A Jewel in Condado
Beauty in the world spotlight: Casa Isabel, Puerto Rico.
The Place
It’s getting cold out here in Turtle Island’s Mid-Atlantic sphere. Winter is coming and sometimes one just has to get away. However, take note before booking: Airbnb is so passé. There are far better options than contributing to a model that hollows out entire communities and profiteers off of human right’s violations.
Leave that basic 1492 behavior back in 1492.
Step outside the short-term rental matrix!
Develop good taste and travel in style!
Like I said, there are far better options.
One such option is Casa Isabel, a woman-owned bed and breakfast located in a picturesque beachside corner of Condado, a district of Santurce in San Juan. I happened upon this gorgeous 1930s Spanish Revival home while scoping out the Puerto Rico Bed & Breakfast Association which I of course have bookmarked because I am a proud bed and breakfast obsessive.
The Vibe
Margie is the owner of Casa Isabel and her vivacity touches every corner of the house. She is the kind of person that I meet and immediately wish to welcome in as a client to my treatment room because of the captivating energy that flows out of her spirit. During our visit this past August my sisters and I were gagged to the gods when we learned that she was twenty years older than we assumed. That’s how kinetic and vibrant she is!
Around ten years ago, Margie’s tía-abuela left the house to her on a whim. Lucky for all conscious travelers with good taste, Margie’s nephew convinced her to turn it into a bed and breakfast instead of selling.
The bed and breakfast is lovely. Common spaces are flooded with natural light. Guest rooms are airy yet also cozy without being stuffy.
A bonus of the location is that Spanish is spoken up and down the street como Dios manda. The neighborhood is balanced between locals and a smattering of tourists which is a miracle given that Condado is a go-to for resort seekers. This balance was perfect during my stay because when traveling I prioritize getting as close as possible to disappearing into a location and it’s harder to do that when everyone who is actually from there has been priced-out into a literal exodus.
One of my favorite parts of travel is the opportunity to observe how social productions of space occur in the places I’m visiting. Tuning in to that sociological vibe is the key to crossing out of tourist mode into traveler mode and, if one is lucky, gets mistaken for resident mode.
Given that this is my measure for a time well-traveled, how close I can get to disappearing into a place, there’s no one better to learn from than actual locals. Digital Nomad Nathan and Bitcoin Becky could never.
The Undercurrent
All of the above having been said, the incongruity of my lamenting residents being priced-out of an area that I’ve just vacationed in is not lost on me. During my visit I journaled to myself, “Condado dazzles with island glamour. 10/10 will come back. But also, there’s layers here. What’s beneath?”
I saw one of those layers peeled back in real time when a few days after that journal entry my sisters and I were strolling down Calle Loíza. It’s the kind of street that I refer to as a heartbeat street, a sort of cultural artery where travelers can sense into the pulse of a new place simply by walking and paying attention.
On our stroll we passed by Taller Comunidad La Goyco, a multi-function community workshop a few blocks round the corner from Casa Isabel. Right along the workshop’s open gates there was a flyer announcing in uppercase print, “NO TODOS SOMOS TURISTAS. AQUÍ VIVE GENTE. ¡LA GENTE SE RESPETA!”
Whoever wrote that, effectively screaming at the top of their lungs through print, tiene toda la razón.
The Breakfasts
A week at Casa Isabel equals a week of being well-fed.
Color! Denotes high antioxidant capacity.
Fiber! Helps level out glucose and keeps the colon in check.
High Water Content! Water is life. Also, people forget they can eat their hydration.
Protein! For those yummy future fibroblasts leading to collagen synthesis, among all the other metabolic processes protein is needed for of course.
¡Café con leche! For the culture.
Coffee was made fresh every morning. All juices were freshly pressed. Eggs and sausages were cooked to order by Ariana who was so warm and attentive as la casa’s go-to for all of our daily hospitality needs.
The Views
Casa Isabel is located in a pedestrian friendly locality with plenty of quotidian gems to contemplate while strolling about. A mini community garden, street art, coffee shop cats, chill chickens (A first for me! By contrast my neighbor’s chickens are drama queens.) and cute Puerto Rican pollinators dedicated to pollinating Puerto Rico con mucho mucho amor.
When stepping out of Casa Isabel, take a few paces down to the left and there’s a corner store stocked with everything needed for everyday frolicking as just another Condado babe. One can grab basic groceries, munchies and wine for later, re-up on haircare, find a whole new skincare routine, and put together a first-aid kit all with items from that store. La casa is also within walking distance to several solid spots for coffee, lunch, and dinner; all of which I will be detailing in a forthcoming travelogue.
The Beach! Out of respect for the fact that this particular slice of playa was not teaming with tourists when we went, I will not mention exactly where this is. Just know that it is reachable by foot from Casa Isabel though it is not where one may initially think to go.
Leaving la casa, take a right and then a left at the main intersection. Keep walking until it feels like you’re lost. You will pass a pilates studio to your left and then a burger joint on your right. Take that right and keep going past the residential gates. When it looks like a dead-end make a left onto a path that disappears behind a dense collection of palmeras. Keep going until the water calls out to you. Llegaste.
P.S. A playlist of what Condado feels like💛🇨🇺
Play in order! Do not shuffle. Pretend it’s a burned CD and skipping ruins the disc.