Festival Ready

Festival season is finally here! I didn't quite understand why a whole season was dedicated to music festivals until I went to my first one last year. Coachella 2016 had a horrible line up, but in the end, I was actually thankful that there weren't too many acts that I wanted to see that I could just soak up all of Coachella at a slow pace (aka my pace): the food, the music, the debauchery, the camaraderie, the sunsets, and the overall vibe were all just good. Everyone was happy and everyone was there to enjoy themselves and the music. I can't wait to go back in just a few days to experience it all over again.

Hard to Explain

I'll be the first to admit--I'm a hopeless romantic and am a sucker for Valentine's Day. Gimme all the RomComs, all the flowers, all the sparkles, all the candlelight dinners, and all the moonlight walks on the beach! With all the Valentine's Day vibes out in the world, the idea of romance wandered into my natural thoughts this month. That combined with my recent wanderlust made me obsessed with the idea of wanting a romantic getaway, but Valentine's Day crept up on us this year. We racked our brains to pull together something last minute, but alas even those plans had to be put on hold when I got sick over the long weekend. I was bummed that we couldn't cheers to our love over mojitos and oysters, or window shop on Melrose Avenue, or peruse the Farmers Market in Larchmont, but in the midst of the fever and the food poisoning, I realized that Brandon was showing me the grandest gesture of all: He took care of me. And that's the best kind of Valentine a girl could ask for.

Journal: Intentionality

Maybe it's out of habit or just in my personality to over-apologize, but when I first sat down to write this post, I had every intention of starting this post by apologizing for our absence for the past ten weeks. Maybe it's because I'd like to think that people actually care about this blog and about what I have to say, but the truth is no one but me and Brandon really care whether this blog is active or not. And since I'm already being honest, the truth is that I'm not sorry for having taken this time off. The way events unfolded at the end of last year forced me to really reflect on and confront the consequences of my actions that I put into motion years ago. I needed that time off to step back so that I could move forward.

For those of who have been on this journey with me since my last blog, Transient Withdrawal, you will remember that after a five-year relationship had ended, at 22, I was desperate to reclaim my independence and discover who I was. I was bitter and panicked that I had let a relationship make me miss out on many critical milestones in my early twenties, and so I felt compelled to do a crash-course to catch up with my peers. I was finally able to do college the right way during graduate school where I found friendships outside of my hometown circle. I was finally able to have those awkward dates and quick flings--both of which quickly turned into funny stories I could finally share with my girlfriends. And last year, I was finally able to move out into my own space. I was so adamant to get a quick and easy claim to independence that I felt so strongly that all of these experiences and milestones would bring me up to speed with my peers. Looking back now, at 26, I was naive and impatient to think becoming independent would be so quick and easy. It has been neither. Just like with a plant, you can't rush growth, especially when it comes to personal growth.

Summertime Happiness

Over the weekend, we finally ventured out of our air conditioned apartments to bask in the best summer can offer. We couldn't think of a more perfect way to celebrate bearable boot weather than at our favorite spot in downtown. Summer really can't get any better than taking in rooftop views and sipping on moscow mules--all the while meeting long lost twins and running into magicians in the bathroom. We continued the fun with an easy stroll and returning home to making a hodge podge of all our favorite post-drinking munchies.

Redemption

None of our trips to the Griffith Observatory are ever the same. Every time we go, we have new stories to tell. Each time we look at the view of the city, different emotions are evoked. We've gone early in the mornings when there's hardly anyone there. We've gone on insanely hot days where we only went as far as the shade went. We've gone on days where the sky was so overcast that the view of the city was under a blanket of clouds. But never had we gone during magic hour to watch the sun set below the mountains...until now.

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.

Bare Necessites

The heat wave zapped all of our creativity and energy to explore, and so when the heat finally subsided, we went with what we knew: combing the alleys of Old Town Orange while chasing yet another sunset.

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.

Blank Space

Summer vibes are in the air with plenty of sunshine and clear blue skies to keep our spirits high. We followed our stomachs to the Packing District in search of green juices and delicious Indian food. Despite overspending and being disappointed with both, we instead found another excuse to indulge in our love of people watching and looking for the hidden corners in a crowded space. We couldn't have asked for a better Sunday afternoon.

Mountain Top

Craving a break from reality, we thought we would find clarity and peace while hiking at Eaton Canyon. Despite being in the midst of the tall trees and pretty waterfalls, we felt out of our element and out of sorts. After cooling off with some lavender honey ice cream, we picked up our bad habits of searching for another dingy and grimy corner of Los Angeles to romp around.  In all of its forbidden glory with its winding steep staircases and hidden alleyways, The Brewery became our new mountain to climb and explore. With a strict permit only policy, exploring and shooting required a great deal of stealth and cunningness. Like ninjas, we creeped and shot guerrilla style until we finally reached the top of our mountain. As always with a long hike, the view was definitely worth the climb. We were rewarded by a breathtaking view of Downtown LA and finally found peace in the decaying beauty around us.

In a Hopeless Place

It seems as if no matter where we go, the sun is always one step ahead of us, and our recent trip to Palm Desert was no exception. With nothing but blue skies and the open road ahead of us, we raced to Salvation Mountain just in time to catch the sunset. After what seemed like hours and hours of driving, we finally reached our destination in what seemed like a hopeless place. With its many bright colors and patterns, the mountain stands as a testament to what one man can create. Once we followed the yellow brick road to the top, we watched the sun fade into the horizon. As dusk settled in and the tourists filed out one by one, the mountain was just ours to rest on for a short while while we waited for the stars to peek out.

Extra Ordinary

Traffic in the Sky

After spending an afternoon immersed in Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock at the MOCA, we explored another nearby piece of art--the Walt Disney Concert Hall. With its many curves and hidden passageways, it was almost too easy to get lost while wandering in the maze of reflective surfaces and staircases.  Every now and then, there'd be an opening that would give us a breathtaking view of the cityscape in Downtown LA.

Begin Again

We were up to our old tricks again with overspending on coffee and chasing the sunset in Melrose over the weekend. Our natural inclination to avoid the popular sights caused us to stumble upon some cool spaces as we combed the back alleys and small streets of this corner of LA. Since our last visit in September, it was bittersweet reminiscing of old times and exciting to see how much we've grown as bloggers, as a couple, and as individuals since then. We've both come a long way since that day and as the weather warms up, we can't help but feel a renewal of energy as Spring approaches.

The Weekenders

Perfection is not a label I use easily or often, but Saturday morning was just that--perfection. Waking up before the sun, we basked in the quietness and stillness of the transition from week to weekend. We watched the world come alive as the sun started to peek through the windows and created elongated shadows on the walls. It was a quiet, slow, unpressurized start to the day. A couple "just five more minutes" turned into hours of being in bed. There was something about that morning that made the world not exist for a while. Talking or not talking, it didn't matter because it was just us under the covers. That was our world and that was all that mattered. It's a morning that we will never forget and will always strive to replicate. Perfection is underrated.