C-c-c-color? It must be spring. My wardrobe consists of about 98% neutrals – of which I’ll usually have the same 10 items on rotation until exhaustion. I just know which pieces feel best, and I reach for them every time. But every once in a while, it’s ok(/essential) to mix it up. Party tiiiiiime.
Lovers + Friends romper. Karen Walker shades. ASOS slides.
If you’re planning a trip to the Mayan Riviera, make sure you make time to visit at least one of the famed cenotes that are native to the area. Cenotes are limestone sinkholes – stunning natural wonders that formed a gajillion or so years ago from an intricate system of subterranean rivers. Erosion and other elements caused the earth above parts of these rivers to cave in over time, exposing this mysterious underground ecosystem to our world in the form of gorgeous, mineral-rich swimming holes.
Located less than 10 minutes from town and easy to spot from the freeway, El Gran Cenote is an absolute no-brainer for anyone visiting Tulum. Entrance is 150 pesos per person, with an additional 80 pesos for snorkel gear rental (scuba tours are also offered). All in all you’ll pay the equivalent $15 US for a pretty priceless experience.
Once past the entrance, you walk a few yards inland along a little sandy path with well-manicured gardens. As you approach, the cenote reveals itself sunken deep into the earth. Gazing down from above, it’s kind of wild to see this shockingly blue amazingness that lies just beneath the ground at your feet. Once you descend the manmade platform into the water, you’re greeted by a labyrinth of mind-boggling underground caves, stalactites and stalagmites, bats, birds, little fish and turtles…exploring a cenote can make you feel privy to some secret place that’s not of this world. But that’s probably just the nerdgirl in me talking.
It was recently my birthday and my favorite thing to do to celebrate each passing year (beyond binge eating and drinking with friends – which also happened obviously) is get the F outta dodge. LA is truly an amazing place to live, but among the many advantages of living here is the ease with which one can LEAVE every once in a while when the traffic, kale, and profusion of actor/barista/dog runners eating kale in traffic gets to be too much. JK, I love kale.
Enter the simplistic beauty of the day trip. There isn’t always enough time (or money) in our lives for a big elaborate journey; but even an afternoon getaway can help recharge the mind and refresh the spirit. (And in my case, prolong the inevitability of the annual birthday sob session. Does anyone else always cry on their birthday, even when you’re happy? Just me?)
ANYWAYS. Ojai is a cozy and beautiful little agricultural town just east of Ventura and a convenient, playlist-friendly drive from LA – under two hours without traffic (which miraculously we didn’t hit at all). It’s been on my wishlist forever; and this year I was lucky enough to be squired here by my love for a nature-viewing, smoothie-drinking, vintage-shopping, house-crushing, mountain-gazing, wine-tasting, wine-buzzed-wandering, pizza-eating day of perfection. I loved everything this locale had to offer but I’d say the highlight was Bart’s Books: a reader’s wet dream that combines two of my favorite things – old books and the outdoors – for a magical wonderland that I could spend from now to my next birthday exploring.
Dress by Reformation. Bag by Givenchy. Slides by ASOS.
vacation MODE 