Lands End | San Francisco, CA

I've been to Lands End a handful of times and each time I go, I'm always in awe of its beauty. If I lived in the area, I would be tempted to hike every day (I would be super fit, but also super broke - SF, you are ridiculously expensive.) Living in the desert certainly amplifies the beauty of the ocean a million times over. I could sit anywhere along the West Coast and stare out at the sea for hours. And of course, sharing Lands End with loved ones makes it even better :)

Have you ever been? 

Driving the Pacific Coast Highway

After a week of recovering from major jet lag following our adventures in Asia, we made a spontaneous decision to go on a road trip from New Mexico to San Francisco to see family and friends. On the way back - thanks to a wide open summer and the conclusion of my graduate studies (finally!), we decided that this was the perfect time to drive part of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). Driving the PCH was something Sherwin and I have always talked about doing together and we're so blessed that we have had the chance to do so. 

From the dreamy aqua colors of Big Sur, to that mysterious fog, and the fields full of zebras near Hearst Castle. I wanted to stop the car a million and one times to get "just one last shot."

Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M5 II  | Lens: Lumix 12-35mm 2.8 


Did you go on any adventurous road trips this summer?

Summer Adventures in Asia: Meizhou + Guangzhou

The beginning of our adventures in Asia involved a very busy itinerary with lots of flights, bus rides, trains, and taxis with barely a chance to take a breather. Included in that busy itinerary was a trip to Meizhou and Guangzhou in China's Guangdong province, adjacent to Hong Kong.

Meizhou is a relatively small town so foreigners are rare. This was where my father-in-law grew up and a lot of extended family still live here. The people of Meizhou reminded me that I looked different than everyone else as they stared at me in what seemed to be confusion and/or amazement. It was actually funny because people would stand next to or in front of me like we were going to have a friendly conversation, and yet they would just stare. A young guy walked up to me and attempted to give me a flyer. When I responded in Mandarin that I didn't want the paper, he giggled and ran away (my husband got a kick out of that).

Guangzhou is the third biggest city in China with a population of over 8.5 million people. Foreigners were much more common here so I didn't feel like a reluctant celebrity. One of my favorite things about this city is that you could walk for miles and explore. There's so much culture to take in. I was also able to meet more family members on my husband's side of the family who lovingly showed us around.

Lots of walking and lots of eating - the only way to do overseas adventures :)

Photos: iPhone 5

Favorites:

- Dim Sum in Guangzhou: In college I would meet up with friends to have dim sum on the weekend (all of my favorite things always involve food!). Dim sum is like a Cantonese version of tapas and is often a great place for large groups to gather. There are many places in U.S. that serve dim sum.

- Guangzhou Pearl River Cruise: Not a cruise in the way we think of cruises here in America, but this was more of a 2 hour ride on the river at night and included a dinner buffet. This was a great way to relax and see the night lights of the city after a hot and humid day of walking.

When you travel, do you prefer to have a packed itinerary or leave it wide open for unexpected adventures?

Summer Adventures in Asia: Hong Kong

After graduating from grad school this past May, my husband and I went with my in-laws to Hong Kong, Meizhou, Guangzhou, and Beijing. Although we had planned to stop in Tokyo on the way home, we ended up staying in Hong Kong for an extra week to spend more time with loved ones (no regrets!). We ate a ton of delicious food, shopped, walked along the Great Wall, rode ferries, and marveled at the beautiful, expansive city skyline - oh, and caught the flu in the midst of a MERS scare -_-

Hong Kong is one of my favorite cities in the entire world and where my husband was born. The first time I visited was back in 2007 when I was single and living in China. Hong Kong is on the southern coast of China, is inhabited by over 7 million people, and was once a British colony. Although the population is huge, the land mass is not. This results in a beautiful and unique skyline composed of the highest highrises I've ever seen. Not to mention, Hong Kong is located along a harbor.

On this trip, one of the most memorable experiences was attending the Tiananmen Square Massacre Vigil. If you know about the Tiananmen Square Massacre and the political atmosphere of China, then you'll understand the significance of so many people being free to gather together to remember those who lost their lives. This is something we would never see in Mainland China.

Hong Kong is a great place to visit with its unique culture and well-developed transit system. English is one of the official languages so communicating and getting around isn't much of an issue. Although the airfare to Hong Kong may be pricey, there are plenty of low-cost and even free things to do there.

Photos: iPhone 5

 

Favorites:

- Star Ferry: riding across the Hong Kong Harbor at night. One way costs less than $1 U.S.!

- A Symphony of Lights: watch a light show put on by the entire city, along the harbor, and at night. Free!

- Hong Kong Observation Wheel: Another fun way to view the city from way up high.

- Victoria Peak: Beautiful, aerial-like view of the city at night and during the day. There's an observation deck here as well, but there's always a line and it costs money. You can still get a gorgeous view of the city from here without going out on the deck.

- Walking around the city at night with the lights, the crowds, and all the amazing places to eat.

- Eating, eating, eating.

Have you ever been to Asia? If you could go to any country in Asia, where would it be?

Exploring California Wine Country | Napa Valley + Sonoma, CA

Between graduation, travels in Asia and a last-minute road trip along the California coast, I haven't had much time to blog (and part of it may also be due to that wonderful thing called 'summer laziness'). But now that I'm back, there's so much I want to share! :)

Back when I was visiting my sister in San Francisco this spring, we planned a day trip to Napa Valley and Sonoma - a much needed girls' getaway. Although our parents never really drink wine or alcohol, we have both acquired a taste for wine and enjoy a good glass every now and then. Neither of us had ever been to wine country, so we thought it was the perfect time to visit! To help keep costs down we brought our own snacks/lunch and split wine samplings (the wineries we visited actually encouraged us to share!).

We played dress up.

We rode in style. 

We sipped wine.

I got slightly dizzy in the middle of the first tasting to which my sister, in amazement and possibly horror, stated, "wait, seriously?! already?!" Helloooo, early 30's!

Wineries:

Although we visited four wineries, we actually only tasted at two places while the other two were more for sightseeing.

Domaine Carneros: Our first stop was this beautiful vineyard for the sparkling wine sampler paired with the sparkling cheese plate (my sister + me + cheese = VERY happy girls). We were encouraged to split the sampler and this helped decrease the cost significantly! This would be a great place to visit with a loved one or even a group of friends.

Arista: This was a favorite for both of us. We shared a wine sampler and received generous amounts of tastings. Afterwards we sat on some lawn chairs in the garden area, snacked on fruit and nuts we had brought from home and just soaked in the sun. The atmosphere of this winery is very laid back and I think that's what we loved most about it (well, the wine too).

Castello di Amorosa: Beautiful grounds with a castle and some farm animals, but very crowded. There were people taking prom and quinceanera photos everywhere. We had been forewarned by friends that this was a popular tourist spot so we opted not to do a tasting here.

Chateau Montelena Winery: Another beautiful chateau and large garden area. Unfortunately, there was a big, private event going on at the chateau so we just walked around the garden area and snacked again. Another popular tourist spot so we didn't plan on tasting here and decided to just see the grounds instead.

Tips: Plan your trip ahead of time as some wineries require reservations. Bring your own snacks so that you're not drinking on an empty stomach and lots of water so that you don't get dehydrated. Some wineries will let you bring your own food so that you can have a picnic. If you don't have a designated driver, then make sure you book a tour group or driver! But if you have to rent a car, a convertible is the way to go (just as we did)!

Photos: Canon 5d mk ii | Canon 50mm f/1.4

Have you ever been to California wine country or another winery? Recommendations?

Afternoon Tea at the Palace Hotel | San Francisco

On a recent trip to San Francisco to visit my sister, we decided that it would be fun to get a little dressed up and experience afternoon tea at the Palace Hotel. The hotel's Garden Court is gorgeous and makes you feel like you just stepped out on the set of Downton Abbey (the total fan girl in me wanted to squeal and run around like a 6 year old at Disney World, but I figured that might be inappropriate). The tea was lovely and the house made scones were delicious. We both had the Legacy Blend with hints of rose and vanilla. We enjoyed just sitting there, talking, drinking our 5 plus cups of tea, and relaxing in such a beautiful environment. (Needless to say, we were good on caffeine after our tea time.) This was our first experience having afternoon tea and we definitely recommend trying this place out if you happen to be in the area!

What's your favorite type of tea? Have you ever had afternoon tea?  
 

 

 

 

More Info: The Palace Hotel offers afternoon tea Sunday through Friday from 2-5pm and a special signature tea service on Saturdays that require reservations. (Afternoon tea is the more affordable option, but tea service on Saturdays offers a lot more in terms of service and delicious goodness.)