Perrey Reeves' Yoga Retreat Takes Off
DECEMBER 12, 2012 C. MOLLY SMITH
Actress and yoga enthusiast Perrey Reeves, best known for her role as Mrs. Ari Gold on HBO’s Entourage, recently took on a project quite opposite from her career in entertainment: The Sanctuary at Two Rivers, her new yoga retreat and teacher training center.
Located in Costa Rica, just a thousand yards from the Pacific Ocean, the center is surrounded by lush greenery, with stunning, environmentally-friendly architecture to match -- think solar panels and local materials. The center dishes up gourmet, organic vegetarian and vegan cuisine, compliments of chef Marcella Dirks. It is designed to accommodate yoga beginners and experts alike.
Reeves says the creation of it was a long journey, made even more difficult by the desire to use local, eco-friendly products and work with a Costa Rican architect. Reeves and co-creator/entrepreneur Jeff Gossett ultimately put about 10 years into the making of the center.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever knit a sweater, but by the end of it you’re like 'Ugh I can’t wear this, I can’t stand the color, I’m so tired of it,'” Reeves jokes. “There was always that 'Oh my god this is taking so long, by the time its done, we want to wear the sweater!'”
The center offers package retreats for individuals, friends and couples, and group bookings in which yoga teachers and group leaders can engage in teacher training workshops. Attendees can also customize their own retreat for special occasions, family groups, company retreats, etc.
The center, which can accommodate up to 20 people at a time, offers three housing options: The Jungle Treehouses, The Studio Houses and The Rustic Tea House, all of which are solar-powered, modern, luxurious spaces set against a tropical backdrop.
Prices vary depending on housing, number of days and type of retreat.
A 17-year yoga veteran, Reeves — who is currently waiting to see if her Jerry Bruckheimer-pilotThe Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives gets picked up — describes the overall process as “a labor of love.”
“When you’re in nature, when you’re going to bed when the sun goes down and getting up when the sun rises, and you get into that rhythm, your body just really responds positively to it,” Reeves gushed. “I really wanted to share that with people. Even if they only do that a week out of their year, they can go back and take something with them and go, ok that really helped.”
JERRY BRUCK