Welcome to Borrego Springs, CA! 🌌
What I like to call the perfect getaway-- hidden away in the mountains and less than 3 hours from LA! Borrego Springs is a little village in San Diego that’s unique for multiple reasons. For one, it happens to be recognized as a designated International Dark Sky Community by the International Dark-Sky Association, the only one in California! Meaning they have no stop lights in Borrego Springs and nighttime lighting is kept to a minimum to protect the views of the night sky. ✨ I can guarantee that if you live in the city, you’ve never seen the night sky like this. You can literally see thousands of stars & planets with the naked eye! 🌟🪐

Borrego Springs is a village completely surrounded by the 600,000-acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the largest state park in California! It happens to be the only California town completely surrounded by a state park. ⛰ Stargazing here is a popular thing to do, which is why the city attracts tons of astronomers and photographers year-round. 🔭 If you’re planning on visiting, I definitely don’t recommend making the drive at night! Please drive with caution, always! ⚠️

The main spot I wanted to check out during my trip were the metal sculptures installed by artist Ricardo Breceda. 🎨 There are over 100 large statues of animals spread throughout the Galleta Meadows Estate in Borrego Springs, so choose wisely and hit up your favorites! Most are off the main roads, so you’ll be able to see them just by driving by! One of the most popular sculptures is the Sand Dragon, stretching over 350 feet long and snaking across the main road in Borrego. 🐉 We visited right before sunset, mainly to avoid the day heat, but still have enough light to get home before it got completely dark (which it does)!

Check out some of the photos we captured below during our trip to Borrego Springs! 📸

Mexico is a country full of life & color, regardless if you're in the city or by the coast. Earlier this month I returned from an amazing trip to both Mexico City and Cancun! For the past few years I've attended EDC Mexico, but this time I decided to extend my trip and head over to the Yucatan Peninsula!
Check out my photos & suggestions on things to do, where to stay, (and more excitingly) where to eat + drink while traveling throughout Mexico!

WHERE TO STAY: Private AirbnB's & the Omni Cancun Hotel + Villas
Airbnb (Mexico City) -- For the first part of my trip, I decided to stay at an Airbnb in Mexico City, super close to the city center! I love staying near the Angel of Independence, mainly because there's tons of places to eat + see! There are thousands of beautiful condos and houses available to rent through Airbnb, which makes it really tough to pick the perfect one! I decided to go with this beautiful 2-story condo, with a master bedroom that opened up to the private outdoor patio. I spent most of my mornings with the doors wide open, gazing outside while peacefully laying in bed. I'd definitely book this space again!

Omni Cancun Hotel + Villas (Cancun) -- For the second half of the trip, I decided to revisit a resort that I stayed at back in 2014! They've recently gone through some major upgrades and I love what they've done with the place! All-Inclusive meals + drinks at a few different restaurants located on the property grounds! Essentially, you never have to leave once you arrive! Not to mention the views to the beach are STUNNING! 

WHERE TO EAT: Mexico City
These are a few of my go-to spots and what they have to offer!
Breakfast -- Rosa Camelia MX (bomb chilaquiles + margaritas!)
Lunch -- El Fogoncito (traditional Mexican food, a local favorite)
Dinner + Drinks -- Waikiki Tiki Room (tiki bar located near the city center, good music + specialty drinks)

Asia has been a continent I’ve wanted to visit for years now, so when the opportunity for me to travel to Taiwan came, I hopped on it! I made it a point to not only explore the city, but also the more natural side of the island as well.
In this post I'll be covering a few different spots throughout Taiwan!
Click any of the topics below to jump ahead!​
​amba Taipei Songshan - hotel
Din Tai Fung - Xinyi Road - restaurant 
que Steak & Seafood Restaurant and MUD Bar - food & drinks
Taipei 101/"Elephant Hill" Nangang District Xiangshan Hiking Trail - views
Yehliu Geopark, Shifen Waterfall, Golden Waterfall, & Jiufen - experiences
Leofoo Village Theme Park & Taipei Zoo - attractions​

When it comes to lodging in Taiwan, there’s tons of different districts to choose from depending on what you want to experience! I spent my time in a few different areas of the island and definitely have my favorites now! Songshan District — located relatively close to the city center in Eastern Taipei and home of the famous Raohe Street Night Market - is an awesome area to stay and easily connects travelers to different districts via the MRT system. During my stay here I stayed at the amba Taipei Songshan, a beautiful hotel with stunning views of Taipei 101 & Keelung River!

My favorite part about amba Taipei Songshan is the direct connection to the MRT station! In a rainy city like Taipei, it’s awesome having a straight shot to the MRT without having to get wet. Another awesome plus is the free shuttle service to the Taipei 101 building! We utilized this on Day 1 to explore the area around the building, and we even decided to take the hike up Elephant Hill to see the view everybody was talking about! It was a long and tough hike up a couple hundred stairs, but it was worth it in the end.

When visiting Taiwan, you've gotta try the most popular dining establishment on the island, Din Tai Fung! There's a few locations spread throughout the city but we decided to enjoy our meal at the original location in Taipei on Xinyi Road, established in 1972! It was such a beautiful experience with a very attentive staff. We ordered an array of dumplings, rice, noodles, and spicy pickled cucumber! All was very yummy, and not to mention the menu is literally priced in half compared to it's U.S. locations.

Narrowing down which day trips we wanted to do was a tough one, but it had to be done! We decided to visit Leofoo Village Theme Park  on a whim. (Literally bought the tickets the day before.) The theme park is about 45 minutes away from the main city of Taipei so I decided to book our little day trip through KLOOK, an online travel agency where you can book & reserve a ton of tours/attractions in cities all around the world! They offer a bundle package that includes admission into the theme park plus transportation to/from! It worked out perfect for us and ensured our day went smoothly. Both Leofoo Village & the Taipei Zoo were full of animals and attractions that made for long days, full of photo-worthy sights. 

If you're looking for gorgeous views & authentic Taiwanese food, then I definitely suggest doing this multi-stop tour towards the north east coast of Taiwan. Our first stop was at Yehliu Geopark! It's a geological destination right along the ocean, covered in honeycomb and mushroom type shaped rocks that I've never even seen before! We then made our way to two beautiful waterfalls and spent some time at each soaking in the views. In Shifen and Jiufen we walked around, drank some milk tea, shopped a little, and tried to make the most of our time. I definitely could've spent a few more hours here! 

My time in Taiwan is something that I'll never forget. This was my biggest travel venture to date, and it only makes me more excited to choose my next destination. I love being able to see and take part in all these different cultures around the world and share them with you all.

​Thank you to the team at @amba.hotels for making my stay in Taipei the most memorable and inviting me to review the properties.
Thank you KLOOK for the awesome excursions we experienced throughout our trip. 
As always, all opinions are my own!
​
FTC DISCLAIMER: This post contains sponsored links.

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!