road trip: unexpected travels (ii)

Part 2 of my SoCal road trip series! You can read Part 1 here. On this leg, we drove from Santa Barbara to Long Beach, stopping in Downtown SB, the Getty Villa, and Self Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine. 

Santa Barbara downtown was such a lovely place to just walk around after a long day of traveling. This was our first stop in what counts as SoCal, and it definitely met my expectations with the palm lined streets and relaxed storefronts. 

This outfit was worn a few times repeatedly, because I'd get way too lazy to find other clothes to wear. My top is chiffon, so it's very breathable, but I can easily throw a cardigan over it at night.

Having a go to outfit while traveling makes your life so much easier, especially when you're running out the door, late to an excursion, or just way too tired from staying out late the night before.

Time spent here: 1 hr of leisurely walking time, could spend more if you went shopping.

Things to note: A nice walk after dinner, not too busy or loud. They have a pretty big Anthropology and Free People here!

Cost: Easy to find free parking, at least when we went (~7pm). 

These bikes. Literally the epitome of sunny California. 

The next destination is a must see if you're in the area. We almost drove past it, it's not very obvious from the road, and you can't see it while driving, but inside, the Getty Villa is amazing.

Rich oil or coal tycoons always seem to be building these amazing houses, isn't it great they end up being open to the public later on? J. Paul Getty actually built the Villa specifically to house his art collection, but was never able to see it in person before his death. 

I believe it was modeled after a villa in Pompeii, where Mt. Vesuvius erupted. It's supposed to invoke feelings of being an ordinary Roman citizen in a villa at that time, and I can definitely attest to how realistic it feels. If you can ignore the tourists and selfie sticks that is!

I'm kind of regretting my choice to wear grey instead of white, it would've popped much better. Photoshop perhaps? 

Inside the Villa, there are rooms and rooms full of ancient sculptures. You could spend forever looking at them, and I'm sure it would've been a great place to sit and sketch. 

I personally like paintings more, specifically Impressionism and Post Impressionism, so I went through them quicker than others might. 

Time spent here: 2 hrs, but you could go up to a half day. A day might be stretching it, unless you're planning to spend time sketching, want to get all your photo ops in, or are really interested in ancient sculptures. 

Things to note: If you're driving from North to South, the entrance to the Villa will be on the left hand side. You'll have to make a U turn and go South to North to get in. Also, you have to get free tickets beforehand from their website (this is probably to control visitor flow). You don't need to print them out, just be ready to show the guard the 6 digit confirmation number on your phone. 

Cost: Free tickets, but $15 to park. I don't think you can get in without parking inside. 

Continuing on the theme of otherworldly places, our next stop was the Self Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine in the Pacific Palisades. There are actually many SRF temples, but this one is the Lake Shrine, so it's a lot bigger. 

Although I'm not religious, I definitely enjoyed stopping here. It was very peaceful and tranquil, and a nice change of pace from all the honking on the road (there is something different about drivers in SoCal, they seem to really enjoy honking at everyone). 

There's a beautiful temple with a bit of a climb, but worth going to. The whole area just doesn't feel like it's only a few miles away from central LA. I took this photo for Urban Outfitter's polaroid contest, and it ended up getting a decent amount of attention!

Time spent here: 1 hr, but more can be spent mediating or sitting by the lake.
Things to note: There is a functioning temple at the top, so if you visit it, be careful to be silent as there are people mediating. You're allowed to take photos, but there's such a calm, serene feeling to this place, I wouldn't go in with tripods and selfie sticks. They also offer weekend retreats!
Cost: Free, but suggested donation.

This was one of my favorite parts of our trip! Everything was just so different from the city, and it was a great change of pace. Neither of these places were incredibly well known or touristy, but still good for pictures and seeing new things.

Next week will be a little bit about my experience on the Carnival Imagination cruise to Ensenada and San Diego!

Have you visited any of these places, or places that remind you of these (Rome, Greece, Turkey, Southeast Asia)? Where are your favorite "off the beaten path" places in your city?

xx

Angelina

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tips for polaroid beginners

I'd like to say I take Polaroids all the time, and I'm quite skilled at it, but only recently have I been lugging my camera around. I took several on my trip to SoCal, and thought I'd share some tips on how to take great Polaroids I've learned since then. 

Behold, my Polaroids from this trip. Most of them turned out well, I didn't get any unsalvageable ones, but definitely wish I took more. In Polaroid form, many boring scenes get that "je ne sais quoi" usually reserved for amazing ones.

Out of the 10 or so photos I took, I would say these two were the least successful for these reasons:

1. There wasn't much sun after sunset (obviously) and I've found Polaroids don't develop too well when there isn't bright light. Also, shooting into the light causes the brightest part of the photo to turn black (you can see it in the middle of the photo, to the left of my head). This also happens if you attempt to take a mirror selfie (which I did when I first got my camera).

2. It was too dark in the setting, and although I used the "lighter" setting, it obviously didn't help much. Instax cameras don't seem to do well when there are different lighting situations in one area (dark in the redwoods, light falling behind).

Some of my mundane, landscape shoots. Clockwise from top left - LA city hall observation deck, Balboa Park, La Jolla Cove, Getty Villa, and Greystone Park.

For better photos like the ones above, I'd suggest:

1. Shooting while it's light outside for better exposure. The colors also seem to develop faster and better.

2. Putting the shot down as soon as it comes out of the camera. Often, if you hold onto it, you risk having the colors bleed as shown below.

3. Not trying to focus on things close up. It may just be my camera, but once I tried to focus on a flower with a busy background, and it just didn't want to happen. It's easier to stick with farther and simpler subjects (aka a bigger aperture).

4. Simple compositions. My camera takes the photos slightly to the left, so if I don't account for that space, sometimes it can cut off vital parts of the photo. Simpler is better and easier.

Be very careful not to touch the image part while it's still developing. I've found that even holding onto the white tab can cause bleeding, as you can see in both pictures on the left side.

I think I accidentally touched the photo above, and my finger print is on the photo in magenta. Not sure of the science behind that, but I'm not a huge fan of how it looks now. 

I like displaying mine, so I stuck my Polaroids onto my wall with plain tape. You can also get an album especially made for these (Urban Outfitters has some cute, but pricey ones), or a scrapbook if you have one of those as well!

I haven't updated the wall in quite some time, but hoping to add more soon!

Do you guys have instant film cameras? What would be your tips for getting successful ones? What are your favorite things to take photos of? 

xx

Angelina

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road trip: diverse views (i)

I just got back from my 2 week long road trip to SoCal (you may have seen my packing tips here), and it was great! I have so many photos I'll have to post them in increments. In this post, Henry Colwell Redwoods, Carmel Mission, Bixby Bridge, and McWay Falls. 

Henry Colwell Redwood State Park: We rarely get to go to national parks, so when I realized this was on the way, I was super excited to visit! It was a very relaxing walk (we did the Redwood Grove Trail as neither of us had actual running shoes), and quite shady. 

There were lots of children running around since they have some sort of kids' scavenger hunt, so definitely family friendly. 

Time spent here: 1 hr, but more is possible.
Things to note: Camping is available!
Cost: Free, but parking is $10 inside the park.

Carmel Mission Basilica: I really enjoyed it here. It doesn't seem to be a huge tourist attraction, which is even better for me. The mission has an otherworldly feel, and it made me feel like I was in Spain. 

Great photo ops throughout, and not too many people who stare. Would've loved to spend more time, but we had many miles ahead of us. 

Time spent here: 2.5 hrs, would've liked more just for photo ops.
Things to note: Beautiful photo ops, also has a church.
Cost: $2 - 6.50, free parking.

On our way, we crossed Bixby Bridge, so I thought we might as well hop out and take some photos. For photos of the bridge, it's best to find a turnout about half a mile before the actual bridge, and you can get a full photo. The ones below were taken at the turnout to see the bridge.

I would've loved to stay here for sunset, but the road is pretty windy and tough to drive, so we had to make it out before then.

You can go a bit further down, and the water is so incredible and blue - it honestly looks like Hawaii! Am I exaggerating here?

Time spent here: 20-30 mins (camera difficulties).
Things to note: Many people stop here for photos, so try and be courteous and make sure no one is waiting for your spot.
Cost: Free! Park at the turnout.

Of course, we had to stop for McWay Falls! There are so many gorgeous photos of this waterfall online, I have to say I was really hoping for a bit more oomph.

Also the flowers weren't in bloom, which made me a little sad as well, but still a beautiful must-see.

Time spent here: 30 mins.

Things to note: There isn't an address for the falls, it's a little bit north of Julia Pfeiffer State Park, so you can park on the highway and walk to it. You'll know when you're getting close because there are tons of cars parked. 

Cost: Free! Parking can be tough though. 

I hope you guys enjoyed my (photo heavy) first post! I've split my trip into 4 sections, coming out about every week. 

Have you been to any of these places? What other destinations would you suggest for a road trip - either in California, or elsewhere?

xx

Angelina

p.s. if you'd like to pin this, here's a great picture for that!

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wildfox love + thoughts on comments

You may have heard me profess my love for Wildfox multiple times already, but I'm gonna say it again: Wildfox, thank you for existing. And since I've been noticing this trend for ages, my thoughts on the generic, yet not spam comment. 

sweatshirt - Wildfox, shorts - Ecote, shoes - Vans

I had an idea a while ago, and since this post is going to be a bit scattered, I think I'll include it here, buried in the middle of my post to see who actually reads through it (I'll admit I don't always read every word of the posts I comment on).

Lately, I've been getting a ton of generic comments that don't mean too much. I hope this isn't taken the wrong way, I very much appreciate each and every one of you that has managed to navigate over to my site, out of all the ones you could've picked, read/skim/looked at my pictures, and taken the time to comment. It's sometimes so shocking to imagine that strangers out there could care enough to give away a little part of their life to me! Maybe a bit dramatized, but you get the feel.

I'm not talking about comments like, "Great post! Check my blog out?" - I don't usually publish those. I'm talking about ones that were probably written just based on my pictures and/or post title. For instance, if I have an outfit post, they'll be something like, "I love your outfit! You're gorgeous!", or "Nice photos!". 

Obviously, there's nothing wrong with these types of comments, they're wonderful and lovely, and I want to reiterate that I really appreciate any kind of feedback from anyone. It's just, after reading about 30 of these, they get a little dry. When I read a more personal, interesting comment, it really warms me up inside because that person not only actually read my writing, but also cared enough to generate a thoughtful comment that connected our experiences somehow. 

I have to say May of the Mayden and Bash from Hey Bash do this veerrrry well (if you guys are reading this, thanks so much for all the kind comments you've left me!). I frequently see their comments on other blogs I visit, so I know they're all around star commenters! I honestly get so excited when I read their comments. 

So here's just an idea I'm throwing out there. For the next 5 blogs you visit, actually spend time to read their posts, and create a personal and thoughtful comment. You don't have to write a paragraph, but just a little more than "Nice photos! You look great!" is so appreciated. 

After 5 blogs, you do you! I have to say sometimes when I just can't think of anything to comment, I fall into the "generic but not spam" category for comments. 

For this post, if you guys would like to participate, let me know what you think about these types of comments! 

If you don't really want to put your opinion out there, that's totally fine. Tell me a story or fact about yourself, give me recommendations about what to eat/watch/try, rant about something that's driving you nuts. If you'd still just like to comment on my outfit, great - try and tell me one thing you'd change about if if you were the one wearing it (hair, accessories, shoes, clothes, whatever!)

The comments section on this one is a free for all!

xx

Angelina

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pacific coast highway road trip

I left on a road trip to SoCal a few days ago (note: I didn't actually pack today, this was written beforehand)! Specifically LA and San Diego. Here is what I'm thinking of bringing - because let's be honest, I'm always going to throw in a few "last minute" items - as well as how I would suggest packing. 

Grab everything that you're thinking of bringing and loosely arrange them in categories - tops, bottoms, dresses, outerwear. You can adapt to your needs and travel situation. We're driving, so I was able to bring more, but I definitely would not suggest this much if you're traveling abroad as you'll probably shop and bring back even more. 

white lace top - Billabong, striped bandeau top - Roxy, both bottoms - Hollister

Since LA and San Diego are basically beaches, I brought two swim bottoms, and two swim tops. The reason I have two basic black ones are because the one on the left is cheeky, and the one on the right isn't as much. I haven't actually worn either in public before though.

I'm a fan of simpler tops, so I have a triangle white lace one, and a striped bandeau, depending on whether I'll actually be swimming, or just tanning.

black pompom shorts - Ecote, black skirt - F21, black highwaisted shorts - Hollister, dark highwaisted shorts - AE, jeans - AE, patterned pants - Zara

As you can see, I definitely lean towards darker colors. They're typically more slimming, but they also show stains less (aka I can be lazy and wash them less).

I really love the pompom details on the shorts, because it makes them so easy to dress up or down! The black skirt actually has a bit of herringbone detail, and it matches with basically any top.

I've had my printed pants for ages, and I've only really found one top that matches with it. Needless to say, I don't really get many chances to wear them out, but I thought I'd bring them along in the hopes of finally figuring out what to wear with them. They also double as sweatpants because they're so comfy!

striped long sleeve - BP, black chiffon top - Lush, grey v neck - BP, plaid top - zara, striped corset top - frenchi

All my tops wouldn't fit in one photo (overpacking? nahh), so I divided them into neutrals and color. You can definitely tell my love for stripes - I tried to put them far from each other so as to not blind all of you.

The great thing about neutrals is they match with more or less everything! They're also great for accessorizing and adding bright colors.

magenta silk top - chelsea28, burgundy top - A&F, orange baseball raglan - Free People
purple v neck - BP, peter pan collared top - Topshop, mint crop top - O'Neill, love crop top - F21

Since SoCal has a reputation for being laidback and surfer chic, I brought a few really casual pieces. I didn't want to look like a clueless tourist in case we went to fancier restaurants though, so I included a gorgeous magenta silk crop top I've yet to take the tags off of, and a light green peter pan collared top.

Side note of my love for deals - I got the Free People raglan for $1. With the same amount of money I bought a pack of Skittles with, I bought an amazingly soft and comfy We The Free top. Obviously, that was a good day. (p.s. you can have a great clothing day too with these ways to get clothes for super cheap!)

burgundy cardigan - Roxy, grey cardigan - Brandy Melville, creme cardigan - Mossimo, tan raincoat - Uniqlo

Once, we went on an overnight trip to Big Sur, and I didn't bring a jacket, because my mind goes something like this: warm now = warmer at Big Sur because there are beaches = no possible way it will get colder at night. I was very wrong, and even wearing 3 shirts at a time isn't as good as a jacket or cardigan.

I'm making sure I won't freeze during our road trip, and bringing a variety of cardigans to match every outfit. I'm even bringing a rain coat, because you never know!

black half zip - VS Pink, purple sweatshirt - Wildfox

Okay first, can we please take a moment to admire my Wildfox sweater? I got it slightly used on this app, Poshmark, and I love it to death. I've been looking for the "Shopping Is My Cardio" saying for ages, and I love the pastel colors of it. Also, IT WAS ONLY $30.

Also from Poshmark, a black half zip, which I've also been looking for for a few years (no joke - they just never have colors I like in store). It set me back $14.

Sensing a trend here? Poshmark is a lifesaver. I'm thinking of writing a post about the ins and outs, as well as how to sell on there, so let me know if that's something you'd like to see!

red printed dress - Zara, floral dress - Kimchi Blue
white dress - A&F, black t shirt dress - F21

I love wearing dresses because you only really have to pick the shoes and the dress. Also, no pants, and no pants is always a bonus. Speaking of bonuses, pockets in dresses! Seriously debating on whether I should spend this summer sewing pockets into all of my dresses.

As you may have noticed, I like to pick neutrals (black + white), and then a few colorful options. I think it's a great way to be prepared for every situation. Make sure you also have options for different levels of formalness.

My packing tips in a nutshell:

Pick items that can do double duty - a tube dress that folds down into a skirt, flowy pants that can be worn as pajamas, or a maxi skirt that can turn into a strapless dress will save you space in your suitcase! This also goes for shoes and accessories.

Know what events to dress for - If you already know you'll be attending dinner at a posh restaurant, make sure you have something that you could wear there. Even if you don't have plans, bring a dress just in case, it'll save you money if you have to go shopping again! Or I guess you can use it as an excuse to shop more.

Pick neutral outerwear - This way, you won't be stuck with a hot pink cardigan that only matches one top in your closet. I like picking black, white, and one color that's easy to match, usually navy or burgundy.

Take 2 things out before you leave - I'm an over-packer, so I always have things that I think I'll wear, and then never do. Force yourself to surrender two things, and you probably won't even notice they're gone. I'd go with whatever you wear the least in your normal, day-to-day closet.

Let me know if these tips were helpful! What's your favorite thing to bring on road trips? Do you have any tips for traveling smart?

xx

Angelina

p.s. As this is being posted, I'm already in SoCal! I will be reading comments, and possibly responding, but at a much slower rate. I will definitely get back on when I'm home though!

Should you need to contact me quickly, please don't hesitate to email. 

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