Coachella 2017 Weekend One Recap

I can't believe Coachella 2017 has already come and gone. It crept up on us this year. Our lives were pretty hectic up until then so it was the perfect time to get lost in the desert and listen to some our favorite artists. Instead of camping this year, we stayed at an AirBnB in Rancho Mirage and shuttled over to and from the festival. Not camping was totally easier on our bodies (and souls) and I felt that even though we experienced less of Coachella, we were able to enjoy the parts that we were there for more. Here's a quick recap of our weekend!

Looking Forward

Have you ever had an out of body experience in the middle of a moment and realize that one day you're going to look back on this day and pinpoint it to the start of a new beginning? Well this weekend was just that kind of moment. I've been giving happiness a lot of thought lately. If money can't buy it and you're unhappy when you don't have money, then how are you supposed to "get" happiness in this consumerist society that we live in? If happiness is in the journey and not the destination, then what are we headed towards? There've been countless articles written on the "keys to happiness" or on the "secrets of a happier lifestyle," but I'm not sure anyone really has the answer to these questions, especially not I. But after this past weekend, I've felt happier and calmer than I have in months.

We Follow Rivers

In an effort to remain creative and avoid being repetitive, we've refrained from revisiting the L.A. River despite our frequent haunts to the Arts District and Little Tokyo. We finally caved into our nostalgia yesterday and romped around an old stomping ground. It was like visiting an old friend--bittersweet and refreshing. Not only did we reminisce to our first adventure there back in November, but we also were able to reflect on how much we've grown since then. As we walked down the same tunnel as before, we noticed the difference in graffiti that now litter the walls, which stand as a testament to how much time has passed. The view at the end of the tunnel didn't disappoint and as we stood there watching the water flow, we wondered why it took us so long to come back to such a special spot and vowed to never let so much time pass before visiting again.

Bien Fait

After a morning of having our plans thwarted, we couldn't think of a better way to spend the afternoon than in cozy, soft basics. We found ourselves combing the back alleys of Pasadena again and ended up in a construction zone in our usual chase of the sunset. Being the rebels that we are, we crossed the line (literally) and were undisturbed while trying to capture the beautiful light that was flooding in through the trees and unfinished buildings.

The Little Things

After our exciting and adventurous trips to Palm Springs and Disneyland, we thought we'd take it easy to wind down our spring vacation. We spent the weekend sleeping in to enjoy a few more moments of snuggling underneath the covers. When we finally got ourselves out of bed, we headed to Grand Central Market to grab brunch and avoided the hype of Egg Slut to discover a new favorite spot: Belcampo Meat Co, and a new love for broccolini. At the market, we also picked up the biggest sunflowers because we wanted to bring a bit of sunshine home and we're a sucker for cute packaging. We played tourist in our own town for the afternoon and were up to our usual tricks in discovering new alleys to romp around after filling up on ahi poke nachos. Sometimes the littlest things in life can truly bring you the most happiness.

One Moment More

It seems silly to hold onto photos for so long before posting for them, but two weeks later, here we are posting photos from a trip that seemed like it was a lifetime ago. It has become tradition now to plan an adventure together instead of exchanging gifts for holidays and birthdays. We want to collect moments, not things; and so for Valentine's Day, we decided to make a quick getaway to Palm Desert. It seemed like the least romantic place to escape to. For us though, we couldn't have thought of a better way to celebrate love than with open roads and open skies for us to explore. We traded windmills for people that weekend. Away from civilization, we were able to find quiet and intimate moments, like stopping at a deserted recreational area near the Salton Sea to gaze at the stars. Without the usual city light pollution to distract us, we were in complete awe of the beauty above.

Daily Dose

Fueling up on coffee has quickly become part of our morning routine. We tend to splurge a little bit more on a cup of joe on the weekends--partially to treat ourselves after a hard work week, but mostly because we love finding cool spaces to hang out in as we start our day. In a land where cute coffee shops are bountiful, there's always a new place to visit in Downtown LA. One weekend, we decided to visit Daily Dose Cafe. Tucked away in the Arts District, this literal hole in the wall cafe was a unique and quiet place to grab brunch on Saturday morning. With fairy lights strung above and vines overtaking the walls, the outside seating area was quite cozy despite being in an alleyway between two brick buildings. Rain or shine, we will always order an iced coffee, and this cup of cold brew didn't disappoint.

A Plebentine Weekend

Valentine's Day weekend was just like any other weekend, except with more flowers in the apartment and more inclination to stay snuggled under the covers. We cheered to love with complimentary drinks at the Upstairs Bar at the Ace Hotel with friends old and new. On the actual day of love, we headed into the city to perform our rehearsed ritual of iced coffees and brunch. With the sun shining a little too hard and pretty pink flowers blooming, it was the best day to relish in the warm and fuzzy feelings we have for each other.

Extra Ordinary