7.12.2019

Hey everyone! I feel like it's been forever since I last posted, but I'm back with a little recap of our Summer road trip. I'm breaking it up into two parts, and today is all about Utah.

It was our second time visiting Utah, but it was our first time exploring places like Bryce Canyon National Park and parts of central and northern Utah. The first time we went to Zion before heading to the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Zion was absolutely majestic in size and scope, but Bryce Canyon was just so unique in its beauty. I've never experienced anything quite like it. We were only there for half a day, but it was plenty of time to get out of our jeep and take in the breathtaking views within the park. There's a shuttle system that picks passengers up and drops them off at various lookouts and points, but for time's sake Nate and I just drove ourselves and that worked out just fine. It really depends on your schedule and how long you'd like to explore. This was on the first leg of our trip so we were extremely excited when we finally looked down into the canyon!

Bryce Canyon National Park


If and when we go again, I'd like to hike one of the trails leading into the canyon! It truly looks magnificent. The rust colored rocks jutting out like bony fingers...I was mesmerized. It's definitely one of the coolest things I've ever seen. The weather was really nice too which made the experience all the more pleasant. They don't allow dogs so we left Nettie in our trailer with the air conditioning running. We camped for one night at Ruby's Inn (a very nice campground with all the amenities) and I highly recommend camping there because it's a mile outside of the park. 


After spending one short night and part of the next day at Bryce Canyon, we headed to Bear Lake on the border of Utah and Idaho. It was a steep drive going through the mountains, but the drive itself is so beautiful that we didn't mind it one bit.

On The Road In Utah


I couldn't help but snap a ton of photos of Nettie. We try our best to include her on our camping trips, and she was happy as can be!


Bear Lake

We stayed at Bear Lake for three nights and four days. The resort town was so quaint and charming, and the lake itself was enormous with clear blue water. We swam, rode bikes, and enjoyed the scenery. 



Must-Stops

If you're ever in Bear Lake, you MUST try the crepes at crepes and coffee. I got a traditional sweet crepe with nutella, and Nate got a savory crepe with turkey and avocado. Their ice coffee was delicious as well. I wish more cafes out here in California offered crepes! I could eat one every morning. 


On the way back from Wyoming towards the end of our road trip, we stopped at a creamery in Beaver Utah. I'm a huge cheese lover so naturally I had to buy some cheddar cheese curds. Don't forget the milkshakes and ice cream though. I seriously gained 6 pounds on this trip! Well worth it.

Utah is such a beautiful state. The southern part is desert terrain, while northern Utah is filled with mountains, rivers, and plenty of greenery. I must say that out of all the states I've been to so far (and besides Hawaii, which is certainly the most beautiful in my opinion) Utah is just stunning! It's a must-see, especially if you love the outdoors.



Thank you guys for all the well wishes on my Instagram stories while we were away! Doing a few stories here and there was a fun way to document the trip.

I'll be back next week talking all about Yellowstone national park and Wyoming! Plus I have so many other posts to share so stay tuned :)

7.01.2019

"You'll need coffee shops and sunsets and road trips. Airplanes and passports and new songs and old songs, but people more than anything else. You will need other people, and you will need to be that other person to someone else. A living breathing screaming invitation to believe better things."
~The Minds Journal


June is a wonderful month, punctuated by the official beginning of Summer. I always revel in this time, where the sunlight lasts longer and the pace of life slows, if only for a few short weeks.

It was a pretty uneventful month around here, but the weekends were so relaxing that I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. Here are some highlights:


Dining al fresco at Robert Renzoni Winery in Temecula. They recently started offering dinner service on Friday and Saturday evenings, up until 8:00. It was a beautiful way to eat a hearty Italian meal! I recommend the lobster ravioli. Also their red wines are the best in town.
We were the last couple there after they closed...oops! Too busy eating a slice of their lemoncello cake OMG

Making egg salad sandwiches for lunch. I hard boil some eggs, peel them, and smash them with a fork. I then add a small amount of mayo and mustard, followed by salt, pepper, and a little cayenne for kick. Add some fresh arugula to whatever bread you like, top with a generous amount of the egg salad and voila. It's easy and so delicious.

Wearing both pairs of espadrilles non-stop. June gloom was definitely present most days, so I opted for closed toe shoes that still looked Summer-ready.

Watching one of the scariest movies I've ever seen! I'm probably alone in this, but I love horror films. One of Nate's old roommates came down from L.A. to visit us, and both he and his girlfriend are actors. I asked them for movie recommendations and they suggested one called Hereditary. It is creepy! I watched with one eye shut. Very good though if you're in the mood for a scare ;)

Excited for this road trip I'm currently on (hopefully it's going well), the 4th of July in Wyoming, and going back to Ohio the last weekend of July to visit Nate's extended family.


Things I Liked In June:

1) I got my Summer FabFitFun box and it was so good! I've been a subscriber for a couple years, and I swear each quarterly box gets better and better. I've discovered so many great products like the Brighten Up! exfoliating cleanser and Oribe dry shampoo.

2) As I mentioned briefly, we had a friend visit us that we hadn't seen in ages and it felt like old times. The weather was perfect that night, and we spent hours sitting in the backyard talking and laughing.

3) I enjoyed seeing all the Pride month posts on social media. We've come a long way, but still have further to go.

Things I Didn't Like In June:

1) All of the gloomy, cold, cloudy weather! I normally try to avoid the constant complaining about weather because well, it's weather. But I'm happy to report that it is a sunny 75 degrees as I type this :)


Happy 1st day of July! I'll be back next week after my trip but have a happy and safe 4th!

6.26.2019

 I'm so excited because in exactly two days, we are off on the longest Summer road trip we have ever taken. It's been months in the making and now it's finally here!

For those of you who might have missed it, myself, Nate, Nettie, and a couple of our dearest friends and their family are all hitting the road and going to Utah, Wyoming, and ending in Las Vegas Nevada. Nate and I did a similar trip a couple years ago when we ventured out to Zion and the Grand Canyon, but this time will be much different. For one, we won't just be flying by the seat of our pants and camping out in the woods alone, sleeping in our jeep (yup, we did that). This time we booked four different campgrounds to stay in. Also, we'll be traveling and sleeping in an RV which is much more pleasant than a small jeep!

I can't wait to make new memories and see more of America. Experiencing it with friends is an added bonus, and something I'm sure we'll reminisce over for years to come.


Packing for a 10 (yes 10) day road trip seems daunting, and actually it has been. But since we are mostly planning on swimming, doing some light hiking, and sight-seeing along each stop on our path, I decided to keep it as simple as possible. I really don't have the room to over-pack! I'm bringing:

a handful of casual tees and tank tops
3 pairs of shorts
1 pair of jeans
2 pairs of leggings
1 jacket, 1 sweatshirt
2 bathing suits
3 casual dresses
2 kimonos that can double as bathing suit coverups
1 pair of sneakers, 1 pair of sandals, 1 pair of espadrilles

I figure if I need to wash anything, I can do so by hand and hang the item to dry. I love clothes, but when it comes to camping, I have a tomboy side...or really, just a zero F's given side. You have to just go with it!



I'm taking very minimal products with me that can perform double duty. For example, the cream shadow sticks from Glo can also double as eyeliner. The bronzer and highlight palette can work as eyeshadows and blush. It's all about effortless beauty when you're on a road trip. In fact, I'm sure some days I won't wear anything besides sunscreen and a little concealer. 


I definitely plan on writing about my experience once we get home. In the meantime, I'll be back with my monthly edit next week!

Linking up with On The Daily Express and Straight A Style