Southwestern Adventure
We found the coolest spot while cruising down Texas highway 281 this past weekend. The Southwest Center is several miles north of Marble Falls, Texas and is a glorious, pink, retro dream. I honestly have no idea what the utility of this place is, but it was the dreamiest spot for an impromptu photoshoot!
Vintage Vinyl Haul
Record Town: Vinyl Heaven
If you've been following along on my instagram and insta stories you'll know that I have a new passion for vintage vinyl inspired by my dad and his record store, Record Town! My dad has been a massive music lover since he was a little kid, and has collected albums, cds, and all kinds of music memorabilia for fifty years. Digging for records is like a treasure hunt, you find a bunch of dusty junk, some totally weird shit, and then you stumble upon something magical. I typically like to buy albums from the 60's and 70's such as ballets, orchestral pieces, and classic rock. I also totally love Elton albums, anything with a crazy cover, and Foreigner. Yes, I sometimes buy vinyl for the cover, lol do you even know me? I recently went to Record Town and dug through their $1 bin and found some true gems - string covers of the Stones, french ballets, and a jazzercise record lol.
A Weekend in San Antonio
I've been making trips to my dad's hometown of San Antonio for my entire life. It is a vibrant city full of kind, hardworking people, gorgeous scenery, and culture beyond compare. To say I love it is an understatement. Each time my family makes a trip to SA, we make an effort to try a new restaurant or visit a new location. I'm psyched to share my favorite finds, old faves, and hidden gems that would make an incredible weekend in SA!
Activities
El Mercado in down town SA // 514 W. Commerce, San Antonio, TX 78207 // The mercado of Market Square is an open air market spanning three blocks selling Mexican imports, local food, hand-embroidered dresses and tons more. The culture of SA really comes alive in this plaza - this is the perfect day activity for the weekend! (Photos below)
Japanese Tea Garden // 200-414 Alpine, San Antonio, TX 78212 // The Japanese Garden (pictured above with the koi fish) is a rock quarry-turned-botanical garden. It is INCREDIBLE. Go.
Visit the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park // The missions of Concepción, San José, San Juan and Espada were built in the early 1700's by missionaries from Spain. The missions have been beautifully restored and are great for a day trip to explore for several hours.
Shopping in the Alamo Quarry Market // 255 E Basse Rd, San Antonio, TX 78209
Explore the Riverwalk // 849 E Commerce St, San Antonio, TX 78205 // A classic SA activity is to explore the Riverwalk that runs through downtown. There are fun stores, kitchy restaurants, and beautiful scenery.
Restaurants
Cappy's // 5011 Broadway St, San Antonio, TX 78209 // Cappy's is our family's favorite fancy restaurant. We make sure to go every single time we’re in SA. The food is incredible - an upscale mix of American classics and creative fares. Truly a must .
La Fogata // 2427 Vance Jackson Rd, San Antonio, TX 78213 // La Fogata is straight up my favorite Mexican restaurant in SA, which is hard to do. They serve classic tex-mex in a garden atmosphere. All of the photos below were taken there!! Try the queso flameado, trust me on this. (Photos below)
El Mirador // 722 S Saint Marys St, San Antonio, TX 78205 // El Mirador is a great new-age Mexican place in a revamped neighborhood, def worth a peek!
Oblate Cafe // 904 Oblate Dr, San Antonio, TX 78216 // A classic SA Mexican cafe for the true cultural experience.
How To Rock A Beret
With colder weather being the new norm, it's totally appropriate to rock this season's chicest headwear - the beloved beret. Below I have outlined some tongue-in-cheek steps to guide you in mastering the art of the beret.
Step 1: Get a quality beret. Wool berets are the way to go as they are the traditional fabric.
Step 2: Decide if you want to wear your hair down or up. Down with messy waves is my fave, but a low messy ponytail is a close second. Never wear your beret with your hair in a high pony or high bun, you'll look like a gnome.
Step 3: Slip the beret on and adjust it slightly off center. If you wear it totally straight it means you're a nerd. If you're into that then I guess get it girl, but I like the whole "rebel Parisienne" look with it being a bit off.
Step 4: Strut around like the babe you are. You're welcome.
Location // Beehive Fort Worth
Photography // @lookswithadri
Finding The Magic in People
Hey babes!! Hope ya'll are out there enjoying what sets your heart racing and keeps you fully engaged in life! For me, this blog is a culmination of many different things that I am in love with. Modeling (lol, I use this term loosely), photography, graphic and web design, personal expression, and aesthetic beauty are all things that keep me awake at night with excitement for future possibilities. I recently had a shoot at Beehive Fort Worth and it was such an amazing experience. The shoot was not only a total blast, it was a wake up call telling me that this is what I want my life to be about: Engaging with different individuals and finding a working harmony towards a similar goal.
What a cool thing it is to understand that each person you meet is an expert in something and that you can learn from them. Each individual has magic in them and you can see it if you take the time. I just watched this amazing Ted Talk (here) on how to have meaningful conversations with individuals. I feel that this talk is so important in giving us tools to break past the barriers we create and helps us find magic in each other. I highly, highly recommend watching it.
I post these thoughts with this outfit because I want to be totally congruent is dressing myself for myself and not the world. I hope by me dressing in my blissfully ridiculous fashion, it inspires you to not give a damn what others think and act and dress in a way that is fulfilling to you.
Best Things To Do In Paris
I once heard that the best thing to do in Paris is nothing. Upon hearing this I thought, "That is absolutely absurd, Paris is a city full of treasures waiting to be explored you can't possibly do nothing!" After having experienced the magic of the city several times, I can honestly say that you truly CAN do literally nothing and have a splendid time in Paris. And that is the beauty of Paris, you don't even have to try to have a great time, it will just happen naturally! With the pressure to have a great time out of the way, I'm sharing a few of my favorite things to do in my favorite city, aside from doing nothing of course!
Have a glass (or three) of champagne on top of the Eiffel Tower
Having a glass of champagne on top of the Eiffel Tower has been on my bucket list for years, and believe me, it did not disappoint! Seeing the city from the summit of the Eiffel Tower was breath taking and exhilarating. The bubbles get to your head a bit more quickly at the summit, so thats extra fun (lol). I skipped the long line and went straight to the top through Fat Tire Tours. Here is the link for the VIP Eiffel Tower access.
Have afternoon tea at a Salon de Thé
Tea shoppes are a very "old Paris" thing. They are a bit regal and I find them terribly charming. I highly recommend Nina's (pictured above) as well as the legendary Laudrée. You can spend a few hours here just sampling teas or having a bit of lunch (mainly at Laudrée for the best selection of delicious food - I highly recommend it).
Put a lock on Pont d'Amour
Love locks are just for lovers, you know. On my first trip to Paris I put a lock on Pont Amour just for me. It was a special way of saying I commit to care for and love myself. Of course if you have a special person in your life you can write both your names on the lock! The tradition is to toss the key into the Seine after you lock your lock to the bridge to symbolize your commitment to the person you share the lock with. The bridge is really called Pont des Arts and is located near the Pont Neuf metro station.
Tour a fabulous museum (or Five)
Paris is clearly a city known for its history of fine art. From the classical Baroque art to the bold Impressionist movement, Paris has always been a haven for creatives. The city boasts more than 130 museums with fabulous works from all over the world with the Lourve being the most popular cite. My advice for the Louve is this: make a small list and see a few key pieces of art then get the hell out of there. There are many more precious places to see and the Lourve will eat an entire week of time if you let it. See Venus de Milo or the Winged Victory of Samothrace (which made me cry) and then jet. Hit up the Musée d'Orsay to see the impressionist masters Degas and Manet. Stroll along the Jardin des Tuileries and pop into the Musée de l'Orangerie and see 360 degrees of Monet's stunning water lilies (pictured above). My final favorite is Musée de la Vie Romantique, a quaint little studio with a cafe and green house perfect for a quiet afternoon.
Picnic Under the Eiffel Tower
Picnicking on the lawns all around the city is a Parisienne favorite! With a bottle of rosé and a few delicious treats, you can spend hours just watching the world go by. Fat Tire Tours will even organize a chef-prepared fresh meal ready to be enjoyed right next to the Eiffel Tower on Avenue de la Bourbonnais. This was one of my absolute favorite experiences in Paris and truly a must-do. You can schedule your Parisienne picnic here.
See the City's Historic Sites By Bike
I normally don't recommend anything too athletic, but a Paris bike tour is so damn fun. You get to see the touristy parts of the city in a unique and active way, zooming through the avenues on a precious red bike. You can learn a ton about the city's history from seeing its architectural monuments, and doing so by bike is a blast. I went through Fat Tire Tours and scheduled by tour here.
Sit at a sidewalk cafe and people watch
Last on the list, but perhaps my favorite thing to do, is to find a sidewalk cafe and people watch. Order a glass of rosé and maybe a few nibbles and stay for as long as you like. The people of Paris do this as their sport of choice and it is truly fabulous. Like I said before, the most brilliant thing about Paris is that you can do absolutely nothing and have a marvelous time.