The Blue Zone Advantage
Have you heard of the “Blue Zones”? In his book of the same name, Dan Buettner found that there are certain areas in the world where people live longer, healthier lives. In his initial analysis, Mr. Buettner identified five communities he termed "The Blue Zones", which are not necessarily places you would think of first. It's not where the bio-hackers live spending big money on exotic treatments. Neither are The Blue Zones concentrated in rich nations with the highest standards of living or robust health systems. In fact, the characteristics these places share are pretty simple.
· An abundance of fresh, unprocessed food available locally
· Ample natural or functional exercise
· A social structure that supports its members
· A slower pace of life that reduces stress in the environment
At Contigo Cerritos, we are creating an environment that builds in all these aspects and can do some of the heavy lifting for your health. Let's look at how we have considered these essential aspects of our lives and the steps we are taking to support their fulfillment in our community.
The beautiful landscape and absolutely perfect year-round climate encourage us to be outdoors, walking on the oceanfront trail that crosses in front of the property or using one of the on-site fat tire bikes to take a short ride to a local café for breakfast or a coffee with friends. If you want a more structured exercise plan, take advantage of our state of the art 2,000 Square Foot gym, where you can use all the latest strength training equipment or attend one of the regularly scheduled group exercise classes on the huge rooftop. When you need to recharge, ask the concierge to schedule a massage under the rooftop pergola and take in the sweeping views of the rugged coastline while you are pampered.
If you are familiar with the Cerritos area, you know that we are situated among some of the most productive agricultural land in the Baja with an overwhelming variety of organic produce and, of course, daily fresh fish. To ensure that our owners have access to the best of this, we have included a restaurant on the property that will serve fresh, hearty, healthy meals to fuel your adventures. We are collaborating with a local friend, a lifelong restauranteur who has opened many beloved restaurants here and is a passionate advocate of all that is great about Baja cuisine. He will help us with the design and concept for the restaurant, laying out the space, and building the team to run the operation.
Social life is critical to all of our well-being and enjoyment of life. We understand that it can be a challenge when we relocate to a foreign country, whether for a few weeks of the year or on a more permanent basis, to build and maintain the social bonds that sustain us all. We have had the sense of dislocation that this can bring and realize how critical it is not to neglect this part of our lives. To support this social need our design includes several large communal areas where people can gather for various purposes. Of course, the restaurant will play a central role in the social fabric of the community, but many other design elements support our sociality as well. The large communal outdoor kitchen with several grills and cooktops will include tables and seating designed to accommodate larger groups when you want to entertain or share a meal with your neighbors. If you need more space, you can reserve the gym's rooftop and have room for all your friends. And don't forget the daily sunset gong, which signals the opportunity for us all to take a moment, come outside and end the day together.
We know that you already know the environment here is decidedly anti-stress. The sound of the waves at night lulls you to sleep and the warm, lazy days let you move through your life at your own pace. The secluded bowl shape of our magical property wraps around you, giving a sense of protection and orienting your view continuously to the spectacular Pacific. The unobstructed views of the sunset year-round provide a consistent connection to this stunning environment. This truly is a place where you can unplug, decompress and regain your connection to your senses and the world.
Whatever you are looking for – the outdoor playground, the amazing food, the built-in social community, or the less frantic pace of life – we know that you'll find it here. And we believe that we will all live longer, healthier lives because of it!