Friday, June 20, 2014

Our first recipe book and Barbados for Christmas

We are delighted to announce that our first e-cookbook is now available to buy! "Nourish: Healing Meals from Vale de Moses." 93 pages of our favourite mouth watering recipes written and compiled by Katherine Smith and beautifully designed by my old friend and Creative Director Toby Leetham.

Now, at last, you can make for yourself some of the breakfast porridges, complete main meals, satisfying soups, healthy snacks and drinks we serve on our retreat menu here at Vale de Moses.

To order, just email info@yogaatmoses.com and we'll send you a Paypal invoice for 15€ (you can bank transfer too). Once paid, we'll email you the e-book in pdf form. We hope to do a paperback/hardback print run in time for Christmas pressies too.

We also thought you might like to use this cookbook as a way to take a mini retreat at home. Invite a couple of friends over for the weekend, practice yoga together in the mornings, then cook one or two of your favourite meals. And if you know a good massage and acupuncture therapist, invite them too!

We're hoping to produce more recipe books over the years to come, so please let us know how you get on with preparing these recipes and also share with us some of your own. And if you do the mini retreat thing at home, send us your Retreat Selfies!

Other thing to mention is that our retreat in Barbados is finally going ahead this December. Vonetta's dad Tim, discovered an awesome place called Lush Life last year on the unspoilt and non touristy east coast of Barbados owned and run by a lovely local guy called Tom Hinds. He's created a magical spot in 22 acres of virgin forest with tropical flower gardens, gorgeous luxury eco cabins, a pool, practice spaces, and a restaurant run by the TV chef Peter Eddy.

We're really excited to be running a retreat at Tom's incredible place this year and hopefully helping him attract other yoga teachers to hire it out in 2015 and beyond. Dates are December 16-30, and you can join us anytime for just 3 nights or the whole 2 weeks over Christmas.

If you're interested in coming do let us know as soon as you can as spaces are limited. You can reserve your place online. There are 5 one bedroom cabins and 6 two bedroom ones. Prices are US$1225 / 900€ for a week’s retreat in a private bedroom or $2100 / 1550€ for a couple.  Or for just a few nights at $175 / 130€ per night.

Our Spring retreats in Portugal this year have been wonderful. We've so enjoyed meeting  people from around the world once again this year. Take a look at some of their photos in our Spring Retreat album on Facebook. Talented little yogini photographers they all are! Summer retreats filling up fast so don't miss out this year if you're considering coming out to see us again or for the first time. You'll be most welcome, whether you are new to yoga or have been practicing for years.

There's a wee bit more space this year too, with the addition of 3 new Soulpad belle tents nestled in the quiet valley behind the tipi and below the old moorish water mine. Each has 2 mahogany beds, carpets and drawers inside, with solar lights and wrought iron table and chairs outside. Perfect for friends or couples, or just if you would prefer a little more privacy than the guest cottage or monastic Adega.

We're off to the Costa Vicentina again on June 29 for a week's retreat by the beach. There are still a couple of rooms available if you'd like to join us. Stunning restored guest house called Cerca do Sul run by a friend of ours Sara Serrão, with an awesome salt water pool and terrific walks all along the coastline. Surf lessons too if you'd like. Let us know as soon as you can.

Finally, a huge, enormous, very special and heartfelt thanks to the wonderboy Dylan from South Australia. He came for his first trip to Europe to help us out for a couple of weeks back in April and just left this morning. Our world will not be the same without his face around and consistent, quiet and ready to do anything at any time attitude. God's wind in your sails Dylan. Enjoy the rest of your European adventure!
Peace and love from all of us in this valley in the Portuguese hills.

Andrew & Vonetta
Vale de Moses