Thurs Oct 15 – Sun Oct 18, 2026
After two inspiring cohorts filled with new friendships, unexpected collaborations, and creative breakthroughs, we're returning to the Catskills for In the Wild: Cohort 03.
Our Fall retreat is a four-day, all-inclusive gathering designed to awaken you back into your body, your ideas, and your creative momentum.
We'll come together at The Outlier Inn, an expansive, forest-wrapped gem in the Catskills just two hours outside New York City, a place that invites you to slow down the moment you arrive.
Everything is intentionally woven into the experience, from thoughtfully prepared meals by returning private chef Nicole Laniado, to grounding rituals with Linda Lopes, creative workshops, and unstructured time to rest, explore, and reconnect with your practice.
Just show up. We'll handle the rest.
Registration window closes August 31.
If you’re building something real in your own lane, you’re in good company here.
What's Included
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Lodging for four days / three nights at The Outlier Inn
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All meals, prepared by our private chef Nicole Laniado
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Evening beverages (beer, wine, light cocktails, NA options)
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Daily grounding and meditation rituals
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Facilitated group discussions & hands-on creative workshops
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Culminating group hike
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Outdoor sauna access
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Unstructured time outdoors for creative exploration
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Surprise-and-delight moments
Location & Accommodations
Held at The Outlier Inn in Woodridge, NY, a 14-acre retreat property and creative event space just two hours from NYC, the weekend unfolds across three distinct homes on the property.
Accommodations include a mix of private bedrooms and thoughtfully shared spaces, allowing for both solitude and connection. Quiet lounge areas offer space to recharge between sessions, with room assignments made intentionally to support comfort and group flow.
The property also features an open-air amphitheater, private campfire pits, outdoor kitchens, and an on-site outdoor sauna, offering space to reset and integrate the work both physically and mentally.
Food & Storytelling with
Chef Nicole Laniado
Some of the best conversations of the weekend happen around the aNAK table.
Returning private chef Nicole Laniado will prepare every meal throughout the retreat, creating a seasonal Fall menu inspired by her heritage and designed exclusively for aNAK. Every dish is thoughtfully crafted to accommodate a wide range of dietary needs without ever compromising on flavor.
Nicole also believes that food is something to be shared, not just served. She'll be leading a hands-on cooking class where we'll cook together, learn a few new techniques, and laugh a lot (with some *friendly competition ;)) before closing the weekend with our open-air BBQ under the Catskills sky.
Creative Sessions
Throughout the weekend, you'll move between guided conversations, hands-on workshops, and unstructured time to explore your own creative practice.
Together, we'll create space to:
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Experiment without pressure or perfection
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Learn new skills through collaborative, hands-on experiences
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Reflect and exchange perspectives among a community of fellow creatives
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Make something with your own two hands
Chef Nicole's collaborative cooking class will be joined by new creative experiences throughout the weekend.
This Fall, applicants will also have the opportunity to share a creative practice they'd be excited to bring to the group, with one offering thoughtfully incorporated into the weekend's programming.
Every session is designed with the same intention: to help you reconnect with your inner child and the joy of chasing the process.
Wellness & Grounding Sessions
Daily guided sessions led by Linda Lopes, Brooklyn-based multidimensional healer and facilitator, blend sacred drumming, breathwork, and meditation to support nervous system regulation and grounded presence. Her facilitation invites participants back into their bodies, creating space for clarity and creative flow to emerge.
These sessions anchor the weekend, supporting clarity and deeper connection.
Movement in Nature
With a scenic rail trail and forest paths surrounding the property, the weekend invites outdoor movement at your own pace.
We’ll close the trip with an offiste group hike, a shared moment to move, breathe, and honor the experience we’ve created together.
All movement is designed for choice. You’re encouraged to engage in ways that feel aligned with your body and energy.
Investment
This is a four-day, all-inclusive retreat experience held at The Outlier Inn in the Catskills. Your investment covers lodging, all chef-prepared meals, hands-on creative workshops, daily wellness sessions, curated programming, materials, and access to the retreat grounds.
Once you arrive, everything is thoughtfully designed and taken care of.
Private Room
$1,295*
A private bedroom with queen or full-sized bed within one of our three retreat homes, offering personal space and quiet retreat between sessions.
Shared Space
$990*
A thoughtfully arranged shared accommodation (loft or common living area within one of our three retreat homes) with either a full- or queen-sized bed.
* Prices listed reflect payment via Venmo or Zelle. If paying by credit card, the total investment is $1,334 for a Private Room or $1,019 for a Shared Space, which includes the 3% credit card processing fee.
Flexible payment plans are available upon request.
Transportation to and from the Catskills is not included.
Public transit is available via bus from Port Authority and NJ Transit, and we’ll open up optional ride coordination for carpooling among participants closer to the retreat.
Spots are intentionally limited to support a focused, cohesive group experience.
Meet the Fall Retreat Team
Lauren Santiago
Host & Lead Facilitator
Chef Nicole
Private Chef & Workshop Lead
Linda Lopes
Wellness Practitioner
Tony Vidal
Community Facilitator
Lauren created aNAK as a space for creatives to reconnect—with their work, with nature, and with each other. Drawing from her background in storytelling, community-building, and experience design, she shapes each retreat with care, guiding the rhythm of the weekend and holding the overall container for the cohort.
Nicole is a chef specializing in creative menu development, with a practice rooted in using food as a vehicle for genuine connection and storytelling. Over the past 12 years, she has worked as a private chef, produced small- and large-scale events—including weddings—and managed operations for commercial kitchens. She is the founder of Merienda, a New York City–based dinner party service specializing in event production and thoughtfully designed menus.
Linda is a Brooklyn-based multidimensional healer offering Sacred Drumming, Yoga, and Ra Illuminare Multidimensional Healing. Rooted in ancestral wisdom and over a decade of spiritual devotion, she creates trauma-informed, inclusive spaces grounded in agency. Her facilitation invites participants back into their bodies through rhythm, breath, and presence, allowing clarity and creative flow to emerge from a centered place. She began her journey under the mentorship of Medicine Woman Eia Buenconsejo, whom she continues to study with today.
As co-host of the Off the Strength podcast and host of numerous wellness-centered community events, Tony creates spaces where movement, dialogue, and connection come together. A force for good in the health and fitness industry, he is a strategist, leader, community builder, and innovator committed to closing the health gap and empowering communities. Through social impact initiatives and culturally grounded programming, his work centers on making wellness more accessible and community-driven.
