~Cable Cars~  

I’ve been to San Francisco twice a year for as long as I can remember. Every time I came here I wanted to visit the same touristy attractions. My parents, being both San Francisco natives, humored me and acted as my guide. As I got older, and after some coaxing from my parents, I broke out of my comfort zone and began exploring all the city has to offer. Occasionally I love to revisit a few of these spots reliving some of my fondest childhood memories.

~The ferry building has some of my favorite little specialty food shops and on weekends some of them have trays of free samples~

~Ghirardelli Square’s Original Chocolate Manufactory is one of my obsessions. They opened an ice cream counter extension over in San Francisco Center shown above~ 

 ~Russian Hill with the famous zigzag street. I’m a little too hesitant to ever drive on it but I love the gorgeous architecture, scenery and the nice little workout climbing the hill~

~Most likely my first project to-be. Use a board and chalkboard paint + an old frame spray painted a rustic color~

Every so often I get a sudden urge to redecorate. I look through magazines, blogs and various sites for inspiration. As much as I would love to buy every antique this or vintage that, it just isn’t all that economical. Rather than redo my apartment I compromise with DIY projects. My favorite inspirational archive is Pinterest. It’s a site that allows you to endlessly browse images and organize them into boards (i.e. categories). Here are a few of my recent finds that have lead to new DIY inspiration, which hopefully won’t break the bank.

~Inspirational pillows. Perfect for sharing a favorite quotation, poem or short story~

~I already have a sole metal word highlighting a concept I live by daily, but I have never thought to highlight it with a simple frame~

~Ever since seeing burlap used in a decorative form (i.e. table runners) I continue to marvel at its versatility. Although, these curtains will be a long term project in the making as I hone my sewing skills~

~This is more ideal for those rainy SF days rather than piling my shoes on the carpet creating an unsightly wet rug~

Images via: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

~View from my alma mater~

Recently I’ve been bored with my life in the bay. I felt restless and was searching for a change. Moving to Los Angeles, a place I’ve missed most, sounded like a great idea especially with my lease ending and apartment hunting looming over my head. However, this seemed a bit drastic and instead opted for a change of scenery. I decided on a day trip to Santa Cruz, my second home. After a day of enjoying the sun, gorgeous scenery, and reuniting with close friends I was ready to return home. This mini road trip reminded me that sometimes a little change of pace is good to keep things fresh so that life doesn’t always seem dull.

~Visiting a place I’ve never been; the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum~

~In awe while watching a surfer. Something I could never dream of attempting~

~Men’s extension of my favorite shop in Santa Cruz. Wall decor gave me a new decorating idea~

Music is an amazing form of expression. It expresses anything, ranging from an inner most thought to a passionate emotion. Recently I experienced a friend, Sean Lovejoy’s, form of expression through his music. I was blown away!

Sean describes his music as “feel good music” which I couldn’t have put better myself. Each song has a form of realness making it more unique than the last. When listening to one of his songs I feel an igniting of inspiration. Yet for the next person listening to the same song a completely different feeling will course through them. Sean portrays a happiness and authenticity, creating his self portrait that “is only in effect when shared.”
I’ve included a sample of Sean’s music. Lets see what it inspires within you. Déjà Vu

Download the rest here