Meet Lourdes Martin | Founder of Recuerdos

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lourdes Martin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lourdes, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?

My mission is to build a business that cultivates and promotes the culture of travel. I want to inspire people to utilize travel as an opportunity to learn more about people and places….to dive deeper into the culture of a place and find joy through those unique stories.

We all don’t have the opportunity to escape to faraway lands…which is why I launched Recuerdos to bring you products that engage your senses and connect you to the heritage and culture of a destination.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

My career path has been far from linear but my love for travel has always been a constant. I graduated with an M.S in International Human Rights and thought I would spend my life working for a place like the United Nations but took a pivot and instead worked in the philanthropy industry for the private sector. After realizing I wanted more creativity in my life, I started the travel blog, Please, Do Tell which today led me to launch the Recuerdos shop.

Recuerdos is an online curated culture shop for daily living. Inspired by my childhood memories of when traveling and learning about faraway places meant escaping through stories. Each product is intentionally selected to represent the culture and craftsmanship of a destination.

The truth is that we all can’t just pick up and travel all the time but that shouldn’t limit any of us from discovering a destination or learning about the culture of a place. Our goal is to scout and search every corner of this world to bring you products that lead with culture and immerse you in the stories of people and places from your favorite destinations and those you aspire to learn about.

I truly believe life works in mysterious ways – launching the shop feels like a labor of love that combines my past life! I can’t wait to see where it takes me! 🙂

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Chicago is a beautiful city – surrounded by Lake Michigan and with some of the country’s most fascinating architecture – it’s truly a city that needs to be experienced on the water and in the streets.

For a long weekend, I would:

– Arrive in the West Loop neighborhood and stay at the Soho House or The Hoxton hotel. The West Loop area is home to some of the best restaurants in Chicago. I wouldn’t miss Duck, Duck Goat for dinner and Rose Mary for Croatian/Italian food.  In the mornings, head to Sawada for a cold-brew coffee, and for a casual lunch with high-quality ingredients grab a sandwich at Publican Quality Meats cafe.

– Don’t miss an afternoon at the Art Institute of Chicago…it’s one of my favorite museums!

– I always like to encourage people to seek local gems that are not in a typical travel guide. If you want to experience Mexican culture head to the neighborhood of Pilsen! A lovely area with a lot of history – don’t miss the National Mexican Art Museum and for dinner make reservations at S.K.Y.

– Explore Hyde Park – home to the University of Chicago and home of Former President Obama – this neighborhood is culturally diverse and beautiful! For a delicious southern cuisine dinner, head to Virtue.

– If you have more than just a weekend and are craving more time on Lake Michigan, rent a car and escape to nearby towns like; Saugatuck, New Buffalo, or Lake Geneva.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a shoutout to my husband Thomas, who has been my rock throughout my personal and professional development. His advice and insight always resonate – even when I don’t agree or want to admit it. 🙂 Having someone in your close circle of friends and family that you trust and who is able to give you honest feedback is very important.

I find daily inspiration and motivation via some of my favorite podcast channels – I love the Second Life podcast (perfect for women seeking advice and inspiration on how to jump-start a “second” career/project) and of course, Oprah Super Soul!

Website: https://shoprecuerdos.myshopify.com / www.plsdotell.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plsdotell/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lourdes-martin-b3816650/