Helloooo!! It's been a while since I've posted on here since I unintentionally took the summer off (which was honestly so great). At first, I stressed about how I didn't write a blog at the end of every week that passed for a month, and then I didn't mind how many more days came and went. While this break was much needed, I am back to regular posting! WOO! In today's blog, I wanted to share what I've been up to and post some unedited photos from my summer. Just a warning that this post might be a little all over the place! Palm Springs Part I:This year, my family and I decided to save the money we would have used for a big trip to buy a house instead. We did, however, go on a few small trips of which Palm Springs was the first. We live about an hour and a half away which meant we drove, so you know I took advantage and packed wayyy too many clothes ha! Buuuut we mostly hung out by the pool which led to my peeling, red face (see below). The time in between each of my three trips was short, which meant my skin barely got a break (oops). I didn't expect how lazy I would get on this vacation, but I did manage to get out and shoot ONE outfit. The rest of the photos from this trip were all taken at the house. In June, as my first semester of student teaching was coming to an end, my blog and instagram were not my priority. They couldn't be. I had a plan for summer to shoot at least once a week, blog once a week, and post daily. This idea sounded great in my head, but executing it was the problem. There were many times during these past few months where I went a week without posting because I just wanted to relax and be in the moment with my family. Finding moments to escape and shoot only stressed me out, or I would rush photos to get back to what I was doing and then hate how they turned out. I lost a lot of followers and my engagement decreased drastically which was discouraging at first, but then I started to think that something you love shouldn't stress you out so much, right? So, I remembered why I started blogging in the first place... San DiegoOur second trip brought us to San Diego to celebrate my cousin's 15th birthday. We booked an Airbnb with a slide that I went down too many times to count, and I got to spend time with extended family I don't see too often. Going back to what I was saying before, I started blogging (via Instagram) to share my outfits. That's it. I was fresh out of high school and learning all about my own style since I previously had to wear a uniform for seven years. I pretty much bought an entirely new wardrobe. I started my Instagram to share my college looks and watch my style grow. It was never about making money or getting collabs or becoming a famous influencer, but I always thought if it happened, it happened. Once I remembered this, posting came back naturally and shooting became fun again while the numbers mattered less and less. Whenever I travel, I always try to visit at least one museum and yes, I'm the type to stop and read about whatever I'm looking at whether it be the history behind a clay pot or a caption below a painting. I think it's the best way to learn about culture and history which brought me to Balboa park twice. There's so much to do and see here and it was definitely worth the trip! There's also a lot of great locations for shooting of course (: On the first day of our trip, my three sisters and I went to the Museum of Man. It was kind of by accident since we had just arrived in San Diego one hour before all the museums closed (at the early, shared time of 5 pm). We were trying to find the Museum of Art, but kept getting turned around with all the construction in the area. Finally, my sister Zy suggested we just go to the museum that was right in front of us and so we ended up there. There was one exhibit with walls of secrets from people all over the world. You could easily spend a lot of time here, but we had to rush a bit. Still, this was my favorite part. They were all anonymous, and some were a little dark; the one about a woman cheating on her husband with her boss comes to mind, but there were some funny ones too! I'm remembering the confession from a woman worrying her baby might be ugly which stood out to me the most because I am guilty of that same thought... Before going back home, we returned to Balboa with my mom this time and actually found the Museum of Art. With more time, we were able to see every room and you best believe I read a lot haha! We also walked through the botanical building nearby which convinced me that I'm going to need a mini version in my future backyard since I looooove the look of a lot of plants in a single space. Palm Springs Part II + Final ThoughtsI won't talk too much about my second Palm Springs trip since it was truly the most uneventful of them all (and, therefore, the most relaxing). We spent one day in the pool and the other binge watching Parks and Rec! I highly suggest taking a "lazy" vacation. It was really nice to not have any plans or try to come up with something to do that everyone would enjoy, but most importantly, I loved forgetting about work.
Well, that's about it! I have less than a week until my first day of the second semester of student teaching and less than three until I go back to school myself. I am a little nervous about starting over with a new group of 8th graders especially since I'm pretty much taking over teaching this time around with another teacher in the room. I'll be back to my busy self writing lesson plans, going to school, and working full time, but I'm still going to make time for this blog. After all, you have to make time for something that makes you happy, or you might go crazy. I'll give you an update once I get to know my class a bit better, but in the meantime, I'll be back to regular style posts! So, goodbye for now and thank you for reading this especially long blog. Here's a few more random pics from this summer and I hope you enjoy the rest of yours xx
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Happy Thursday eve, everyone!! Today, I am finally going to tell you all about my Catalina trip (If you follow me on Insta, then you know I've been home for a week, but still post trip photos like crazy lol). As the school year is coming to an end, I've been busy with tests and work, so I really wanted to take the opportunity to shoot. My first day here, I wore four different outfits (yes, you read that correctly), so needless to say, I came home with a lot of content! In this post, I'm going to share more of those pictures with you as well as where we stayed, ate, and did for fun in case you ever find yourself on the island! Intro:Just so you have a little bit of background, Catalina is an island 22 miles from the Southern CA mainland. You can take the express boat from Long Beach, Dana Point, or San Pedro (shoutout to my hometown). We left from Long Beach via the Catalina Express which took about an hour and ten minutes. You can also fly to Catalina via helicopter. There are two sides of the island you can visit, Avalon and Two Harbors; we stayed in Avalon. Avalon is the more popular of the two which means it can get pretty busy during spring break and summer time. Luckily, our break was a week before most, so the island wasn't crowded at all. There are plenty of things to do in Avalon with the beach, pier, numerous restaurants, spa, golf course, and a movie theater. Two Harbors is more for the outdoors type with plenty of hiking and great views. It's smaller, more rural, and definitely quieter. I've been to this side a few times throughout my childhood since I grew up across the way. When I first came to Avalon two years ago, I was surprised to see that it was actually a town with PEOPLE because I was so used to the untouched Two Harbors! You can also do many of the water activities here that you can in Avalon such as snorkeling and scuba diving. Where We Stayed:My family and I stayed in an AirBnb at the Hamilton Cove Villas. Catalina is a very small town and you can walk from the boat to most places. The Villas are in a bit of a more secluded area, so we had to take a taxi (even then, the ride was a mere 15 minutes). I loved staying here because we had access to our own private part of the beach, a gym, a tennis and croquet court, and a small park. It's also quiet here and free from many people, but still a short drive to the main part of the town! You can find multiple villas at this location available on AirBnb, but there are plenty of cute cottages and hotels across Avalon too. If you do wish to stay at a home, I would highly suggest getting one with a golf cart. In the past, we always rented them and you must pay by the hour and return them at the end of the day. Having our own made our trip so easy plus we could explore the places that are hard to walk to without worrying about a time limit! Where to Eat:One benefit of having a kitchen is that you can save a lot from not having to eat out. Since I was last here two years ago, Catalina opened a full-sized Vons (the only grocery store on the island) Before that, it was a small, market-sized Vons with no parking lot. However, if you feel like eating out, we did go to three restaurants that I can tell you all about: Mi Casita: This is a cute little Mexican restaurant where we went to eat our first night. There are plenty of large booths for big families, each with a glass top that past visitors placed dollars underneath with personal messages. My family came to celebrate my sister's birthday, so we left a few ripped bills to commemorate the weekend. We are all pescatarian, so Mexican food is always easy! We had cheese enchiladas, bean and cheese burritos, shrimp tacos, and a few strawberry daiquiris all of which were delicious! Pancake Cottage: This restaurant is very popular among tourists and locals, so it's always busy when we come, but definitely worth the wait! You leave your phone number at the front, so you can always visit some of the shops right next door and come right back. Trust me, the food is amazing! This was my second time here and I loved it more than the first! I ordered chocolate chip pancakes (because I'm a child) and they made sure to go overboard by sprinkling some on top and placing a good amount in a cup on the side. You can also order a little bottle of champagne and make your own mimosa (which I preferred because I liked that I could pour mostly orange juice and barely any champagne (CHILD). But seriously, come here. You won't regret it! Antonio's Pizzeria & Cabaret: There are two Antonio's on the island, one up a street and one on the water. Original Antonio's is more of a small cafe with a walk-up To Go window. The pizzeria is the traditional restaurant version. Go to this one! It's right on the water and perfect for sitting outdoors on a warm day. This is a fun restaurant with quirky decor, funny wall signs, and PEANUTS EVERYWHERE. Upon arrival, you get a free basket of peanuts and you are encouraged to throw the shells on the floor which my sisters and I love because we. are. CHILDREN (I'm sensing a pattern here...) We mostly threw them at each other and I'm pretty sure there were shells in my hair when I left. Anyways, we had pizza and fries and the cheese was stretchy, gooey, and delicious. Need I say more? What to Do:There are many things to do in Avalon from water activities to relaxing activities, and of course there are the more strenuous ventures. In the past, I've gone ziplining, pedal boating, and snorkeling with angel sharks all of which you can still do! We did not snorkel this time around (and honestly I'm too old to think the ocean is anything less than terrifying anymore lol), but I know there are specific months to visit if you want to see certain sea life. I highly recommend you do some research before booking a trip, so you aren't disappointed! The same goes with dolphin and whale watching tours which are best from January to March. My sisters went paddle boating and kayaking which they loved! I stayed safely behind on the beach with our stuff and far away from that (seriously how did I ever?) They all capsized at some point and I was glad to not be a part of it! You can rent each from Descanso Beach located at the far end of the island. This is the one true beach on Avalon with a long stretch of sand for visitors, cabana rentals, a bar, small gift shop, and an ice cream parlor open during the summer! There are also many streets with cute little gift shops and boutiques. You can also find Catalina Wine Mixer hats and Boats N' Hoes T-shirts from the iconic Step Brothers movie at many of these shops. You'll want to find Green Pleasure Pier to book many of the island excursions (it's pretty hard to miss and, you guessed it, bright green. From here, you can parasail, rent pedal boats, kayaks, or book a submarine or boat tour (be mindful that not all of these activities are available year round). We took the glass bottom boat tour which was a relaxing ride actually and we saw plenty of bright Garibaldi and one giant shadow of something that freaked me out. There's also hiking, buffalo tours, and ziplining for the more adventurous! Like I said, I've gone ziplining in the past (I included an old picture below) and it was so much fun! You get an amazing view of the island and the wildlife below and I would definitely go again. If you look at the first picture below, you'll see a white, circular building with a brown top; that is an old casino and also Catalina's only theater. It plays one movie nightly for a few weeks, and we were able to catch Dumbo (so freaking cute). It's an old theater with plenty of history and murals surrounding the screen and walls. On our final days, we rented bikes and rode along the coast and played a quick game of mini golf tucked away in a lush garden. I hope you enjoyed this post and congrats for making it this far haha! If you're curious to know where my outfits are from, I always link them on my Shop My Instagram page. Thanks for reading (:
This past Veterans Day Weekend, my family and I decided to take a spontaneous trip to the Bahamas. My mom was already there for about a week before she called home last Tuesday saying she wanted us to come too, so sure enough, we flew out of LAX on Wednesday! Keep reading to see where we stayed, where we ate, what we did and, of course, what I wore.
Atlantis
Atlantis is a vacation resort located on Paradise island in Nassau. There is so much to do here and it is the most beautiful resort I have ever been to! There's a water park complete with slides for all ages, a lazy river, and multiple large pools. My favorite had to be the Serpent Slide. You go down in a tube and end floating through a tunnel submerged in a tank of sharks. I'm afraid of sharks btw and was not sure if I would be scared or not, but once in the tunnel, I had so much fun! If you're more of the sea type, the beach is a five minute walk from your room. For adults, there are numerous bars, a large casino, golfing, and a nightclub all on the property. There are also many excursions available right at the hotel such as swimming with dolphins, feeding sea turtles, kayaking, paddleboarding, and much more!
On the Island:
Of course, If you don't stay at Atlantis or simply want to leave the resort, there are still many things you can do in this beautiful capital city. My family and I spent an hour walking through a few of the many shops downtown and then rented ATVs to continue exploring the island. There are large ATVs you can rent with six seats and ones where two people can ride. We rented one of each and my mom drove my sisters and I around in the big one through the busy streets of Nassau. It was fun being in an open vehicle and getting to clearly see all the pastel buildings lining the port, colorful wall murals, and historical churches before ending at Junkanoo beach. Once there, we rode a giant water bike in the ocean and enjoyed delicious shrimp and drinks at Crab 'N' Tings where the famous "Bitch Slap" is served and known for being "the strongest drink on the beach" and trust me, it was.
What I Wore:
Now, for the style portion of the blog! I have three total outfits for you, and I've simply linked everything below. Just know that in Nassau, there's only one season according to the locals, so no matter what time of year you may visit, be sure to pack for warm weather. For me, that meant shorts, airy culottes and lots of swimsuits and sandals!
I hope this travel guide gave you some ideas as to what to do should you ever visit Nassau. We certainly did not have enough time to try half of what the resort or island had to offer on our short trip, but it was a great experience and I would definitely come back and do more. Where do you want to go next?
As always, thanks for reading! xx star One of the reasons I love living in Corona is that we are so close to many major SoCal cities. My family and I wanted to take one last trip before two of my sisters went back to school, and being an hour and a half away from the city, we thought San Diego would be perfect for a day trip. When we first arrived, we took a sailing tour for the first time, and had so much fun! This company is great because all tours are private, so you can go with your family, friends, or significant other. They let you bring your own food and drinks, but also offer snacks, waters, and a first round of alcohol is included. You can also pre-pay for a sandwich to eat during the trip. If you're ever in San Diego, I highly suggest you try sailing. Once you leave the port, the cool breeze picks up and makes laying on the boat so relaxing, so grab a water, find a nice place to sit, and let the waves rock you to sleep. You might even spot a seal or two ;) what i wore:I started the trip in this jumpsuit from Tilly's which was perfect for the 80 degree weather. To be honest, my legs were due for a wax, so I wanted to keep them hidden at least until I got on the boat. This piece was perfect because the wide-cut leg covered me up while still keeping me cool. I love jumpers/rompers because they are one piece and make getting ready super easy. You'll always look dressed up when the outfit is really so effortless. I wanted to style it with lighter accessories for a nice contrast and decided on my ASOS basket bag (similar) and brown espadrilles from Steve Madden. Once on the boat, I changed into a Kate Spade one-piece swimsuit. I love the color blocking design, and the last color gives the suit a high-waisted feel and a 50s vibe. The suit is no longer available, but you can check out some other great colorblock swimsuits below! As summer is coming to an end, my family and I wanted to take one last vacation before school starts up again. Palm Springs is only about an hour and a half away from home, so we decided it would be perfect for a short and easy getaway. We stayed at a beautiful Airbnb in Vintage Palms. Airbnbs are great because they offer larger spaces than the traditional hotel room to fit our big family, and this one had a private pool! We spent most of our first day at Wet N Wild, a waterpark less than 15 minutes from our Airbnb. Since we went during the week, there were no lines and my sisters and I were able to go on every slide in a couple of hours. We spent the rest of the time floating down the lazy river and over ripples in the wave pool. I was able to take my phone with me everywhere by using this waterproof case. It's perfect for taking pictures at water parks, beaches, or in the pool. It even works underwater! We spent the next day exploring Palm Springs and the nearby city of Cabazon. If you're ever here during the summer, I would suggest getting out early to see as much as possible before it becomes too hot. We were out of the house by 8:30 and it was already 85! Our first stop? The famous Cabazon Dinosaurs. We arrived a little after nine when the museum had just opened (I didn't even know they had one!) You don't have to pay to see the two large dinosaurs pictured above, but the museum has even more and the tickets were only $10 for adults, so we thought why not! You walk through the entrance and then along a dirt path outdoors to see different dinosaurs and even some abnormally large frogs and tortoises behind a short fence, kind of like an inanimate zoo. I was surprised because I thought Cabazon Dinosaurs only consisted of the two dinos you always see on Instagram, but there's so much more! At the end, you can walk up the stairs inside the large T-Rex and sit in his mouth which was surprisingly much cooler than outside. While in Palm Springs, we visited two restaurants both in downtown. The first night we had dinner at Kalura Trattoria. I highly recommend this restaurant if you love Italian food. The angel hair pasta I ate was so good and the cheese in the mozzarella sticks was the best I've ever had! It's a small restaurant with minimal seating inside, but there's also patio seating outside and an outside bar from which you can view the mountains. Great for a cooler night! On our last day, we went to Lulu right down the street from Kalura Trattoria for breakfast. Their blueberry pancakes are delicious and the restaurant is even cuter! The powder blue barstools and bold chandeliers bring color to the entire establishment while pictures of Marilyn Monroe and Lucille Ball give it a vintage feel. If you're ever in Palm Springs, I highly recommend you try these restaurants, or simply visit downtown! There are so many more restaurants to try as well as high end and boutique shopping. What was your favorite trip this summer, or where would you like to go next? Let me know in the comments!
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