Coronado Island

It was not officially summer yet when we went to this beautiful Coronado Island.  It was a tad cold but thank heavens for the sun's warmth in spite of the chilly winds.  Coronado is definitely my vibe and I like it more than the other beaches we had visited here in SoCal throughout the summer.  And of course, me, being the summer girl that I am, was more than ready to start wearing all my summer clothes.   

When I was a lot younger and thinner, I used to be so self-conscious of wearing cropped tops.  Being an Asian and growing up in a predominantly conservative culture in the Philippines during my time, showing your belly is not always appropriate.  Fast forward to the present and after residing outside the Phil for quite a while, my body views have changed a lot.  I am more comfortable now with what I am given with and I will wear what I want especially if I know that it works for me.

So here I am wearing my bikini top as part of my ensemble and I don't really give a helluva of a damn if I am not slim enough to rock this top.  I made it work somehow by wearing a high-waisted pants. Girls, don't be afraid to experiment on some style with your body type.  Having a fuller body built does not mean that you are limited to wearing big- sized tees and dresses. You just have to know and see for yourself what looks good on you and your body. Always remember to love what is given to you and surely enough, self care and confidence altogether exude beauty too.

WHAT I WORE:

cropped bikini top from COCOBEACH

striped pants from H&M

sneakers from CONVERSE (JACK PURCELL)

bag from STEVE MADDEN

hat from H&M

At Hotel del Coronado

Tidelands Park

with the hubs

beautiful Coronado Shores

White Sands

summer scene

Tidelands park

the Hotel

Coronado shores

SoCal Goodness

I know I have been in hibernation for quite a while.  Sorry for the backlogs, folks!  Moving across another continent and flying through 3 countries surely took a slight dent on me. Add tons of turnover work, moving stuffs and dogs around to that and it was a surefire mayhem. So this is me again saying hello and how have you been. :-)   I am now back in the sunshine state and currently soaking up that good 'ole California sunshine.

For starters of what I have been up to since I arrived, we went for a drive-by at La Cresta Equestrienne Estates up in the mountains.  I wore my ever reliable LBD and dressed it down a bit by throwing a denim jacket (which was a good choice because it was a bit chilly that day in spite of the sunshine.) and some classic Italian boots.  The husband actually liked the place and as always, we were in awe of how vast the land cuts are out there.  It is surely a place I will come back to again and again.  I won't ever get tired of the views.

WHAT I WORE:

black backless dress from URBAN OUTFITTERS (bought on sale during my Chicago trip)

denim jacket from ROBERTO CAVALLI

black leather boots from KEEP ORIGINALS VERO CUOIO (Italian handmade leather boots from Italy; a gift from my mother-in-law)

navy pierced bag from  JW ANDERSON

rosegold cuff from KENZO (freebie when you buy the Kenzo World perfume)

rosegold mini slim watch from MICHAEL KORS

It was actually a tad chilly.

A newly built house

what a view!

a vineyard right at your garden

it looks like somewhere from Europe

a house with a very big lot

another vineyard backyard

cottage style

scenic roads

ORANGE PICKING AT PAUMA VALLEY

I had the chance to visit a large orange orchard when I was in SoCal; and when I say large, it means a really....really massive farm that stretches from the valley up to the mountain.  We even had to ride the car just to reach some of the orange and lemon groves from the farm house.  I dared not to go up the mountain because I am not built for mountains anymore.  Sometimes, I could not even believe that I used to hike a lot when I was a whole lot younger.

The farm is owned by the lovely Uncle Ben and Aunt Marge Burgos, who hosted a sumptuous lunch for us as well.  The kids enjoyed the trip and frolicked around the "not-so-friendly to adults with back problems" areas.  The adults on the other hand enjoyed picking oranges, lemons, tangerines and blood oranges.  We even got to bring home a rather huge pumpkin!

WHAT I WORE:

shirtdress from H&M

black vest from WALMART'S  CLEARANCE SALE (yup!5 dollars only)

flared pants from HAIDUOYI

scarf from H&M (gift from a good friend)

bag from LUXE

caleen boots from ISABEL MARANT

with Blake

with my lovely Aunt Lou and Uncle Ben

yes, that is my tattooed arm

the Burgos, Almenana ,and Palisoc

BALBOA PARK

I was really excited to go to this park and had it planned  even before I set foot again in California.  The last time I was in California, I was not really able to go around but since I stayed in SoCal for most of my trip, a Balboa Park visit was a must.  I had seen this in countless reference park pictures at work; even used it for some of my projects too.  I consider it as one of the most successful urban parks in California, mainly because a lot of people actually go to this place not just to visit/tour but to actually stay, relax,people watch...you know, those park stuff activities.  Moreover, it has its own sustainability and conservancy strategies that is why it thrives even in drought stricken Cali.  I did not have much time to explore the whole park because I passed by this on the way to the AECOM San Diego office with my mini-me and aunt.

But the truth is, the park did not disappoint at all even if I was there for just a couple of hours.  I was like a kid in the candy store, I could not decide how to maximize my time especially with so much stuffs relevant to my work. There were a good number of people, most taking refuge from the scorching sun and the mayhem of the dense San Diego City.   As an architect, it is a reference project feast.  As a photographer, it is still a visual smorgasbord.  Too bad, I did not have time to go into the museums or the bridge but nevertheless, I enjoyed every bit of it and I will still go back to this place when I return to San Diego.

click the link below to visit their website

BALBOA PARK

the museum entrance

the botanical building

Plaza de Panama

Lily Pond

Lily Pond

view of the botanical building from the lily pond area

like a Monet garden

inside the botanical building

botanical garden

Timken Museum of Art

pedestrian friendly

Japanese garden

Spreckels Organ Pavilion