Welcome to the Windy City.

Funny story.

What started as a spur of the moment decision, turned into the most amazing trip ever. Let me explain.

About five months ago, I heard about a Saved by the Bell pop-up restaurant that was set to open in Chicago. As a huge Saved by the Bell fan, I thought that the Saved by the Max pop-up restaurant was the most brilliant concept ever. I mean who wouldn't want to eat at the "same" restaurant that Zack, Kelly, Slater, Jessie, Lisa, and Screech hung out at in the 90s?

PC: Getty Images/NBCUniversal

PC: NBCUniversal

Upon visiting the Saved by the Max website, I realized that they were all booked up for their entire three month run. Not hopeful of securing a waitlisted spot, I reluctantly signed up not thinking to much about it.

One month ago, I received an email one morning notifying me that they had extended their run and had some spots open. As I sat at my computer contemplating what to do, I thought to myself, "The restaurant is all the way in Chicago. There's just no way I could do this. This is crazy."

The more I thought about it, the more I weighed the pros to the cons. Pros: I've always wanted to visit Chicago. This thought has been sitting in the back of my mind for a really long time. This would be a good way to make myself to commit to go. Cons: I had about a month to book a flight, accommodations, transportation, and find friends who would be interested in such a spur of the moment adventure. 

As the turn of events would have it, I found a friend to accompany me on my travels. We finally made it to Chicago on Saturday, November 5th. Ironically, it would also land on the same week for which the Chicago Cubs won their first World Series Championship in 108 years! Totally a coincidence, but nonetheless, so worthwhile.

DAY 1: Travel Day

Excitement levels were pretty high on Saturday. The flight was mild and short, and the weather upon arrival was warm and sunny. There was absolutely no wind to be found. The weather was absolutely perfect in Chicago. Mid 70s in the daytime? Who could complain? The trip was already off to a good start!

As soon as we arrived at our apartment for the weekend, I couldn't help but notice how similar the suburbs of Chicago were to Brooklyn. They were so cute, quaint, and quiet. Our apartment was seriously the most adorable little building ever, with three bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, a living room, and two dining rooms. It was both comfortable and cozy, which made it easy for us to settle in.

Front of the Apartment

Interior of the Apartment

The first order of business was deep dish pizza, obviously. After visiting the local pizza eatery, Lou Malnati's Pizza, I was sadly catfished into thinking that they had the ever so famous, deep dish pizza. Silly me. Nonetheless, the pizza was still good...but still. Where's my deep dish? Sigh. Another time, I guess.

To make up for the bad experience, we decided to recover from the lack of deep dish pizza goodness with a nighttime adventure to check out the Chicago cityscape at the Adler Planetarium. Boy, was it well worth it. It was the most beautiful view that I had ever seen. We sat out by the lake front for about 10-15 minutes just taking in the sights and sounds of the city. I'll never forget it. It was the best welcome that the city could offer.

The night started to get chilly pretty quickly, so we found refuge at Blues Chicago for some good old, local blues entertainment before heading over to Bordel, a local speakeasy, near our apartment. It was a cozy and relaxing atmosphere, offering moody lighting and velvet booths. The location itself was quite mellow, offering a great space for good conversations and contemporary tunes. It was a great way to end the first night in Chicago.

DAY 2: The Not So Windy City

I woke up early on Sunday morning only to realize that it was Daylight Savings time. Hallelujah! One extra hour of sleep. The first order of business: COFFEE. My friend and I ended up at The Wormhole Coffee, which had a lot of fun drinks and lots of 80s memorabilia. Might I add, they had a DeLorean in the back of their shop?! I seriously nerded out at all the amazing posters and collectibles in their shop.

I ordered their Honey Bear Latte with almond milk. It was awesome. I liked how the flavor of the honey added a hint of sweetness to the drink without overpowering it. I, myself, am not a big fan of overly sweet coffee, so this was perfect. If you're wondering why there is no photo of the drink, it's because almond milk doesn't quite translate well for latte art because the consistency was too thin. Truth. If you're in the area, I would recommend checking this place out.

Next, we visited Wrigley Field to check out all of the World Series festivities. It was pure madness, but in a good way. The vibes amongst everyone was positive, and I loved seeing families, children, and even pets dressed up in their Cubs gear. In general, I noticed that Chicago has a great sense of team spirit and pride, which I truly appreciated and loved about the people of the city. People from the city thought we flew in specifically for the celebration, but as serendipity would have it, it was a pure coincidence.

People were taking pictures and signing the walls of Wrigley Field to show their love and appreciation for the Chicago Cubs which was amazing to see. I seriously loved every second of it. The energy was just phenomenal.

The volume and thoughtfulness of all of these messages from Cubs fans were extremely touching and fascinating to read. The Cubs definitely have an amazing and loving fanbase! 

Of course, no trip to Wrigley Field is complete without a photo op! I'll never forget that morning. 

The next order of business was the ever so famous, Buckingham Fountain, also commonly known as the fountain in the opening credits of the show, Married with Children. Unfortunately, the fountain was turned off because it was in the off-season. However, it was still cool to check out. Not a whole lot to see, but still cool.

Of course, no visit to Chicago would be complete without visiting the good old bean at Cloud Gate in Millennium Park. The deciduous trees made the view all the worthwhile.

The underside of the bean was really fun to see. The distortion of images underneath the sculpture were both mesmerizing and dizzying at the same time. I couldn't stare for very long, but it was nonetheless a really cool view!

Millennium Park itself was very beautiful. I felt like I was in a fall wonderland surrounded by red, orange, and yellow leaves. I could definitely see myself living in a colder climate location someday. It's pure magic in comparison to these lifeless winters in Southern California. Palm trees don't turn colors as nicely, nor do they shed their leaves quite as beautifully as Oak trees do, unfortunately.

Next, we visited the Chicago Science and Industry Museum. It was a huge museum filled with train, airplane, weather related, historical, and even lego exhibits.

While the museum offered a lot of cool exhibits to check out, I will say that I still prefer the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. The lack of representation of natural sciences kind of bummed me out. Overall, I would rate this museum as moderate. If you're more into the history and science of transportation, I'd definitely recommend this museum.

As the sun began to set, we headed over to the Wendella Boat Rides for our Signature Lake & River Tour, with tickets courtesy of a local friend living in the area. Thank you so much for making this first visit so worthwhile! 

Having spent most of our time in Chicago on self-guided tours, it was really nice to have someone give us a tour for once. The views became even more spectacular as the sun went down. We travelled down the Chicago Lake Front to the mouth of Lake Michigan. I loved every second of it!

I will say that this ended up becoming one of the coldest nights in Chicago. I was seriously chilled to the bone after we disembarked the boat. 

Of course, I would be crazy to just us all just freeze to death. By some miracle, I found my favorite coffee shop, Intelligentsia Coffee, in the heart of the city. I mean, what are the chances that I would find a location in Chicago?! I had no idea. There, we warmed up to a hot cup of hot chocolate before heading to the ever so famous, Skydeck at the Willis Tower. 

I will say that the latte art here did not disappoint! Definitely photo worthy and sooo drink worthy! One of my ultimate favorite coffee shops and hot chocolate beverages of all time. 

After warming up, we headed to the Skydeck Chicago at the Willis Tower to finally check out the panoramic views of the city. We arrived approximately one hour before it closed, which ironically, an ideal time to go to beat the crowds. Not to mention, the views did not disappoint! When you're 103 floors up and standing on nothing but a glass sheet below your feet, how much more of a spectacular view could you get? 

I seriously wanted to sit up there forever. Despite being afraid of heights, the nighttime somehow put me at ease. The darkness must have been playing tricks on my eyes, because I wasn't scared of being out on the deck. I'm sure I would have had a different response had I gone in broad daylight.

We loved the views so much, we stayed at the Skydeck until it closed. What a way to spend an evening in Chicago, eh?

Well, the fun didn't end there!

My dream of going to Saved by the Max restaurant was about to come true. When we arrived, I went into full geek mode. I had my Bayside Tigers t-shirt all in order, and found myself in complete awe of the entire set design. I literally felt that I had walked into Bayside High on the show, Saved by the Bell. My ultimate 90s dream!

Overall, the food and service was terrific. I came in with manageable expectations of the food, but was pleasantly surprised to find how tasty it actually was. Because the restaurant system is reservation based, Saved by the Max provided a nice, intimate experience to hang out because there weren't tons of people crowding up the restaurant all at once. I really enjoyed the experience a lot. The servers were really fun, sociable, and personable.

I'll go ahead and include this note: This restaurant has very limited reservation availability. If you're thinking about coming out to this pop-up, be mindful of your party size. When I made my reservations on a whim, I only booked a table for two because I wasn't sure how many friends would actually be willing to participate. I thought it would be better to play it safe than sorry. My key advice is to try to be flexible, and check in with your friends to make sure they're cool with separate tables if you have a larger party size.

Overall, this was a cool experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the AC (Pulled Pork) Sliders, Mac 'n' Screech, Kelly Kapowski Monte Cristo with roasted Brussel Sprouts, and the Max's Magical Sweet Tooth dessert. It was actually a lot of food for what we paid for. Not to mention, the atmosphere was absolute perfection. It was a great way to end the evening.

DAY 3: LAST DAY

What would a morning in Chicago be without a good cup of coffee? I had been eyeing Asado Coffee since my coworker came back from her travels raving about this place. Of course, the first order of the morning was to jump into an Uber and embrace the goodness that is coffee. 

Asado Coffee is a quaint little coffee shop tucked away in the back of an alley on Jackson Blvd. With so many exotic flavor combinations, it was hard to choose which flavor to pick. I for one am an absolute sucker for anything lavender flavored, so of course, I picked the French Lavender Latte. 

Boy, did I want to package that cup of coffee up and bring it home with me. It had the most divine aroma and flavor. Again, it was mildly sweet, which was perfect. 

Afterward, we grabbed a big and hearty breakfast at Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe before heading to The Art Institute of Chicago. 

Exteriror - Cub Pride at The Art Institute of Chicago

Interior - The Art Institute of Chicago

Ancient Sculptures Exhibit

"Self-Portrait" - Van Gogh

"Water Lillies" - Claude Monet

We spent about three hours at the museum, which was more than enough time to explore the entire museum. Here, we saw many notable works from Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Seurat, Warhol, and more.

As our trip to Chicago was coming to an end, we decided to wrap up our travels by spending our last supper at Pequod's Pizza. Alas, my dream of grubbing on true Chicago deep dish pizza was about to come true! I ordered one of my favorite topping combos: ham and pineapple. It was a bittersweet ending to an amazing trip!

One thing that I learned about this trip is that spontaneity pays off. I honestly didn't think I would actually get to visit Chicago this year. It was one of the most incredible experiences that I've had this year. I can't believe how many activities we were able to squeeze in just two days! It just goes to show you that anything is possible. As 2016 draws to a close, my mind is starting to think about 2017. Adventure awaits, and I'm ready to embrace it!

I hope that you enjoyed following me on my adventures, and that you will be inspired to go out and explore your city, your country, or even the world. If you have any questions about any of the locations that I visited, or have any suggestions for my next adventure, please let me know in the comments below, or you can tweet me via @Tran_gerine. For my day-to-day shenanigans, you can also connect with me via Instagram at @Tran_gerine. I also want to thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today. I really appreciate it! Until next time, happy traveling!

xo

Melissa

The Force Awakens.

Only nine more days until Halloween! My final look for this spooky season is inspired by one of my favorite female protagonists, Rey, from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. If you haven't watched it already, then you are missing out! The movie is well done, presenting a compelling plot and an amazing cast. It's truly worth the watch!

PC: Lucasfilm

Rey's look is very easy to recreate. She has a very natural, sun-kissed complexion, and a very simple ensemble. I ended up creating my own costume, hair, and makeup. While not all details are exact, this is my best interpretation of her character.

HAIR

What you will need:

3 elastic hair ties

Steps:

(1) Brush your hair, and then section it into thirds.

(2) Beginning with the top section, pull your hair through the elastic as if you are going to form a ponytail. Pull the hair through until you get a small bun. Stop, and then tie the elastic around the bun. If you have extra hair left over, wrap it around the bun, and then bobby pin it into place.

(3) Repeat this step two more times until you get a total of 3 buns. 

(4) Pull a couple of strands of hair from each side of your face to get more of an added Rey effect.

COSTUME

What you will need:

• 2 leather belts

• 1 brown eyeshadow (to "dirtify" the costume)

•1 pair of brown boots

• 3 yards of beige gauze fabric

• 1 white/tan t-shirt or tank top

• 1 pair of tan capris or joggers

• 2 strips of muslin strips of ankle wraps

• 1 piece of faux leather

• Optional: A mini bag to put on the side

Steps:

(1) If you are beginning with a white or tan t-shirt, cut the sleeves off. Next, cut a 1-inch slit in the middle of collar. Stretch the slit slightly until you get a small V-shape. For a tank top, simply cut a 1-inch slit in center of the collar, and then stretch it slightly until you get a small V-shape. 

(2) Take your gauze fabric, and cut it in half (long ways) so that you get two pieces to drape across your chest. I used 3 yards of pre-dyed gauze fabric. I would recommend measuring from your shoulders to the middle of your shin to determine how much fabric you will need. 

(3) Take your two strips of muslin or ankle wraps, and cut small slits into the sides for a distressed look.

(4) Crush up some brown eyeshadow, and then take a cotton ball and rub it into your t-shirt/tank top, gauze strips, muslin strips/ankle wraps, and capris/joggers to make your costume look dirty.

(5) Put on the shirt and capris/joggers, and then drape the two gauze fabrics across your chest to form an "X".

(6) Put on your first belt across your waist, and your second belt directly below that, making sure to angle it downward. I accidentally wore my belt on the wrong side, but that's okay! Optional: Attach a small bag to your belt.

(7) Wrap your muslin strips or ankle wraps around your arms and secure them at the wrists. Use a faux piece of leather to create the cuff like Rey had in the movie and secure it into place.

(8) Put on your brown boots, and you're all done!

MAKEUP

What you will need:

•  Eyebrow Pencil

• Brown Eyeliner Pencil

• Blush

• Bronzer

• Mascara

• Lip Tint

Steps:

(1) Fill in each of your eyebrows. You want to make each brow look full and youthful.

(2) Fill in the waterline of your eyes with brown eyeshadow, and then smudge it out.

(3) Apply a little bit of mascara to the top and bottom of your lashes. 

(4) Lightly contour your face with bronzer for a sun-kissed look.

(5) Apply a little bit of blush to the apple of your cheeks for a flushed look.

(6) Apply a little bit of lip tint to add some color to your lips.

For the staff, I didn't have time to make my own, so I borrowed my nephew's homemade, decorative walking stick for that movie effect.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, and will give it a shot! If you have any questions about anything, please feel free to leave a comment below, or tweet me via @Tran_gerine. You may also connect with me via Instagram @Tran_gerine. This will probably be my last blog for this month, since the next few weeks are going to be pretty busy. Hopefully, I'll have a blog post up next month if I'm not too swamped! Until next time, happy styling!

xo

Melissa

Empire State of Mind.

What a whirlwind month! I can't believe that September is almost over. Autumn has been nothing short of amazing so far despite the warm weather in Southern California. Hopefully things will cool down sooner than later. Crossing my fingers! In times like these, I wish I was back on the east coast. Seriously.

Speaking of which...

Last Thursday, I went to New York City for some R&R. Unlike my first visit in 2014, this one was much more relaxed and enjoyable. Being able to reunite with old friends, and meet new ones made spending time in the city so much more exciting and sentimental.

During my visit, I spent a lot of time in Brooklyn. The neighborhoods were more quiet and peaceful than Manhattan, which was a plus. I absolutely loved the blue door of our first apartment, which was cute and dainty. The lamp in the hallway with the vaulted ceiling was pretty magical too. Not to mention, I lucked out big time and had the most lovable roommates ever. Thank you for such an amazing time!

DAY 1: TRAVEL DAY

This particular day was tough. I was getting over an illness, and my sinuses were acting up big time. The pressure in my head was unreal. I couldn't sleep at all on the airplane, and I had hearing problems out of my left ear lasting for about half a day after landing.

On the bright side, I did arrive to New York in one piece and found the apartment...so yay for miracles! 

DAY 2: ADVENTURE CITY

On our first full day in the city, my new roommates and I decided to visit the World Trade Center Memorial and The Oculus. As I stood at the fountain with my hands resting on the engraved bronze plates of the 9/11 memorial, I couldn't help but get flashbacks of that tragic day. 

9/11 Memorial

15 years later, it's crazy to see how drastically our world has changed since then. Those feelings of shock, fear, and sadness never really seem to go away. We still live in a world of heightened caution and constant fear of terrorism. It really breaks my heart that we all still live in fear. What we need is more love and peace, and less hate and violence. Let's make that our mission, shall we?

The Oculus

The Oculus was a gorgeous, white building, and the entire facility was so impressive. Upon initial impression, I assumed that it would be part of the 9/11 memorial. To my surprise, I learned that it was nonetheless a metro station/mall. A MALL!!! Yep, you're looking right at it. Why? Now that's something that I can't explain. 

That evening, I got to spend some time with my sister. It's been a while since we've had to opportunity to hang out, and so I thought that it would be exciting to take her to go see the revival of the Broadway show, Cats. It was my first time going to see the show, and I was so excited that Leona Lewis would be playing the role of Grizabella. Spoiler: She absolutely nailed it. 

The show itself was charming, although, I will mention that the intermission was a mess. The ushers were so disorganized! There were lots of unauthorized theater goers climbing on the opposite side of the stage without permission, which was appalling. Yeah, not fun...and shall I say, crazy?! Besides that, the show itself was wonderful.

DAY 3: REUNITED & IT FEELS SO GOOD

I was definitely looking forward to this day the most since I would be reconnecting with my friend, Katrina, who I haven't seen in over a year. It was a well-needed reunion indeed. We started out the day grabbing bagels and coffee at the ever so popular, Ess-A-Bagel, in Manhattan, followed by a private tour of the city.

I absolutely loved exploring the city without an itinerary. From visiting Grand Central Terminal, to grabbing freshly made ice cream across from the Flat Iron building, to hanging out on the High Line, we would just randomly pick places to go. 

Grand Central Terminal

The High Line

Exploring the city with a local felt so much more invigorating than going on a traditional city tour. It had so much more heart to it, because the experience was so much more authentic. Being able to hang out with an old friend definitely made the experience all the more memorable. Thanks Katrina for a delightful day! Please come back over to the west coast soon!

DAY 4: MORE CITY LOVIN'

After spending another night in Brooklyn, my roommates and I decided to go the Metropolitan Museum of Art early in the morning. While the mummy exhibit was exciting, I was more intrigued by the Roman statues. Pictured below is one of my favorite rooms of the MET. 

Following the museum, we all went to SoHo for some good eats and shopping. The custom Chobani yogurt cups were off of the charts, considering that I rarely eat yogurt. The combination of the yogurt and toppings were UNREAL. So very, very good. 

That evening, my friends and I stuffed our faces even more delicious food at John's Wife Frieda Restaurant. Their Vegetable Curry was delicious. It had the right about of spice and lots of sauce (seriously the best part of it all). The flavor was unreal. No pics of the food to share though. Sorry!

To top off the night, we went to my favorite ice cream place in New York, Momofuku Milk Bar. I seriously love it more than gelato, and that's saying a lot! It's pretty much ice cream that tastes like cereal with milk. Seriously don't knock it until you try it. BUT REALLY THOUGH. It was the ultimate highlight of my night.

DAY 5: BONDING & HOME BOUND

This was the saddest day of the week. I had a newfound camaraderie with my roommates and the most magical experiences exploring the city. It was hard to imagine that the trip was quickly coming to a close.

On this particular morning, my roommates and I stopped by a friend's house to hang out for a bit. It was so refreshing to be able to sit around the living room and just to be able to just talk. I feel like we all live in such a fast-paced world nowadays (and get caught up with physically having to go out to hangout) that we forget that hanging out can simply mean just that. Sitting around at home and just literally hanging out. I had a lot of fun hearing everybody's stories and just relaxing in the living room.

Around noon, we ladies sat down for our final lunch as a group at local restaurant, Hugo & Sons. It was the perfect ending to a magnificent trip. Good food, good conversation, and great laughs. 

Overall, I am extremely grateful for all of the people that I've met on this trip, and the newfound friendships that I have gained. These women have made this trip so memorable, and have enriched my life with all of these amazing conversations and experiences. I hope to be able to return to the city again one day, and reunite with you all. Please come and visit all of us on the west coast! 

For anyone who is reading this, thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my blog. I really appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. I hope that you all will take the time to go out and explore the world as well. Traveling is such an amazing learning experience, and I highly encourage all of you to do it if you can. 

If you have any questions, or have any suggestions as to where I should travel next, please feel free to leave a comment below, or tweet me via @Tran_gerine. I love suggestions! For my day-to-day shenanigans, you can connect with me on Instagram via @Tran_gerine. Until next time, happy traveling!

xo

Melissa

El Paraíso.

Girl! Where have you been?

2016 has been a year of overcoming new challenges and surprisingly international travel. Recently, I returned from my very first trip to México. Cancún and Playa del Carmen were extremely beautiful, and the locals were extremely kind and polite. It was also really nice being able to converse with them in Spanish, a language that I had studied for about 5-6 years.

Each moment of my vacation was very surreal, which each view topping the last. I wanted to live there forever. 

Day 1 - Travel Day:

Having only recently travelled to Europe only once earlier this year, I only had a faint recollection of international travel procedures. This particular travel morning was extremely hectic, taking over an hour to get to the airport during L.A. rush hour. After wrestling typical traffic, we all rushed through the check-in kiosks and security line to make on time for my flight. Once on board, things finally settled down, and I was able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Once we all arrived at Cancún International Airport, I couldn't believe how far into the day we were. All I had seen all day was the awful L.A. traffic, the airport, and the back of seat 33A. With the beautiful sunshine quickly fleeting, I knew that I would have to await another day to witness the beach. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing at the hotel in Playa del Carmen and exploring the resort.

Day 2 - Cancun:

I woke up about 6am EST to try to start to get my body acclimated to the the new time zone. As soon as I went outside of my hotel room for the first time, I was quickly greeted by the humid tropical air. Luckily, this was quickly cancelled out by the cool breeze of the AC in the taxi taking us to Cancún. Once in the beachside city, I couldn't help but awe at the infinite beauty that surrounded me. It's been 10 years since I have seen anything like it. 

I easily spent an hour frolicking on the beach, walking along the seaside, and climbing on the lifeguard towers. Amidst paradise, I still couldn't believe that this was all real. I'm pretty sure I got sunburned on the bottoms of my feet for walking all over the hot sand and wooden steps.

I felt like a kid again climbing towers, collecting seashells, and running away from the tide. It's been a while since I've had this much fun on the beach, and the crowds were extremely light which was a plus. Introvert heaven.

After spending about half a day in Cancún, we all returned to Playa del Carmen for some good old swimming in the Caribbean Sea. The water was warm, the beats were pumping, and the tourists were really cool.

Post beach swim, we all grabbed dinner and then decided to call it a day. Ready for day three!

Day 3 - Chichén Itzá & Il Kil Cenote

This was probably one of the longest days on the trip. In total, I think we all spent 6 hours on the bus that day just commuting from Riviera Maya to and from Chichén Itzá. We made a side trip to the local Mayan village to meet some of the locals and the shaman. The Mayan village was filled with lots of arts and crafts as well as religious relics. I was particularly fascinated by the tunnel pictured below, which was built of rocks gathered from a cenote.

Overall, I was really looking forward this tour for a long time. I had read about it in history books, heard about it in Spanish class, and seen photos in travel brochures. For those unaware, Chichén Itzá is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World among the Great Wall of China, Petra, Christ the Redeemer, Machu Picchu, the Colosseum, and the Taj Mahal. 

The tour itself was very informative, although, I wish our tour guide was more interactive. I had major FOMO (fear of missing out) when I saw some of the other tour groups partake in ice breakers and fun activities during their tour. Despite this small bit, I was still very much interested and engaged in the information delivered at the tour at hand.

After spending about an hour and a half at Chichén Itzá, our tour group was whisked away to Il Kil Cenote to do some cliff jumping and swimming. Once we arrived, about 75% of our group darted to the buffet line, while the other 25% of us headed to the cenote. 

Il Kil Cenote is 26 meters (85 feet) below ground level, and is 60 meters (200 feet) in diameter. The depth of the water itself is about 40 meters (130 feet deep).

As a newcomer to this cliff jumping business, I was pretty apprehensive. The jump was pretty high for my standard. For a while, I stood up there contemplating if I should just walk down the limestone stairs and take my place amongst the waiting crowd. After mustering up some courage, I crossed my arms across my chest and jumped. It was the most exhilarating yet terrifying thing that I've done in a while. When I resurfaced from the depths of the water, I quickly swam to the edges of the cenote to join my peers. 

Was the experience and view worth it? Absolutely. Would I jump off again...maybe come back and ask me in a few months haha. Heights are still pretty terrifying. You can check out my cliff jump here: Cenote Jump.

After a full day out in Chichén Itzá, it was finally time to say goodbye and return to Playa del Carmen.

Day 4 - Xel-Há Park

On this particular morning, I woke up and watched the sunrise for the first time. If you know me, you know that I have a thing for sunrises and sunsets. I made it out of to the deserted hotel poolside at around 7:08am to get a glimpse of nature's beauty. It was the most comforting and magical thing that I had witnessed that morning. I wanted to live in that moment of calm and solstice forever. 

I cannot express to you how excited I was to visit Xel-Há. Ever since my friend, Christina, introduced me to this place in February via pictures, I've been obsessed with this park. My dreams of zip lining, lying amongst a sea of hammocks, biking through the Yucatán, and swimming with the dolphins were about to come true. 

Lots of Iguanas ("Huh" in Mayan language) everywhere.

We arrived at Xel-Há at approximately 9am. The park was pretty empty due to off-season, which made it ideal to explore the park with little to no wait for the attractions. 

My favorite activity by far was swimming with the dolphins. I had been wanting to do this since I was 22. Being able to swim with them was a dream come true. I've always admired dolphins due to their extreme intelligence. They were so gentle and and extremely lovable creatures!

Girl time.

Kisses from the male dolphin, Coucocán.

At the end of our session, I was sad to leave. I had learned so much about these creatures and was able to interact with these marvelous mammals. It's a memory that I will never forget.

Towards the end of our visit to Xel-Há, a heavy, tropical storm moved in. Luckily, we had finished up all of the activities that we wanted to do, and headed back to our hotel.

That evening, we enjoyed our final dinner in Playa del Carmen. I was sad to leave the following day, but was extremely grateful for the opportunity to visit such an amazing country.

Day 5 - Homebound

On the final day of vacation, I decided to explore the resort one last time. I couldn't believe how quickly the week went by. Everything about the trip was so magical. It was unlike any vacation that I had ever taken before. The beauty of the county, the kindness of the locals, and the comprehensive experience of being immersed into a new culture was a delightful and eye-opening experience. 

I hope to return again one day, and do it all over again. For now, it feels good to be back home. I feel refreshed and mentally at ease. After returning to the states, I realized how important it is to withdraw from the craziness of life every once in a while. 

I hope you enjoyed following me on my journey, and taking the time to visit my blog. I wish I could share all 800+ photos with you, but alas, time doesn't stop for anyone. Thank you for stopping by, and be sure to tune in later this week for some more adventures. I promise you won't be disappointed!

xo

Melissa

Staycation.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually excited that summer is halfway over. Life has been crazy busy, and I'm in dire need of a vacation. This weekend, I decided to get out of town for a little staycation, and knock some stuff out of my travel wish list. If you know me, you know that I enjoy the arts and museums, and The Getty Museum has been on my list for a while. Admission is free and parking is only $15/vehicle.

When I arrived, I was throughly impressed by the beautiful and geometric inspired architecture. From the moment that I stepped off the tram, I was in such awe of the unique buildings and breathtaking hilltop views of the city. I couldn't think of a more perfect space to spend my Saturday!

The interior the museum was even more impressive. From the high-rise, skylit ceilings, to the winding staircases, I was in such a trance by all of the beauty around me. The early morning visit added another layer of tranquility and peace to the facility, which was an added bonus.

One of my favorite pieces of art was that of Pan and Syrinx by French painter, Jean-François de Troy. If you enjoy Greek mythology, you're going to enjoy this one! You can read about it here: Pan & Syrinx.

Of course, no trip to The Getty would be complete without exploring the outdoors. I mean how incredible are the walls of the building!

OOTD Details

While it was a very warm day in Los Angeles, I was able to keep cool in my lightweight and breathable ensemble from Urban Outfitters. Can you believe that the pants were only $20? It was definitely one of the best deals that I've come across this summer!

The wedges, in case you were wondering, are from a purchase that I made from Target a few years ago. While they were fun to wear at first, I quickly realized why I've always worn flats...we climbed 14 flights worth of stairs during our visit!

Outfit Details

Off the Shoulder Crop Top

Pants - Urban Outfitters (not available online)

Quay Sunglasses

Brown Tote - Urban Outfitters (not available online)

*Note*: I am not sponsored or endorsed by any of these brands to promote any of these products. These pieces were purchased with my own money.

The last leg of our journey was a pitstop at Alfred's Tea Room, followed by lunch at Taste of Melrose. I recommend the Rose Milk Tea if you decide to go to Alfred's Tea Room. Parking can get gnarly, so be patient and you'll find a spot. If you do happen to find a spot to park, you can easily grab an iced tea and then walk to Taste of Melrose within a few minutes. 

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you'll get the opportunity to explore some of these places sometime! If you have any questions, or have any new places you think I'd like to check out, please feel free to leave a comment below, or tweet me via @Tran_gerine. If you'd like to follow my day-to-day shenanigans, feel free to catch me on Instagram via @Tran_gerine. Until next time, happy styling!

xo

Melissa

Lighten Up Would Ya?

Happy May!

Today, I write from the comfort of my bed. I haven't been feeling well the last few days, and I don't think that this fluctuating Southern California weather is doing me any good. While I've been trying really hard to rest up and stay inside, I've found small opportunities to get out and enjoy the fresh air when my body is able to. Anybody else feeling under the weather lately?

Last week, I went to go get my hair done. It's been a while since I've done anything to my hair, and I thought that it was time for a change. Recognizing my fair share of hair disasters, I made sure to do my research to find a good salon that would take care of me. As someone who is always on the go, I wanted a color that would be natural looking and easy to maintain. 

That's when I met Tara. She was very nice and easily grasped my vision. I wanted to go up a few shades lighter, and enhance the dark brown hair that I had already had. With very minimal instruction, off she went, mixing her concoction and getting to work. While I half expected to get my whole head dyed brown, I was surprised, that she was only taking minimum pieces of hair. Was she giving me highlights? I tried not to think about the process too much and have a good time. 

By the time she was done, I was in total shock. My hair was everything I ever could have wanted and more. It was noticeably lighter, with some scattered cool blond highlights.

The first thing I asked Tara was how on earth I was going to take care of my hair. She reassured me that all I would need to do to maintain my hair was to make sure to wash my hair with sulfate-free shampoo. No gimmicks. No opportunity to sell me additional services. I was truly impressed. She did mention that I could tone my hair down the road if I wanted to, but she did not feel that it was necessary. Overall, I'm really happy with the results! So far, my hair has been very easy to take care of, and very manageable. 

Thanks for dropping by today. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below. You can also find me via social media at:

Instagram & Twitter: @Tran_gerine

Until next time, happy styling!

xo

Melissa