Nobody Likes You When You're 23?

Finally sharing some snippets of my birthday (2 months ago). The last time I was in LA on my birthday I was turning 18, so it was nice to be here and just enjoy my birthday at home. I was thoroughly spoiled: macaroons, my favorite pancakes, a mocha the size of my head that made me feel like I was on Friends, a care package, and my first time having Korean BBQ! I'm a lucky girl surrounded by lots of love. 23, so far so good.

Care Package

I forgot to mention one other thing that happened in January! I received the most wonderful package from Elis!

The package had a lovely card, a mix that's been living in my car stereo, and some beautiful prints. I'm a big fan of Elis' photography so I was delighted to have some of her prints to hang around my house!

Thank you so much for brightening up my January Elis!

<3 

Lost Voices and Whispering Friends

I have a habit of ignoring my body's needs when I get sick. For example, that one time I got sick my freshman year of college and went to class with a fever. (I probably don't need to tell you not to do that, but just in case: don't go to class with a fever. It's no fun.)

Estrella and I had been trying to work out a time to see each other that would work for both of our schedules for literal MONTHS when the universe finally aligned for us the first weekend in December. You can imagine my unhappiness when I woke up the Wednesday before my trip with a sore throat and a low fever. I took a day off work to rest, but as soon as I wasn't feverish I went back to work and tried to convince myself I was fine. The morning I left for Santa Barbara I actually did feel fine--but I had lost my voice.

This is probably where a rational person would have realized that they should stay home and heal properly, but that is not what I did. I went to Santa Barbara anyway.

No regrets!! It was a much-needed trip; I hadn't seen Estrella since JULY! So we whispered to each other all day, and her mom made me soup and lots of lemony tea. The only downside was that my immune system was tired of me ignoring its needs and I woke up the next morning feeling much worse. I ended up going home after just 24 hours but I'm still glad I went.

Forever thankful for someone who will whisper with me all day <3

Riding the Rails

Last Monday I went on the most spontaneous mini-vacation I've ever planned. It might not actually count as spontaneous, since Estrella and I had been trying to find a time that worked out for a visit for practically the entire summer. The longest-planned most spontaneous trip ever? I think it still counts as a spur-of-the-moment trip because I decided to go the day before, and I bought my ticket just over 12 hours before my departure time.

Anyway, last Monday was finally a perfect storm of schedules and I made my way to Santa Barbara via train. I'd never taken the train in this country before (not that I can recall anyway, I think my mom may have mentioned that we took a train trip once when I was a toddler), and I was surprised at how easy it was. And shocked at the amount of leg room I got! I caught my train at Union Station and a few short hours later I was reunited with Estrella in SB.

I don't have many pictures to show for the trip because Estrella is camera shy and I just wanted to spend time with her. Next time!

I only stayed in Santa Barbara overnight because I had to be back in LA to start my new job (!) but I'll definitely be making the trip again with some more time.

<3

disposable

Sometime around the end of October I was in line to check out at Target and a two-pack of disposable cameras caught my eye. After that, I spent the rest of the school year carrying a camera in my bag capturing little moments. I got a lot of weird looks and questions, and once they were both filled it took me around 2 months to actually get them developed, but it was a totally worthwhile experiment and an affordable way to play around with lo-fi photography.



Leona Creek

The tree-lined path to the music building

Behind the music building

Thanksgiving with Estrella

Shopping cart Christmas tree statement at the Bay Street Mall

At JT's opening

The first time Ali played at TNS!

Lovely ladies

The three of us on my birthday

This last one is my favorite! I remember when I was in elementary school, we'd all buy disposable cameras for the days when we would have field trips or for Spirit Day, and when I was in London I bought a disposable camera because I wanted pictures to decorate my room with. I really enjoyed the process of taking pictures with film and actually getting them developed. Maybe I'll make a habit of it. When was the last time you had a disposable camera?

<3

let's take a road trip

April is almost over! As of right now I am one presentation, one music project, one paper and one exam away from graduation, and I am so happy that the craziness of April is coming to an end.


When I saw that Jenn of ClothesEncounters was going to be having a closet sale at the Davis Flea market I thought it would be a nice way to get away for a little while now that things are finally calming down. So Estrella and I took a baby road trip today and ventured out to Davis.

We totally fell in love with it! I've never questioned my decision to go to Mills but walking around town had me questioning why I never checked out UC Davis. When you walk around Berkeley everyone is wearing at least one item of Cal gear, but Davis wasn't like that at all and it was so nice. To be fair, we stuck pretty close to Central Park, but overall it seemed like a really nice place.











Have you been on any day trips lately?
<3

Spontaneous Order

One of the more exciting things about living on a college campus towards the end of the semester is the flurry of artistic events that happen in the last few weeks of school as everyone is presenting their theses.

Last weekend my friend JT's senior art exhibition 'Spontaneous Order' opened at the Art Museum. It wasn't a solo exhibition, so I knew a few other Studio Art seniors who had work on display, but in my humble (and biased) opinion JT's work really stole the show. All of her pieces were embroidered; she embroidered a take-out box, a cup of noodles, a writing exercise book, and a text piece translating a phrase from Chinese to English with Google Translate. The detail is incredible and I was so proud of JT and so happy for her. Of course, the other work on display is also amazing, and if you're in the Bay Area I highly encourage you to come check it out.

I am often completely blown away by the sheer beauty of the things my friends create, whether I'm looking at JTs art, or listening to Estrella's compositions or hearing Ali sing. I'm so lucky to be surrounded and inspired by such amazing ladies. 

a coconut breve and an americano with room

I'm home for spring break this week and very much enjoying relaxing and not writing papers. I spent the weekend hanging out around the house with my mom and my grandparents, and today I met up with Lena for coffee.
We went to our regular spot, Jameson Brown. Lena introduced me to it a few years ago and it has (in my humble opinion) the best coffee in the world. I'm hooked on their Coconut Breves.
I hope your Monday was as lovely as mine. :]