Wednesday 29 July 2015

Art and Interior Design

Today I thought I'd write a little about my love for Art and interior design. I've always had an interest in Art and studied it at GCSE and A Level; through this time I feel I was unable to fully enjoy and appreciate it to its full potential. However, now having completed my Art A level I feel I'm starting to capture and appreciate it more in my everyday surroundings. 

I find LA and especially Santa Monica and Venice Beach such inspirational places and have thoroughly enjoyed seeing so many different and interesting types of Art work around me here; be it through looking around Art galleries, wandering the streets, seeing unique styles of buildings.

I've found inspiration for interior design in particular by going into the cute, gorgeous, quirky little shops along Main Street near to where I'm staying in Santa Monica. As one of the things I want to concentrate on whilst out here is my photography, I decided to take the opportunity to capture some photographs in two very unique individual shops I came across; one called 'Lazy Bones' the other 'This is Not Ikea' - funny names, I know!

I will now share with you some of my favourite photos I've taken so far of Art and interior design here. Enjoy!

Firstly some photos inside the gorgeous little store Lazy Bones...












And then in This is Not Ikea...







Friday 24 July 2015

Dreaming Big In California

I thought that as now I've explained a little about myself and a few of the reasons why I am where I am today, that I'd talk about my first month here in California.

Before I headed out here I decided I'd like to write a daily journal; journals are good for many reasons I feel...I can use it to look back at to remind myself of what I've been up to, I can use it as a pasttime if I ever feel lonely, or am in need of either a good write or read. I find writing a journal useful if I want to take my mind off something, or I can use it for the simple enjoyment of writing about my time here.

As well as writing a journal, I also wanted to start to take more photographs; I've always been interested in photography and my love for it grew in high school...but over the last few years I haven't really used my camera; I love to capture special moments through photography and am determined to get back into this while here in America.

The best way for me to tell/show you the first month of my time in California I think is through the photographs I have taken as well as with what I have written in my journal; I will combine these together, I hope you enjoy this little insight to my Californian dream.

So...a great place to start is my Birthday celebration on the 1st of July...my Mum planned the cutest day for me, starting with some fresh grapefruit and coffee...perfect (plus amazing American crockery!)






Then there was the 4th of July, which was simply wonderful; everyone was so happy and joyful. My mum and I wandered up Main Street in Santa Monica and watched the Parade (keeping quiet about being British of course!!)




Main Street is indescribable, its quirky, cute, lively and tranquil all at once; I'm staying in the loveliest little apartment right on the doorstep of it and feel so at home here.






There are many, many great shops in Santa Monica. I especially love the little independant home and garden design shops; the unique ideas inside are just lovely.




Another thing I love here are the endlessly straight roads...why don't we see this more in England?


The coffee here is something special, I tell you! I'm loving my daily iced coffee at the moment...


At the Sunday Market on Main Street there are a few dog adoption stands; I have in fact volunteered to help out and have made friends with one dog in particular named Brando!


Mum and I got ourselves some bikes (not this one) and use them to get out and about, we both love riding along the ocean bike path...stopping off at either end and heading straight to the beach for a lovely sunbathe.


The library, a perfect place to grab a book, or magazine and chill for an hour or so. I can't believe how gorgeous the one here is!


The Sunday Main Street Market is something I intend to go to every Sunday possible; the stands are filled with lovely, unique things.


There are many, many fruit stands at the Market with all sorts of fruit I've never seen before...here are the smallest oranges I've ever come across (smaller than a golf ball)...so cute!


The Pier, I will be spending a lot of my time here I'm sure. In fact theres a concert every Thursday evening which I'm currently loving.




The views are so beautiful. So heavenly. This is my paradise.


A "classic" school bus shot...


And of course, more coffee...


A room with a view...the apartment mum and I are staying in has the most spectacular view. I feel very, very lucky to be staying here.




I hope you've enjoyed browsing these photographs...there will be many more to come!

x



Saturday 18 July 2015

The Start To My Adventure - New York

Before I continue to write more about my time in California; as well as the lifestyle changes I plan to make, change and continue with whilst here, I'd like to share with you about the week I spent in New York with my sister, Anna before catching the plane here to LA.

When I first made the decision to spend several months away from home, and to come to America, my sister and I thought this would be a great opportunity to take a trip to New York. We've both previously been there a few years ago and loved it, although felt we didn't make the most of it and thought it would be the perfect place to go back to. So we booked our hotel and flights to New York from 19th to 25th June.

We both had an incredible time, wandering the streets of Manhattan, sussing out the subway, relaxing in the beautiful gardens in Central Park, catching up over glasses of fresh lemonade and iced coffees. The list of amazing things goes on; the amount we managed to pack in was substantial and how we managed it, I have no idea!

New York was the start to my big American adventure, the beginning to what I hope to be, and what has already started to be, a life changing experience. New York gave me and Anna time; time that we haven't had for a number of years. This time gave us the chance to get to know one another again. We've both been so caught up in our own complicated lives that we both really, really made the most of our time in New York. I feel our relationship has grown tremendously; we've both gotten to know one another again, the ways we've changed over the years...but also that we still have those characteristics that make us the sisters we are; we both annoy, love, frustrate and care for each other which is what a sister relationship is about. She's my family, my best friend and I will always be there for her, as she is for me.

I will forever treasure the time we spent together in New York.

I hope you're able to appreciate these wonderful moments through some of the photographs I took.

Enjoy!

x