CharmingMarie

Fall Semester in Photos

2013-12-19T20:14:00.001-08:00

John Lennon!

ZEDD!

SKRILLEX!

Storming the field: USC vs. Standford

JASON DERULO!

RUSKO!

Hollywood Palladium

Welcome Back!

2013-12-19T03:46:00.000-08:00

Well, hello there my friends...

In case you are wondering, no I did not discontinue my blog nor was too busy to update it. Other forces kept me from posting. Any thought, photos or experience that I wished to share with you was completely out of question. You see, two of my classes during the fall semester required me to contribute to a blog and the platform that we 'conveniently' had to use was Blogger. Hearing this news in August gave me the horrifying realization that I would be completely voiceless and disconnected with you until December! I guess I didn't feel too comfortable with my professors and fellow peers reading my content while seeing me regularly in class. But now that classes have finished, finals are terminated and the fall semester has come to a close I could care less. It just feels so good to be back!!! Can I just say that the past three and a half months have been the most amazing/crazy period of my college life so far. There have been various times that I've returned home from a mind blowing experience and wanted nothing more than to write about it. The absence from blogging angered me at the beginning, kept me out of sorts during the middle but by but at the end I came to realize that the break was somewhat beneficial. I believe that I've grown, changed and have experienced new things during this time. So, cheers to the return and making it a steady one :)

Nisa La Bella

2013-08-07T15:31:00.000-07:00

Here are the last and final shots of my stay in the magical city of Nice, France. I will never forget the kind-hearted people I met, the experiences I went through and the beautiful jewel-like coast. Yes, I am still struggling with the fact that I left that place yet the pictures remind me that I will be returning.

Warning: The amount of food pictured below may not go to well with an empty stomach

Moules

Salade Niçoise

Place Massena

Risotto

The stunning moon over Villefranche

Simple Tomato & Basil pasta

Musée d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain

Many people fail to recognize 'True' art

Crêpe Bretagne

I'm obsessed with Diablos

Glace à la pistache

The BEST (1st) Creme Brulee I've ever tried

Heartbroken yet Hopeful

2013-08-03T10:52:00.001-07:00

I feel nostalgic, dazed and confused. I keep looking at the clock and almost always mentally convert the time. I stand by the window and wait for the sounds of local street chatter, clinking wine glasses and vespas whizzing by on the street. And the worst part is I wake up every morning craving a croissant! People, I am having some major France withdrawals here. I returned to the states a few days ago and the feeling has been nothing more than bittersweet. While I am happy to see my friends and family, deep inside my heart I wish I was back in Nice. The few weeks that I had there were the most amazing times of my life. I really lived, let go and grew within that short period of time. However, the feelings I have are not of the typical absence. This isn't like that long vacation I spent in the Philippines in which I left feeling heartbroken and disconnected from my family and friends. In fact, this feeling is worse. I KNOW I left something back there. It's crazy but I really, sincerely think and believe that I will end of living in France. I just can't shake off the feeling.

It's pretty evident that I look like the despaired girl who is missing something important in her life. But aside the sadness I am starting to have those fluttery feelings again. I'll try to explain it the best way I can.. First, the light bulb turns on in my head, then I get a huge rush of adrenaline, onto a crazy look in my eye and whatever plan or thought that was formed in my head must be executed. I swear ambition is like some sort of drug to me! I won't and can't stop until I reach my destination or something completely identical to it. So, while I miss France like a long lost lover I know that I'll be returning in the blink of an eye. I know that I'll be retuning to Europe next summer for an internship and interweaving France in those plans. While those few weeks in France next summer will be amazing, my biggest goal is to try to achieve an extended stay during the fall . I know what I have to do to get from point A---B-----------G and that is the only reason I came to the states not completely heartsick. I have to work my butt off and have been for the past two semesters to get to France next fall. Yet, if the plans don't completely align in that order I know that I will still end up in the land of of fromage and croissants, no doubt about it!!

Cannes, France

2013-07-31T13:44:00.001-07:00

Each and every time my friends and I decide to take an excursion out of Nice I have the same shocking reaction to the train prices. I can't help but thinking that paying such a cheap fare is some sort of French scam. Here we are visiting beautiful towns along the Cote d'azur that have turquoise waters, beautiful cliffs and high end restaurants and my round trip ticket cost 13 euros? Say what?! Maybe it was the 'American' in me that compelled me to believe that this was all too good to be true. Fortunately, it was not a scam and I found myself swimming in warm waters and dancing among half naked bodies (ice cream cone in hand) on the beach of Cannes. C'est la vie!

Monaco

2013-07-26T01:13:00.000-07:00

I finally have a longer amount of time to post a few things up today. Most of my posts have been rushed since I usually have 30 minutes to upload photos and get ready for some soirée for the night. Thank goodness I have about an hour before I get ready for the farewell party for one of my friends. Yesterday my friends and I took the Sncf to Monaco! Considering the short amount of time I am here in France I cannot believe that I had the opportunity to visit another country hehe. After emerging from the train station we were greeted with the sounds of honking bmws and Maseratis and a beautiful view of the port filled with mega yachts. It was at that moment that I knew I was in a playground for the rich and I famous. We didn't get the chance to visit their beaches but visited the vista point, church, aquarium and other random nooks and crannies. Overall, Monaco was beautiful, touristy and a wonderful experience that I'll never forget.

Live While You're Young

2013-07-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

I never knew that so many events could occur in a week and a half. The most exciting and crazy things have happened and to be honest I feel like I truly am 20 years old. I've met many new faces, go out and stay out until the morning, barely get any sleep, laugh to my heart's content, and jump at the opportunity to new things. For instance, about two nights ago my friend and I decided to go out to have a nice dinner and take pictures along the promenade. We went to the beach so I could take some lovely shots of the full moon and ended up meeting two new friends. They were playing their guitars together and had actually met about 30 minutes prior to meeting us. One was an Australian who had just arrived in Nice that day and decided to check out the beach while the other was a local who was originally from Paris. We stayed on the beach listening to them play beautiful melodies and talked for hours. We became friends almost immediately and ended up hanging out the following night (last night)-and this is where the real fun began! We met up at the Australian guy's hostel where we met his new friend and ended up drinking together. After this our French friend drove us to this beautiful beach called Villefranche-sur-Mer. I mean, just the fact that I was able to see the beautiful seaside cliffs from within a car was jaw dropping itself despite the full moon illuminating the Mediterranean sea. I was forced to play the singer that night to accompany the music and later we found ourselves enjoying a warm midnight swim. So, that was last night's festivities and all I have to say is that more than the moon was bare that night.

Antibes, France

2013-07-22T07:44:00.001-07:00

During the Weekend a few girls from my language program and I took an excursion trip outside of Nice. We took the French train called the SNCF to Antibes, France which is a charming beach town located on the French Riviera. Upon arriving we headed directly to the open air market where we tried a wide array of delicious samples. For instance, I really hate Olives but whatever I tried that day was more than just tolerable...but amazing. I guess the French really know what they are doing when it comes to food. After stuffing my face with jams I never knew existed and the chickpea pancake called 'Socca' we headed to an Absinthe bar-you know that green drink that is associated with a fairy? I thought the whole procedure of making the drink was nicer than the taste itself hehhe. After getting a 2pm buzz we headed over to eat Antibes' best ice cream along the dock then went swimming and sunbathing for the rest of the day. Antibes was absolutely parfaite and I would totally visit again!

Nice is nice like they say

2013-07-19T16:40:00.000-07:00

Bonjour tout le monde! I am sitting here with a glass of fruite Griotte in Nice, France contemplating the past few days and hours of complete insanity. Flying alone for the first time was a nerve wracking and exciting experience. As soon as we landed I was greeted with stunning views of the ocean and clear looking sands. Soon after I was thrown into the French speaking world and found myself loving every moment of it. I was given a tour of my apartment, met my roommate and soon after we headed out to Promenade des Anglais to swim and sunbath on the pebbly beach. Everything was going splendid until nightfall. I will skip most of the details because just mentioning the situation literally makes my skin crawl and gives me goosebumps all the time. To sum it up shortly my roommate and I lived in a horrible apartment for three days. While our welcoming to Nice started out with relaxing days at the beach, informative classes and amazing shopping it also included sleepless nights, constant fatigue and extreme paranoia. I am glad to say that we arranged to live in a new place yesterday. This apartment is absolutely parfaite and somehow I guess it was worth all the trouble. I would love to go into further detail about my experiences such as falling in the street, the constant moonlight strolls, and meeting new friends but I have to be up early in the morning for an excursion to Antibes tomorrow.

À toute à l'heure!

Welcome to the Salton Sea!

2013-07-09T13:40:00.003-07:00

If you can tolerate scorching temperatures and find beauty in the strangest places then you may take interest in the Salton Sea. The Salton Sea is California's largest lake (being around 370 miles ) and is completely saline, with salinity levels higher than the Pacific Ocean. The lake was created by a flood due to water that flowed from the Colorado River. The first thing one may notice when entering the area is the rotting smell of fish and the desolate ghost town. Apparently the Salton Sea was a popular hot spot, almost like a 'beach resort' during the 1950's. My dad was an avid fishermen here in the 1980's and even then still remembers how crowded the place would be with tourists, fishermen and other outdoor enthusiasts. However, this is definitely not the case as of today nor has it been for the past 15 years or so. I regret not being able to take photos of the rundown houses and buildings that were left to deteriorate in the sweltering heat (this is partly due to the massive amount of flies that swarm you when you leave your vehicle). Driving through one of the only standing places-Bombay Beach gave me such an eery feeling. I remember seeing one abandoned building in particular. It was located at the end of a dead field of weeds and near the roof someone wrote in large black letters, "Before entering abandon all ye hope". I admit that gave me the shivers along with the other places that looked straight from the movie Silent Hill.

The 'Sea' area itself gives you a different feel from the deserted town. When approaching the water what may appear to be sand is actually a mixture of bones and shells. I cannot recount how many times in the past I ran happily towards the 'sand' eager to get close to the water to find myself shrieking in horror from the realization that it was fish bones. Also, how could I forget that lovely touch of fish carcases that decorate the shoreline in hundreds...if not thousands?! Very few species of fish are able to survive due to the rising salinity levels and during the summer Tilapia seem to be the only lake dwellers. In all honesty I'd rather have it that way because Tilapia is my favorite fish and is the tastiest! We caught so many, I'm guessing 50 at least, so you can imagine how excited I am for all the upcoming fish frys. I'm sure this is true with any natural food but when you get something from its natural resource your palette gets accustomed to the fresh taste and anything store bought ends up tasting like garbage; Tilapia from the seafood department at my grocery store tastes unnatural and is totally farm raised. Any who, enduring the 106+ temperatures and traveling for miles on barren land was totally worth the abundant catch we received.

Aside from the Salton Sea I found the surrounding area to be quite interesting. In this area there are a few border patrol checkpoints and officers in armored pick up trucks who are on the watch for suspicious behavior or suspects, illegal crossers and Coyotes smuggling people across. It only makes sense considering the Salton Sea's close proximity to the Mexican border. When I think of the operations of it all it puts me in awe. I mean, this place is still some ways away from Mexicali yet if crossers do make it through the border or any other route from the mountains all you think about is the unforgiving heat and lacking terrain that they had to journey through to enter California. I nearly left the car for two minutes and immediately felt my skin burning and body perspiring. It just makes you think that people will really do whatever it takes to achieve a higher standard or living or for whatever other reason is for their crossing. The subject is generally a touchy one especially for the states that border Mexico. Overall, I wasn't fixated on the politics of illegal immigration but being physically present in this open desert space made me wonder how the crossers managed to survive the harsh elements while avoiding heavy security.

Traveling Solo for the First Time

2013-07-04T14:40:00.002-07:00

The amount of times I've said I would blog aloud combined with how many times I reminded myself in my head is a ridiculous amount. I'll just skip over the rants I find myself going into at the beginning of posts and cut to the chase. Last time I left off I said that I was in the hopes of going away somewhere. After the last semester at university I found myself drained from school work and wanting to do something adventurous and completely out of my comfort zone. Initially my plan was to go off to South Africa or Costa Rica to do some volunteer work, yet that didn't work out. Alas, I find myself going to a familiar but unfamiliar place... Nice, France being that I've visited France before but never Nice. I am going for a 'language exchange' program but perhaps my real excuse was a summer break on the French Rivera.

In due time I do plan to venture to more exotic destinations such as Thailand, Cambodia or South Africa but the main objective of this trip is that I will be completely solo for the first time. I have never traveled abroad nor gotten on an airplane by myself. It's as if this trip will mark some sort of acquisition for independence. Although I understand a wee bit of French I will be living on my own, in unfamiliar territory, in a foreign country left to fend for myself which frankly... is absolutely amazing! Although I am concerned with my questionable navigation skills and forgetfulness to conjugate some French words I have faith in myself and this whirlwind experience. I'll be leaving early next Saturday morning and arriving in the Côte d'Azur on French Independence Day! I'm not sure what Nice will look like on Bastille Day but I guess that is something I will find out in a week's time.

P.S: Happy Fourth of July everyone!

*My next post may be photo bombed with shots of the desert, dead fish and endless salt flats. Can you guess what place in California this might be?

Hint: Temperatures easily rise up to 116 degrees

Russian Bands

2013-06-03T21:41:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon the group Pompeya while I was randomly looking for music on YouTube. On the first listen to their song '90' I was hooked. It is rare when I find an artist or band and instantly like all of their songs. At that moment I knew I had found some sort of hidden musical treasure (no, not indie at all). However, my heart sank when I came to the realization that the chances of a 'unknown' Moscow band (that is by western standards) would probably have zero chances of touring in the U.S. So when I found out that Pompeya was going to be playing in Los Angeles I literally freaked. LITERALLY. I proceeded to abstain from hyperventilating over the phone while informing my friends of the concert. They didn't have the most exciting reactions as they could barely understand what I was saying and had no idea who the group was. Yet, my persuasiveness worked like a charm and we found ourselves on Sunset Blvd. on a Saturday night. After a few hours of amazing music, paisley rompers, getting hit on by a musician who was desperate for love, and interrogating drunk guys who love sandwiches I can say I had the best/entertaining night.

Hahhah is all I can say!

She Fought On

2013-05-15T16:02:00.000-07:00

I really did. I just survived a year at university. Honestly, I never thought this day would come. With the constant stress, 3-4 weekly papers, presentations, five am bedtimes, group meetings and trying to keep myself together I thought I would never reach the finish line. Oh but thank goodness I somehow did. I finished my last final on Monday and walked back to my place in a daze. The same thought running through my head.."I'm done, I'm really done?". The slogan for my school is "Fight on". It's funny how I have known that saying all my life but never realized the importance of it until a week ago. I was writing a paper on my balcony at 1am (the chilly air helps me stay up and focus). While I was sitting waiting for the caffeine from my coffee to kick in, I stared exasperatedly at the night sky as if it had an answer to my unfinished workload. Then almost on cue "fight on" popped into my head. At that moment I let out a long "ooh", chuckled to myself and continued with a vigorous spirit that strangely lasted all week long. Although this year was quite difficult I would not trade the experience for anything in the world. I grew, I learned and I conquered.

I forgot to mention that as of today I am officially a double major. I scheduled a meeting with an advisor and left the office with French as my second major to complete during my undergraduate studies. I had all year to make this decision. At first I believed a minor would be sufficient but something inside me wanted more, so the major it was! I feel a sense of relief having officially declared it but more excited to continue my studies en français!

Now that summer is 'here' I can finally focus on the things I have been putting off all semester long. What has been bothering me the most is my passport. I need to get that thing renewed, like ASAP!! I hope to do a bit of travelling this summer. I have an ideal destination in mind that would allow me to study as well, however I admit I'm nervous. I think it may have to do with the disapproval of my parents more than getting on an airplane and jetting off somewhere by my lonesome. I hope I have the courage to go through with the whole idea. Sorry for all the suspicion but I won't even mention the plan unless I am 100% sure it's happening and I am in the works of purchasing my plane ticket. Anyways, I am sure this summer will be interesting. I don't want to name it anything because I think my theme will be 'Just go for it". Instead of over planning and hesitating events I will go for it. I'll keep you updated but I hear my bed calling my name since I have not fully recovered from the sleepless nights.

Jusqu'à la prochaine fois!

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Santa Barbara

2013-05-02T17:58:00.000-07:00

Every time I come to Santa Barbara I fall even even more in love with it than I already am. I really could see myself settling down here when I am older. They have it all with easy access to the beach, mountains, lakes and and all kinds of nature, and I'll only be about a two hour drive from la la land. I sigh dreamily just thinking about it. For the birthday I felt like doing something different. Most kids my age would be far more interested in getting dolled up and having dinner at a nice restaurant or raging at the clubs. While that is fun, one I am not yet 21, two, I will not engage in any 'ludicrous' activities before finals start, and three ha ha I knew I'd be able to do all this stuff in a couple weeks when the semester ends. So where did I go? I went to a beautiful, peaceful garden and it was absolute perfection. The tranquil space of flowers, trees, and creeks elevated me to the highest level of happiness. It was truly a beautiful birthday. I woke up that sunny morning feeling content. I had everything I needed and no prettily wrapped gift could change my mind. This past year I feel that I have come to gain a better understanding of gratitude. The little things, the big things and all the in betweens mean so much to me and I just want to let myself, you and the universe know that I am extremely thankful. Thankful for it ALL. I don't know if this is a part of growing up, or me just sounding more and more like a hippie but I sincerely mean each and every of those words.

Reminds me of the Redwood Forest

Santa Barbara Mission

Goleta beach

Sweet Stuff

2013-04-30T01:41:00.000-07:00

My dreams came true... sort of. I got to see two of my favorite artists that I'd been crushing on for years! Not only were their voices amazing but so were they! I'm totally fan girling right now so just imagine me during their performances. I'm disappointed that I won't be able to share my video of Justin Nozuka singing soulfully with his guitar, but I guess sound cloud will just have to do.

Teddy Geiger

It's really possible to be that handsome and sing that well

What's Cooking? (Italian Penne Saugsage)

2013-04-12T19:27:00.000-07:00

I was really surprised that this turned out so well. Like so many times before I looked in the fridge and decided on some ingredients that I thought 'seemed' nice together, and thank goodness they did! I know with every fiber of my being that this concoction would have tasted better with tomatoes, but I ran out. So add them in if you feel there is a little something missing.

Ingredients:

Butter

White Wine

Italian Sausage

Minced Garlic

Sliced Onion

Spinach

Penne Pasta

Pepper

Salt

Oregano

Italian Seasoning

Directions: Boil a pot of salted water and add your penne pasta or any pasta you prefer. Start out by heating a pan and putting about a a tablespoon of butter into it. Once that has melted and evenly coated the pan, add in your sliced onion. Let that cook for 5-6 minutes on medium heat then throw in the sliced sausage. You really want the sausage to brown because once you put the wine in it will lose a bit of its bite and get slightly mushy. Afterwards add in another tablespoon of butter then your minced garlic. Then add in a few gulps of the white wine. Let that concoction simmer for a few minutes so the flavors infuse and a good amount of the alcohol flavor evaporates. Add in the spinach, spices, cooked penne and mix thoroughly. Let it cook for 3 minutes then voila!

*If you notice I am very vague with the measurements it's because I eyed everything. It's hard to keep track of how many tablespoons of wine I put in (that sounds bad ha ha) and any other ingredients. However, with upcoming cooking creations I'll try to record the exact measurements.

San Pedro

2013-03-28T00:30:00.000-07:00

I hold San Pedro very near and dear to my heart. I've been coming up here ever since I was a little girl to get away from the L.A madness and enjoy the ocean views. It's like tradition for my family and I to visit Pedro as a mini weekend getaway. We usually get up bright and early and make our way to the fish market to purchase fresh seafood for the following Sunday's fish fry. Next, we head over to our favorite breakfast spot where we order a feast of pancakes, sausage, bacon, eggs and toast but my favorite is their grilled cheese. Oh man, would I give to have that buttery, flaky and godly concoction. After breakfast the oceanside calls for our attention. Cabrillo beach is where we hang out and a visit to the Cabrillo aquarium is always a must. Not to sound like a crazy food fanatic but the main reason I love coming to San Pedro is for lunchtime. My family and I go to this place called Busy Bees, which in my opinion makes the best BBQ sandwiches in the world. I hadn't been on this side of town for almost a year so when I took a bite of the sandwich I nearly cried. The parents were concerned as to why I was so silent in the backseat for 20 minutes. The sandwich was to good for words so I savored it with silence...God, even thinking about it now is making my mouth water. Woah, I need to calm it down I just realized that I could gladly go on for pages describing the tastiness of that heaven like thing! Afterwards, we head over to the Palos Verdes side to drive along the coast and admire the beautiful scenery. Overall, I would sum it by saying a visit to San Pedro is a must but I'd be lying if I didn't mention that the food is the main reason why.

* Sandwich is not pictured because the time spent to get out the camera meant time away from the cheesy, BBQ goodness. 'A'int nobody got time for that!'

Fresh Red Snapper

Cabrillo Beach

Korean Friendship Bell

Palos Verdes Peninsula

Mt. Wilson

2013-03-22T00:13:00.001-07:00

Mount Wilson is located about 50 minutes out of Los Angeles in the Angeles National Forest. You may recognize it as a part of the renown Los Angeles backdrop displayed on many postcards or on the Wikipedia page. I have vague memories of coming up here when I was younger so jumped at the opportunity to come back. (Last time I was here was during a camp session with my school when we slid down waterfalls and went Garnet hunting). Although the skies were a bit hazy and the famous observatory had closed, I was still thankful for the present nature around me.

A Food Affair

2013-03-19T00:06:00.000-07:00

Here is a log of the foods I've been cooking in the kitchen for the past couple of weeks.

1. Spaghetti Bolognese

2. Steak Omelette

3. Hawaiian Baked Ham and Swiss Sandwiches

4. Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

5. Marinated Pork

6. Spicy Thai Noodles

7. Pork Tenderloin

8. Sautéed Mushrooms

9. Pasta with a White Wine Sauce

10. Rolo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

11. Snickerdoodles

Cooking is so much fun!!

Needing some Guidance

2013-03-07T03:09:00.000-08:00

I've always felt that posting negative things would depict me as a complainer or someone who lacked faith in herself. Although I rarely let this brooding thought hinder me from sharing stories on cyberspace it's become more of an issue because this is affecting me in reality. I need to get this off my chest! It's like running up a mountain and screaming out all your worries. Lately (or more like daily), I have been feeling extremely frustrated. Here are a few thoughts and questions that invade my brain every night before I fall asleep. Why am I doing this? This is what I wanted and still do. So...why is it so hard? This is not what I expected. What does the man up stairs want? Everyone is in their own world. I've tried many times for certain things....does it mean it was never worth it and I should just give up. Ugh, if that's the case can the wasted time and humility be spared?! I feel so lost now. Oh God I'm losing my sense of intuitivity and creativity! Inner peace is getting harder to obtain. Can I please, PLEASE get some sort of guidance here?!!

I'm at the point where my inclusive questioning has started to turn into wild raging frustration. If only you could hear how angrily I'm typing on the keyboard you'd get some sort of sense that I'm not all right. Maybe I am the type that needs answers. Or maybe because I've always been the type to plan my goals and future out. I should be content right? I am exactly where I wanted to be. However, that rough journey to get to Destination A, which I did, has just gotten even rougher. Obviously it's no walk in the park but this is definitely not what I expected. I admit hands down that this semester is way better than my first. However, it still isn't even close to what I imagined. I'm too serious, second guess myself more than before, assume the worst and I've lost sight on more important matters regarding my inner self. I'm usually not like this or at least don't want to be and I say this with an almost heart wrenching cry.

This brings me to another point. I was reading somewhere on how we continuously plan and hope for the future without acknowledging the present. I realized that I wasn't actually pleased with the present so the future always looked hopeful or in truth like an ESCAPE from reality. Oh yeah everyone, I am being completely raw and honest and uncomfortably exposing myself at this point! And I bring this up because I am doing it again! In the past my goals and dreams consisted of me attending my current university, majoring in my current major and attending classes that I am CURRENTLY enrolled in. While all of this is happening, I find myself dreaming of the next break from school and even worse graduation and life after college!! I have just begun and yet I am dreaming of when it will all be over. Oh wow! I am having déjà vu... I've seen this somewhere before. Or how about I've done it before! To my horror it's like high school where I counted the days until graduation to start my 'real' life. And while life after high school really picked up, I am disappointed to admit that I have acquired that old mindset of mine where the future supersedes the present so there is no time to enjoy much.

I cannot carry on like this. I want to get away. Do some self-discovering in a country I've never been to. Photograph the wonders around me. I want to explore new territory. Dance crazily at an EDM concert. Savor it all. Practice French freely without the expectations of impressing a professor. Be the young adult that I am physically but am mentally far away from. Enjoy my youth. Meet amazing people and truly connect with them. Give myself some credit. Stop being so hard on myself. Stop holding myself back. Stop hesitating at the random opportunities. Stop letting fear get in the way. Take a chance. Maybe even a risk or two. But more importantly I want to be myself and start enjoying life.

Sunny Catalina

2013-01-31T14:33:00.000-08:00

It was so nice to visit Catalina Island when the weather was in favor to the camera!

Best tuna melt I've had in life

Saw bison on the island

Coastline & Redwoods Pt. 3

2013-01-22T22:58:00.000-08:00

Coastline & Redwoods Pt. 2

2013-01-15T01:00:00.000-08:00

Many days of of beautiful coastline, forests and mountains along the Northern Californian Coastline.

Sun about to rise over the lagoon

Prairie Creek Redwoods

Gold Bluff Beach

We Spotted Elk in this area

I'm a tree hugger!

Beautiful sunset

Coastline & Redwoods Pt. 1

2013-01-08T13:00:00.000-08:00

The first semester at my new university was the most stressful I had ever been. With the new environment, moving out of my parent's house and trying to keep up with the academics I felt my sanity slowly slipping away. It's strange but during this period I found myself having this constant internal pull towards nature. Little things such as seeing the sunlight shine through the trees as I walked towards campus, or admiring blooming flowers from the Library's window played a part in my endurance and inspired me to act on these frustrations. And so, that is how this trip to Northern California began.

The one that got away!

Agate Beach

Patrick's Point

Trinidad Head

She comes & she goes

2012-12-21T22:20:00.000-08:00

I blame finals for my absence and battered brain. Hopefully the accumulation of photos makes up for the lack of posts.

I <3 Brazilian food

Just a classy tradition of burning the Bruin

Childish Gambino

Turkey Day!

Caprese twice in a week :)

The result of what brain dead students do during finals week

Tilapia with a light butter sauce for dinner

My version of Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Parmesan

It's starting to feel a lot like Christmas!