Ophelia

"This above all: to thine own self be true."

These photos were inspired by Sir John Everett Millais' painting "Ophelia," depicting the character Ophelia in Shakespeare's play, Hamlet just after she drowned in a river in Denmark. Despite the grim ending of Ophelia, I can't help but to be drawn to such beautiful, romantic, and flower-adorned images, especially when there is such a wonderfully elaborate back story.

Playlist of the Day: Miami Horror

I have some songs on repeat right now, and most of them are from Miami Horror. I dig them because they have a Neon Indian, meets Tesla Boy, meets Empire of the Sun kind of vibe and yet are still completely their own. Here are a few of my current favorites:

1. Imagination 
2. Sometimes
3. I Look to You 
4. Moon Theory
5. Summersun 
6. Echoplex

Enjoy my little summer pumpkins xx

Blue Angel

I've always wanted to do an underwater photo-shoot, so when my talented friend Ana Becerra invited me to, of course I accepted the offer. Despite the freezing temperature of the water I had a blast, Ana's super cool to shoot with and it's always fun to act like a mermaid, ;-) The photos remind me of one of the lyrics to one my favorite songs by the Love Language, Blue Angel.

           Blue angel, will we ever learn to swim? Remember to hold your breath 'till then.

Be sure to check out more of Ana's awesome work on her blog!

Black Swan

Exploring the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's Urban Light display, clad  in sequins and black feathers. I loved roaming through the display and exploring the city I grew up in with people that I love. I wore this dress for a New Year's Masquerade a friend and I hosted. (And in case you're wondering, yes, it is the same dress I wore in the post "Swanlike"--I loved the dress so much, I couldn't resist! ;-).   

I hope you all had a wonderful new years! And I hope this year is one filled with love, joy, and lots of laughter for you! xx

  Dress- Bebe 

Day 20: Venezia, Italy

Ahh, Venezia! Gondoliers sing romantic melodies as lovers and friends alike ride under bridges and through the city. Shops are lined with colorful Murano glass jewelry and extravagant Venetian Masks. Stacked closely side by side, homes come in hues of reds, yellows, oranges, and pinks. Flowers hang from balconies and local children stare at the tourist passer-bys. In Piazza di San Marco we drop a few bread crumbs and are swarmed by a flock of pigeons as a live band plays Django Reinhardt's "Brazil,"  at a nearby restaurant. I wonder if there could be a place any more magical than the beautiful streets, bridges, canals, cathedrals, and alleyways of Venice.

Day 19: The Cinque Terre

The Cinque Terre consists of five coastline fishing towns: Vernazza, Corniglia, Riomaggiore, Manarola, and Montorosso al Mare--all relatively small in size and the number of it's inhabitants.  Brightly painted homes are pressed together and stacked upon one another, clothing lines are strung from home-to-home, boats rest on the calm water, and locals and tourists alike take turns jumping into the pristine crystal blue sea that is so clear, it's as if it were illuminated from below.

As we take a dip in the refreshing and cool embrace of the ocean's touch, Il Gigante, Montorosso Al Mare's native Giant looms over us. A friendly giant, he holds the town together as he watches the frolicking and commotion in the water and on the beach below him.

I'm wearing the "ginger maillot" one piece from Anthropologie.

Here are some photos from my Instagram. I couldn't manage to get any post-worthy photos on my main camera (although my friend did manage to get a few shots of some tall, dark, and handsome, speedo-clad Italians, but you wouldn't want to see that now would you? ;-)
Montorosso Al Mare had to be my favorite town of the five, only because it had the most beach space, shops, and it's very own giant! However, the other towns also had beautiful hiking trails with amazing ocean views that we didn't get to experience because we were limited on time. I know the next time I go back that is definitely on my to-do list!

Getting There: Getting to the Cinque Terre is fairly simple as you can take a train to La Spezia, which then takes you directly to the five towns.
Getting Around: There's a train pass called the "Cinque Terre Card" that cost us about 7 euros and will take you from town to town. Each town is about 5 minutes apart by train. However the trains were so packed full, no conductor came around to even check our tickets! You can also hike from town to town along the beautiful coastline trails, which will take you a few hours. If you have the time, I'd recommend this venture as the views looked beautiful!

Day 13: Notre Dame, Paris

The beauty of Paris’ French gothic Notre Dame is immediately evident. Its grand spires reach toward the sky and the façade is too intricate to take in with a mere glance. After walking down the nave and getting a good view of the altar and all the beautiful gothic chandeliers and stained glass windows, we head out towards the garden. There is a man and some children holding out little pieces of bread as birds come and peck right out of their hands. Chrysanthemums, daisies, poppies, and bright yellow football mums line the outside of Our Lady. It’s a beautiful sight to behold and reminds you why Paris is often referred to as “The City of Love.”