A few weeks ago I took a bloggers trip to Kansas City and got to experience a cold winter weekend in the Midwest! I first visited KCMO back in 2017 and it quickly become my favorite city for a weekend trip. Kansas City has a small town feel that I love, especially compared to LA. Even in the downtown area, you still pick up on that quintessential vibe. This time around I stayed in an Air BnB located in downtown. I think Air BnB is a great option if you're trying to stay near downtown. They have a ton of lofts and apartments! If traveling during the winter, be sure to book a place with a hot tub! You'll definitely want to put it to use!

This time around I finally got to visit the National WW1 Museum and Memorial! The Liberty Tower memorial is a huge 265 foot structure that can be seen from all around Kansas City! (PHOTOGRAPHED BELOW) After observing the monument, I got to go inside the museum and take a self-guided tour through the exhibits. They had this really awesome projection show, giving the history on the World War with great visuals and effects. Must see!

The last (and probably most important) part of the trip: the FOOD! KCMO never disappoints when it comes to chowing down. When I travel, I like stay away from chain restaurants and stick to local eateries. One of my favorite Missouri staples is the Drunken Fish! It's a Japanese restaurant, with some of the best sushi and chicken wings EVER! Yes, a big claim, I know -- but I mean it. They have these glazed teriyaki chicken wings that are seriously some of the best pieces of chicken I've ever had. I make sure to stop by every time I'm in KCMO! Even twice if I have the time. For dessert, Insomnia Cookies is the go-to spot! Open AND delivering fresh baked cookies until 3 AM every day! My favorite is the Snickerdoodle. I'm patiently waiting for them to open an LA location already! Overall, every time I visit Kansas City it's like making new memories in another hometown. I'm already planning my next trip to KCMO. With so much to see and do, it's truly an amazing city to explore.

Thank you Visit KC for the gifts + tickets!

a year ago i was asked what my dream destination was. my response? cuba! so when the opportunity arose, i jumped on it and knew i had to make this dream of mine come true! 💫 huge thank you to marimar travel and my amazing host for the week eduardo! 🙌🏾 they made the entire process a breeze! from visa application, to itinerary planning, and even some amazing recommendations! 🍴
we traveled through about 5 different cities, basically covering the eastern side of the island!
get ready for a lengthy read and tons of photos! 📸📝

we started off the trip in havana! we hopped in a 55' Buick and took the tour around the city. 📍 we hopped off all around and got to see so many gems all around old havana. one of the first stops we made was at la bodeguita del medio 🥃 (the birthplace of the mojito and was one of hemmingway's fav spots to hang!) it was PACKED with tons of people, all enjoying the live band and rum!
take a look at the gallery below to see some photos of the city!

after havana, the next city we moved on to was vinales! 🌄 we got to take in amazing views at the valley, which included an amazing mural. 🎨 i then got the opportunity to meet a tobacco farmer and get a closer look at what life is like for a cuban tobacco farmer. 🌱 this man and his family were some of the most humble people i have ever met. such a dedicated man, with a son that was so content with the simple life. ♥️ it was definitely kind of a culture shock. from seeing kids in america with phones at 10 years old, to now seeing his family here in cuba fulfilled with so little. super thank you to this family and my tour guide for allowing this experience to be an amazing one. 🙏🏾 forever thankful! take a look at the typical farms and houses below!

for the last part of the trip we headed to the beach! 🌊 varadero was such a beautiful city! very cancun-esque! blue waters and soft sand! 🤩 i stayed at melia varadero - cuba! 🏢 an all-inclusive resort, complete with a private beach and tons of restaurants! as soon as we had free time at the resort, i went down to the water! 🙌🏾 (funny story: i planned on swimming in a different outfit, but when i put my feet in to feel the water, i got SOAKED by a wave! 😭 so, i dropped down, told my man to grab the camera, and we just went with it! LOL!)

overall, this trip was definitely a life changing one. ☝🏾 it has made me take on a whole new perspective. i've literally never experienced a country with such rich colors and incredible sights. 🌴 it was absolutely a once in a lifetime trip! being able to see these different cultures, connect with people from different backgrounds, and listen to so many languages is what keeps inspiring me to travel and share my experiences.

here's to more! - c

there’s nothing like hopping off the plane and instantly breathing in some fresh air, & when i landed in denver that’s exactly what happened! ✈️💙 from the wildlife to the red rocks, the entire city is a gem and i’m so glad i decided to visit! 🌲🦌

i entered the city with hopes of experiencing and seeing something new. i’ve always heard about denver, but i had no idea what to expect! the city was very diverse, with tons of restaurants offering options for everyone! during my stay in the city, my fav place to eat at was torchy’s taco (SUPER good tacos, try the queso too!) 🌮🧡 i also stopped by the new whole foods market that opened up near union station and snagged a piece of carrot cake! 😻🍰

while in denver, i got the opportunity to shoot some photos of a gorgeous new hostel that just opened up! 📸 it was seriously some of the best interior design work i’ve ever seen! 👌🏾 from 12 person jacuzzi, to the outdoor fire pit, this hostel is the perfect place to stay when visiting! check the photos out in the gallery below!

thank you @emberhosteldenver for hosting me during my stay in denver! 🏡

All opinions are my own!

foggy skies and mild temperatures, being in the bay area during this time of year is my personal favorite. san francisco will forever be my getaway city, and during this past trip i got to get an even closer look at the beautiful city. i hopped on a City SightSeeing SF Hop-On-Hop-Off bus and got to ride all around the city! i saw new parts of the bay that i didn’t even know existed! i got to ride the Official City Tour path, and i specifically chose this one because it allowed me to see a lot of the monuments and tourist locations that i’ve never visited before! the double-decker bus was full of energy thanks to the hilarious host we had! i decided to ride on the top of the bus to fully take in what the city had to show!
​take a look at some shots i grabbed while riding around SF!

thank you City Sightseeing San Francisco for sponsoring this ride! 

All opinions are my own!