2/21/19 Las Vegas, NV
I took a trip to Las Vegas for a few days, and had such a great time. Plenty of opportunities to feast at a few restaurants, which is what makes up most of my trip photos. Put a few of them (or all) on your list for the next time you visit Sin City!
4/15Â New York Fashion Week, New York City
I was so happy to be back in the big apple for fashion week in February. It was a busy week, but lots of fun. While I was expecting snow the entire time, it was actually pretty pleasant. I forgot how much fun it is to style a coat! Of course I tried to check out as many restaurants as possible, but still stopping by a few favorites from before. Favorites from this trip were Sylvia’s, Black Tap & Eataly. I saved room for dessert this time and it was worth it! While checking out the latest in fashion, I also went to a taping of Live with Kelly and Ryan, visited the Met for the first time and did some people watching in Times Square. Its crazy how busy NYC gets, but the hustle and bustle is what makes it so interesting. There were a million things going on everyday, but the best part was just running into the little market around the corner from the hotel for snacks then taking a bubble bath at the end of the day. Here are some highlights of the trip.
10/1Â Exploring The Grand Canyon State
The last couple of months have presented a number of travel delays and complications, but the state of Arizona is a beautiful place to live, and most definitely a place to visit! Check out some of my favorite things to do.
Photos of Havasu Falls courtesy of Flickr & top50states.com
6/2Â Phoenix Arizona Art Museum
Holding 7,500 works and growing, fashion from 17th century to the present is represented in this collection. Though not currently on display, seeing so much history and style was spectacular. The earliest fashion programs were established in the 1930s, Phoenix Art Museum building their own since 1966 and one of the most active museums that collect fashion in the US. From Versace to a dress worn by Nancy Reagan, seeing the evolution and history was fascinating. (And how chic is that shoe selection!)
A permanent installation that I found mesmerizing was You Who Are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies by Yayoi Kusama. Made in 2005, it is one of her more whimsical works. It is a room with mirrored walls and LED lighting hanging from the ceiling. The room feels very small because the mirrors warp the sense of space, but being surrounded by the color changing lights makes the seemingly small space inviting.
Also on display until this October is a very inspiring photography collection, Longer Ways To Go, dedicated to the American West that made me want to go on a road trip!
There is so much Arizona has to offer, so I am looking forward to exploring as much as I can this summer!
3/12Â Maui, Hawaii
Aloha! If you are looking for a spring break destination, Maui is the perfect place.
This b&b is Old Lahaina House. The family who runs it were so friendly and helpful, and the room I was in was decorated with pineapples and so cute. When I wasn’t at the beach I was lounging by the pool chatting with other guests and playing with all their dogs.
Old Lahaina House is just off Front Street, the main road in Lahaina, and just a few steps from the beach! It was awesome to walk on the beach in the morning as I headed to brunch.
Betty’s Cafe was not even half a mile up the beach, so I ended up eating there every morning. The breakfast menu was delicious, macadamia nut pancakes, huevos rancheros, acai bowls and eggs benedict (not pictured).
They had patio seating just off the beach and the dining room was open. It was fun to watching surfers, paddle boarders and boats as they headed out on the water.
And of course I was in love with all the tropical foliage that was everywhere.
Whale watching was a highlight of my trip. It is a popular seasonal activity from December to March when humpback whales migrate from Alaska to the tropical waters around Maui to mate.
Front Street had a lot of unique shops to peruse with the Lahaina Banyan Court right by the harbor. This tree is massive, spanning close to 2 acres. There are 16 trunks that stem from the main trunk of the tree, planted in 1873 to mark 50 years since the first American missionaries came to Lahaina. There are lots of benches where people like to relax and there are plenty of shave ice shops nearby to grab a sweet treat.
A trip to Hawaii isn’t complete without watching the sunset!
Another highlight of the trip was taking a helicopter ride around West Maui and Molokai. The views were absolutely stunning.
Other good restaurants were Maui Swiss Cafe for crepes and fresh squeezed juices, Star Noodle for Asian cuisine, Paia Fish Market for the best fish tacos and Down the Hatch for traditional Hawaiian cuisine, like Moco, and yummy appetizers like mermaid fries and coconut shrimp with mango salsa.
*Travel Tip: Maui is an expensive island, so grabbing a couple things at the grocery will save a little bit so you can do other cool things around the island.
2/18/17Â San Francisco, California
This gorgeous city is so busy and full of life. I’ve been here frequently over the past few years, and always have such an amazing time. Wandering along the piers, admiring different neighborhoods, like Chinatown or Mission District, and finding a place to grab a fun shot of the Golden Gate Bridge fills up a day quickly. There are great art galleries, shopping, and you can’t beat exploring the beaches or Golden Gate Park. A few of my favorite restaurants are Genki Ramen on Geary St. and Mr. Holmes Bakehouse on Larkin. Of course, that barely scrapes the surface of all this wonderful city has to offer, next time I visit I want to check out the Walt Disney Museum and try Boudin Bakery & Cafe on Pier 39! I heard that their sourdough bread is delicious.
If you plan on a visit, make sure to bring layering items like a cardigan or sweater, its cool during the day and very crisp in the evening. The first time I visited was in June, thinking a tank and pair of shorts would be fine and immediately ran into H&M to find a jacket!
12/12Â Seven Magic Mountains, Las Vegas, Nevada
There is so much to do in Las Vegas, I could never be bored in that beautiful city. I particularly love all the art, museums and galleries that are around the city. Seven Magic Mountains is a breathtaking work created by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone, and located off Interstate 15. It’s comprised of seven towers of colorful, stacked boulders standing over thirty feet tall. The artwork is described as, “an expression of human presence in the desert and punctuates the Mojave with a poetic burst of form and color.” The exhibition is on display for two years.
& don’t forget to try out one of the hotel buffets, they do not disappoint. Bellagio’s dessert bar is a must!
11/1 Portland, Oregon
A few weeks ago I took a trip up to Portland, Oregon for the weekend. It was my first time there, and I had such a blast. I could not get over the amount of pine trees! I spent some time in Mt. Hood National Forest and it was so lush and beautiful.
I grabbed dinner at Portland Seafood Co. and then headed to Salt and Straw. I had heard it was great ice cream, but I was blown away by the creative flavor combinations and how tasty it was! I ended up getting a lavender honey and strawberry balsamic with black pepper cone.
  
The next morning after grabbing a small bite at the hotel, I went to the International Rose Garden which was so pretty. Afterwards I went to Ken’s Artisan Bakery for lunch. It was the cutest french bakery and the macaroons were fantastic.
I haven’t been to Paris yet, but I bet these macaroons could give Parisian ones a run for their money.
After savoring every bite of those delicious cookies, I spent some time in the arts district checking out the galleries and shops. Gild was the most charming shoe shop, and there were plenty of boutiques that I could have spent forever in. I also liked the art supply shop, Collage, and the fabrics from Bolt. I could have wandered around forever.
Portland is known for its amazing waterfalls, there are over 100 in the area! The most famous and 2nd tallest waterfall in the US is Multnomah Falls. Its easily accessible and they even have a gift shop and some food carts when walking in from parking. And just a half mile up the road is Wahkeena Falls that has a viewpoint from the road.
Little Big Burger hit the spot after my little hiking trip. They cook their fries in Truffle oil and so they were delicious.
The next morning I headed downtown for brunch at Mother’s. It was a beautiful, with the chicest decor and chandeliers everywhere. The menu included all kinds of comfort foods that were delicious.
After brunch I wandered around the waterfront before it was time to take off. I had such a fun weekend in the Rose City, and there was still so much that I didn’t do! I think its so cool that Portland is just a few minutes from the beach to the west, and to the east is a beautiful forest. In between is all the amazing things the city has to offer. I can’t wait to visit on another trip!
9/6 Los Angeles, California
While everyone is starting already with fall this and pumpkin spice that, I am still soaking up summer. These are some photos from a recent trip to LA, one of my favorite cities.
Koreatown is one of my favorite places to visit, there is always something cool to do. My friend and I had lunch at the Commissary and got doughnuts that spelled out our names at California Donuts.
*Travel Tip-if you plan on doing this, an order needs to placed in advance through their website.
We also went to this cute shop called Daisos, I thought it was an art supply store, but its an all inclusive shop from dinnerware to cleaning supplies to makeup. The cool thing is everything in the store is $1.50.
Then we visited LACMA and took a short stroll on the walk of fame. I looked up the addresses for a few stars to save us from wandering around.
After that we went down to Santa Monica, played cards on the beach and watched the sunset. We had dinner at Bruno’s and headed back to the hotel. Until next time, City of Angels!
9/1Â New York City, New York
With New York Fashion Week coming up, I thought it would be fun to share some photos I took in February while I was there for the spring collection presentations. I wish I could be there next week, fashion week has so much good energy and there is so much to see!
Eataly is such a good restaurant and shop! I highly recommend it if you are visiting the city!
I went to Speechless Vulgarity’s show and it was my favorite that I attended.
On my way home, I had a chance to explore Chicago for a couple hours. This cardinal was in Millennium Park and I swear he knew I was taking his picture!
fashionightmares 