Desert Heat, Cactus Heaven

I spent five days in the arid Southwest back in March to visit Jacqueline while she was living in Flagstaff, AZ. I'm not sure if it's the predictable weather (you always know what to expect), the barren lands dotted with whimsical prickly flora, or the vibrant colors that paint the skies and silhouettes when the sun rises and sets, but the desert is one of my favorite landscapes to experience. I flew into Phoenix, where Jacq drove 2 hours to pick me up like the good friend she is, and spent a couple of days in Sedona before driving back to San Clemente, CA. On our way to Southern California, we cut through Joshua Tree National Park and spent a night among the monzogranite rocks and under the clear desert skies.

Above: Joshua Tree National Park in the morning.

Breakfast before our Sedona hike at Indian Gardens, easily one of my favorite places on the planet (right after Holybelly !!)

The drive nearing Sedona...

On our drive towards Joshua Tree, we passed through parts of the Sonoran Desert outside of Phoenix and stopped to take a few photos.

Sun was too hot : ^/

We arrived at Joshua Tree pretty late, maybe an hour before sunset. Kind strangers left us a last-minute prepaid camping spot, so we set up the Prius near two awesome Canadian families. 

Said my goodbyes to the cacti and agaves of Joshua Tree. Onwards to Southern California!

If You're Going To San Francisco...

I had this post 87% written back in August and it only took two months to finish it. I had mentioned in an earlier post that coming back to New Jersey felt stifling. It still does.  So, I did what was most natural to me–hop on a 5am flight to San Francisco and spend a week in Northern California with one of my favorite ladies, Jacqueline. It was a much needed trip that was plein de beautiful hikes, kind strangers, and lots of time (and money...) spent on grocery shopping (think Whole Foods and Berkeley Bowl) and making dinner!!

Above: California palms under the smoggy skies of Berkeley, CA. Below: a Golden State-inspired playlist that was and has been on repeat.

Took a lengthy stroll around North Berkeley on my first day.

The week was mostly spent with Winnie, Jacqueline's aunt's precious Pyrenees rescue pup.

Climbed up to Indian Rock and savored this breathtaking West Coast sunset.

Hmm..

Winnie, a princess, a lady, a pooch with a heart of gold.

Trekked out to frigid Presidio in SF.

A few days into my week out west, we packed up Jacqueline's Prius and drove east for, what had started as a day-trip, an overnight excursion to Yosemite National Park, thanks to an old friend of Jac's. (Kind strangers were the highlight of this trip!!!!) The tunes for this 3-hour drive are in the playlist, featuring our favorites from Johnny Flynn, First Aid Kit, and the likes. I'd like to include my playlists in future posts, as I've come to realize that my (very carefully curated) playlists are all equally as representative of certain moments in my life as my photos. For me, "Northern California Things" channels feelings of the cool morning air blowing through the half-open window, while the grey skies loom over the city. It's also the drives around Berkeley, the ride out to Yosemite, and even my work commutes between New Jersey and New York. 

Nearing Sierra Nevada towards Yosemite.

JP, Jacqueline's guide for a yoga/backpacking trip she did with her mom two years ago, hosted us after we spent the day hiking a 10-mile trail that he recommended. Homemade sourdough pizza and fresh lime water were waiting for us when we arrived at his beautiful country home. The three of us woke up at 6am and shared a beautiful session of morning yoga, led by JP in his bamboo garden alcove.

The lodgepole pine, my personal favorite of all the species we met. JP, a Yosemite-native, schooled us on the different types of trees that were on the trail we took.

We both brought cameras, more than enough film, endless snacks, BUT NOT ENOUGH WATER !!!

Like I mentioned earlier, kind strangers were a highlight of this week. With our lack of water and a 4000-ft ascent, it became a struggle to climb up to the peak of Ten Lakes Pass. The strangers we bumped into along the trail embodied kindness, offering us their water, and even their melon!!

Temescal Alley out in Oakland, "embarrassingly trendy."

Back at Berkeley, we spent the following couple of days in, cooking dinners, and binge watching Bob's Burgers. I had a high school friend, Connie, who was also out in Berkeley for the summer, so we all met up in Oakland to watch the France-Iceland football game and catch up over burgers and craft beers.

Connie and her very charming friends!!!! 

I stayed in Berkeley for the 4th of July, so Connie, Jacqueline, and I all had a 4th celebration together in Jacqueline's backyard.

Connie and co-op rooftops!!

Jacqueline sur le toit.

My final day with Jacqueline and the Golden State...so we drove up to Claremont Canyon. A memorable week well spent.

Two Weeks

Two weeks... (like the Grizzly Bear song!)

I've made it back to the unfortunate state of New Jersey and I'm perpetually reminiscing about my days drinking coffee and eating saucisson along the Canal Saint-Martin. And naturally, I couldn't hold myself to stay in New Jersey for more than a couple weeks so I just finished a week-long trip out to the SF Bay area to see Jacqueline in Berkeley. California was exactly what I needed to get out of this suburban hell (film waiting to be developed).

Anyways, my friend Natalie came to Paris during the last two weeks of May, coincidentally the same exact days I had gone to see her in Argentina and Chile one year ago, truly full circle if you ask me. She spent a week in Paris and then we went down to the south of France for a road trip for the remainder of her time in France. (Above: Natalie on one of our nights out in Paris.)

On the streets of Paris.

Took an exhausting trip out to Versailles. (Natalie's list of tourist spots to hit was long.)

Biking was indeed necessary.

These *almost* seem like stills out of a Godard or Truffaut film, no? (I'm reaching for the stars.)

Another night out in the 10e.

We left for our Sud-de-la-France road trip at 3 in the morning to catch the earliest flight available... (More in this gallery.)

Way up top in Nice, looking on to the Mediterranean.

View from up top...

On the road...

An easy part of the windy route we took to get to les Gorges du Verdon.

Pit stop at a roadside sandwich stand.

Mid-hike.

Made it to Aix-en-Provence.

More of Natalie and the streets of Aix.

Next stop, Marseille, a favorite shot of mine.

On the road... through the Calanques, a breathtaking drive.

We spent the next couple of days along the coast, stopping in so many little towns and cities like Toulon, Sainte-Maxime, Saint-Tropez...

Final day in Antibes.

Cold, Lazy Paris

Ever get so tired and worn out, your life feels like it's constantly in the middle of a David Lynch film, right when the plot thickens and shit just gets weird? It's been cold, I ran out of paper towels 2 weeks ago, and from working to going to class to working .. to interning to life, I can say I am officially exhausted. So exhausted, that I've barely taken any photos in the past month. Before I run back to my couch, here are some moments that I've managed to capture in the past couple of weeks. Anddddd also a playlist that fits this lazy mood (press play before viewing!). Think lazy mornings (which I've had one too many), breakfast, and lounging around in your underwear and a maxi-cardigan-robe-thing.

(Above: Joe!! learning how to be Parisian in my apartment.)

Curly Girl, under the sun, her natural habitat.

Glimpses of sunshine in overcast-y Paris...

Becca, métro edition.

Oh..and I went to Brussels. To visit my roommate from the States, who just moved there in January! And our friend Alyssa Bloop came to visit from Milan!! Lost most of the film on this roll, because the backdoor to my camera accidentally opened...(it's been a long month)

Alyssa Bloop!!

And then Nicole (my roommate) and Dana (more friends) came to Paris the following weekend to visit ME! The sole photo that remained on the exposed roll:

Paris, noir et blanc

Here are some selections from a roll I've recently developed. See the rest of the beautiful faces that I've had the pleasure of spending time with this past month in this gallery.

Running Around Town

I had a couple rolls of film that I finally developed, so here are a select few. They are mostly from when Wilson and I ran around Sacré-Cœur, Montmartre, Père-Lachaise, etc.

Above: Sacré-Cœur.

And here are some shots from previous rolls that I've never uploaded. Some from Coulée Verte, some from the Marais, some from places I've already forgotten.

Chez Monet

Two weeks ago, I went to Giverny to see Monet's garden and home. It was a walk through a painting and so much more. Giverny was also the first time I've left the city since I came to France, and the first time I got a real taste of autumn. I am missing the northeast's fall atmosphere more than ever right now!! Above: Wilson outside of Monet's vibrant side door.

Photo by Wilson Mendez THE THIRD.

Wilson...

Generic flower photo. There aren't too many. (Photos, that is)

Yet again, Wilson Mendez III.

Inside Monet's house...

Leaving Monet's house...

From NYC to Stockholm

About a month ago, I booked a last minute flight to visit my friend Logan in Stockholm. Logan is a super awesome dude (also a fashion photographer, world traveler, friendliest person on the planet, etc.) originally from Toronto, and we met about a year ago in New York when some friends and I were out in Meatpacking. He recently moved to Stockholm for work after a summer of backpacking through Europe, and I decided to visit him! Logan showed me some of the coolest places of Stockholm, and it has easily become a favorite city of mine. I didn't take as many photos as I should have, but what else is new? (Above is outside of a coffeeshop in Östermalm, called Snickerbacken 7.)

Logan and I in Gamla Stan, Stockholm's old town.

The view from a hidden trail somewhere in Sodermalm? Gamla stan? Can't even remember...

Logan was an amazing city guide, and he's off to work in Tanzania soon (he's one of the coolest guys I know...) Check out more of his work on his website.

Our last fika before I flew back to Paris!!! :~( The coffee in Stockholm is vraiment the bomb.com

On the Road

The impending days of winter, having peeked their way into my life as early as mid-October here in Paris, are making me reminisce about those hot, summer, road trip days in the southern American states. This is a continuation on my New Orleans set. NOLA was the first destination of a 13-day journey through the American South. Here is the rest of the trip. The photo above is a shot I took from inside the car, probably somewhere in Virginia.

Another shot of Virginia?

Jersey girls pumping their own gas, with some gorgeous scenery in the background.

Pumping our own gas is a success.

From NOLA, we made a pitstop at Oak Alley Plantation, and took a tour of the beautiful Southern mansion and its luscious oak trees.

From Oak Alley, we made our way towards Birmingham, Alabama. I didn't take any physical photos of Birmingham, but I recommend Alabama to anyone passing through the south. This Deep South state is packed with beautiful cities, friendly people, and breathtaking nature spots. Our next destination was Memphis, Tennessee. We decided to stop at a hiking area on our way to Tennessee called Little River Canyon. After getting lost on the Alabama backroads and calling Larry the Park Ranger three different times, we finally found the area and it was well worth the struggle.

This is a gorge that we drove along on our way to the preserve.

One of the highlights of the road trip was finding a swimming hole during the peak of a 97-degree afternoon. We didn't really think to prepare for a hike, so we were in pants and Birkenstocks. Yes, pants. I don't remember wearing shorts this past summer, because I'm probably crazy. It was so hot that we just decided to strip and cool off in the water. Best. Decision. Ever.

Post-dip in the swimming spot. The sun was shining so perfectly.

I'm smiling but screaming inside at the Southern heat. The heat down south is no joke.

Here are some shots of the road to make up for the fact that I didn't take any photos of Memphis or Nashville, our stops after Alabama. Memphis was a stop because we had to go see Graceland and Elvis, and Nashville, because we had heard so many great things about the Music City. Tennessee was a very interesting experience for us...and I'll leave it at that... (think unexpected free dinner dates and an eccentric Airbnb host...).

Next stop: BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS

After Nashville was Asheville, North Carolina, another absolutely cool city that I didn't document. However, between Nashville and Asheville was our most anticipated destination- the Blue Ridge Mountains. If you are planning a trip to anywhere in the south or even remotely close to this mountain range, GO HERE!!!! It is SO breathtaking that it was a shame we could only see the mountains for an afternoon. If I could, I would spend a whole week just camping out here in the mountains. We experienced the Smoky Mountains in a misty post-rainstorm atmosphere. We threw in some Fleet Foxes and the day was complete.

But I'm serious, experience the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Taking in the air of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Mid-hike happiness.

A view from the hike.

The Great Smoky Mountains, smoky as hell.

Oh, and post-Asheville was Raleigh, North Carolina, where we had the BEST BARBECUE at The Pit. No photos, because I am terrible at documenting fun things like the best baby-back barbecue ribs you will ever experience in your life(and don't forget to get two orders of the seasonal skillet cornbread–one for the table, one for the road). It was an unforgettable trip, and the first real road trip of many to come. I'll end it with our "Earthy Road Trip" playlist that was on repeat for most of our being on the road. I think we spent a little over 60 hours driving to and from destinations. Our playlist was a lot of Andrew Bird, Fleet Foxes, and Gregory Alan Isakov. Basically, just a whole bunch of earthy, acoustic goodness. ENJOY!!

And some fantastic eats to try out if y'all are ever in the area:

• The Rum House New Orleans, LA
  Get the B Brisket roti, or any roti. Also, don't do outdoor seating if it's above 90 degrees. And don't order a beer while you're dehydrated and in said outdoor seating. Heatstroke is a real thing, people (I am clearly speaking from experience).
• Dat Dog New Orleans, LA
  Hot doge heaven. Embrace your bliss and order yourself an alligator sausage. Ask for the suggested toppings.
• El Barrio Birmingham, AL
  Do not leave without trying the guacamole with PEACHES and mint. Yes, peaches.
• The Loving Pie Company Nashville, TN
  CINNAMON ROLL TOPPED APPLE PIE. Usually on Saturdays. Avoid the lavender-infused lemon meringue pie at all costs. Gourmet patisserie vibes, but more of a LUSH floral soap reality.
• Salsa Asheville, NC
  Order a Pom-Pom-Pom. I can't even describe to you what it is. But trust me, you will not regret it.
• The Pit Raleigh, NC
  Like I said, baby-back ribs, sweet potato fries, and as much of the cornbread your mouth can handle.
• ...Waffle House ANYWHERE BELOW THE NJ STATE LINE 
  Do yourself a favor and get the All-Star Special.

Chateaus to Jungles to Jungle

My photos of the time I've spent so far in Paris have been developed, ENFIN. I moved here about two weeks ago, but I haven't been able to really take in the city until a few days ago because of my terrible luck with finding an apartment and the stress that it entailed. Apartment hunting in Paris was probably the most stressful thing I have ever done in my life, and for those who know my usual laidback way of being, this says a lot. Luckily, I found myself a fantastic place and now I am hopping around friends' couches before I can finally move in this Friday. It's just your average nomad life and I'm not sure how I feel about it, because I haven't had a real meal in maybe three weeks...

The above photo is the stunning view from my temporary hostel's roof. Many have told me it's one of the best views you'll get in the city. We did a lot of little trips within the first week, such as going to an outdoor Molière play in Montmartre to a day trip to the Château de Vincennes right outside of Paris.

I love visiting cathedrals and castles when I'm in Europe because you can never find these sorts of places back in the States. All of these places are older than America. Wilson made a special guest feature in the first photo above at the Château.

Anna (other Anna), Wilson, his newly thrifted 90s-French-cat-printed shirt, and his smushed finger that is hindering his singer/songwriter/ukulele career.

Anna and Wilson special guest appearance once again.

That same weekend was the Rock en Seine music festival. I spontaneously went Sunday with two friends and it was the best decision I've made since I got here. So many great musicians were there- WE ARE MATCH, Parquet Courts, Juan Wauters, Hot Chip, Jungle, Tame Impala, alt-J, Run The Jewels... the lineup was RAD. Great music, awesome food, the coolest crowd, and absolutely beautiful weather to top it all off:

Jackie and Raffy in "the Jungle," where there was a forest of ferns, palm trees, and a mechanical bull. And did I mention STRING LIGHTS??

Jackie and I in the jungle. 'Twas a hot day, indeed. (Photo creds to Rafael)

Jackie and I before My Morning Jacket, Jungle, and TAME. IMPALA.

Raffy caught me mid-sentence in the second photo above... We had some wonderful Senegalese food for the first time, which I recommend everyone to try at least a couple times because it was that delicious, and we experienced some of the best live music around. I recommend checking out this Swedish singer, Seinabo Sey. We caught her set and she has such a powerful and moving voice. All in all, that Sunday was a fantastic little vacation from the hectic apartment hunting we all had to do. 

I snapped this one on my way to look for a place that processed film. Yelp said the place was super affordable and that they did an awesome job. I showed up and found out that it had been closed for quite some time...

This past weekend, Anna and I grabbed lunch at a cafe by the Sorbonne, where there was a strike against animal cruelty and testing. 

A shot of the cafe we ate at.

C'est moi, enjoying some Chardonnay, BECAUSE I OFFICIALLY LIVE IN PARIS NOW!!!