Helm + Oar

I am delighted to share that I am now being represented by the online gallery Helm + Oar. It has been a dream of mine to see my photos come to life in physical form. Originally I wanted to sell photo prints on my own for a long time, but honestly just the amount of work to print them myself, not to mention advertising, overhead costs, it all would have been way too much to do on my own. Which is why Helm + Oar became the perfect fit. I recently received one of my prints in the mail and was so impressed by the packaging, quality of the print, and frame itself. They also give you the necessary hanging materials, as well as a cloth for cleaning the frame. I am so happy I decided to work with them. If you do purchase one or many of my prints, you will not be disappointed with the quality and craftsmanship!

Le Petit Pali

As part of our Laguna Beach trip, we stayed at the recently opened Le Petit Pali hotel. The Mid Century Modern aesthetic is spot on. I truly felt like I was transported back to the 1960’s. The room’s attention to detail was everything. The pool had such a cute pastel retro vibe too. It was also the perfect location for a short walk to the most beautiful beach, and the Montage hotel as well.

Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach is well known for its stunning beaches, as well as of course the MTV reality show. Honestly that show did not do it justice, being here in person you can see why it is such a special place. I will say most of Laguna is super casual, even though there are a ton of cliffside mansions and luxury hotels. I highly recommend going from the Montage Hotel, down the steps to walk along the cliffside, and stop at Treasure Island Beach. Be careful though, the waves are very dangerous. Getting a good look at the Montage pool is also a must.

The Pool at The Lafayette Hotel

Another fun favorite hotel I love to stop into is the Lafayette Hotel in North Park. Their pool is something out of a Slim Aarons photos in my opinion. I love to just come here during the day and walk around, they also have pool passes if you are not staying here!

A Staycation at The Fairmont Grand Del Mar

The Fairmont Grand Del Mar might actually be one of my top 5 hotels of all time. It has everything and it is only 25 minutes from where I live! It’s the best place for a wonderful staycation or vacation too. I love that it is also just a ten minute drive to town, but you really don’t even need to leave. My favorite part is of course the pool. It just reminds me of somewhere in the Tuscan countryside!

The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel

I recently stayed at the Ritz-Carlton in Laguna Niguel, and what a beautiful stay it was. Only about an hour ½ away from home, this place felt like a true getaway rather than a sort of staycation. I felt like I was in both Europe and Hawaii at the same time. The view from our room was high up with a jaw dropping view of the crystal clear ocean below. These were all taken with my FujifilmX100VI, my favorite travel camera!

Pixel Stretching

Lately I have been kind of obsessed with the Pixel Stretching Trend. I stumbled upon this cool photoshop technique on Instagram. It took be a bunch of tries but once I got the hang of it I couldn’t stop. Trying something new is always good for the brain! I especially love my sweet treats collection with the pixel stretch, it looks like I am painting the sky with rainbows! If you would like to learn this technique, head on over to my Instagram Reels for a full tutorial!

Belmont in Bloom

I can’t believe I have been living in San Diego for almost 6 years and this was my very first trip to Belmont Park. What a fun place this is, and free to walk around too! I went during their Spring event Belmont in Bloom, where they have beautiful flower art installations throughout the park. Belmont Park has also been around for 100 years and they are celebrating that as well. These were all shot on my FujifilmX100VI which has been my go-to camera lately. One photo I was also very lucky enough to get, was the ice cream. They were working on the ride and the seats that usually are there would have covered up the shot, but I was able to get a nice clean shot of the ice cream!

Flowers, Flowers, Flowers!

Are you sick of my flower photos yet? Well I am definitely not! SOOC on my FujifilmX100VI.

From Below

I have been really into photographing flowers lately. Maybe because I have been so happy it is spring, but also because certain blooms are fleeting and you have to catch them before they are gone. I went to the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens while I have been in Texas. Sadly the cherry blossoms were gone, they bloomed very early this year. However I found these beautiful multi colored flowers. I love photographing flowers from below because you get the perspective of being an actual flower or maybe a bug, Their stems reaching high up to get as much sun as possible. I think it is so beautiful.

The Carlsbad Flower Fields

I have been wanting to visit the Carlsbad Flower Fields ever since I moved to San Diego, it was one of those things I always said I wanted to do each spring but I never got around to doing it! Yesterday I finally went, I made plans with a longtime friend of mine and we had the best time frolicking around the fields. Although I love the photos I captured, it really is so much more amazing in real life. Photos and videos just can’t do it justice. What also surprised me was how much there was to see and do there, not just the fields but also art, sculptures, gardens, greenhouses, aviaries, food stalls, a massive flower store, and berry picking. You can spend the whole day there! For us about an hour was great, and later in the day the lighting was perfect. I love California!

Pacific Beach

I recently went to Pacific Beach to meet up with a friend for lunch at JRDN. I of course use every opportunity I can to take my camera with me. Especially because photographing people at the beach is kind of my thing. It was a Saturday in September and most tourists were gone, the beach was pretty sparse. The water was the most beautiful shade of aqua that day, you could see right through it. Walking near or on the beach for me is incredible therapeutic.

The Fairmont Grand Del Mar

This past weekend I stayed at a hotel that really needs no introduction: The Fairmont Grand Del Mar. This hotel is a IYKYK in San Diego. I didn’t know what to expect staying here but it blew me away. I felt like I was staying in Italy, France, and Napa at the same time. The grounds are so expansive, it was easy to get lost but also fun. You can walk so much just around the resort. They have tennis courts, multiple bars and restaurants, horseback riding, golf, and more. We didn’t get a chance to do it all because we only stayed for a night. The highlight for me was the pool. There are actually multiple pools, the first had a lot of children but we found the quiet pool which is adults only and much bigger than the others. We ate dinner in town just to check out Del Mar, we never go out there much. For lunch we ate at Amaya and the Clubhouse. The food was phenomenal, honestly one of the best burgers I have ever had and best shrimp tacos. It was the perfect staycation in San Diego.

Bird Rock and La Jolla

Every Spring I love to go on a photo walk around La Jolla Cove. This year I also did my first photo walk around Bird Rock on a separate day, which is another amazing and less touristy spot. La Jolla was teeming with yellow flowers this year. It was also nesting time for the birds, thousands of them were on the cliffs at the cove. The Sea Lions were also out and about, sunbathing on the rocks as usual. It felt like Spring, a time for animals to come out of hiding. I walked along the promenade as usual. The waves were beautiful and rough that day which makes for great beautiful shots. The color of the water was a gradient of aqua and deep blues. I made my way to the Contemporary Art Museum of San Diego, which was my very first time there. It was free that day to my surprise. The museum was really wonderful, and there are fantastic view of the ocean from windows around the museum. After that I was tired and made my way to La Valencia Hotel, where I always stop for some complimentary water and to use the bathroom, I also just love to walk around and photograph the grounds.

I met up with a friend for lunch at Bird Rock. We stopped into Wayfarer bakery, and I had one of the best sandwiches ever. My friend took me to a secluded portion overlooking the water, where no tourist has probably seen. It was very private except for a few people with their dogs. We enjoyed lunch there. After that, I walked around and took pictures of the area. Bird Rock has this incredible apartment complex that, no joke, looks like Santorini. I had to capture it. There is also a famous Surf Shop/cafe called Hermosa. I took a picture of their photographable Surf Boards.

San Francisco with the FujifilmX100VI

The FujifilmX100VI is quickly becoming my go-to camera for trips now. I was not sure about it at first, and it took almost a year for me to get the hang of it, but taking it to San Francisco completely changed my mind. I was able to come up with a film simulation that I truly love. It looks fantastic in mid day light, but also for any kind of street photography. San Francisco itself has such a nostalgic look and with this camera I was able to really capture that feeling I had when I was visiting. I don’t think this camera is obviously great for everything. I realized that when shooting from high up, on cliffs/from balconies, my 24-70 zoom lens on my DSLR is the only option. Hence why I did not totally love my Catalina Island photos taken with my Fujifilm. But for everyday walking around in cities, it is truly fantastic.

Clowning Around at Circus Circus

I have always wanted to photograph the Circus Circus hotel during the day. The way the sunlight hits those pinks and blues. It is one of the only retro looking hotels left on the strip. It is definitely not the nicest casino, far from it. I would never stay here or even go inside because it is sketchy but I just love the exteriors.

Sunset Cliffs

This past weekend I went to check out the Sunset Cliffs in San Diego for the first time. I realize that it is called Sunset Cliffs but I wanted to go during the daytime. I love daytime shots because the sky and water are both a bright blue color. The coastline was just gorgeous and the water was sparkling. It reminded me of Greece or Australia. San Diego has some of the best coastlines in the United States I think, because we have the cliffs and not just regular beaches (although we have those too.) There is one famous cliff that kids like to jump off of. It looks pretty treacherous to jump especially when the tide is super strong but lots of them did it anyway. The only drawback to this area is it is mostly residential (great if you live right there) but otherwise empty with other things to do. I will definitely be back but next time, during sunset.

Paris Before The 2024 Olympics

After Amsterdam, we stayed 2 days in Paris. Originally we were supposed to go to Belgrade but it ended up being way too hot there. I am always down for Paris. We were not sure how busy it would or wouldn’t be before the Olympics. I think most locals left and there were not too many tourists either. We were staying right by on of the the Opening Ceremony Stages.

We stayed at Hotel Fauchon, which is a hotel that is owned by the food company Fauchon. The hotel was one of the best hotels I have stayed in Paris. The service was top notch. Right away were were escorted to a lounge and given macarons and a beverage, while the host checked us in on comfortable couches. He then showed us to our beautiful room. The room was incredibly clean and modern with pink signature Fauchon touches. He told us we could enjoy all the snacks from the mini bar complimentary. It was nicely air conditioned too, because it was very hot in Paris!

Highlights:

Bar Hemingway at the Ritz: I have been to Paris so many times, I cannot believe this was my first visit to the Ritz. It is such an iconic hotel and probably the most beautiful and luxurious in Paris. It did not disappoint whatsoever. We went to famous Bar Hemingway for drinks, and voila there was no wait! The drinks were so wonderful, and so was the service and atmosphere.

Hotel del la Marine: I highly recommend visiting this museum. It is no very large but it is worth it for a quick visit. You feel like you are in Versailles without having to take the day trip. I think the chandelier room was just as magnificent as Versailles actually.

Tomb of Louis XVI Marie Antoinette: We just randomly stumbled upon this as were were looking for a coffee shop. I just think it amazing what you can come across in Paris, something of such great history just by walking around.

2024 Olympics: It was really cool to see them setting up for the Olympics. Lots of streets were closed off so we didn’t worry about cars or traffic around us. It was also very empty, we had absolutely no lines for anything!

Cons: It was HOT and humid. Not as hot as Belgrade would have been but still very warm. And air conditioning is so hit or miss. We ended up eating outside because it was cooler than inside. We went to Maxim’s and their air conditioning broke, so we sat there in the sauna having our cocktails. At least we were the only ones there!

Summer in Amsterdam

This July, my husband and I took a 10 day trip to Europe, the first time since Covid. I couldn’t believe it had been that long since we were back. The trip was everything I could have wanted and more. We spent 4 amazing days in Amsterdam. I really took to the city. It is actually pretty relaxing and slow paced there in Summer. I loved walking around and watching the locals put tables outside of their houses to have dinner al fresco. The sunsets were gorgeous, as well as sunrises (being jet-lagged has its perks). Amsterdam is a bit weird in a good way, but the people were so nice and helpful.

We stayed at Hotel The Nobleman for the first 3 nights and the Andaz the last night. The Nobleman is a gorgeous boutique hotel that definetly had darker Rembrant aesthetic. Each room is based on a famous Philosopher,. We stayed in the Spinoza room which had a beautifully painted ceiling, and a brass bathtub. The complimentary breakfast was so good as well. I really enjoyed the dutch pancakes. The last night, staying at the Andaz was drastically different incredibly bright and loud with crazy decor. It was a bizarre hotel but so fun, just look at that goldfish wallpaper! We also had a large terrace with views of the city which was so nice.

A few highlights of the trip:

The Cheese: There are so many cheese shops, and a lot of them have a ton of free samples. Loved all the cheese here! My favorite cheese was the Boeren Goudse Opleg at Bar Perry.

The Ryks Museum: I didn’t love the inside of the museum, it was the outside that I really enjoyed. The building itself is a wonder, and the gardens surrounding the museum are free to visit.

The Siren and The Secret Garden: These two restaurants were probably the most amazing and over the top bars/restaurants I have ever been to.

The Pulitzer Hotel and the Waldorf Astoria: We went to both bars here and they were exceptional. The Waldorf especially, the mixologists made every cocktail we had bespoke to us. The Pulitzer bar is dark and lovely, I had my first Bitterballen here.

The Coffee Shops: There are so many cute little coffee shops all around town, we tried a few different ones everyday. The pastries were so good and fresh. I also enjoyed a famous Stroop Waffle from Hans Egstorf it was warm and gooey but definitely a lot of sugar and larger than I expected.

Cons: The Bicycles! This was the only drawback. I LOVE that the city does not have a ton of cars and is very green/eco friendly. However, watch out for the bikes especially when they are turning a corner.

The Fontainebleau Las Vegas

Last weekend my husband and I stayed at the new Fontainebleau Las Vegas. I have actually visited the property before multiple times for dinner but never stayed here. Here is a little review of the hotel/casino.

The Pros: When you first check in everyone is very friendly and welcoming. We stayed in one of the suites which was beautiful and had the most incredible view of the huge pool, The Sphere, and some of the strip. The room was so clean and new. I loved the amenities, great bath products in pretty bottles, the most comfortable robe I have ever worn, and the bowtie slippers. The rest of the property is just beautiful and I don’t mind that it is further down the strip. It is quieter and we can walk to Resorts World and The Wynn. The food court is also awesome. best bagels I think I have ever had and I am from New York City. The restaurants are all very solid and each have their own unique vibe. The best I think being Don’s Prime. Mother Wolf and Komodo are good but can be hit or meh. Best cocktails are at Collins and Chyna Club, and Papi Steak is basically a nightclub and you will most likely run into celebrities there.

The Cons: No bottled water in the room which most luxury strip hotels give you complimentary in suites, and very very overpriced for basic necessities and certain restaurants. My husband hated playing in the casino, which is huge big drawback.

All in all I definitely enjoyed staying here, and will be back sometime in the future.