When in Silverlake

This is now the third time these hauntingly and beautifully white walls have served as our background for a blog post. Whenever we're in Silverlake, we must stop by on our way to or from Sunset Junction. Its slow decay is how I mark the time since we've last visited. Even in its remains, there is still beauty in its minimalism. I will always be mesmerized by the plants' resiliency and strength to endure time, weather, and vandalism.

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.

Where the Wild Things Are

The Arts District is definitely one of our favorite places to haunt on the weekends. Just when we think that we've seen it all, there's always a new alley to explore or a new cafe to try whenever we visit. After grabbing breakfast at yet another cliche trendy cafe, we stumbled upon a lush corner that made us feel like we were transported to a futuristic Indiana Jones film complete with motorcycles to make a quick getaway if need be. Finding some peace and quiet was the perfect way to end our Fourth of July weekend.

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.

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.

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.

Less Traveled

The city of LA has been glorified to no end. It's a place where dreams are made of; a corner of the world where the sun shines all year long; a melting pot of diverse cultures; and a blank canvas to graffiti artists. It is also our home. With so many tourist attractions, it's easy to get sidetracked by the glamorous sights this great city has to offer. While we do frequent Melrose Ave and Sunset Blvd, we also find ourselves (literally) taking the roads less traveled, combing alleys and empty streets for hidden treasures. The LA River is a gem that reflects a more accurate view of the city that we know and love. With its many layers, it is the perfect balance of the grunginess of LA and the softness of CA. After walking through the alleyway speckled with graffiti, the first sight of the water took our breath away. Because of its covert entrance, the river is a tranquil place to escape from the infamous traffic jams and the constant stress of finding parking. It is a spot that we know we will visit time and time again. Because of its vastness, we may never finish exploring LA, but we relish in the idea that our adventures will never be over.

Go Outside

After getting our recurring fix of a good chicken sandwich and fries at The Kroft, we explored the Anaheim Packing District. Sitting on top of a railroad track, the packing house is a mecca of good food and drinks with a variety of vendors and restaurants. We had fun spending the afternoon in this cool space relaxing in a swinging bench, enjoying live music, and being surrounded by pretty plants. We paralleled the diversity of the food with our outfits--channeling Japanese and British vibes. After soaking up the last of the sun rays of the Fall afternoon, we continued the relaxed feel of the day with coffee, dinner, and a walk in the park.

Olive Juice

j: zara jacket, rag & bone sweater, zara joggers, toms, nordstrom scarf, raybans

b: forever 21 jacket, blk dnm t-shirt, zara pants, toms, nordstrom scarf, raybans

On a recent Fall afternoon, we gave matchy matchy fashion another try. This time, however, we wanted to be more selective about our outfits to avoid being too obvious or cheesy. Inspired more so by Crystal Castles than the matching couples found in Korea, we wanted to imitate their style cohesion rather than mirror each other's wardrobe pieces. This was made easy by the unisex pieces in our closets, and so we settled on joggers, TOMS, scarves, and our parkas. With subtle differentiations in the details, we avoided being too gimmicky and instead created two cohesive looks that either of us would wear with or without each other. These outfits were perfect for grabbing coffee and sharing our favorite books at a bookstore.

All Over the Place

Mondays are always hard. They're made harder when we have photos to remind us of the good times of not too long ago and of the seeming eternity of five work days that we need to endure til the next adventure. Last Friday, we were both feeling low in spirits with a "work sucks and then you die" mindset, and so this weekend relaxation was just what the doctor ordered after a long, sucky work week. The remedy: A picnic a la Trader Joes in a park shaded by quintessential California palm trees and bougainvillea flowers. An uneventful attempt to vintage shop for halloween costumes that turned into a discovery of cool new stores with labels we love. Finding Toms for $30 at Costco of all places to add to our ever growing list of his and her things. A cliche date of a dinner and a movie with Gone Girl and chicken run burgers at Native Foods. And lastly, a spontaneous, late night visit to the beach complete with star gazing and hand holding. With no real plan, we were kind of all over the place, but in the end, it all worked out just the same. Sometimes the best things in life are unplanned. 

Life in Color

After our weekend at the beach, we thought we would ease back into life in LA with a quick trip to Silver Lake. Chain link fenced views of the city skyline; street islands that make you feel like the center of the universe; and randomly glaring wall art are all part of the appeal of this quirky city that we love. $5 moscow mules at our favorite bar and vegetarian indian food made for an easy and perfect bookend to our usual sunset chase. Nostalgic of our past skulls phase, we had fun playing with and wearing this scarf especially when the wind and sun caught it.  This trip was just enough taste of the city for us before our upcoming trip to Las Vegas where instead of chasing sunsets, we'll be chasing floating lanterns and drinks. The weekends just never seem to come quick enough.

Fallin in California

We took a mental health day by getting out of the hustle and bustle of LA and retreating to the comfort of the beaches in Orange County. It just wouldn't be Fall in California without a beach day in the middle of October. We thought we'd be even more festive with some Oktoberfest beer which was just the icing on the cake for our relaxed afternoon. A baseball tee and gym shorts tied everything together since style was the least of our concerns that day. There's just something so reenergizing about a secluded beach, stolen kisses, and the sunset...at least until a huge, random, single wave crashes and soaks your clothes and towels. Thanks to quick reflexes and unisex clothes we were able to scrounge together decent enough change of clothing to enjoy some mediterranean food and bid the weekend goodbye.

Sight of the Sun

In a frantic frenzy to capture the first rainfall of Fall, we scurried out the door armed with our black hoodies and our fujis. However, in true California fashion, the rain didn't stay too long, allowing the sun to sweetly peek through the trees as we explored nearby neighborhood streets.

Coffee Rituals

Over the weekend, we woke up to catch a nonexistent, overcast sunrise and explored a green space before our morning ritual of grabbing coffee at Urth. Strong spanish lattes and cool jackets make our world go round.

Somewhere Only We Know

We spent the weekend chasing the sunset in empty parking lots and lonely alleys in Melrose. There's always something so beautiful in the simultaneous stillness and tension during the transition from day to night. It's a kind of chasing we'll never stop doing.

Art and Boots

We got a taste of Fall and took full advantage of a rare opportunity to wear boots before Halloween. After stomping around LACMA, we stumbled upon a hidden rooftop to enjoy the fleeting rays of sun.

Sun Francisco

The word, lost, can mean so many things: no longer possessed, gone astray, ended in defeat, destroyed, etc; but intentionality can play a role in one's enjoyment of being lost. On this trip to SF, we found ourselves lost a few times. The first was during our trek to get clam chowder at Pier 39 wasn't so enjoyable; but the other times while exploring the Mission area, wandering aimlessly yet intentionally with our cameras, will be moments I will always look back on nostalgically. The quiet sunrise on our last morning there will be another one of those fond memories.