[Oh, Snap!] Eagle Rockin’ and Eagle Walkin’ v4

October 2, 2014October 2, 2014Leave a comment

If there’s one thing to be said for our weather in Los Angeles, it’s that we more or less don’t have any. Seasons ebb and flow between too hot, moderately hot, incredibly hazy and is that fog or mist? But with the shift from Summer to Autumn, there’s a coastal wind that’s reaching inland and the sun is rising just a little bit more to the South for a slightly more pleasant wake up call. The best part for me is that with the weather just a bit cooler, I’ve been on the rise and grind and out the door for morning runs on the regular. It’s the perfect hat trick of confidence – physically, mentally, and emotionally – and I’ve been making it a point to get lost in a place where I’ve more or less found myself. Enjoy!

[Oh, Snap!] Eagle Rockin’ and Eagle Walkin’ v2

April 30, 2014April 30, 2014Leave a comment

[Doing It Right] Birthdays, Beaches and Bonobo

April 18, 2014April 18, 2014Leave a comment

For birthdays I’m a huge fan of presence over presents, so yesterday – instead of buying a present for Danny, I took the whole day off work so we could simply be together in whatever capacity we felt. So, as we let the day drift away – our plans slowly but surely fell into perfect place. We started off by cruising the California coast line through Malibu into the Zuma and Leo Carrillo State Beach areas. It was a little overcast but since when were we going to let a little weather get the best of us? We spent a good hour or two climbing eroded rock formations in search of tide pools and signs of life.

After the beach, we cruised up the coast to Neptue’s Net – an amazing spot right on the PCH with clam chowder bread bowls that’ll blow your mind, not to mention a healthy selection of adult beverages. Then it was off to Ventura’s Majestic Theater to see Bonobo’s Northern Borders Tour – fully equipped with a live band featuring killer saxophone, string and drums sections. The show ended so much earlier than I was prepared for but it was a beautiful moment to be trapped in, however long it might’ve been.

[Oh, Snap] Eagle Rockin’ and Eagle Walkin’ v1

April 17, 2014April 30, 2014Leave a comment

In the last month since I’ve moved in with my boyfriend and away from the Miracle Mile area, I’ve seen the landscapes shift around me – both physically and mentally. Admittedly, the biggest real change is that instead of having multitudes of shops and consignment stores to both pop my head into as well as empty my bank accounts – I now have fleeting foliage and blossoms opening up to the sun, tree lined streets and smiling strangers. Over the last four years, it seems I fell into an incredibly comfortable pattern – and truth be told, I probably should have shaken it up sooner; I’ve fallen absolutely in love with my new ‘hood and have the pictures to prove it =) enjoy!

[Oh, Snap] Arlington Botanical Gardens

August 12, 2013September 26, 2013Leave a comment

Whether you’re a country cat or a city kitty, one thing’s for sure – Los Angeles has a little bit of something to offer for every type of adventurous personality out there. For the best in shopping and people watching head out to Venice Beach or the Fairfax District, Hollywood boasts some of the trendiest tourist traps around and Downtown LA is home to Chinatown and the Fashion District – perfect for ballers on a budget. To boot, there are also tons of museums for all ages and minds – the Natural History Museum downtown is perfect for any science and history buffs, near the La Brea Tar Pits you’ll find the LACMA, the Architecture + Design Museum, the Craft + Folk Art Museum and the Peterson Automotive Museum, last but definitely not least are the Getty and it’s sister museum – the Getty Villa – which I had a chance to finally visit last January. A handful of the museums require some sort of paid admission (or a “donation”) to enter – thankfully, some like minded and fabulous people have compiled a list of ‘Free Museum Days‘ in and around LA county; genius!

Beyond the museums that the city of angels has to offer, there are amazing places to take leisurely strolls, discover street art and take in the nature – urban and authentic – that graces our city. One of the craziest things about the vegetation in LA (and I learned this thanks to a nasty bout of allergies a few years ago): most of the trees, plants and flowers in LA aren’t indigenous to the area – chances are they’ve been imported from South America, Australia or a Mediterranean style climate. Flowering trees like the African Tulip and Sweet Acacia are native to Africa but found scattered throughout the city; other trees, like the Olive Tree, were imported from Italy. There are a few fantastic botanical gardens scattered around the city, but when there’s so much free stuff to enjoy – why bother paying?!

This past Saturday, my boyfriend and I were craving an outdoors-ey adventure and had contemplated going to the Getty or Huntington Gardens over in Pasadena. The more we researched, the more we realized how many free things were truly at our fingertips so we shifted our sights to the Arlington Gardens – the hours are more flexible, parking is easy and – yeah, it’s free! From the second we walked in, we knew we’d be making our way back at a later date with books and bottles of wine in tow. The park is open from dawn until dusk and has literally dozens of park benches, tables and chairs for people to set up and soak in the environment in. Each and every direction we turned showed us something new to take in and appreciate. According to the signage there are roughly 35 different areas of plants, flowers and vegetation and it changes throughout the seasons. The grounds are maintained by Better and Kicker McKenney and they do an absolutely fabulous job of keeping them gorgeous. Without further ado – here are some of my favorite snaps from the weekend – if you’re ever in the Pasadena area make sure you plan a visit here!