![]() And since there's no need to sign up in advance, you're free to plan your days with a bit of spontaneity. In addition to cacao ceremonies, free daily activities range from morning meditation, yoga and sound baths to wine and watercolor nights and stargazing-all in collaboration with local artists, practitioners, and musicians. Now run by the lifestyle experience brand Spoken by Point Group, the revamped Flamingo has a number of modern offerings for travelers looking for a little more than pool time. Five two-story buildings with guest rooms jutting out in star-like formation revolve around the pool and common area. A mural and a funky fish tank terrarium by SF-based Serge Gay Jr. Scottsdale's Weddle Gilmore and San Francisco's BAR Architects honored the original natural materials and style of the place.Ī garden sculpture by Hybycozo marks entrance into the grand porte cochere with vertical wood paneling, a fire pit and lounge seating, and floor-to-ceiling windows that give you a peek out to the pool, the centerpiece of the resort. The 10-acre property, originally designed by Homer Rissman, was the beneficiary of sweeping renovations that debuted last June. Recognizable by the neon pink flamingo-topped tower that marks the resort's entrance-which was designated as a historical landmark by the City of Santa Rosa in 1997-the Flamingo is well-known as a destination for tropical cocktails by the pool and a bit of midcentury flair. The central pool remains the Flamingo Resort's number-one draw. I left the ceremony with a little jolt of energy (cacao is a stimulant, after all), but also with the calming feeling of being grounded. ![]() I can't say that I experienced anything as profound as visions or voices of my ancestors, but in the end I did feel a sense of connection to myself and gratitude for the time taken to go inward. As he talked about cacao, he encouraged us to go within and connect with ourselves during the one-hour ceremony, which ended with a singalong (not as cringe-y as you might think) and group sharing. But, in fact, I'm much closer to home and in a place you would not expect: the Flamingo, Santa Rosa's iconic midcentury stay-once a favorite retreat for celebrities including Jayne Mansfield-which has received a recent glow-up and a spate of new wellness offerings.Īntonio served us all a cup, which we stirred and sipped as we set intentions. Overall, cacao was believed to strengthen people's connection to the divine, whether in life or in death.īy the sound of it, you might think I've joined this ceremony in someplace like Tulum, the wellness-centric resort town within day trip's distance to the ancient Mayan ruin of Chichen Itza. One morning this spring, I joined in a circle with a handful of others around a ceremonialist named Antonio and his many jars and bowls of cacao, among other ritualistic knickknacks.Īntonio explained the sacred history of cacao, which has been an important part of Native Mesoamerican cultures for at least 4,000 years, believed by many there to be an ingredient used in the creation of humanity, a bloodline of sorts.Ĭacao has been used in a wide variety of rituals and practices such as weddings, births, and baptisms due to its strong ties to fertility, and was even employed as a way to uplift a spirit before sacrifice (yes, as in human sacrifice to the gods).
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