Local Flavor Responsible Travel Retreats and Adventures

17/04/2024

Come on over friends!

Moving sale 8AM - 4PM FRIDAY and Sat. 4/19 & 20
at 1873 Iglehart in St. Paul.
Books-books-books, kitchen and items, small appliances, banquet, home decor, art, frames, lots of linens, textiles, unusual textiles, lots of vintage stuff including Corning ware, beer and wine making kits, canning equipment, toys, 120-year old oak table and chairs, 2 beautiful couches (leather), furniture, lamps, rugs, hardware, smart TVs, shop stuff and garage stuff, and food busines shelves, canisters , utensils, food grade stuff. Men’s and women’s clothes. Lots of old metal shelves and great wooden shelves.
All in good shape and priced to move.

01/11/2020

Remember to pop in at our holiday pop-up today Nov 1st from 1-4. Spices, artisan bread orders for the holidays, dog boutique. We’re accepting food and pet food donations to help keep families and their pets together this winter. 1873 Iglehart Ave, St Paul 55104.

27/06/2020

This is it! Twin Cities Pride virtual marketplace - ALL WEEKEND! June 26 & 27th, 2020.

Artisans & Small Businesses, Health Organizations, and more!

We are proud to support our community of LGBTQ+ artisans and small businesses.

TODAY, Saturday, June 27th from 5pm-7pm join us in our special online virtual hangout to learn more about Ancient (access code: 127-201-333). Indian seasonings, snacks, teas, and gift sets. Part of our profits supports small farmers in India and the US.

How to join a virtual hangout:
1) Click on the vendor you'd like to meet or the GoTo Meeting App https://app.gotomeeting.com/home.html
2) Use the access code provided next to the vendor name.
3) Follow the GoTo Meeting instructions as prompted.

https://virtualtcpride.org/shop/
www.ancientindianspices.com

Learn about and support local LGBTQ+ small businesses and non-profits!

24/04/2020

Public service announcement: 11 well distillery in the old Hamms brewery on Minnehaha in St Paul makes hand sanitizer! Thanks

28/03/2020

28/03/2020

Stay safe friends! This is a time to stay home or travel very safely if you have to. We are on this journey together.

13/10/2019

Due to health reasons I'm moving to south Florida this winter from Nov-April. For the past 7 years my bones disintegrated so much I had constant fractures and breaks. My doctor finally said "you can't stay in Minnesota in the winter anymore!" SO I'M HEADING BACK TO WHERE I GREW UP! Next winter I plan to have a week-long visit so southern Florida to visit beaches, great restaurants and festivals and an herb and spice ranch. Winter-time in Florida is not a super-cheap place to go. So if you are interested please start budgeting now. Contact me at [email protected] if you're interested! Small group only.

05/04/2019

Celebrate spring

03/02/2019

Still on hiatus this winter. If you are interested in a sunny trip to Mexico or someplace south next winter please DM me. I've been doing a lot of private retreats and would love to do another open one next winter (probably Jan or Feb 2020) for about 10-12 people. My goal is to organize a small group for relaxed travel to one place, small ventures around the place to get to know it better, learning about community and food. Part of your retreat fees are donated directly to a local program. Every day is mostly unstructured but full of opportunities. Every afternoon is a chance to participate in creative writing that will help you connect with the local community and take home "souvenirs" that you would never find anywhere else. Very personalized. Please forward to friends who may be interested!

25/11/2018

10/07/2018

Hey Friends!

I want to let you know about our dear friend, Al
Kuuhotti, who has been a massage therapist and yoga teacher at our Troncones Writing and Yoga retreat in Mexico. Many of you know her and know about her story. Two years ago Ali found out she was pregnant the same day she learned she had cancer. As one of the healthiest women I know, and the mother of four (now 5) itty bitties she has been determined to work through this as naturally as possible. Because of her commitment to natural healing, she was able to deliver a beautiful, healthy little boy! Ali is still fighting though. And as one of the awesome raffle/gifts you can win by contributing to her Go Fund Me project for her treatment in Germany is a stay in Troncones! Please share this with friends who know Ali, love Troncones, can send love and support to a woman dealing with cancer in as much as she can a natural way, or just love to give love and light to the universe. Here's a message from Ali.

Deborah

Dear friends and supporters,

Thank you from the depths of my heart for your love, support, generosity and belief in what's possible. It is humbling to be receiving like this and it is so fortifying to the ultimate core. We are stronger together!

I am finishing up my first full week at the Hufeland Klinik in Germany and I am so grateful to be here. It is happening at just the right time. I started low-dose chemotherapy on Monday and have had a comprehensive list of other treatments as well (including blood ozone, high dose mistletoe, local hyperthermia, whole body hyperthermia, and various therapies that target the autonomic nervous system and stimulating the liver and spleen, art therapy and more). My entire day is booked, but I still find space to go for walks and enjoy the gorgeous park and trails right outside my door! I feel supported in so many ways and feel determined and hopeful.

We have made great strides in the fundraising efforts, and we still have quite a bit more to go.

To help raise the remaining funds, there is a r.a.f.f.l.e (apparently it's not kosher to post on GoFundMe, not sure about FB). In any event, contributions in increments of $50 will be entered into the drawing as soon as we reach our target. Each $50 donation gets 1 ticket into the drawing.

TWO Grand Prizes will be awarded.
Each winner will receive a 1-week stay in a 3BR/2BA oceanfront Villa in Troncones, Mexico, redeemable during the months of January-April 2019, ($2500/week value). The town of Troncones is magical, authentic Mexico. The Villas are on the beach, have A/C, a salt-water pool, daily maid service, and a full kitchen. Also, there is a retreat center next door which offers daily yoga, meditation, massage, and a 5-star restaurant/bar!

See the link in the comments below to see how gorgeous it is there.
**If you have prizes to donate toward Ali's fundraiser, private message Greg Hottinger please!
Contribution page: https://tinyurl.com/y7ajhaz2

Ali said her goodbyes for now and flew back to the Hufeland Klinik in Germany today (June 19th) for another 6-week treatment with the intention and hopes of shrinking the tumor further. If she has additional success, more options will open up for her – including surgery. We desperately need yo...

01/06/2018

14/04/2018

We're planning another trip to our favorite little sea village, Troncones, for late January or early February 2019. This is a village where we've been going for several years and support their local farmers' market and sea turtle conservation project - among other things. We look forward to partnering with Costa Nativa, our ecotourism friends, again. And then there's always optional body work with our favorite chiropractor and massage therapist, Heidi. Let us know if you are interested! Space is limited.

11/03/2018

Missing our annual yoga and writing retreat! Look for info on our next retreat soon.

16/11/2017

Although I'm not heading to Mexico for the annual retreat this winter I am busy pan-toasting spices and making our Indian spice mixes! Check out the holiday markets and pop-up shops I'll be at this season and come see me! Holiday gift boxes and local art this Saturday at my house, too. Go to the FB page: www.Facebook.com/AncientIndianSpices

Ancient Indian Spices are organic, authentic spice mixes made in Minnesota. Making Indian cooking e

25/10/2017

Although I'm taking the January yoga & writing retreat off this year, I'm still available to help plan and guide small groups that are interested in responsible tourism. PM me!

08/09/2017

Thinking of friends and people in Mexico devastated by the earthquake and tsunami. Our lovely Troncones is safe. So sad to have all of these disasters happening.

29/05/2017

Only taking 5+ private retreats for 2018. PM me. Thanks, friends! Love all of you!

04/05/2017

I am not hosting the annual Troncones Yoga & Writing Retreat in early 2018. I'm taking a family vacation instead. If you, or a group, would like me to arrange or host a private retreat please PM me. Will return to the regularly scheduled responsible travel retreat next year.

17/03/2017

The 2018 Troncones Retreat will take place in March next year. We'll be at a new location that's even more beautiful! A notice and registration form will be available shortly. It seems like a long time away but it's not! Luxury, location, creativity and sunshine on the Pacific Beach in Mexico will make this small group sell out fast. PM me now to save your space!

15/03/2017

Hey Travelers! You might like this, it's my new organic spice company in St. Paul. It was really fun sharing stories and some of my spices with friends at the Troncones Farmers' Market this past January. We're planning to do more together in the future. One night I grilled some spicy fish for our group using our Kohlapuri Masala. Yum! -- Deborah McLaren

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Ancient Indian Spices invites you to join our page. Organic, quality Indian spices take the intimidation out of Indian cooking and help you make amazing, authentic dishes. Join our newsletter and get new recipes every month, learn about special events - and a warm and tasty new "Masala Manhattan" created by our friends at the Black Dog Cafe. You can also link to our website and get fresh, organic Indian spices within a day or two.

Ancient Indian Spices are organic, authentic spice mixes made in Minnesota. Making Indian cooking e

23/02/2017

23/02/2017

Make sure you plan to visit Mexico soon. I'm already planning my annual yoga & writing retreat for January 2018! And then there's this, from Thrillist:

Mexico

Mexico’s huge, it’s right next door, and each of its 31 states has something to offer.

Why you should go: For all the greedy reasons: Its landscape varies from world-famous Pacific surf beaches to strikingly beautiful inland mountains, you’ll eat the best Mexican food you’ll ever have.

And for a selfless one: After a brutal past year of political rhetoric in the States, now is a great time to show our neighbors to the south some love. Whatever scant bucks you spend will boost their economy.

21/02/2017

With Sarah Robinson in Troncones.

07/02/2017

If the winter sucks right now and you can't deal with it any longer... sorry for you. '-) There is hope for next winter, though. We're only taking 10 people on a fantastic, sunny, relaxing and creative adventure - our 4th annual Troncones yoga and writing retreat. It's not a group tour. It's a responsible trip to a small seaside village where you get to know some locals. Some gentle yoga in the morning to stretch your beautiful body and some later afternoon creative writing - so fun! The rest of the time is unstructured and up to you - so better make the best of it laying in a hammock reading, sipping that Mexican margarita at sunset on the beach, getting a massage, or snorkeling Ixtapa Island with the fishes... So make sure to figure it out and reserve your spot this spring. Must be laid back, flexible, enjoy sunshine and Mexico. No whiners... just winers allowed.