SLOWING DOWN with Bodeguita Surf Store

What Happens When We Slow Down?

Last Sunday we hosted the second edition of Slow Down Sessions at Bodeguita.

What started as a simple idea in December last year, as an antidote to the ludicrous over-consumption retail model yelling at us from every angle to BUY BUY BUY before the world ends on Cyber Monday, became an invitation to slow down, connect and make something with our hands.

Six months on, after a couple of broken bones forced us to take our own pause, last Sunday was us pressing play again on what has become one of our favourite ways to bring together our community outside of simply shopping.

This time around, we invited Cata from Hilo Collective to host a customise-your-Bodeguita-cap session. Cata regularly hosts creative workshops here in Puerto where participants make their own jewellery, and what better way to spend a lazy Sunday morning than creating something unique? Guests were invited to give new life to their favourite Bodeguita hats by adding beads, charms and hand-sewn details of their choice.

There was coffee, delicious homemade banana bread baked by our gorgeous Bodeguita model Tabi, friend and DJ Dexter from Estereo spinning vinyl all morning, kids getting surprisingly creative with their custom hats, and the kind of conversations that only seem to happen when nobody is in a rush to be somewhere else.

When I asked Cata what slowing down meant to her, her answer was very fitting for life here in Puerto:

"Slowing down for me means spending lots of time in the water, having fun, catching good waves and connecting with the ocean. When I slow down, new ideas start to come and my creativity begins to flow. That's when I feel most recharged."

Maybe that's why events like these matter. They remind us that creativity doesn't always flow when we're moving faster or trying to be more productive. Sometimes it arrives when we create enough space for it to show up.

One of the things I loved most about Sunday's session was watching people personalise Bodeguita pieces that already meant something to them. Some arrived wearing well-loved Bodeguita caps from years ago. With a few small details, those familiar pieces became something entirely new and uniquely their own.

For anyone living far from Puerto's Pacific shores and reading this from home, Cata's advice was refreshingly simple:

"All you need is some thread, a needle and beads of your choosing. You can use beads from old necklaces or bracelets and upcycle them onto a hat, piece of clothing or whatever you'd like to give new life to. I always keep an eye out for second-hand jewellery that can be recycled into new creations. Get creative and make it your own."

No special skills required. Just a willingness to experiment and see where it leads.

When asked what people are really looking for when they come to gatherings like Slow Down Sessions, Cata replied:

"Community. One thing I love about Puerto is that there are so many opportunities to connect with people while doing something fun and creative. Bodeguita's Slow Down Sessions are the perfect way to try something new, meet new people and find unique pieces to take home as souvenirs. It's a way to bring a little bit of that Puerto magic home with you and carry it with you long after your trip is over."

I think she's right.

What started as a morning of coffee, music and creativity felt like something more. A reminder that community is built slowly. Through conversations. Through shared experiences. Through making things together.

And perhaps that's what slowing down is really about.

Creating enough space for connection, creativity and a little bit of magic.

Stay tuned for our next Slow Down Session, coming soon.

Words by Antonia O'Malley