Gracias Por Nada (I'M BACK!)

After a painfully long hiatus, I'm finally back! Sorry for the lack of notice, everyone. Thanks to my boyfriend (who checks on this blog every day), I'm inspired to start writing again. My college applications are all done, so I finally have time!

Let me start off this post with one of my favorite subjects: art!

This week I went to the opening night of a local art show, Gracias Por Nada.  It featured art about skate culture,  including art on skateboards themselves and art by local tattoo artists.

Wish I had more content for ya, but for now, have some photos!!

This piece was done by Captain Todd, a local LA tattoo artist.

Look at this little taxidermy baby! I wanted it so badly.

This piece was just perfect.

This painting is an actual depiction of me attempting to skateboard.

This last piece was a huge mural that took up the whole wall; I was completely mesmerized.

Talk to y'all soon!

A Day at Downtown

Happy September, everyone!

I spent a day in Downtown Los Angeles with one of my dear childhood friends. Let me give you a tour of my city!

The first spot we visited was Grand Central Market (upper photo), which showcases great local eateries. Along the street on the way to GMC was a sign that said "Decide what to be and go be it," which is a saying by which I live my life! 

The middle bottom photo is from one of the glass elevators at the Bonaventure Hotel, which showcases a lovely view of the city from the 32nd floor.

The two corner photos on the right are from Grand Park, which has a rather--wait for it--Grand fountain. Usually the floor around the fountain is open for people to wade in; unfortunately, it was closed when we got there, and we were forced to take a selfie with boring, dry floor in the background.

My favorite place in downtown is definitely The Last Bookstore! It's the last independent book store in the United States, and I love it so much. They have a whole floor dedicated to books on sale for $1, and they also sell local art!

Last but not least, we visited the Los Angeles Public Library Central Branch, which has such gorgeous architecture; the photo doesn't do it justice. The left photo was taken on a bridge leading to the library, taken only to feature the sculpture in the background.

Here's my outfit from that day:

Hat: Vintage

Dress: Nordstrom

Belt: Bettie Page

Bag: Vintage

Have you ever visited Downtown LA? If there are local spots that I need to visit, please let me know in the comments!

Graffiti Appreciation

Hello, everyone! As I've mentioned in my last post, I'm currently in New York to take some college classes. I'm absolutely in love with this city because of the fast-paced urban vibe.

One of the things I love most about the city is its art community. I get so inspired by all the creativity in one city alone. Whenever I walk around, there's always an example of art in the streets. I particularly love seeing graffiti. It's a great way for artists to permanently leave their mark in the city.

Naturally, I couldn't help but take pictures of all this cool graffiti. Enjoy this photo dump of street art by talented New Yorkians.

All of these photos were either from Queens or Brooklyn.

That's all for this post! How do YOU feel about graffiti?

An Ode to the Beach

Today, I visited one of my favorite places in the world: the beach! It's one of the best aspects of living in California. I'm really going to miss it when I move back east!

There's something about watching waves crash and pull back that I find so therapeutic. I love seeing the sun shining brightly in the midst of a perfectly clear blue sky. The sound of the water, the salty smell in the air, the feeling of warm sand under my toes... It's enchanting.

"How much virtue there is in simply seeing!"

There's also nothing like reading on the beach. It's such a calming experience. Currently, I'm reading Mr. Emerson's Wife by Amy Belding Brown. I just got to the Transcendentalist chapters, and they were so appropriate for where I was that day!

This photo basically sums up my feelings about the beach.

And, last but not least, some outfit snaps!

 

 

Hat: Reflection

Shirt: Zara

Shorts: Vintage

Shoes: Dr. Scholl's

Do you enjoy the beach as much as I do? Tell me your favorite beaches!

Petal Perfection

Greetings, all!

Today, I wanted to share my favorite piece from my portfolio so far: a white tulle dress with hand-sewn artificial flowers. The under pieces are a bandeau and pencil skirt made out of white polyester.

I was so excited while making this garment that I finished it in a day! It's a labor of love. The beautiful model you see here is my friend Sarah! I did her hair and rainbow-colored makeup.

To see more of my upcoming and current pieces, follow my portfolio on Tumblr!

Hope you enjoyed my self-promotion.

A Day in Hollywood

Happy official days of summer, everyone!

If you were keen enough to guess from my title, I spent most of my day in Hollywood! My friend and I felt like going out and impulsively took the train to Hollywood and Highland. Here's a photodump of all the sightseeing we did:

the Ghirardelli store // the Hard Rock Cafe // the best billboard I saw today

Grauman's Chinese Theatre // Michael Jackson's star // Godzilla's star // Shirley Temple's handprints

And of course, I couldn't help but take outfit photos! The train station is surprisingly a nice place to have a photoshoot. Here's what I wore:

Hat: Target

Shirt: Thrifted

Shorts: Nordstrom

Shoes: H&M

How are all of you spending your summers? Comment below!

Portfolio Work: Gogh Away

Happy Monday, everyone!

Pretty much all people who know me know I aspire to be a fashion designer. I'm using my free time this summer to work on my portfolio: a collection of ten to twenty of my best work.

Today I had a little photoshoot in my balcony showcasing my latest creations: a crop top and matching skirt in Starry Night fabric.

These are the first additions to my portfolio :) Comment your opinions down below!