Balboa Island Day

♫ Lowell- Palm Trees ♫ 

Last weekend we took a ferry boat out to Balboa Island in Newport Beach, it's been a while since I was there (last summer) so it felt nice to be back! It finally felt and looked like spring outside so we took advantage of the chilly but nice day and enjoyed the ferry ride and the sunshine. 

It's been raining non stop here in SoCal with freezing temps, we even got snow a couple days ago inland which is crazy! Although I do love cold weather I think it's safe to say that I'm so ready for spring now...which means more rain coming our way for sure! :)

What have you guys been up to?

x

StephC

Muir Woods

♫ Mr. Twin Sister- The Other Side of Your Face ♫ 

Hey lovelies!

Here are the next set of pictures from my NorCal trip. After San Francisco we drove up to Muir Woods, it was our first time there so we were looking forward to it! You guys probably already know I'm a sucker for nature and hiking so of course I was excited and it was such a nice relaxing getaway from the bustle of the city ( approx. 45 min to 1 hour from SF).

We ended up getting lucky since we went on a Sunday morning around 8am, which is when they open, but for some random reason they had a "free entrance" sign I think the staff were running late or something so we didn't have to pay the $10 entrance fee! Even the crowds had not arrived yet so we took advantage of the day and hiked up to the very top, also known as the Panoramic View. Of course it was absolutely amazing and so worth the hike. The only problem is that I didn't really go prepared with hiking gear and shoes since we planned to go to Muir Woods all last minute, but nonetheless I survived the hike in my sneakers!

There are different trails throughout the park but we hiked a total of 2 miles so it wasn't bad at all and the overall hike was not too hard either many people were even hiking in sandals and boots haha, so it's do-able if you're planning to visit.

I'm so glad the weather cooled down on Sunday during our hike, the lush greenery and the smell of pine trees was a major plus too! It was so much fun and I highly recommend visiting if you're around the NorCal area. 

My "hiking" gear haha

Linen top 

DL1961 jeans

Superga sneakers

Cardinale wooden sunnies

x

StephC

California Dreaming

♫  Bay Ledges- Safe ♫ 

Hey guys!

Hope you all enjoyed your long 4th of July weekend,  this past weekend I ended up catching up on some sleep and hanging out in LA, oh how I missed it so!

We went around Silver Lake and downtown, which was great because there wasn't too much traffic as expected. I finally got to catch up with my sister and my nephew... I always love our little adventures! We mostly went around Melrose Place and Silver Lake and even checked out this eatery called Pine & Crane for lunch, which was sooooo good guys! If you're into dumplings, noodles, and other veggie options then this is the place for you! We tried a bit of everything like their popular "Dan Dan noodles", spicy shrimp wontons, and the beef rolls. The food was delicious and so was their Jasmine milk tea. The overall atmosphere was great and of course I loved their interior decor and set up!

Afterwards we ended up in downtown LA's Grand Park to relax and catch some rays. 

Summer is definitely here :)

Wearing:

Linen shirt (bought in a random shop in Paris)

Steve Madden sunnies 

Vintage Lee's shorts

H&M leather sandals  

Poshmark rattan bag

Melrose Place

Alfred Tea Room

So many options...

Cool paper plane installation at Grand Park in DTLA 

#OOTD deets

Trying out this eatery in Silver Lake: Pine & Crane 

Sooo good! Loved their dumplings and Jasmine milk tea!

Can't forget Pine & Crane's decor and overall aesthetic!

Accessories + Jasmine milk tea= summer essentials

Silver Lake vibes

Hanging out with my nephew Lukas

So good to be back home!

x

StephC

It's All About Basics

♫ Psychic Twin- Lose Myself ♫ 

Wearing:

 Heavenly Couture jacket

Target striped top

Marc Jacobs jeans

Irene's Story belt

Apri ankle boots

Old Navy tote (such a steal!)

Urban Outfitters sunnies

You can't go wrong with basic pieces which are honestly my go-to's on a day to day basis because they're so versatile and can be mix and matched or dressed up or down with pretty much anything.

 This day I opted for cropped jeans, striped top, cargo trench jacket, basic black tote, and of course my ankle boots. I wanted to keep the look classic and minimal yet comfortable.  

What do you guys think?

Happy Weekend!

x

StephC

Drawing Inspiration

♫ Lucius- Until We Get There ♫

Pretty bikes lined along DTLB

Love running into this artwork of Jim Morrison (lead singer of The Doors) in East Village Arts District in downtown Long Beach!

Watercolor skies

Snapped this of my little nephew Lukas flirting away haha love this shot!

Lukas eyeing my sea salt jasmine tea :)

One of my fave vintage buildings in downtown Long Beach!

Palm trees at East Village Arts District

This carpet is everything!

Yoga time!

Morning strolls with this view= priceless!

Golden hour shadows

Golden hour portrait

Evening lighting

Tile Lovin!

Lord Windsor's yummy iced almond latte! It truly was as delicious as it looks :)

Perfect summer days! Follow me on snapchat: steo16

Finding inspo in cafes

Major inspo here, love this place!

LBC sunsets

Lately I've been finding inspiration everywhere especially in my hometown, Long Beach, and of course I love sharing all these pictures with you guys. 

 Anything from street art, music, palm trees, lights, the beach, tiles, plants, coffee, architecture, sunsets, books, photography, and everyday life inspires me in so many ways. 

What inspires you lately?

Yayyyy 4th of July is tomorrow, BBQ and fireworks time, stay tuned for pics!

Hope you all have a fun time :)

x

StephC