LAURACOZIK
Laura is the Founder and CEO of Mallorca by Design, a company that specializes in curated travel events on the stunning island of Mallorca, Spain. Mallorca by Design creates beautifully wrapped packages that combine the requests of each client with surprise and delight and exceptional care.
THELONGSTORY
I first came to Mallorca in 2010 on an Eat Pray Love solo adventure. Crying over a failed relationship for a year seemed insane so I channeled Julia Roberts and booked a flight. The itinerary was Girona, Mallorca, Seville, Madrid, but once I arrived to Mallorca, I changed my flight twice because I didn't want to leave.
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In January of 2018 I moved to Mallorca. People often ask "how can someone from New York City move to a small island?", but that's the thing ... Mallorca is wildly vast with endless options. The city is enormous and very cosmopolitan with shops and restaurants and art and theater. The myriad of tiny villages that embellish the island will take you back in time to a precious life. We celebrate literally every thing ... almonds, olives, saints and demons, animals, wine, mushrooms. If you come in January, you'll experience Sant Sebastià where for two weeks straight there is live music, bonfires, and cooking in the streets with strangers. In February, seven million almond trees burst with tiny blossoms, creating the most picturesque display. The official scent of Mallorca is the orange blossom and in April, the village of Soller is fragrantly smothered in them. If you come in June, you'll swim in the sea at midnight, holding a candle, manifesting your utmost desire. In November you can take olives from the trees and turn them into oil, or go for a hike in the mountains and return with bags of delicious mushrooms. In December, there are lights galore and Christmas markets. The island is steeped in tradition and fun, and Mother Nature reigns supreme.
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I grew up in Brooklyn, New York and wouldn't trade it for the world. If you ask me what I'm most grateful for, it's where I spent my formative years. Brooklyn taught me to speak up, to fight for my beliefs, to value loyalty, and it exposed me to people from all races, religions and backgrounds. We were one and the same, it didn't matter. To this day my closest friends are the ones I grew up with, and although no one will ever be able to compete with that, I've managed to form an ever expanding family of badass, brave, happy people who are crushing it daily.
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I've been a rebel my entire life. If you tell me I can't do something, it goes right to the top of my list. If I see a Do Not Enter sign, it's exactly where I'm going. My heart has been followed far more than my brain, and I'm blown away by the results. I've done everything I always wanted to do, mostly on paths that very few follow.
I am not a fan of luxury, unless you are talking about high thread-count sheets. My favorite place to be is home, but that spot has changed quite often. I moved 25 times in my life because momma Brooke had a gypsy spirit, which I gratefully inherited. I adore and often crave change. I'm single and I think it's brilliant. My aim is dead on. I raced in triathlons for 12 years with the most exceptional women of Team Lipstick. I am a dancer first and always ... the best years of my life were spent on stage and on the dance floor. I've instructed more than 15,000 group fitness classes in my lifetime (and still going!). I was a celebrity trainer until I left New York City for Mallorca. Most importantly though, I surround myself with excellence ... talented people who love to laugh.​
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I still spend a good part of the year in New York City, as that is where my family is. The combination of Mallorca and NYC is beyond perfect. One is fast and loud, surrounded by concrete, full of my favorite, outspoken and crazy people, my friends since I was 8 years old, and my 7 year old niece who is full of curiosity. The other is soothing and calm, excessively adorned by nature and animals, with a laid back lifestyle. In Mallorca, my Amazon packages get delivered to the hardware store because I live on an olive farm, shops close down between 2:00-5:00pm in local villages to give everyone a break, horns don't honk just because the light changed, wine festivals last for weeks so if you need repairs in your house, get it done before they start. You get the idea.
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10 years ago I had to explain to people that Mallorca (pronounced MY - OR - KUH) is an island off the coast of Spain. Today there are billboards in Times Square. Progress is catching up, flights are now non-stop, but the magic remains in full force, especially if you know where to find it. I would love to point you in the best directions.
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