summer highlights... I can't believe it's July already!

Is it just me or is summer passing by way too quickly? I have so many things I want to do this summer, like watch films outdoors, go biking in Governor's island and hiking upstate, the list goes on... but it's also important to remember (and appreciate) the fun things that have already happened this summer. So here are five of my summer highlights from the past two months...

...An amazing July 4th long weekend in New Kent, Virginia with friends. We stayed over at a beautiful river house on the Pamunkey river and spent plenty of time floating in the river, driving a golf cart around farm fields, star gazing, drinking Crabbies ginger beer (my new favorite summer drink), and exploring Colonial Williamsburg. Such a great four days enjoying nature and great people. (Thank you Sarah for hosting!)

...Adventuring in Brooklyn with my mom, sister, and Ben. We spent a full Saturday exploring Smorgasburg (in Williamsburg), Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn Botanical Garden, the greenmarket in Park Slope, and bits of Chinatown. My favorite part was devouring pizzas at Julianne's and then ambling across the Brooklyn Bridge.

... Nashville trip to visit Emily in May. I love, LOVE Nashville and how green and lush everything looked. It was so fun to experience both classy Nash and Nash Vegas (honky tonk Broadway, I'm looking at you.) Thanks so much for hosting, Emily.

...Shakespeare in the Park with Ben - my first time! We saw Much Ado About Nothing, which was more hilarious than I expected. So much fun. Watching a play in Central Park while drinking a beer... couldn't ask for a better experience.

...Weekends visiting my family in Philly and friends in neighborhood cities, like D.C. for Anna's masters graduation from GWU. Thank you, amazing parents for cooking up lobster and all my favorites whenever I come home. Thank you Anna, for being one of my oldest and dearest friends.

What are some of the highlights in your summer so far? Remember to take it easy and enjoy life as it comes!

coachella-inspired looks from sole society

In 2012, I bought my first pair of shoes from Sole Society back when they first launched. Since then, Sole Society has partnered with 20+ influencers & bloggers to curate their shoe boutiques and collaborated with Julianne Hough on her own collections. Recently in 2013, they extended into bags and accessories. It's been so delightful watching Sole Society grow into a successful direct to consumer platform, stretching beyond shoes. Here's a peek at their fabulous selection, inspired by Coachella fashion which feels like a mix of Americana and Navajo (in my opinion!). What are your favorite Sole Society picks?

From top left to right: Millie tote, Xela wallet, Tori suede booties, Tali studded crossbody, Preston satchel, Printed infinity scarf, Jada large tote, Mandee lace up heel, Tanya ballet flat, Rose gold bangle

the wanderlust list: my travel to-do's!

I think I'm getting seriously sick... with the travel bug. (Okay, that was cheesy.) If we're ever hanging out and you notice me gazing off into the distance, it's not you, it's me. I've been in such a wanderlusty mood for the past few weeks, my Facebook wall is covered with travel inspiration. I know I've already been really lucky to have gone to San Fran and the Bahamas so far this year, but I think they only whet my appetite for more :) Here's my latest travel to-do list, with a good mix of domestic and international cities -- what's on your list?

My friend Lindsay recently vacationed in Tulum, Mexico with her husband and really loved it. It's a non-touristy beach town that's filled with history like Mayan ruins, cool caves and cennotes, and interesting shops run by local craftsmen. 

Arizona hiking roadtrip idea: Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, and Sedona. My friend Tina and I are currently obsessed with Antelope Canyon at the moment -- the water-formed rocks look like multi-colored waves in different lighting... dreamy.

Ziplining, jungles, and beaches! Costa Rica is high up on my list because it seems like it offers the perfect balance of relaxation and outdoors adventuring.

I've read about Positano, Italy numerous times on my favorite bloggers' sites. They all rave that it's the ultimate family vacation: a small village filled with culture and super kid-friendly, on the Amalfi coast. Keeping this in mind when I have a family of my own one day!

I know a few Californians and New Yorkers who often vacation in Palm Springs or Lake Tahoe. Both places look serene and relaxing. Would be fun to go for a long weekend sometime soon.

The next time I visit Asia, I really hope to go to Thailand (and Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia too if it's a long trip). Delicious food, beautiful beaches, cheap massages, and lots of city life to explore, what's not to love? I especially want to hang out with tiger cubs in the Tiger Temple and shop in the Floating Market (above) in Thailand.

Other cities that I'm itching to go to but don't have the time to find photos of for this blog post :):

Seattle: Amazon HQ, friends are living there, and ultimate hiking/biking trip with beautiful mountainous scenery.

Chicago: Everyone calls it the cleaner, better New York. Could this be true? Also, I really want to understand all the fuss about its deep dish pizza.

Nashville: I am ready for honky donk and music. Plus, Emily lives there. 

Guam: I never thought about Guam until I read this Huff Po article, and now I'm sold. Sounds amazing. (Those sunset pictures are unreal.)

PS: All of my travel pins

PPS: 33 Unbelievable Places To Visit Before You Die. 

(Photos sources: Antelope Canyon here; Costa Rica here; Positano here; Palm Springs here; Thailand here.)

the friend exodus: why is everyone moving away?

Yesterday was the first day of Spring-- although I don't feel it quite yet, I am so relieved. What a long winter it had been! This week was especially rough and bittersweet because Abby told me she was definitely going to be moving back to Philly this summer, after two years of living together. I had been expecting it -- both her boyfriend and her family live in Philly -- but it's always hard when close friends move away, especially my roommate who is like a sister. (Don't leave, Abby!)

While I'm always thrilled for my friends who start new adventures outside of New York, it's hard to adjust to life as usual in the city without having them here. I see things that I'd like to go to and that they would love, but they aren't available. Some of my dearest friends moved away this past year: Neetu to India, Danny to Syracuse, and Emily to Nashville. Other friends will be moving to San Francisco and Miami by end of year. While I love playing the role of cheerleader to their new adventures, I selfishly, wholeheartedly wish that those adventures could be in the city.

Makes me wonder if it's harder to move away to a new city and start a new journey, or is the greater challenge actually in coping with the feeling of being left behind? Would you rather move to a new city and not know a single soul, or would you rather stay where you are while everyone leaves?

(Photo via here)

what are your plans this weekend?

I know it's only Wednesday (hump day), but I'm already really looking forward to my first weekend back in New York in what feels like forever (after SF, Bahamas, and Philly visiting my family). My goal is to be outside as long as possible since the weather is improving (thank goodness!). On weekends, I have a habit of power-walking through Soho, West Village, and East Village while chatting on the phone or listening to a podcast, people watching, and taking photos. I actually just stumbled upon the above photo of a restaurant called Freeman's which I had instagrammed 2 years ago while on such a walk! Isn't it so cute? I love how off the beaten path it is, tucked away in Chrystie St.

I'll also be catching up with my friend and former L'Oreal colleague Adam at brunch, meeting another friend Adam (funny coincidence) for coffee to plot out his career path (which sounds so devious, no?), attending a Crunch workout class, and working on my application to a theology seminar. What's your weekend looking like?

(Top photo via Nicole Franzen, bottom photo of me taken by my friend Danny in Soho)

beach getaway: the bahamas

Only two months ago, I vowed to take more trips in 2014, so it was very fortuitous that I was able to make a pretty last minute visit to the Bahamas for a "Spring Break" of sorts. New York has had the worst winter (from Snowstorm Hercules to Titan - that's 13 snowstorms!) of my 7 years of living here, so naturally my friends and I were itching to get away. We found a great deal on CheapCarribbean.com for a 4-night, 5 day stay at the Melia Nassau resort and booked it immediately. What resulted was one of the laziest and most relaxing vacations I've ever had :) Here are some photos taken from my iphone (edited on VSCO Cam and Instagram).

 

One of the biggest luxuries was just taking in the sun. Growing up my family never went on beach vacations -my parents were more into historical, cultural trips (Colonial Williamsburg, for example); in fact, my first ever resort experience was in 2011 in Puerto Rico. I love the easygoing nature of the resort life, but don't think I can do it for more than a couple of days since I get antsy. But it was so, so nice to lay on the beach reading, nap by the pool, chill out in the Jacuzzi, and take lots of piña colada & strawberry daiquiri breaks. 

Some trip highlights include enjoying local cuisine at Andros Fish Fry, Poop Deck, and Bahama Grill. We mostly ate grilled seafood and lots of conch -- which I had never had before. I think I ate my own weight in conch salad, conch soup, conch fritters, etc. Oh, and grouper fish too. We also went out with some of the other guests at night to check out the local bars and clubs, including Aura at the Atlantis, Via Restaurant & Bar, and Señor Frog's (touristy, but so fun). 

I think my all-time top three Bahamas moments were taking a long walk down East Cable Beach (approximately a mile) during sunset; getting an evening tour of the magnificent aquarium in the Atlantis from new friends from our resort; and of course meeting some of the guests at the Melia and hearing their stories: a telecomm entrepreneur from Ohio, a musician who is the nephew of Sydney Poitier, a group of guys from Fort Worth, Texas on a bachelor party trip, etc. And of course, hanging out with everyone in our group: Liz, Abby, Sarah, Irina, and Kris. Lucky to have shared this experience with you guys! xoxo

3 days in San Francisco

I've visited San Francisco before two October's ago (conveniently the best time.. oh those Indian summers), but I couldn't help saying yes when two of my friends asked me if I wanted to visit again. Three days was a pretty good amount of time to explore some of SF's main neighborhoods, and it was so fun to show Eunsan and Tina around, since they had never been. Here's a full recap of our little adventure...

Day 1: North Beach, Chinatown, Union Square, and Mission. We started off with brunch at the famous Mama's in Washington Square Park (got there early due to long lines), then burned off our eggs benedict climbing up the Vallejo Street Steps to take in the view, checked out City Lights bookstore (they have an amazing poetry section) and took photos of the murals at Jack Kerouac alley. Then we ambled down Chinatown, saw the Dragon Gate up close, and headed to Union Square to take the typical tourist photo in front of the heart statue and shop at H&M (Tina wanted boyfriend jeans... don't ask).

Then we stopped over at the gorgeous Yerba Buena gardens (which somehow had a photo booth, thus the above photo), before hopping on the Bart to the Mission, one of my favorite neighborhoods. In the Mission, we browsed through one cute boutique after another (I got an orange-red pea coat at Therapy), took a coffee break at Borderlands Books and played on the swings at Dolores Park without shame. By then it was around 4:30pm and we were eager for a pre-dinner snack, so we headed over to Taqueria el Buen Sabor for tacos which were some of the best I've had. We walked along Valencia Street until sunset, took photos of the art at Clarion Alley, and then headed over to Miss Saigon's for some great pho -- even though we weren't that hungry after our snack, for some reason we were all craving pho.

Day 2: Fisherman's Wharf, Ferry Building, Alcatraz. I was really adamant about trying the clam chowder at Fisherman's Wharf because during my previous visit I biked right through the area without stopping for food :). We hopped on the Powell/Mason cable car to brunch at Fog Harbor and had a delicious clam chowder in sourdough bread, checked out the (quite smelly) seals at Pier 39, then took a quick street car to the Ferry Building to meet my friend Lindsey at the Farmer's Market. Nursing a Blue Bottle coffee, Lindsey and I caught up on life, then the girls and I headed back to Pier 33 for our Alcatraz night tour which started at 3:30pm-- this was my first time and it was worth the $39... what an interesting piece of history! By the end of the tour around 7:30pm, we were so exhausted we had a super filling seafood dinner at Pier Market (couldn't stop eating the sour dough bread) and headed home (to our Airbnb in Hayes Valley) to pass out. It was weird getting tired at 10pm, but remember we were still on New York time!

Day 3: Ocean Beach, Golden Gate Park, Lower Haight. On our last day, we met up with Eunsan's friend Angela for brunch at Beachside Coffee Bar & Kitchen where I had a yummy salted caramel latte and my first Irish breakfast sandwich (think lots of sausage + cheese). Following brunch, we walked along Ocean Beach right by the water, hiked up the Lands End trail to check out the Camera Obscura, then walked around the sides of the the Sutro Bath ruins. It was so amazing to see this man-made bath right next to the beach. The whole afternoon of hiking and walking by the beach is probably my favorite memory of the trip, since I'm secretly a nature hippie :).

After our hike we took the bus to Golden Gate Park where we took a reading break right outside the de Young museum, walked through the park to the Haight where we had a crepe at Crepe Express and met Annarose, my friend from work who just moved to SF, for coffee at Sparrow Bar & Kitchen. Then some more shopping (and by that I mean, browsing around and buying nothing, ugh), followed by dinner back at the the Mission at El Techo de Lolinda, which was a feast of corn, sangria, pork belly, and chicharonnes.

Phew, what a jam packed trip! It was a little cooler in SF during February, but I am so glad I got to have another taste of this amazing city. Until next time, San Francisco!

(photos from my iPhone 5, edited via VSCO cam app. Take a look at the full SF album on Facebook.)

new york, I love you but...

I'm so over these snowstorms, and yet we are expecting another one tomorrow! Also, today was nuts -- my flight tomorrow morning to SF got cancelled and it was so crazy difficult to reschedule (Thanks United). Fingers crossed that it doesn't get cancelled again. I'm trying to focus on all the positive things about living here in Manhattan (and counting down the days til Spring)...

 

(Photo source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

counting down to SF

I'm heading to San Francisco for the 2nd time between Feb 13- 17 with Tina and Eunsan (who have never been before). So excited to show them around one of my favorite cities! I'm really looking forward to exploring new neighborhoods and just hanging out. Currently pinning a lot of SF inspired photos right now...

PS: Photos from my first trip here. 

(Photo sources: 1, 2, 3)