Summer Snapshots :: Santa Cruising

I finally replaced my Little Engine That Could laptop and invested in a macbook with a faster processor. Hallelujah! No longer will editing photos be a slow computer-induced trial of patience and misery. Now that's a cause for celebration. How did I celebrate? By editing photos, of course!

These photos are from earlier this summer when I took a road trip up to Santa Cruz to visit my friend Danielle. She's going to be leaving soon to study abroad in England for an entire, fabulous, adventure-filled year, so we have been leaping at opportunities to see each other. This trip was so much fun! I didn't document every single moment, but here are some pictures I took when we visited the Boardwalk. (Edited with VSCOcam Lightroom presets, for all of you photo editing nerds out there.)

After checking out the Boardwalk and the giant arcade, we headed into downtown. To put it simply: I love downtown Santa Cruz. It was my type of place–the trees, the cute little storefronts, the quirky buildings, and, of course, the coffee shops. Danielle recommended I try a coffee shop called The Verve, which I thoroughly enjoyed, even though they didn't have any power outlets to prevent my laptop from giving out mid-writing session. They were redeemed by their delicious earl gray tea latte, though.

At the end, after days of delicious food and Santa Cruz shenanigans, we packed up all of Danielle's belongings in boxes and spent the eight hour drive home listening to music, munching on raspberries and cookies, and talking, talking, talking. Friends and traveling has to be one of my favorite combinations. I'm so glad I got to go on this wonderful traveling adventure and make great memories with Danielle before my gap year came to a close and her adventures in England began.

Speaking of which, I started my first semester of college last week. Wowza! This past year, my gap year, has been a wonderful blur in which I've travelled, worked, interned, volunteered, developed new interests and passions, made new friends, and ultimately grew as a person. As challenging and rewarding as it was to be my own boss last year, my inner nerd is excited to start hitting the books again.  

Within this past year I've changed my mind about what I might be interested in pursuing academically. I think I have an idea about what I'd like to major in, but that is what is so thrilling about this time of my life: I might change my mind entirely tomorrow, a month from now, a year from now...who knows? That uncertainty, rather than making me feel anxious about choosing one thing or another right away, is only fueling me to keep on going and see where my passions lead me. I'm looking forward to working hard, keeping on my toes, and rolling with the punches this academic year. 

Until next time.

"After climbing a great hill, one finds there are many more to climb."

– Nelson Mandela

Song of the day:

Bloodstream, Ed Sheeran

Shenanigans :: Artsy Picnic by the Sea

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Lauren and I had an artsy picnic date by the sea. (We decided to break our tradition of marathoning TV shows and movies for the sake of people watching, pastries, and doodles.) 

Because it's us, strangeness ensued. 

It all started with me accidentally locking my keys in my car. Fortunately, we were rescued by a random passerby that conveniently had a lock-pulling contraption in their possession. (Random, I know, but I tried to not look a gift horse in the mouth.) Later, after Lauren and I found our way over to the lovely Seaport Village, we witnessed with our own eyes a group of Homestuck cosplayers having a picnic, a man in full Hellboy regalia (tail and all) having an afternoon stroll, and a very angry and very drunk Irish man yelling at some cute German tourists. 

So this is what happens when we leave our houses. Noted. 

But let's rewind a little bit. 

Before all the madness began, we stopped by a fantastic bakery and picked up three mouth-watering delicacies: a fruit tart, a chocolate banana cupcake, and a lemon tart. Dessert was quickly joined by some tuna sandwiches from Swamis. (Yum to all of that!) Picnic supplies obtained, we headed towards Balboa Park, only to be sent on the most unhelpful route in the history of Google maps' incompetent existence that ended up depositing us closer to Seaport Village than the park. So Seaport Village it was.



We set up our picnic in the shade of some trees on a hill overlooking the bay and spent the rest of the afternoon talking, walking through the village, amusing ourselves with the passerby, and drawing in our sketchbooks. It was such a fun, laid-back day; the weather was perfect, the company was wonderful, and the food was delicious. 'Twas a lovely artsy picnic date by the sea!

"May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears."

– Nelson Mandela

Song of the day:
Myth, Beach House

Shenanigans :: Tea Date

Last week I met up with two of my friends for a cup of tea at my favorite coffee shop. I spend so much time there, I have begun to think of it as a home away from home/office. And also my favorite location for socializing. 

What can I say? I love coffee shops. Especially coffee shops with an earl grey tea blend so good it gives me cartoon hearts for eyes! (I am very enthusiastic about tea, okay?)

I wore this darling yellow crop top that I found in a thrift shop the other day. Thrift shops can be so magical sometimes. 
Aren't my friends cute? That's Cedric and Jess. 

I have missed these two. Back in high school, I used to see them at least five days a week. This past year, what with college on their end and freelancing on mine, I've been lucky to see them once every couple of months. It's bizarre. But, in a way, it reminds me that it's not enough to want someone in your life, you have to actively try to stay in theirs, too.

Fortunately, we are as close as ever. They're the type of friends that I can laugh and be silly with one minute, and have a deep, important conversation the next. We trust each other, love each other, and make each other laugh. That's what friends are for, after all. I count myself lucky to have these two.

Summer vacation is imminent, so brace thyself for more Izzie, Jess, and Cedric shenanigans! 

Until then.

"As time goes on, you’ll understand. What lasts, lasts; what doesn’t, doesn’t. Time solves most things. And what time can’t solve, you have to solve yourself." 

— Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance 

Song of the day:
Taro - Alt-J