TRAVEL

The Surf - Santa Cruz

Travis and I woke up when it was still dark outside and walked a mile to the water with the simple intention to catch the sunrise.  Along the way we ran into this surf spot.  It was nestled right along some rocks and provided just a small patch of waves - so small that surfers couldn't even ride them into shore.  But seeing the passion and determination these people possessed was enough to keep us watching for a good hour.  And it was a fine spot to watch that sunrise. 

See more of our California trip here

The Cloisters

The Cloisters has been on my radar for a while now.  So with a few hours to kill yesterday, I made my way north of Manhattan, like past 190th Street north, to finally see the museum for myself.  The Cloisters is situated on a hill that overlooks the Hudson River.  It is made up of a combination of art and architecture from medieval Europe.  And it was such a pleasant surprise.  While the museum is dedicated to showing it's collection of architecture and art from cloisters around the world, I was especially taken by the greenery throughout.  All three of the gardens are inspired by poetry, garden documents, and other elements from medieval times and they compliment the space so well.  

That California Fog

My senior year of high school was followed with a trip up the California coast to celebrate.  Never once do I remember seeing fog.  And somehow, on my most recent trip (down the coast from SF to Big Sur) we kept getting caught in it.   At first, we were disappointed - all we really wanted to do was enjoy the coastline and see the water.  But then we started to fall in love with it. It made us more of explorers, per se, pulling over and venturing down to the water, rather than simply enjoying it from far above. By the end of the trip, driving upon it was actually something we really looked forward to. 

EATS: (San Francisco) Bar Crudo, Delfina Pizza, My My Coffee Shop - (Santa Cruz) Burger, Picnic Basket, Cafe Brasil, Walnut Avenue - (Big Sur) Nepenthe, Big Sur Bakery
COFFEE: (San Francisco) Blue Bottle, Four Barrel

The Claremont, By Lo & Sons

A couple weeks ago, Lo & Sons sent me to explore Charleston with their new Claremont camera bag on my shoulder.  To anyone ever looking for a good quality camera bag, I could not recommend this one enough.  It’s the perfect size and color, the shoulder straps are adjustable, and it’s got plenty of room for more than just a camera - it completely simplified the way that I normally travel.


For the release of Claremont's new color, I wrote a piece about my Charleston experience.  And for more on the trip, check out their Pinterest page.  

Having lived in the south for 11 years, when I explain it to people, I almost always unintentionally think about Charleston. It’s simple but in every way charming, it’s welcoming, the food is remarkable, and the people are polite. So on a recent trip to this beloved city, I went with a list of new places to visit, a good pair walking shoes (because as I’ve learned, Charleston should only be seen by foot or bike), my camera, and my new Claremont bag, which seemed a lot like Charleston: simple and beautiful (and not to mention, practical!)

The daily-curated menu and beautiful, welcoming space at Chez Nous was the perfect way to start the trip. It resonated southern hospitality. Lunch was followed by iced coffees from Black Tap, a stroll around the nearby streets, and the decision that flower boxes and shutters are my new dream home addition. I window shopped on King Street, paid The Preservation Society a visit, and eventually found myself eating a pre-dinner snack: a local-honey cupcake from Sugar Bakeshop. The day ended with a remarkable ’Shellfish Tower' at The Ordinary. Hundreds of pictures were taken and the Claremont never left my side.

After a restful night at the Francis Marion Hotel, a breakfast of shrimp and grits at Husk fueled me for another day of adventure. I strolled from east to west and north to south, leisurely meandering through the quiet streets, taking photos along the way, and falling in love with the colorful homes, the mix of palm trees with live oaks, and the abundance of vines. From the waterfront at the City Marina, to enjoying a highly talked about sandwich from Butcher and Bee, and browsing The Daily, the city began to feel familiar.

Two days full of adventure, and a slew of photos later, my trip came to an end… which is actually just the beginning of many adventures to come with my Claremont in tow.

Martha's Vineyard

In June, I took my first trip to Martha's Vineyard.  Coming off a busy May, I didn't have a chance to research or really look into the Vineyard at all.  A peak out the window of the airplane was my first glance at what I would quickly come to deem one of the most beautiful places that I have ever been.  And not beautiful because of views, but because of the quaintness, the charm, the simplicity, and those always eye-catching shaker shingle houses (that I apparently can't stop talking about this summer - see: hamptons getaway).  And seeing the men bringing in the fish off their boats gives a whole new meaning to fresh seafood.  The trip concluded in a joint decision to come back every year.