Yes, this is also considered hurricane season (mainly Aug-Oct), but big storms are rare and most years pass without any major issues at all. Seaweed (Sargassum) Season If you’re planning a trip between March and late August, you might notice some seaweed along parts of the coast. It’s a natural thing that drifts in from the Caribbean every year. Some areas get hit harder than others. Tulum usually gets the most, followed by PDC, and then the stretch between Playa and Cancun known as Maroma / Riviera Cancun. Holbox also sees some seaweed during peak season. On the other hand, Isla Mujeres and Cancun’s Hotel Zone are usually the least affected. the water there stays that clear, bright turquoise most of the time. Playa Mujeres / Costa Mujeres might get a bit of it too, but much less compared to Tulum or Playa. The good news? Most resorts clean their beaches daily. you’ll see tractors and crews out early every morning clearing it up. Still, in areas like Tulum, Playa, or Riviera Cancun, the seaweed can pile up faster than they can clear it when the currents are strong. It’s not a dealbreaker though, the pools are always spotless, and you can often take a quick ferry to Isla Mujeres, where the beaches stay crystal clear year-round. Getting Around Private shuttles are the easiest for families or groups. Taxis are fine once you’re in town, but confirm the price first and always carry pesos. Ferries run daily: To Isla Mujeres from Puerto Juárez, Cancun (about every 30 minutes) To Cozumel from Playa del Carmen (roughly 1 hour) If you’re driving, stay alert at gas stations. always ask them to “set it to zero” before they start pumping. Where to Stay Hotel Zone: That’s where you’ll find Cancun’s most iconic turquoise beaches. the Hotel Zone has the best ocean colors and the easiest access to nightlife, shopping, and restaurants. Playa Mujeres / Costa Mujeres: These areas are newer and full of massive resorts - the kind with endless pools, beach clubs, and golf courses. the experience feels more exclusive and private, but the beaches here aren’t quite as turquoise as Cancun’s main strip. still nice, just not the same postcard blue. Riviera Cancun: A long stretch of high end resorts south of the airport, known for being peaceful and quiet. The water here is calm and swimmable, but it’s not the same bright Caribbean tone you get in the Hotel Zone. Playa del Carmen: This area’s a lot more central if you plan to explore attractions around the Riviera Maya. It’s also home to La Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue), the main pedestrian street packed with shops, restaurants, bars, and local vendors. everything’s walkable, so you can easily go from beach to dinner to nightlife without needing a taxi. Tulum: More relaxed, artsy, and jungle-style. Tulum is also for people who love boho vibes, yoga, boutique hotels, and don’t mind spending extra for the “aesthetic.” It’s beautiful and unique, but definitely pricier than other areas and a bit more spread out, so expect to use bikes or taxis to get around. Resorts & What to Expect In the Cancun–Playa–Tulum region, you’ll find every type of resort you can think of: family resorts, adults-only, honeymoon getaways, luxury, jungle-style eco-resorts, and places with full on waterparks. Figure out what’s most important to you before booking. If your goal is those bright turquoise beaches, stick with the Hotel Zone. If you’re coming with kids, go for family resorts with slides and waterparks - there are tons of great ones like Moon Palace, Nickelodeon, Dreams Playa Mujeres, Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach and more. If you want something adventurous with parks and activities included, look at any of the Xcaret Hotels. If you’re after calm, couples-only relaxation, focus on adults-only properties wherever you want Cancun, Playa Mujeres, Riviera Cancun, PDC or Tulum (all of them offer many great options). My honest tip: Don’t go for the cheap all-inclusives. you’ll notice it right away, lower food quality, weak drinks, and average service. paying a few hundred more for a better-rated resort is absolutely worth it. Food & Drinks As I mentioned earlier, if you pick a low-tier all-inclusive, don’t expect five-star dining or premium drinks. It’s simple - if you pay less, you get less. That said, some local spots outside the resorts are absolutely worth trying if you’re into authentic food. El Fogon, Taqueria Los Chachalacos and Don Sirlion are local favorites for tacos al pastor and cochinita pibil. Don’t drink tap water, and better not to even brush your teeth with it, stick to bottled water. Tipping Guide (How It Actually Works Here) Tipping is a big part of the culture in Mexico, even at all-inclusives. It’s not mandatory, but it’s highly appreciated, and good service usually gets even better when you tip fairly. Transportation: Airport Driver (Private, under 30 min): $10 USD / 180 pesos Airport Driver (Private, over 30 min): $15–$20 USD / 270-360 pesos Airport Driver (Shared, under 30 min): $5 USD / 90 pesos Airport Driver (Shared, over 30 min): $10 USD / 180 pesos VIP Airport Lounge Staff: $5–$10 USD / 90-180 pesos Resorts & Restaurants: Bartenders & Waiters: $1 USD / 20 pesos per round Buffet Meals: $2–3 USD / 40–60 pesos A la carte Dinner: $3–5 USD per person, up to $10 if it’s fine dining Butler / Concierge: $10–20 USD / 180-360 pesos per day Pool Server: $5 USD / 100 pesos at the start, $5 again at the end of the day Maid / Housekeeping: $2–5 USD / 40–100 pesos daily Room Service: $2 USD / 40 pesos Porter / Bellhop: $1 USD / 20 pesos per bag Spa Services: around 20% Tour Guide (Group): $5–10 USD / 90-180 pesos Tour Guide (Private): $10–25 USD / 180-450 pesos Minibar restock: $1 USD / 20 pesos per refill Day Trips & Attractions Isla Mujeres: 20-minute ferry from Cancun. Rent a golf cart, cruise around the island, and stop at Playa Norte, it’s picture-perfect. Cozumel: Ferry from Playa del Carmen, known for some of the best snorkeling and diving in Mexico, (there is also “El Cielo” an amazing snorkeling place there). Chichén Itzá: One of the Seven Wonders of the World. go early, it gets packed and hot. Coba: Another Mayan site where you can still climb the pyramid. Cenotes: Natural sinkholes filled with clear freshwater, swim, snorkel, or just cool off. Popular ones are: Cenote Dos Ojos, Cenote Azul & Eden, and Gran Cenote. Unique Cenotes: Tak Ba Ha and Cenote Casa Tortuga Akumal: Great spot to swim with sea turtles (just remember: no touching them). Valladolid: Small colonial town about 90 minutes away, colorful streets, great food, and a few nearby cenotes. Adventure Parks (Xcaret Group) If you’ve never been to one, these parks are basically a mix of theme park + nature reserve + water park. The most popular ones: Xcaret Park: The big one - underground rivers, shows, snorkeling, wildlife, cultural exhibits. Xel-Há: Huge natural lagoon, perfect for lazy floating and snorkeling. Xplor / Xplor Fuego: Zip lines, ATVs, caves, and night adventure. Xenses: Mind-bending illusions, optical tricks, and cool photos. Xavage: Extreme sports like rafting and monster trucks. Xoximilco: Floating Mexican party with food, music, and tequila. Xenotes: Guided cenote tours with ziplines and kayaking. Xichen: Organized day trip to Chichén Itzá including meals and transport. They’re all well-run and safe, just pricey. bring your own towel and sunscreen, reef-safe only, they’ll check. Nightlife Cancun’s nightlife is wild. You’ll find something for every mood. Hotel Zone: Coco Bongo – big show, confetti, acrobats, chaos. Mandala – open-air, younger crowd. The City – massive club, huge sound system. Congo Bar – cheap, loud, fun. Señor Frog’s – messy fun, karaoke, tequila shots on the house. Playa del Carmen: Bars and lounges along 5th Avenue, less showy, more social. Tulum: Beach clubs, jungle beats, and $20 cocktails. Different vibe. Shopping La Isla Shopping Village: Outdoor mall in the Hotel Zone with nice lagoon views. Luxury Avenue: High-end boutiques (LV, Cartier, etc). Mercado 28: Local market for souvenirs and handmade stuff. Puerto Cancun Marina Town Center: Upscale mall with restaurants and a marina. Plaza Las Américas: Indoor mall with local stores, restaurants, and AC. Plaza de las Américas Outlets: Discount outlet version with local and brand stores. 5th Avenue (Playa del Carmen): Tourist street with bars, cafes, and shops. Money, Safety & Common Scams Use pesos. you can pay in USD almost anywhere, but you’ll lose money on the conversion. Use ATMs inside stores or banks, never random street ones. Don’t fall for “free tour” or “discounted excursion” pitches, they’re usually timeshare traps. At gas stations, say “set it to zero” before fueling. And don’t leave your phone or wallet unattended at the beach. Suggested Packing List Stuff that always ends up being lifesavers: Bug spray & antihistamines Cash (small bills for tips) Floaties or pool noodles Imodium Laundry pods Electrolyte packs (Liquid IV, Pedialyte) Disinfectant wipes Night light for the bathroom Multi-port charger Portable fan Phone holder for the plane Reusable straws Reef-safe sunscreen Travel clothesline Travel mug Velcro strap for your bag White noise machine Ziplock bags for wet clothes or snacks Binder clips to keep curtains closed Final Thoughts Cancun and the Riviera Maya can be whatever you want them to be: chill, romantic, wild, or family-friendly. Use common sense, respect the locals, tip fairly, and don’t fall for the fake “departure tax” scams at the airport. The beaches are worth every bit of hype, and odds are you’ll start planning your next trip before you even unpack from this one. submitted by /u/Round_Skirt8701 to r/CancunTravelGuide [link] [comments]

submitted by /u/dannydutch1 to r/UtterlyUniquePhotos [link] [comments]

does daytona count? submitted by /u/Sammywar to r/GoodAssSub [link] [comments]

Hello! Writing this from somewhere over Texas (and finishing it up two days later because wow this turned into a novel) on the way home after an incredible few days in the Riviera Maya touring resorts and meeting with the teams. I’m always so grateful for my time in destination because it really helps me keep a pulse on what’s going on at the properties and make sure I’m giving you and my clients the most up to date intel. Stay tuned for more content from the trip including a Grand Velas review (probably much shorter than this one, but spoiler alert - it’s a winner too). Valentin Imperial was my host for most of this trip. I am a big champion of this property on Reddit and to my clients and think they provide an excellent experience. This stay reinforced that, though of course there were a couple things that could have been better. Fair warning, this will be an excessively long review (and also sort of a guide to the resort)… I can’t help myself from writing. So, I’ll do a quick summary up top and then go into it in excruciating detail. Promise I won’t be offended if you don’t read the whole thing. Ask any and all questions in the comments! Summary/TLDR Rooms: 8/10. Extremely clean and in good shape, though not especially exciting. Newly renovated, but feel a little dated due to the “Hacienda” style. If you love a super modern look this won’t be a resort for you. I thought the bed/pillows were comfy, though a little hard (which I personally like, but YMMV). Would definitely consider upgrading to Golden or Emerald here. No ocean front rooms… yet. Stay tuned. Edit: Now I can spill the beans - their new Dunas suites open in December and will be oceanfront rooms with private pools. They are stunning!!! Food: 8.75/10. Nothing was bad, many things were excellent. French and Asian restaurants were the highlights. Drinks: 9/10. Some super sweet cocktails, though that’s par for the course. House wines were very strong for being included. Great selection of liquor brands and staff didn't skimp on the pours. Service: 10/10. Everyone was kind, caring, friendly, and went out of their way to make my stay great. Never waited for a drink, dining service was perfectly paced, and housekeeping usually was done with my room by the time I came back from breakfast. Pools: 10/10. Great variety, great service, and great entertainment. The pools were extremely warm, though that’s Cancun in September for you. Grand Velas was no better in that regard. Beach: 8/10. I was surprised at how nice the beach was - a long walking beach with soft white sand. Very swimmable too. Some sargassum, though not too bad. There is audible construction on the north side, though I didn’t find it bothersome. Psst… remember what I said above about oceanfront rooms?! Entertainment/Activities: 9.5/10. Lots of programming, shows and live music every night. If you want a livelier resort in this price point/category, this is where you should go, but it's also easy to find peace and quiet if you want it. FYI - spa/gym are small. Check in/out: Quick and seamless. 10/10. Timeshare pitch: NONE! The resort does not have a timeshare program. Extra credit for that. Overall: 9.25/10 = an A-. I’m a big fan of this one and will continue to advocate for it for the right client. Who is the right client? Someone who wants good food and drinks, a lively atmosphere without a full on party resort but also plenty of places to relax, likes the spread out tropical feel/more traditional rooms, is okay with walking a bit (or using golf carts), and doesn’t need an incredible beach would be right at home here. I elaborate a bit on who isn’t the right client at the very end of the review. Trip Logistics Arrived at CUN at 3 PM on a Wednesday and walked directly to the immigration officer with zero line. Was in my Nexus transfer within five minutes of finding them outside and they were easy to find. Driver was safe and pleasant and the van was clean and cold. PSA - you can buy sunscreen for ~$16 USD in the convenience store outside T3 arrivals (not in duty free… that’s whacko expensive) if you forget yours on your kitchen counter like I did and don’t realize until you’re on the plane. Overview Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya is located about 30 minutes south of the Cancun Airport and 20 minutes north of Playa del Carmen. It’s a mid-sized resort by guest count at 539 rooms, however, it feels much larger because of the layout. It’s spread out into sixteen guest room buildings (each 2-3 stories) on a sprawling tropical campus (note - unless you’re on the beach, you can’t see the ocean anywhere on the property). Walking paths flanked by mangroves and jungle (and with lots of wildlife) connect the buildings to the pools, restaurants, and amenities. Generally, the resort is longer than it is wide, with the main lobby, most entertainment, and most dining at the front of the resort (closest to the road/furthest from the beach), the pools in the middle, and the beach at the back. The guest room buildings are scattered all over the place. I would put this resort in the “premium” category - not quite a true luxury property, but definitely an elevated experience. I would say it’s a competitor to Live Aqua, JOIA Paraiso, and El Dorado Maroma as far as quality of property goes (and SLS/Hyatt Ziva/Grand Fiesta Americana if you’re considering family friendly properties), but is a very different feel from any of them. It’s a hair below somewhere like Xcaret, Secrets Akumal/Moxche/Playa Blanca, or Atelier. Rates range from submitted by

OK.......... It's time for my annual Rant and Predictions. 27 years of attending Burning Man. My name is Zapper Jones and I first came to Burning Man in 1997 at the age of 17. It has been a privilege to watch this insane thing evolve from the 90's Underground Apocalypse-Anarchy-Nudist-Freedom-Festival it was back then, to the Cutting-Edge-Technology-Driven-Community-Focused-Art-Exposition it is today. I'm not one of the Jaded-Burnery-than-Thou-assholes who only talks about how good it was back in the day. I'm one of those Jaded-Burnery-than-thou-assholes who thought the old days sucked just as much! Burner Culture is ever changing and always evolving. We are in a new ERA after the Rain Storm of '23. And now Burning Man isn't the Exclusive-VIP-Dream-Experience- for-the-Upper-Class-Festival that it was in 2019. Burning Man isn't Hot anymore, and that is pretty cool. Marian McBorg is obviously completely sick and fucking tired of doing Burning Man. But I am sure as hell not!!! I'll be here to watch it all go down in Flames - Until the very last Burn. So for all of you Debbie Downsizers, Half-Wit-Hippies, Budget-Burner First Timers, and Jaded-AF Old Timers let's build a better vision of the future for yesterday together today, starting right now. PREDICTIONS The Weather It will be Hot and Dusty, of fucking course. However we may be in for a dustier and cooler year than normal. And if the Gods are good, a Hail storm would really fill out the Burning Man Weather Bingo Card. Hail Satan! We are still rejoicing from the Rain of two years ago, but could use some Dust Storms and Hail Fire from above to rinse out the weak ass bitches like Diplo and Chris Rock. Burning Man is at its BEST when the weather is at its WORST. The Man The design this year is basic as fuck. It looks exactly like last year's'Man, just with less wood. It matches this year's Apathetic Vibe from the BORG. I can see why they went with Basic-Ass- Bitch Man this year. Anything else would not match the Faux Cost-Cutting Measures the BORG has set in place. The design looks about 100 Steps short of being wheelchair accessible, because They clearly chose the cheapest Man Build out of the catalog this year. It's OK, everyone is Burning on a Budget this year. The Burning Man himself might as well be too. THE THEME "Tomorrow's Yesterday Today" is just "Yesterday's Today Tomorrow". Walt Disney already fucking did this - it's called Epcot Center in Florida. The whole Retro Futuristic Aesthetic was Cheeze-Dick when Walt Disney did it, and now it's even more Cheeze-Dicky now that Burning Man is doing it. I do like the honesty from the BORG that Burning Man is actually a giant TRADE EXPO where Artist, Artcars, DJs, and Event Coordinators share their products that are ready for market. Everything and Everyone here is actually for sale. ( I Also Rant for Weddings, Funerals, Birthday Parties and Bar mother fuck'n Mitzvahs ... For a Small Fee of course). This year's rant is sponsored by the Makers of Ketamine: "Ketamine. Maybe she's born with it. Maybe it's keteattmilnmmeffferrr." I'll be at the Rant Pavilion showcasing new Megaphones technologies all week. Every Green Technology Startup in San Francisco has been throwing solar panels at the BORG to get that sweet de-commodified advertisement space. TESLA should showcase Yesterday's new Car of the Future again Tomorrow. Just like they did in 2007!!! That's right! TESLA literally showcased a life-size plastic model 1 TESLA, originally used by the company for wind testing. They brought that stoopid shit out to Burning Man in 2007. Never forget. And if the BORG allowed it once - in return for funding - why not do it again. Given the BORG's current financial problems, I am sure they would love to Whore themselves out to TESLA again. Next maybe let them showcase TESLA's new AI technology by installing it inside the Burning Man Effigy. Allowing the Man to answer all our deepest Burning questions about Life, the Universe and Yeast Infections. Then on Saturday night , WE KILL IT WITH FIRE. THE ART With Burning Man feeling the downsize from ticket sales ,and the BORG's focus on world vision, large-scale art is in decline. It's not a great deal for the artist, as the grants don't cover costs. Best case scenario, the art piece will end up being recycled into an Installation, at an off-the-strip Vegas Casino, selling for a fraction of the cost. The only artists willing to bring large-scale art to Burning Man are international sculptors who have never been to Burning Man. Over the past 28 years, the BORG has burned bridges with every large-scale art maker in the United States. Now all of the art is off-shore manufactured and imported to the USA. Get ready for half-finished Scandinavian Troll-Themed Pieces and barely-started Mid-Century-Spanish-Colonial-Inspired Trash-Sculptures. The problem with hiring international artists who have never been to Burning Man before is that they radically underestimate the amount of work it takes to do a large-scale art piece at Burning Man - because they have never fucking been to Burning Man before. THE THEME CAMPS In this economy? Camp Fundraiser events have turned into High-Pressure Timeshare Seminars, with Camps offering Amenities at lower rates than competitors, while hiding hidden costs and additional fees. All the Tech-Bro Plug-and-Play Money left with the Hashtagger-Instagram Crowd after the Rain of 2023. And now the Economy of Theme Camps have Radically Changed. Gone are the days of filling out Applications to prove you are "Good Vibes Only" enough to fork out $1,000 in Camp Dues for a Shiftpod in the sun and a Gross Meal Plan. Now any Dooshbag with $300 can get an AC unit on a dedicated circuit for a Hexyurt in the shade and be eating hamburgers every goddamn night! In the Economics of Theme Camps, this year is a Campers' Market. Don't want to pay $300? No fucking problem! Just do it your goddamn self in Open Camping! OPEN CAMPING The BORG spent years creating a Culture of Scarcity and set off an ARMS RACE for the biggest and most well-funded Theme Camps to fight for placement fueled by Rich-Fuck Plug-N-Play Money. For years the BORG would emphasize the importance of Community Building and Connections through being a Contributor to a Theme Camp. This only perpetuated the Plug-N-Play problem. Open Camping was abolished, allowing the BORG to tightly curate every goddamn inch of the city, and hold leverage over any camp not meeting BORG standards. Not enough interactivity and your camp could lose placement all together. Forcing camps to schedule hundreds of unnecessary workshops throughout the week, and enlist annoying dip-shits with megaphones to YELL advertisements at passers in hopes of keeping up with the BORG's ever increasing demands for more interactivity. The Placement department became a political entity that required lobbying for position and bribes for location. NOW that the Theme Camp Economic Bubble has Burst, and HUNDREDS of Theme Camps have called it Quits, the BORG has been forced to Open up to Open Camping! This is bad for ticket sales but is Fucking Awesome for Burner Culture. The spontaneous Magic and Connections that happen when people are free to camp where they want, and do as they please is what this city was built on. That and Adderall. Open Camping allows Burners to step out of their Friend groups and social cliques and experience the community in a very different way. Lets face it - You never would have met Bill DeLong from Reno - 62, works as a Paleontologist - who, years ago, excavated bones of a Wooly Mammoth just north of the Playa, and drinks good whiskey. Hanging out with Bill Delong is fucking awesome ... and if you had gone with paying $300 in camp dues to your local Burner Circle you would have been stuck dealing with Samantha and Ronny, a Struggle-Couple who fights all week and fucks way too loud in the Shiftpod Next door. Open Camping is a great option. It's not guaranteed tho... Your neighbors could end up being Uptight-Shirtcock-Hating-Doosh-Lickers who spend the whole time in the RV and only go out at night to chase DJ sets, while ignoring the community around them. Or even Worse: You could end up next to some Entitled-Forth-Year-Burn-Shamers who are obsessed with following ALL the rules. They assert dominance by making sure that everyone around them does too....These are the type of people who will scream Radical Self-Reliance at you if you dare to ask for a can opener. You never know who will be next door when setting up camp in Open Camping. Still prolly better than dealing with Samantha and Ronny's Bullshit. THE MUSIC At one point in time, the Music of Burning Man was a wide diverse range of talented musicians from around the world, who would play specifically curated sets that would be heard nowhere else besides the Playa. Each large-scale Sound Camp would have a different type of music ...everything from Techno, Downtempo, Trance, GayHouse, DubStep, PsyTrance, Drum&Bass and BreakBeats could be heard. But along with the onslaught of Plug-N-Play Camps came the Deep-Playa-VIP-Instagram-House-Music that completely took over the Burner music scene. The music became a MONO-Culture of the blandest of bland. Now in the Aftermath of the Influencer Infection we experienced for the past 8 years...I am happy to report that the Deep-Playa-Deep-House-Hashtagger-Sunrise-Selfie-Scene is diminishing. Sure there will still be Doosh-Bags and Doosh-Bonnets Serving Caviar on Charcuterie Boards at Sunrise, while Late-to-the-Party-Influencers fight each other to climb to the top of the Robot Heart Heart for Online Clout and Self-Righteous Selfies. But in recent years, other Large-Scale Artcars like the IceBerg and Double Dragon have pulled attention and stolen momentum from the Exclusive-VIP-Only Vibe that Robot Heart and Aztec Warrior once held. Now with tickets being more accessible and Theme Camp placement desperate to fill space this year, we will see a larger variety of music than past years. Especially at smaller and mid-sized camps in the city ,and even in Open Camping. Where can you find music that isn't Doosh-Baggy-Deep-House? I am glad you asked....... The Zapper Jones Guide to finding less Doosh-Baggy Electronic Music. Psy-Trance. Simply follow anyone who does not speak english. Psy-Trance is hated by every pretentious Burn-Wad in the USA. However, it is incredibly popular world wide. They have the best designer drugs and can out-party and out-dance even the best of American Ravers. Careful ... this genre of music is for advanced party people only. Amateur ravers may find themselves with their teeth in the dirt after only 36 hours of Psy-Trancing. Drum&Bass. If it's one thing that rich white people can't stand to listen to, it's Drum&Bass. Everything about it is lower class. Go to almost any Trailer Park in the USA and you will find at least one Drum&Bass DJ. To find a camp that plays Drum&Bass, go deep in the city (past F) and look for the most run-down camp with a Crappy Mackie Sound System. Usually it will be some fat sound boy selecta dude throwing down some sick tunes in the Hot sun with his Skinny pal in the DJ booth egging him on while they play to nobody. Business Techno. Business Techno is cornering the market share that the Hashtag-Deep-Playa-Deep-Doosh-DJs have vacated. Most large Dayparty camps have invested in the Big Business Techno franchise, as this is clearly the future sound of Burning Man. It's Big, It's Bland, and it Means Business. You can find It everywhere that music is played. Tech-House ... is what happens when you buy music from Wish com. Find the Burners who look like they are from the cast of Jersey Shore and they can tell you what stages have the perfect soundtrack for non-player-characters. If they have a personality, they are not a Tech-House DJ. Trance. Find the hot MILFS with Fake Tits dressed in 2000s era Rave Gear. They know about uplifting......music. OR ask any Grey-haired DILF who is shirtless under a Furry Vest. These people will know where the Trance music is. Unfortalny It's only played at Swinger Sex Parties. I have not heard Trance at Burning Man since Paul Oakenfold in 2003. White Dudes with dreads get to be Polyamorous. However, They do not get invited to Swinger Parties. There are rules. Dubstep. Simply follow the sound of hissing nitrous oxide tanks and you will find some wacked-out-wook with a wicked ketamine addiction they should be able to tell you exactly where Camp Question Mark is. TRENDS Downsizing is all the rage this year and everybody is doing it. Whether it's the Large-Scale Art, Theme Camps, Artcars and even the Burning Man himself, Downsizing is the Hottest New Trend to hit the Playa. Burners nationwide have realized the upside to the downsize. Why do so much work when you can instead do the minimum to achieve the maximum! Darkwading is a new dumb thing. These Dipshits intentionally don't put any lights on and roll around darkwading on purpose. And if confronted about the dangers of operating at night with no lights, they proudly dismiss and decline offers of charity lighting. There are already too many Fucksticks on electric bikes going way too fast for me to want to go darkwading. But hey the Darkwad Dipshits and the Electric Bike Fucksticks should meet up randomly sometime and eat dust together on deep playa. One-Wheels are out. People only bring an electric One-Wheel to Burning Man once. Nobody likes breaking a collarbone twice. The better at riding a One-Wheel that you think you are, the more likely you will be "popping yer collar". Fucksticks on Electric bikes still suck. It's 5 mph, Fuckstick. And apparently the Darkwad epidemic is upon us. So slow the fuck down and pay attention. I could not give a fraction of a fuck about your personal safety, but I do happen to care somewhat about mine. So if you are going to be a Fuckstick speeding way too fast on an electric bike, Put a fucking light on it so I can move out of the fucking way... Asshole. Food Camps are hot right now! This was never a thing before. Now it's a thing. And It's fucking awesome. Back in the day we would survive for a week off of three cans of Hormel Chili, and a bag of beef jerky. Now you can get a hot dog at Camp Me-PHO Horny and get served Miso soup at Dick's Wiener & Shirtcock emporium. GIFTING is out of fashion. If I can't Snort it, Eat it, or Fuck it, I don't want nutt'n to do with it. Unless that camp medallion gives access to any of the three things previously mentioned, nobody needs it. Yoga is on the decline. Sorry Lindsey and Darren but you may have to walk more than two blocks to find a yoga workshop this year. Because without the BORG's over emphasis on interactivity for placement, it turns out that most camps never actually give a fuck about yoga-wellness-workshops. The only reason the camp let Becky bark out downward dog commands at 7:00am was for Map Placement next year. Lets face it, Becky has never taught a yoga class before - she just loves telling people what to do. And Lindsey and Darren only went to a Yoga class as a way to compensate for their guilt, related to using Ketamine. None of this was necessary in the first place. Diplo sucks even more than before. Last year, when someone had turned on a lightning effect at the Fluffy Cloud stage, Diplo stopped the music, dropped his headphones and started running away like Forrest Gump into the darkness of Deep Playa. The Reason was that apparently he is terrified of rain and has massive cloud cover anxiety. Look, anyone who Bailed out early because of the rains of 2023 should have never been allowed back. I have ZERO respect for anyone who turned their backs on the community and ran away. There was no valid reason for anyone to leave. Work is not a valid reason for leaving. If you got fired from your job because you went to Burning Man, then you need to get a different fucking Job. Did you need to leave early because you brought kids? If your kids can't spend a few extra days in the rain then you should have never fucking brought them along in the first place. Or maybe you just need to get new kids. Either way, None of Ya'll should ever be welcomed back. Models of Instagram are OUT and Burners of TIkTok are in. The only thing more annoying then the Hashtag-Sunrise-Model-Shoot-Influencers is Synchronized-Dance-Routine-Content-Creators. Fortunately Burning Man isn't cool anymore so the new generation of Influencer-Influenced-TikTokers will never have as large of a presence as the Hashtagging-Insta-Models did. This a good thing - otherwise Robot Heart would turn into one big synchronized country line dancing move for TikTok. Even so, It didn't stop the BORG from investing money into Advertisements on TikTok, trying to cash in that No Caps Gen-Z Rizz. Featuring snowboarding the desert? Wow! How Cray, Cray. OMG Synchronized Dance moves on Trampolines? Bruh Are they Delulu? A Basketball court in the middle of the desert? Burning Man 4real on god, out of pocket Fam! The only thing more pathetic than the BORG's pandering to TikTokers is the BORG'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL. Every Video is pure BORG propaganda featuring documentaries about the Green-Washing-Bullshit-Carbon-Neutral-2030 project. I am not convinced planting native grass at out at the Fly Ranch - AKA Rich-Fuck-Ranch-for-Creepy-Donors - is actually a valid carbon offset. This is for OPTICS, not impact. Then next time you watch a Fluff-Piece-Good-Vibes-Only-Marketing-Video featuring Self-Centered-Ego-Driven-Artist explaining the importance of Civic Responsibility for 45 minutes straight. Luckily for us, most of their brainwashing PR bullshit falls on deaf ears because the videos are too cringe to finish watching. I would rather they focus short-form PSA announcements about the 10 principles with a 'Jessie Voiceover" on TikTok than Suffer through 90 minutes of being Green-Shamed by an Angry-Vegan-Burner on Youtube. THE CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM OF BURNING MAN AND OLD NAKED DUDES ON BIKES The Black Rock City Dong-Watchers Society reported a Higher number of Old Naked Dudes on Bikes than Scientists expected last year. This speaks to the true resilience of the species. Their natural habitat has long been overpopulated by Hashtaggers and Doosh-Baggy-Plug-N-Players. The ever-expanding increase in registered Theme Camps destroyed the OPEN CAMPING that had traditionally been the natural nesting grounds of the Old Naked Dudes On Bikes population. Scientist and Dong-Watcher Groups have been advocating for more OPEN CAMPING for years. Not only is it necessary for ONDOB's, it is Also much needed habitat for Shirt-Cockers to mulch their trousers. Migration patterns of Shirt-Cocker Flocks is not well understood by scientists but studies have shown that as when Shirt-Cock-Flocks move into an area, the numbers of Assholes with Megaphone also increases. Assholes with Megaphones help diversify the ecosystem allowing for other more common Burner Species, such as Dirt-Ravers, Hairy-Naked-Weirdos, and Tit-Bouncers to thrive! The cultural ecosystem of Burning Man appears to be the right path for recovery. CATCHPHRASES FUCK YER BURN is classic basic-ass-burn-hole phrase that you will hear all the time. Here are some suggestions on how to respond in relation to the Principles of Burning Man. "Fuck my BURN? OK then, Fuck ALL of your Burns!" ( Radical-Self Reliance) "Fuck My BURN? No, Fuck OUR Burn, Collectively Together" ( Radical Inclusion ) "Fuck My BURN? At least SUCK MY BURN before you FUCK my Burn" ( Civic Responsibility ) "Fuck my BURN? NO! FUCK THIS BURN! ( Participation ) "Fuck my BURN? ok well then Fuck Your Festival (Immediacy) Other great catch phrases for this year! Best DisneyLand EVER!! SLOW DOWN FUCKSTICK! Robot LARP Aztec Warrior LARRY HARVEY please report to the front gate! Don't Diplo out on me. Sparkle Rancher. Debbie Downsizer Definity a Festival. ShirtCocking is not a crime. ADVICE FOR FIRST TIMERS Keep your head high and expectations low. Whatever preconceived notion that you have about Burning Man, it is not what is going to be like what you think. A large part of the experience actually sucks pretty bad. The BURN will test you in unexpected ways. After going 26 times I am still Tested in new ways every year. Whether it's being challenged by large builds, difficult projects, angry neighbors or gnarly weather conditions, it teaches me what I am truly capable of. And apparently I can drink a 24 pack of Coors Light in one afternoon. We learn valuable lessons about ourselves from the challenges that the Playa provides. Be Social. Don't just spend the whole BURN chasing down DJ sets, or overloading your schedule with canceled workshops. (60% of workshops get canceled ) Amanda thought Teaching a healing-wellness-self-improvement workshop was a good idea four months ago when they put in the activity book, but she is never going to show up to teach that workshop because she is still tripping balls from the night before. If you are in Open Camping, meet your neighbors. If you are with a Theme Camp then take the time to visit and interact with the camps next door. Don't just stay in your social network bubble the whole time. Bring enough Party Supplies for the week. This isn't a Grateful Dead lot. If you ask anyone for drugs they WILL assume you are a cop. Also Don't smoke Weed or Do Drugs in Public because Cops will definitely try to bust your ass if they catch you. Keep everything on the DL and you will be just fine.. Be Careful pissing on the playa at night. If you are a Dude, learn how to Pee while walking backwards and always look for Headlights and Cops before you do so. Ladies, sorry but you gotta be as quick as possible with the pop-n-squat. Then please hide your shame by kicking dust over the puddle when you are done. Of fucking course it's best to use a porta-pottie when can. But Sometimes you are just not gonna make it. Pee Jugs are a thing too. They are useful in your personal camp. It's nice to not have to stumble out of your tent while drunk as fuck at 6am, find shoes and then run two blocks down the the nearest Porta just to just to take a leak. Read the Ten Principles. Not because they matter, but because you will be shamed by 4th year Burners unless you can Pledge Allegiance to this Burn and recite all ten on the spot! Don't say you are a Virgin Burner. In the old days of Burning Man, saying you are a Virgin Burner meant that you had not had sex on the playa before and would often be met with unwanted propositions. And to this day, it is met with cherry popping jokes about prom night. It will help you avoid some stoopid conversations. Nevermind the Survival. Don't let the Survivalist-Burner-Types-Fools fool you with their military style planning and prepare-for-War attitudes about packing. You just need enough Food, Water, Drugs, and a place to Fuck. Ya you might be low key miserable sleeping in a hot tent in the sun while hungover. Just roll with the decisions you have made, wake up, start drinking and go about your day. THE RANT Marian's Global Infection Point! "The world needs Burning Man and our global mission is more important now more than ever" ( Marian McBorg 2025 ) Marian needs to leave the country more. It's like *"*BISH!!, Have you ever even been to Europe? Have you ever heard of Brazil? They don't need any help with Art Festivals, Community and Culture. Believe it or not they have had a vibrant Arts and Festival Culture that dates back hundreds of years. They are doing just FUCKING fine without us" .... The whole GODDAMN FUCKING reason Burning Man is successful is because Americans have been STARVED of Arts, Community and Culture. The Burning Man Model and Ethos really only works in America. And It's extremely ethnocentric to think our Burner Culture is superior to other Arts Culture worldwide. The BORG acts like the fucking Mormon Missionaries trying to spread the good word about our lord Larry Harvey and how he died for our sins, then came back from the dead to deliver us the Ten Principles from atop Fly Hot Springs. Marian's Focus on the globalization of Burning Man is ethically wrong. Radical Inclusion does not mean Radical Expansion. Especially when these things come at a cost to the actual BURNING MAN EVENT. Hearing how tone-deaf Marian's plea for funding and subsequent comment responses in her "Inflection Point" essay made it clear that she wants the festival to die off so the BORG can focus on philanthropy, legacy, and cultural expansion worldwide via regional networks. Unless the Borg can achieve a massive Donor to pay for the actual event, they are going to run this thing into the goddamn ground. Big Boners for Big Donors! How fucked up is it that a De-Commodified Non-Capitalist Art Festival's only hope for survival is the Pew Charitable Trust or the American Doge Foundation for Useless Arts? It's pretty fucked up, but I do understand the appeal. A one-time donation of one billion dollars would give 80,000 people free tickets for the next 17 years. Or 1 billion dollars would keep ticket prices at $650 for the next 100 years *give or take when adjusted for inflation. I can't think of a more radical self-reliant business strategy than to ask Elon-Zucker-Google to just make a small donation of 1 billion dollars. And for Elon-Zucker-Google, what a great way to make us Communist Hippies remember that capitalism paid for our Anti-Capitalist Art Festival Dirt Rave in the Desert, in what could be a huge pwning of the Libs lasting hundreds of years. Commodify the De-Commodification of Burning Man by making a legacy donation. Burning Man could be an example of what a scarcity free society could be. The AI Sector are all about that shit, and they basically are the new dot com, and Burning Man was built on dot com money. Just ask Elon-Zucker-Google. They wrote the check back then, and it's time for somebody to do it again. Put your money where your Skynet-Robot-Mouth is. Realistically the only reason that nobody from the Big-Boner-Doner-Class has not stepped in to save Burning Man is because what with Marian McBorg at the helm of the organization, Big Doners can clearly see she is far too Hyper-focused on her own philanthropy and legacy projects. She would waste any budget given on the further colonization of Gerlach and Globalization of the Culture. Colonization of Gerlach First it was just a tiny schoolhouse the BORG purchased to turn into a museum. Then they bought the hotel for law enforcement to stay in. Then the restaurant. Then the adjacent empty lot. Then they bought Rich Fuck Island - aka Fly HotSpring Ranch - then bought the 360 Acres project. Part of 360 was originally going to be a community center for people who don't live in the local community. However, local zoning ordinances have prohibited it. The BORG's goal is to be majority land holders in the township to gain control of local laws and zoning regulations. They BORG is already balls deep controlling the local politics. After 5 million dollars in land investment they filed lawsuits against clean energy companies wanting to do geothermal energy projects in the area. You can take the NIMBYs out of San Francisco and put them in the middle of the desert but they are still gonna be NIMBYs from San Francisco. REGIONALS ARE PART OF PROBLEM! The BORG's outward expansion and colonization mindset is part of the reason ticket sales are crashing. Why go to the real thing when you can get the crappy Temu version and get a fraction of the experience at a fraction of the price! Regional Burns actually suck! No matter how hard your inner Burner ethos copes, Deep Down you know goddamn well even the best of Regional Burns are not even fucking close to the "Big Burn". Regional events actually take away from Burner culture more than they contribute. They offer a watered-down experience that discourages people from attending the actual festival. And instead encourages the culture to play it safe, stay close to home, and only interact with their small local Burner community. Regional events are just Burning Man themed frat parties. Going naked under a Toga at a Phi-Alpha-Gamma Keg party and visiting the Parthenon in Athens are two totally different experiences. Look, I think it's all fine and Fun for local Burners to get together and do a lil party, but stop acting like they are a valid alternative to the REAL THING. STOP ASKING FOR IDs AT BARS!!!! There is NO LAW that requires you to ID everyone. You can stop asking Grey Bearded dudes and their Big Floppy Titted Wives to show their ID. Don't be a dick and refuse service because you are afraid of getting a ticket. Just serve 'em. It would be entrapment to send in a Shirtcocking Middle Age Dude for a drink and give the bartender a ticket for not asking for ID. . Unless you are bartending at a Big Ass Doosh-Bag Day party camp like Dickstrikt, the chance of you getting a ticket is super fucking low. I set up a Mobile Tequila Bar and gave out Margaritas and shots of Mescal to all the kids in Kidsville and never had any issues with law enforcement. If you are old enough to come to Burning Man you are old enough to drink. HARRY LARVEY Larry Harvey never existed. He was a fictional character created by Marian McBorg and Danger Ranger. They came up with the concept for the Larry Harvey Character in 1991 after realizing Burning Man had great Cult potential. The only thing missing was a Messianic figure to lead the way. It's not really a Cult if there isn't a Cult Leader. And Marian McBorg did not have the talent or charisma for the part. Danger Ranger is only good at two things: Dangering and Rangering. So they hired long time friend and Bay Area Actor named Harry Larvey to play the role of Larry Harvey: The Lovable Artist / Father Figure who could always give a rational explanation of the BORG's activities. He was someone who would actually pretend to care. This allowed for the BORG to take risks behind the scenes and always have a Front Man to blame when issues arose. Too Many RAVE camps? BLAME LARRY. Ticket Prices too HIGH? Blame Larry! Too many Plug-N-Plays camps? You Guessed it..... Blame Larry. Unfortunately for the BORG, their main player character was forced into Retirement in 2018 after a Shirt-Cocking related injury. The BORG has since struggled to find a viable replacement. I miss having a Larry Harvey character around to tell us It's all going to be OK. Without Larry to guide us, and Marian McBORG too focused on world domination to care about the actual Festival, it's up to all of us Burn-Wads, Doosh-baggers, Tit-Bouncers, Dirt-Ravers, Shirt-Cockers, TikTokkers, Party-Rockers, Swingers, Dingers Open Campers, Theme-Pampers, Fucksticks, Burn-Fuckers, Psy-trancers, Trippy-Hippies, Old Timers and FIRST TIMERS to Come Together and guide the Culture to where we want the FUTURE of Yesterday's Tomorrow to BE. My Name is Zapper Jones. You can find me at most Bars during the Day, and at all the places playing Less Doosh-Baggy Music at night. See all you Fucks in the Dust and remember: Burn IN, Burn OUT, AND most of all BURN ON!!! submitted by /u/zapperwippersnapper to r/BurningMan [link] [comments]

I’m so tired of seeing swifties doing these threads trying to drag Olivia and they put the most absurd comparisons. So let’s take a look of stuff pretty similar to Taylor’s lyrics, visuals and artwork covers. 3LW Playas gon’ play and Shake It off. The songwriters of playas gon’ play tried to sue Taylor for using players gonna to play and the haters gonna hate. Players gonna play may have been a common phrase but the two together aren’t and I kind of doubt Taylor was able to come up with that phrase on her own. She then trademarked players gonna play after. Matt Nathanson I saw and All too well It seems like Taylor took a phrase “And I forget about you long enough to forget why I needed to”. Matt Nathanson made tweets about it saying swifties were going after him for making his song and then said Taylor is definitely a fan. saving Jane Girl next door and You belong with me. Both songs have the same theme people are saying that Taylor probably took inspiration from it. Loona Stylish and Cruel Summer They both have similar sounding chorus Cruel Summer sounds like a straight ripoff. Taylor and her team still had the audacity to take credits for Olivia’s song Deja Vu. Hilary Duff Breathe in, breathe out and Paper ring/Getaway car. Breathe in, breathe out and paper rings have similar chorus and Taylor straight up stole the phrase “X marks the spot where we fell apart” in Gataway car. Taylor swift copied Matty Healy’s performance People have said that the visuals for Karma and Kiss me more by Doja Cat were similar. Manuela’s Glimmer and Anti-hero Artist Manuela said that Taylor copied her music video Glimmer. I think they do look pretty similar but swifties say that the whole evil twin thing has been done before and why would Taylor steal from a small artist. It’s literally not unheard of for big artists to be stealing from smaller artists. Joni Mitchell Blue and Taylor swift Red They have similar aesthetic Ihsahn’s Telemark and Folklore Ihsahn called Taylor out for having similar artwork cover. But I think that might be a stretch because The cure has also done the forest in black and white artwork cover. I don’t get why Taylor doesn’t like to give credit to her inspirations. Her fans are always attacking people who did the things first than her. Swifties say she can’t copy other artists because she’s a “creative genius”. All of the trademarked words she has are so ridiculous it’s so she could try to sue people if she doesn’t like the way it’s being used. Her and her team even tried to threaten to sue her guitar teacher for using her name on his website because it’s a violation of the trademark the website was called “I taught Taylor Swift . Com”. But how come Taylor can get away with plagiarizing other artists? Why is it ok for her to do it? submitted by /u/Blueberry_890 to r/travisandtaylor [link] [comments]

After diving at Malapascua, I stayed in Bantayan for 3 weeks. By the way, from Malapascua, you can rent a boat for 3.5k for 4 pax going Bantayan Island OR commute by going to Maya Port, riding a bus/van to Don Pedro, and riding a bus/van to Hagnaya then ferry to Sta Fe Port. Places To Go (worth it or not worth it FOR ME) Context: I'm a laid back person and hates crowded place so my taste may differ from yours WORTH IT: Kota Beach (FREE, best to go at 3 PM onwards, beautiful sunrise and sunset) Teresito Dragon Fruit Farm (FREE but you have to dine in, they are a restaurant which offer dragon fruit food, alcoholic drink, and dessert. Plus, they have an activity area and dragon fruit farm you can explore) Omagieca Obo-ob Mangrove Garden (sobrang ganda, cheapest souvenirs outside, 75 PHP) Sandira Beach (25 PHP, less crowded and clean and lot of sunshades) Sta Fe Beach Club (100 PHP for entrance, clean beach, sunbeds you can sleep on and delicious food — I checked in here too) Kota Park (Free, best for muni muni moments) Baigad Lagoon Beach (150 RT boat, 250 entrance fee, 150 pool fee — we didn't avail the pump boat, we just walked for 20 mins) -must try their Lagoon Tour sobrang worth it at ang gandaaa (700 PHP for 2 pax, 1 hour) NOT WORTH IT FOR ME Virgin Island (docking fee:200, ecological fee: 100, entrance fee: 350 — just because andaming binabayaran pa and so-so lang naman) Hilantagaan Island (300 PHP, snorkelling area for the island hopping tour but no fish, you can skip this) Paradise Beach (50 PHP entrance, 50 PHP parking, small strip of land, difficult to find, adjacent to Sandira Beach, no sunshade; enter Sandira instead) Ogtong Cave (150 PHP, so small — too many people for a small cave) Other Activities I did: Paraw Sailing with Ocean Oddysey (2500 PHP for 2 pax, we did this at sunrise. Sobrang worth it!!!) Visited Mangroves Area near Palm Trees Road -pin PALM TREES sa Google Maps and you'll find this area. Locals there allowed us to take pictures and explore a little bit in the mangroves area Accommodations (best to worst per experience): Kandugyap House By The Sea (booked via Agoda, stayed for 4 nights, breakfast included) -no corkage fee for outside food -infinity pool overlooking the sea -own small private beach that is kind of rocky and not advisable to swim during low tide -signal is intermittent so not advisable if you are working Sta Fe Beach Club (walked in, stayed for 4 nights, breakfast included) -corkage fee for outside food -everything in their menu is priced fairly and their ube cheese halo halo and scallops live to the hype -have their own wifi BUT kinda slow at night and mobile signal there is intermittent for Smart and DITO -complementary passes to Ogtong Cave and Sandira beach (ask the frontdesk) Onde's Guesthouse (walk in, stayed for 10 nights for 1k a night) -have their own kitchen you can use and free drinking water -very WFH friendly complete with tables and chairs (a lot of remote workers stay here) -adjacent to MJ Square, near to the public market and a lot of stores La Playa (booked via FB, stayed for 2 nights) -corkage fee for outside food and even drinking water -it was extremely low tide during my visit so I can't swim -food options are not so good and very expensive; best to dine outside -there are sunbeds which are great because I slept like a baby there; very kid friendly too since they have a play area Anika (booked via Agoda, stayed for 1 night, breakfast included) -corkage fee for everything including drinking water -they charge a parking fee if you don't rent from them LOL -not a good area for swimming because there's a lot of seaweeds but they have a pool -not WFH friendly, they have their own wifi but it's soooo slow and sometimes SMART signal is close to nonexistent. I had to work outside my room at 12 AM. Idk, maybe a bad day How To DIY (Bantayan Island is inexpensive if you know how to DIY) -I rent a motorcycle for 21 days, 280/day (Burgman, usual price is 300-350 depending on how you negotiate). Every place is accessible on a motorcycle. -For island hopping, go directly to Sta Fe Local Tourism Office. 1100 PHP for a boat good for 4 pax and 1 island. If you'll add another island, add 300 pesos. I heard other agency charge as much as 1950 PHP per head for 4 pax exclusive with all the fees mentioned above for island hopping, trust me, it won't cost that much Where to Eat (Worth It or Not Worth It) Context: I like savory food and lean towards salty and tangy food. Not much of a sweet tooth WORTH IT Meldy's Eatery -I can't stress enough how much I love their Adobong Pusit and Garlic Buttered Scallops. Their seafood is cheap and they can cook it for FREE; accepts Gcash but with additional payment Pizzeria La Filomina -The hype is true. I tried their Marinara Pizza, Garlic Bread, and Gnocchi Bolognese; CASH only I LOVE KINHASON GOODVIBES RESTOBAR -their scallops are so good and they offer unli scallops for 249 PHP; accepts Gcash Kermit's Cafe -Mango overload cake (100 PHP/slice) and special halo halo are so yummy. I don't even like cakes but I bought a whole cake from them lol; CASH only Sta Fe Beach Club Restaurant -For a beachfront place, it's price fairly. I loveee their Ube Cheese Halo Halo and scallops. I stayed there because of their food lol; Accepts Cards and Cash only Thai Phoon -It's midprice and their serving are huge. I tried their Seafood in red curry sauce and pad thai chicken; Accepts Gcash and Cash only NOT WORTH IT: Everything in MJ Square -I think we tried almost everything there but nothing clicks. It's overpriced for its servings and nothing memorable. Coco Cafe -It's so-so for it's price and their servings are small for me. I tried their mango powerbowl and nutella croissant. Place is aesthetic though; Accepts Cash only (during our visit, something wrong with their Gcash) World Touch Cafe -Popular with people who want to work at a cafe because they have free wifi (ask for it). Expensive for its quality and serving. Reminds of Coffee Project, idk.; Accepts Cash and Gcash Amihan Beach Cabanas Restaurant -So-so food and expensive for its quality and serving. BUT cocktails are great; Accepts Cards, Gcash, and Cash Liquido by the C (Baigad Lagoon) -Too expensive for its price. But I love their Piña Colada though; Accepts Cash and Gcash submitted by /u/idkwhattoputactually to r/phtravel [link] [comments]

submitted by /u/DrewQuinz to r/SCJerk [link] [comments]

Necesito ayuda para unas tomas, no importa mucho la calidad de tus cámaras sino de que tengas buen ojo mexicowavesco.jeje Gracias submitted by /u/Segundaleydenewtonnn to r/Mexicowave [link] [comments]

I have some perspective about Lorin from the early days I’d like to share. I don’t know if this will be helpful to anyone, but I’d like to share what I saw and felt during the arc of Lorin’s career from my vantage. These are insights I’ve had over the years from being somewhat around him, and watching his rise, and now fall. I won’t be writing directly about his actions and the women he hurt, that’s not my place, but I have total empathy for them and support for them in their quest for healing. I’m more writing this for those who were fans, and who might be trying to figure out what the fuck just happened, reconcile this whole traumatizing experience, and get a better understanding of who this man that had such a strong effect on them actually was. None of us really know, but we can try together to learn and get a clearer picture. I first got into the west coast electronic music scene through Burning Man in the late 90’s/early 00’s. The first time I heard of Lorin was from friends who had been out on the playa in 98 and caught some of his sets, particularly at El Circo’s camp, and came back raving about him. A lot of the aesthetic and attitude and energy of the west coast electronic music/burner scene was really shaped and defined by the El Circo camp, and Lorin was their shamanic musical spiritual leader, and eventually the entire playa’s. El Circo was from Ashland and Lorin from South Bay, but they seemed somehow destined to meet. I don’t know when that happened exactly, but it was a powerful fusion. In 99/00/01, if Lorin was spinning at the El Circo tent, everyone was going. And by everyone, I mean like 4-500 people. Which at that point, even though Burning Man was pretty big, it felt like “everyone” on the playa, because it was the 4-500 people who deeply cared about being at the greatest electronic music party there could ever be (at that time), and knew they were in for something special. Whatever magic he channeled was there from the very beginning. And after two decades of watching it and seeing it and thinking about it I still have no idea what it was. I just know that everyone felt it viscerally and immediately. My first experience with Lorin personally was talking with him after a gig in LA around the same time. There were maybe 20 people in the room, but I remember this powerful primal energy radiating from him as he spun. There was this sense of abandon in the people dancing. It was a vibe, an energy, that was unlike what emanated from any other DJ at the time, or since really. I talked with him outside afterwards just him and I for about 10 minutes as he was waiting for a ride. He made a strong impression on me that has stayed with me. He was extremely principled and motivated. He had just chosen the name Bassnectar instead of Lorin and was laughing about how it was ironic cause he felt his first track he had just put out had shitty bass cause he was still learning Reason. He was grounded and self effacing. He also clearly had an obsessive work ethic. He said he tried to spin an hour of new music every time he dj’d. I was like, what the fuck? This was during the era of vinyl. NOBODY spun an hour of new music every gig. I had no idea where he was even getting a new hour of music he was spinning each gig, which was super early dubstep/bass music and sounded incredible and totally exotic and foreign. I assumed later he was on very early message boards getting mp3’s directly from producers or something. There was no Beatport back then that’s for sure. He also spun on CDJ’s and was the first DJ I ever saw who was magically getting tracks from the net and burning cds to spin them. This was super alien at the time. Nearly everyone else was vinyl. Before Lorin, at least in California, anyone on CDJ’s was looked at like a wedding DJ. He was extremely driven. When he talked he would look me in the eyes, but then look away when talking about how he wanted to be so much bigger than he was, and he stated that underlying that desire to be that big was to affect the kind of change he wanted to affect. No DJ I had met talked like this, and no DJ I knew of at this time was politically aware and motivated like this. Being a DJ was about rocking a party and that was it. There was very little if any social or status gain at this time to be talking like he was, if anything I’d say it was the opposite. There have been several distinct generations of die hard fans of Lorin as far as I can tell. The first generation was I believe the earliest crews from the Santa Cruz beach parties and such. The second generation, which I witnessed, were semi-affectionately nicknamed the “beautiful people from the future”. These were the best dressed hottest wildest most creative rebellious entrancing people you’d ever seen, and they all seemed to show up at Lorin’s sets and they were by equal measure amazing and kind of pretentiously annoying, but undoubtedly were at the best parties, which Lorin was invariably DJing. Most of them have since retired to Nevada City. The third generation was I believe the “rave kids” as I heard them referred to as, who started showing up in droves at festivals, and no one knew where they came from. The beautiful people from the future started to drift off, there was a sort of handoff, and It was at that point that I remember thinking that his charisma and power is not scene specific, it jumps across generation lines, which blew my mind. Its been ongoing since then, until the end. Lorin’s arc was obviously tragic, on many levels. He was set up as the chosen one from very early on. And its not like anyone was “looking” for a chosen one when he showed up. He really was just that dude no one could have known was coming, but everyone responded to instantly and accordingly. People who came back from Burning Man 98 who had caught his sets talked like they’d seen Jesus Christ himself, and these were dancefloors of maybe 200 people. My feeling, from occasional conversations with him over the years, what I heard from others, and observed in how he carried himself, was that he was aware of and did not want to fall into the egoic traps that come with a position like that, and fought very hard to resist them. I think the passion he had for social activism was his way of trying to redirect that adoration, and in fact in his mind really was the primary underlying reason behind managing and navigating the level of adoration that he anticipated he would need to deal with in the first place. But the thing is, and here is where I believe he fell, you cannot consciously redirect or sublimate or override the ego traps that come with receiving that degree of adoration and reverence. You MUST have checks. But you can’t hire checks, or control them. You have to develop internal checks alongside inviting ruthless and brutal outside perspective, and that is going to look different for everyone, and it is going to be an extremely labor intensive task to develop and maintain - if you even can at that level. Lorin apparently could not. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. I believe that Lorin’s social activism originated from a very genuine place. I heard it in his voice when he had no reason to virtue signal, that was just not part of the landscape then. But I think it became compartmentalized, and became a smokescreen internally, as well as inevitably externally. From the outside we can’t reconcile this seeming hypocrisy, so we see it as deceptive and intentional and masterminded. But I will bet you a million fucking dollars Lorin didn’t see this hypocrisy himself until everything fell apart three weeks ago, if he even even saw it then, or will see it in 5 years, or ever. How much do normal people delude themselves and rationalize and compartmentalize? A LOT. Well imagine that you, a normal person, are also extremely driven, a borderline control freak with an overpowering vision, massively worshipped for two decades, and have literally no checks or balances on your power, and watch where your natural tendencies to compartmentalize and rationalize turbo-boosted by the force of fame lead: madness, cognitive dissonance, and the inevitable exploitation of others. You won’t mean harm. You won’t even be able to conceive of how your actions might cause harm. You will be so entitled and protected by money, fame, and adoration that you will be literally unable to see it. Until that is you are made to see it. And then its too late for everyone involved. Lorin is 100% responsible for his actions. The warping effects of power and the path to unhealthy levels of narcissism are not an excuse. They create anti-social behavior, and a functioning society must regulate anti-social behavior. Many people have justifiably lost faith in the patriarchal justice system to regulate the anti-social and harmful actions of men in power. Cancel culture introduces forced accountability and immediate consequences for those who the hive mind deem in violation of standards of decency. There is value in this, for sure. But I can tell you, fwiw, as it appears to my generation, cancel culture offers something that aspires to look like a complete solution, but functions much more like punitive justice. Punitive justice is the right of those who have the power to exercise it. But true healing comes from a far more nuanced and complex process. And it takes time, time that extends beyond the initial catharsis of justice. And you need to work to find the empathy that you were not shown. Not necessarily compassion, but empathy. If you see the person who hurt you as a one dimensional object, you are trapped in the same mindset that led them to hurt you. This cycle will not end. It is not “resolved” with the cancellation. If there is no complexity to understand in the offender, no nuance to grasp, no motivation to understand, and nothing that is worthy of anyone’s time to examine because the nature of the offender’s offenses deem them irredeemable, they are no longer human. They become an archetype, an object, a cog in a machine. A faceless soulless monster that must be be destroyed, and upon being destroyed, the problem will have been solved. There is no growth, there is no insight, there is no actual learning. There is only “justice”, punitive and correctional. It is our modern prison system. This power is addictive. It is an endorphin rush. And it is its own ego trap. It sustains itself on an indefinite cycle of suffering. I certainly have no horse in the race of what happens to Lorin. He made his bed and now has to lie in it. He is a human, who was exceptional, basically by definition, and failed to carry that weight in a moral way. Who knows what happens to him from here, if anything besides banishment. Just know that, at least from my perspective, as someone who spoke with him and witnessed his idealism in its rawest form one to one and watched the magical effect he had on dance floors from pretty close to the beginning, he was in fact at one point the idealistic empathetic music channeling leader he later appeared to be. I have known and still know sociopaths, I have known and been deeply affected by people with hardcore narcissistic personality disorder. He may have eventually become what we tend to associate with these diagnoses, I don’t actually know, but I do NOT believe that he started out that way. It is my belief and it was my impression that he started out as a very real and very principled person, very genuine, and very empathetic. And I don't believe this because he charmed me, but because he didn’t charm me. He seemed to believe in something greater than pleasing others. I think he believed in trying his best to lead others to somewhere they couldn’t see themselves. What I think is that a deep need to control, which was either born of a defensive mechanism from trauma, or the raw desire to lead, or both, became malignant over time, as his environment and position enabled these desires to become neuroses. At a certain point keeping a world view coherent with the needs and wishes of others became secondary to the needs of his ego. And at that point, rationalizations and compartmentalization raged uncontested. And that set the stage for abusive dynamics to follow. As soon as he started saying that Bassnectar was a project not a person, in my opinion he began to disassociate, and to leave personal accountability behind. His need for control and to define what he was and what he meant to others became all powerful. His acknowledging the nature of collaboration, while simultaneously exhibiting unfair and exploitative business practices behind the scenes, was a symptom of a duality that had grown unchecked in his mind. The need and love for people (be with me), and what was probably a growing paranoia (get away from me), could not be reconciled. I think he was motivated by power and control and realizing a vision at all costs, initially to provide experiences for others, but eventually as a protective mechanism and a place to hide fears from himself. I would bet that the shitty terms he offered his collaborators were born of a misplaced desire for love. Love is a practice of releasing attachment, but in him it became twisted into the desire to exclusively possess. I knew someone who toured with a major pop star, like one of the biggest stars ever. She said this person wanted everyone to do everything for free, because it was her way of trying to get love. She had become so paranoid and isolated, and everything was so transactional, she longed to just collaborate with people creatively and remove money from the process. And since she had absolute power, she could enforce this wish on those around her, and those who balked could then be identified as disloyal. It sounds batshit crazy to a normal person. But life as a normal person is a very different life from that of someone with absolute power. Absolute power, which is a product of absolute success, which is the thing this society programs us to desire at all costs, as the path to love and acceptance and greatness, will fuck your head up so quick you will have no idea what happened, what your name is, where you came from, what you stood for, or why you ever wanted any of those things in the first place. It will destroy you. And if you don’t have it you should thank your lucky stars. Because before you know it you will refuse to pay those who deserve it in order to convince yourself they love you, and pay those you think you love in order to control them. Everything I am saying is addressed to those who are struggling with the pain of seeing someone who they believed in, who inspired them, and who led them, hurt those who also trusted him, and thereby betray everyone’s trust - but despite this betrayal, you can’t actually “cancel” him within yourself. For better of for worse, someone who means that much to you and has affected you as much as he has affected so many can’t just be eliminated internally. If you do that, you are punishing yourself and furthering the cycle of pain, and the attempt to do this will create a microcosm of the same unresolvable duality within you that destroyed Lorin. You can do whatever you want with the music he made and the memory of the experiences he created. This is because you were a co-creator. How you feel about the music is unique, and how you feel about the experience is unique. Whatever “it” is isn’t real until its perceived, and you perceived it to make it uniquely real within yourself. So its yours to do what you want. The world is filled with enough projection and pain. Don’t absorb more than necessary. Some people can never hear his music ever again, and need to purge him from their life. And some proudly listen to it still, and will always. These are both completely valid. Interestingly, how come there is not more discussion about coming to consensus on whether to cancel his music? How come there is not righteous indignation at the reposting of his sets here on this subreddit? I think it is because we know that music itself is mystical, and beyond any human moral projection or value system, and is as immensely personal as it is immensely social. Its the universe vibrating sympathetically with the way we feel, and vice versa, in a feedback loop of emotion. You can choose to cancel Bassnectar and purge your library of his music and embrace the absolute and banish him from your life. Or you can choose to celebrate the importance he and his music had on your life, while making an effort to understand where the darkness within him that led to him creating such a betrayal actually came from. Both are valid ways of coping with loss. But another thing you can do is to be grateful you were not born him. Because if you were in his shoes, maybe your corruption would not have manifested in the way his did, but I have yet to meet anyone in my life who I can honestly say could have walked the path Lorin did and not fallen prey to corruption manifesting in some way. Because it wasn’t a path he walked. It was a path he made. That kind of drive is a fire. And taken to the extreme level his fire took him, eventually it explodes. Sometimes we are sheltered from these explosions and hear about them after the person dies. In this case, it was in our face, and everyone got burned. I can pretty much guarantee you Lorin is not taking his millions and happily going his own way wishing everyone “the brightest future”. He is very likely in an existential hell of his own making as the construct of fame and power comes crashing down around him and he is left facing the person he was 20 years ago before this all started, and realizing the horrific impact his actions have had on the ones he thought he loved. He is branded an outcast, but recognizable by all. Nowhere to hide, but alone in a room in a mansion his millions bought him, obsessively reading every word written about him on the net, realizing the absolute scale of the impact he had on so many people, for so good and then for so bad. Nowhere to go, nowhere to run, no redemption to be had. And since he created pain in others that has led them to feel the same way, trapped in a cycle of shame and disempowerment and confusion that they cannot any more easily wave off and exit than he can, one could say justice has been served. But maybe, in time, there can also be healing. And even understanding. Breaking the cycle is not enough. You must also restore and strengthen the circle. This takes all parties. Cancel culture has no roadmap for this. But maybe it can develop one. With great power comes great responsibility. This goes both ways. Beware the temptation of power. Its like the ring. We would all use it to do good. Let us all find the grace to work together to find justice, healing, and growth. ​ submitted by /u/lacontessavswhale to r/bassnectar [link] [comments]