San Diego

One of my best friends lives in San Diego, a short two hour drive from LA, so I make the trip pretty often. This time we took a nice little beach hike that had some pretty amazing views and great photo opportunities. I will never get over the beauty of California. Simply stunning. 

Vegas, Baby!

 Vegas, for my bestie's bachelorette weekend. 'Nuff said. 

Mammoth Mountain and my first time seeing SNOW!

 This has been a big year. A big travel year. A lot of new and exciting terrain. I saw SNOW for the very first time this year. I know. You think I'm crazy. Growing up in south Florida, we didn't see much snow. And now that I've seen it, I can't wait to go back. Amy and I took a last minute road trip up to Mammoth Mountain for a quick little ski trip and it was a blast! 

Falling snow on our drive up the mountain. 

 Ready for my very first ski lesson!

 The summit of Mammoth Mountain. A little intimidating, but very beautiful!

 Well-deserved drinks after a day on the slopes. 

Sedona, AZ

I had the pleasure of visiting one of the most beautiful places in the United States for my best friend's wedding this summer. It was absolutely breathtaking and an incredible weekend!

 Bridesmaids. 

 The stunning bride before the ceremony. 

 Grand Canyon selfie. 

The Grand Canyon 

hot yoga

As I mentioned in my previous post, I've taken up hot yoga. And I love it. I was so nervous to start, I was afraid I would pass out from the heat and I was intimidated to go alone, but while on a mini vacation in San Diego, my friend Christina forced invited me to join her in a hot yoga class at Core Power Yoga. 

I reluctantly agreed but made sure to ask the friendly people at the front desk if they knew CPR as I was checking in (they do). I went for it and had a great time. The class was upbeat and not too ridiculously hot and I made it through without passing out or dying.

Cut to the present day and I've been practicing heated vinyasa flow-style yoga for about four months now. I practice at a cozy little studio in my city and really enjoy the vibe and the atmosphere. This is not your quiet reflective yoga class, it's upbeat, energetic and sweaty. There is usually pretty great music playing and it's a nice way to relieve stress and stretch your body out. 

Sometimes, you just need to lay on a mat with some good tunes and a little lavender oil on your forehead to bring you back to the land of the living, amirite? -kim

new year, new you

Well, another year has come and gone and with all the excitement that comes with the start of a new year of starting fresh it's also a good time to sit back and reflect on the year that has passed. 

Looking back, 2013 was a pretty good year. I learned some new things, challenged myself, made some new friends and even had a milestone birthday. Not bad for 12 little months. 

Here is a quick look at some of the great things that happened in 2013:

• I took up hot yoga, something I've wanted to do for years but never had to guts to actually attend a class. Now I go several times a week at a great little studio where everybody knows your name.
• I turned 30 years old. While I was sad to say goodbye to my 20s, I'm also really excited to see what my 30s will bring.  
• I finally got the hang of things at my new-ish job and have even made some pretty great friends along the way. Friendships take time when you're a grown up, they don't happen over night. But with time a little effort and stepping out of your comfort zone you can and should make new friends.

2014: While no one really knows what the future holds here are some of the things I have resolved to try and accomplish this new year: 

• To read more. I love reading books, but somewhere along the way with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the Internet in general I've lost my way. I vow to read more this year and to make it more of a priority in my life. After all, I'm in my thirties now, it's time I become well read. 
• Take more pictures. As with my last resolution, the Internet and smart phones have led me astray from capturing great moments on film. While my iPhone is a great way to quickly snap a shot, I miss the days of looking through photos from the night before and reminiscing (as cringe worthy as they may be). I will take more photos AND PRINT THEM OUT. 
• Be more mindful of what I choose to put on the Internet. This may seem like an oxymoron, but let me explain. I love social networking in theory. However, I want to reflect on all the things I put out into the world as well as what I take in from the Internet and make sure I'm adding to the variety of social media in a meaningful way and not just adding to the garbage that has ruined the Internet's rep (I'm talking to you, hashtags and selfies). 

With that said, here's to a happy and healthy new year! 

-kim