Tag Archives: travel

Venice Update!

IMG_9565I’d been to Venice once before while I was studying in London a few years back.  I never thought I’d have the chance to set my eyes on these beautiful canals again but with a big open plan, it made it’s way back onto my travel map.  With limited internet access, I haven’t been able to post much but boy oh boy do I have so much to share and tell you once I get some time and a solid connection.  For now, I’ve been wandering the streets aimlessly with camera in hand.  Sometimes you can’t even capture what you are seeing.  It’s so strange that you spend the majority of your life getting to know one place when there are so many others out there bustling with life every single day.  Here are a few photos of what Venice has been like recently.

IMG_9516(Museums and more museums, they are such precious pieces of history)

IMG_9555(Colors)

IMG_9556(Stopped by the Guggenheim house)

IMG_9452(It flooded!  It’s never been more fun)

IMG_9496(So much fashion it’s surreal.  I took this photo with my friend, Mary, in mind.  She LOVES shoes!)

IMG_9584(After the rain, came the sun)

 I saw all weather while in Venice which made it feel like a different city every time.  I was always looking at new things.  It’s such an amazing place.  You don’t need more than a few days in Venice but if you ever get the chance to see it, wander around to see what you can find.

Ciao for now!

 

Travel Thursdays – Venice, Italy

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Pictures from Venice coming soon!  We have both been traveling with limited access to the internet but here is a sneak peak of some photos I’ve snapped.   Also, have you checked out the new app A Beautiful Mess??  My good friend, Emily, told me I would really like it and that was an understatement.  It’s such a cute and fun new photo app you can download.  I made the above photo from it :)

 

 

 

San Francisco Love

IMG_5141Since I am taking off in just a few short weeks for Europe, I’ve been thinking about how much I really do love San Francisco.  It’s such a beautiful city.  I constantly find myself photographing it and even spending time photographing one specific place.  One day, a while back, my friend Marc and I went photo adventuring near the Golden Gate Bridge.  He’s an extremely talented photographer and a lot of fun to practice shooting with.

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IMG_4530(Marc and I practicing portrait photography)

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IMG_4548(Marc shooting some up close and personals with this bird.  Not a bad setting.)

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IMG_4486(Marc)

I will never get tired of photographing San Francisco!  It’s an incredible city with some of the most breathtaking views.  I’ll keep the blog updated with my take on other countries as well of course but I wanted to take a minute and share my love for one of the greatest cities in the world.  Happy Thursday everyone!

Look How it Shines for You

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The biggest news in San Francisco as of lately has been the lighting ceremony that took place on Tuesday night on the Bay Bridge.  This holds a special place in my heart because this is the bridge I drive across all the time and I think it’s extremely beautiful.  They have been testing the lights all week and in the beautiful weather we have had, the bridge was nothing less than magnificent.  It’s currently the world’s largest LED structure with 25,000 LED lights individually programmed by Leo Villareal.  For two years these beautiful, luminous lights will shine for you.  Don’t miss out on a huge part of history right here in our own city.

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IMG_7585(Isn’t it beautiful??  This is before the light ceremony.  These are the standard lights)

IMG_7591(Right when the lights started, the rain began to pour down)

IMG_7594(The lights moved in all different patterns)

IMG_7598(It’s interesting and smart that all the lights on facing outward so that drivers cannot see any of the lights from the driving span.  I could see this being very distracting if drivers could see the lighting)

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IMG_7606(Shannon invited me to come to her company’s roof top for the viewing and it was spectacular and breathtaking)

IMG_7615(The rain was creating these awesome huge bokeh dots)

IMG_7611(Sparkling)

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This is such a beautiful site to see and a cherry on top of one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  If you work in the city, don’t forget to take the long way home sometimes.  In my case, this is what I see when I take the long way and it’s the best way to end my day.  Enjoy!

Just A Few Angels On An Island

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Since the weather has been so beautiful in San Francisco, my friends and I decided to check out Angel Island.  I had never been and my friend, Shannon, had so she knew it was worth the adventure.  You have to take a Ferry there which was actually a lot of fun!  We took the Ferry from Tiburon which is such a beautiful area so we decided to have lunch there first.  After we got to the island, it was beautiful sights for miles.

IMG_7240(Catching the Ferry)

IMG_7241(Lots of sail boats enjoying the sun)

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IMG_7250(I loved these little boats)

IMG_7256(The Golden Gate Bridge looked beautiful as always.  Such a different view of it from Angel Island!)

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IMG_7262(The Ferry leaving Tiburon)

IMG_7267(Hiking around beautiful Angel Island)

IMG_7273(There are a bunch of different camp sites you can stay at)

IMG_7278(Wish I knew who these people were to give them this photo! So cute)

IMG_7289(A bird and a bridge)

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IMG_7299(My other friend Chelsea and Shannon)

IMG_7306(The views are incredible)

IMG_7311(Birds eye view)

IMG_7314(the colors are un-beatable)

IMG_7318(They have these amazing little benches everywhere to have lunch or just enjoy the views)

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IMG_7323(I love this photo of them)

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IMG_7333(Picturesque)

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I definitely recommend this fun adventure to anyone.  There is a walking loop, a biking loop, and so much more.  They even have a little cafe and place to rent bikes right by where the ferry drops you off.  It was even a great place for families because right where you get off the ferry is a large lawn with picnic tables and plenty of space for kids to play.  We walked a lot of the loop that wraps around the island which was great for exercise, fun, and picture taking.

We hope you have a great weekend, Happy Friday!

Solo Yolo

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On my last solo lunch before Chelsea returned, I decided I’d hike up the hill to the magnificent Coit Tower – YOLO!  We often hike up there on our lunches because the views are ridiculously beautiful and it’s fun to check out all the amazing homes that are nestled in the hillside along the crooked walking paths.  We’ve been up to Coit Tower many times but had never gone inside the tower and up to the top.  It was a beautiful day when I walked up there, so I thought what the hell.  I’m going to buy the ticket and take the janky, old elevator to the top to see what’s up there.  You have to pay to go and we always thought, what’s the point?  We know of so many great free look outs.  But now I know the point.  And I recommend it to everyone, tourist or not.

photo 5 (2)(Down there is where we usually eat when we are “minion” status)

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photo 2 (4)(I love arch-ways and looking out over the city)

photo 2 (5)(The windows have clear covered window panes on them so that you can’t throw things out the window at innocent people BUT you can slide things through between the wall and window pane to leave a lucky coin or apparently business cards are hot)

photo 1 (5)(360 degree views if you go to each window)

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photo 5 (3)(It’s completely open at the top.  Best sunroof ever)

photo 4 (3)(A lovely view of the Golden Gate Bridge from the base of Coit Tower)

photo 3 (3)(And on the other side of the base of Coit Tower is a magnificent view of downtown, the Bay Bridge, and some fabulous rooftop hang outs)

photo 2 (3)You know this city is incredible.  The more I explore and act like I’m visiting, the more treasures I tend to find.

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I will have to say though, I’ve missed my Frover and I’m so happy she’s back.  We are already working on our next blideo and somehow we’ve suckered some key players into the mix.  I.F.F people!  Enjoy your weekend.

There’s nothing like that crisp ocean breeze

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Alright, we all made it.  The new year is here and one of my resolutions is to be outside more.  I’m always trying to enjoy the outdoors but I’ve really realized there are many places I still haven’t seen in San Francisco and I need to work on finding them.   Since a few friends from LA were in town, Shannon and I decided we wanted them to see a few places we love.  I chose Twin Peaks and then Shannon wanted to show us the Sutro Baths which I have never seen before and I can’t believe it.  They are SO beautiful!  They lie right next to the famous Ocean Beach and can be easily accessed from Hwy1.

photo 1(The baths are connected to hiking trails that wind through and hug the CA coast)

photo 5(The sectioned off baths are so still and beautiful)

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photo 4(Unfortunately, someone had tagged the beautiful ruins)

photo 3 (1)(They have this beautiful cave you can walk through and hear the roar of the ocean crashing into the cliff below and beside you)

photo 2 (1)(Me and Shannon exploring on the concrete balance beams)

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photo 2 (2)(Airplanes were flying so close to the coast just soaking up the sights because the day couldn’t have been any more beautiful)

photo 1 (1)(Even the coast guard was hovering close by)

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photo 4 (1)And last but not least, our dear friend Sarah who was visiting from LA shared this with us.  I love it and I find it inspiring to read each morning.  Have a great weekend!

Traveling Forget Me Nots

We’ve been on the go A LOT this past month or two and there are some things that are must pack items.  We thought we’d share these things in case you have any trips coming up and need an easy check list of the random things that will screw you if you forget!

1. Eye Drops

(Being so high up in the air can really dry out your eyes so keeping this with you will help to ensure that you can keep your eyes open long enough to scout all the hotties on the plane)

2. Snack Bars

(You don’t want to turn into a crazy hungry person while you are squished in between two people on a place. And also bring an empty water canteen, I fill these up at the airport to save money)

3. Scarf/Beanie 

(Like these ones because you can also use them as a blanket- but leave the creepy mannequin at home)

4. Valuables

(This may seem like a no brainer but we have friends who have packed their laptops, cameras, etc in their checked baggage.  I’m not willing to risk it and you shouldn’t either!)

5. A cell phone charger

(Carry this one because you may run out of battery on the plane and then not be able to contact whoever may be picking you up)

6. Reading Glasses

(I don’t wear contacts, only glasses, but I’ve heard they get extremely uncomfortable when flying so bring your back up glasses.  Oh yeah and make ‘em cute ones, you never know what kind of babes you will be sitting next to on the plane.)

When packing for the holidays, we like to be prepared because things get crazy as it is.  We hope this list will help you when preparing to travel next time.  Writing out a list is always helpful when preparing for a trip.  Crossing things off is a good feeling of accomplishment before you’ve even begun your journey!

NOLA Style

I love little details and quaint colors.  New Orleans is FULL of these things.  I had never been to Louisiana before but absolutely fell completely in love with the place over the past weekend.  I went out there for a friend’s wedding and just found myself wandering aimlessly in every direction I could.  It’s a place that everyone should see in their life for many reasons.  It’s all in the details, isn’t it darling?

(One of the most amazing parts of New Orleans is the music scene.  Performers were everywhere and there’s an area called the musicians village just for recording and a place for musical minds to come together)

(The colors everywhere were brilliant, especially in the stained glass all over town.  These two beautiful pieces were in my friend’s family home but stained glass is in the churches, on the streets, and in homes)

(Beads stay in the trees year round from Mardi Gras)

(The colors of the buildings and shutters were amazing.  I stopped to snap a photo in front of one of my favorites)

(I would like this to be my porch in downtown or uptown New Orleans)

(Have you ever seen midnight in Paris?  That’s what I felt like.  Just wandering the streets <the safe parts of course> and finding beautiful, inspiring things/places.  To the right is a free library!  Take or leave a book of your choice)

(Colorful)

(Of course the infamous trolley and a detailed doorway)

(Classics never get old)

(Beautiful)

(Ceiling decor – I want these in my backyard!)

(I was part of a Second Line Parade for my friend Danielle’s Wedding!  It was a top 5 life experience, so incredible!)

(Drinking in public is completely acceptable and fun in New Orleans)

The colors, the people, the food, the sites, the music, and so much more are all to blame for stealing a piece of my heart this past weekend.  I have many more things to share about my time in NOLA including my food pics while in New Orleans!  What a wonderfully inspiring city, have you been?  What was your favorite thing about New Orleans?

Perils of a Penny Pincher. Part 3

Conservatory of FlowersLife is great in the Golden Gate (Park)! I live two blocks from the entry to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco and I couldn’t think of a better backyard to have. It is only a five minute walk to the Conservatory of Flowers which is this amazing building created for botany lovers. The weather was an outstanding 80+ degrees last week so my friend and I took full advantage as we went on a stroll through the park.

Conservatory of Flowers(The entrance to the Conservatory of Flowers)

Clock(There is a huge clock built  into the ground at the entrance, it reminds me of Disneyland)

Gate(There is a tunnel that leads to the other side of the park; it’s dark & spooky inside)

Stairs(The tunnel often has jazz bands playing for tourists on the weekends, the sound is awesome)

Tree Climb(There are huge trees in the area that are easy to climb up, you could relax and read a book!)

(Taking a shaded break from the heat)

Sunlight(The sun was peeking through the trees, it was so beautiful)

marigolds(The grounds are kept up nicely, brilliant foliage is everywhere)

shadows(Goofy shadows in the grass)

columns(These concrete columns line across a small bridge)

(This black bird reminded me that it is almost time for Halloween)

If you are not from San Francisco but are looking to visit, Golden Gate Park truly is magnificent. If you haven’t been before, you should go! You could get lost looking at all kinds of animals including live Buffalo!