tips

italy

Published on March 6, 2018May 30, 2018 by bellademuthLeave a comment

Lately I’ve been reminiscing on a Europe trip I did two years ago… probably because around this time TWO YEARS ago, I was planning for the trip with my friend, Priscila. It’s crazy how fast time goes by. Also, with Spring Break coming up, this seemed like a good blog post to do!

The reason we went to Europe was for a study abroad program. Before we met up with the class, we went to London for 8 hours, and Paris for 24 hours. After our program, we went to Italy for a few days. In Italy, we visited the must-see places in Rome, Venice, Pisa and Florence!

Everything is so breath taking in Europe… there is so much history in everything you see. Every detail in all the architecture is absolutely amazing. Amongst all the must-see things, my favorite thing in every city is to just wander and explore. But keep in mind, it is a lot easier to get lost in European cities than in American cities.

Things to do in…

Rome

Lets start off with what we did in Rome!

Colesseum
St. Peter’s Basilica
Roman Forum
Trevi Fountain
Vatican Museums
Spanish Steps
Sistine Chapel
Piazza Navona

Venice

By far the easiest city to get lost in. I’m pretty sure it took us about two hours to find St. Marks Square.

P.S. Best lasagna I’ve ever had!!

Basilica di San Marco
St. Mark’s Square
Ride a Gondola
Rialto Bridge

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Florence

Florence Cathedral
Ponte Vecchio

Pisa

We didn’t do much here because it was a half day trip! We just wanted to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa!!

Leaning Tower of Pisa
Piazza dei Miracoli
Pisa Cathedral

Here is a little video I put together of my Outfit of the Days in Rome and Venice 🙂

another san diego adventure

Published on February 28, 2018May 30, 2018 by bellademuthLeave a comment

My last San Diego adventure, Maggie and I explored Carlsbad, Encinitas, North Park and a bit of La Jolla. Maggie came to visit again so we explored some new areas!

This time we went to Downtown San Diego, and La Jolla, (and Disneyland but that doesn’t count (but I’ll show some pics we took anyway shhh)).

I’m going to start this blog post off with a little story. So I don’t have a car so I use my moms or my sisters.. but for the weekends when I have friends visiting, I use my moms car! Her car is my fav thing ever BUT its a two door car. So its small.. but I assumed that Maggie’s suitcase would fit or we would make it work lol but it didn’t…

I get to the airport and I see her and we wave excitedly, so I pull to the curb and suddenly there is a HUGE bus behind me and they can’t pull up to the curb so the bus driver starts yelling at me!!! Excuse me, you’re an adult?! Before he started yelling, Maggie comes to the car and we start to put the suitcase in the car… and it doesn’t fit. So then the guy started yelling.. then they started laughing at us because the suitcase didn’t fit. Then I get in the car and pull it up a little hoping it would give them room but I guess it didn’t and they continue yelling and laughing. Then the bus driver got out of the bus and tried to help us put the suitcase in and we told him to leave because, no we don’t need your help at this point! Now at this point, everyone was looking at us so we just unpack her whole suitcase and we put her clothes in the trunk. Then we put the huge suitcase on her lap, I called my friend, Ariana and we drove about 15 minutes to her house to drop off Maggie’s suitcase for the day and decided to figure it out at the end of the day lol.

Once we got to Ariana’s, we changed and regrouped and went on with our day. Our first stop was Cafe Gratitude in Little Italy. Seriously the cutest place ever, 10/10 would recommend. They treat you SO well and the food was SO good.

From there, we explored the area and just took photos.

After that, we went to Balboa Park and walked around and took more photos! (All we do is take photos). Then we decided, it was time to go home. We went back to Ariana’s and at the point, Maggie was so over it… so we just threw away the suitcase hahahah (and we gave her one of ours)! When we got home, we just hung out and relaxed!

Then day two, we went to La Jolla and explored around there! I’ve never explored the area we were in and it was beautiful! We started off with going to La Valencia Hotel and guess what we did there… took photos! We became friends with a worker at the pool and he took photos of us!

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After the hotel, and before our exploration, we stopped at a smoothie place called Beaming Organic Superfood Cafe and it was sooo good and they were so nice!

Then before we went home, we drove along the water and stopped and took pics.

Day three was Disneyland!!! Maggie’s 2nd time there! (It was just a normal Disney day… so if you want me to do a blog post on tips and tricks of Disneyland and what not, let me know!)

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(Most of these photos are unedited so don’t mind me on that!! lol)

how I plan for trips

Published on November 7, 2017May 30, 2018 by bellademuthLeave a comment

So I am currently sitting at the kitchen table, eating homemade vegan cookies, scrollin’ through Pinterest planning a trip to LA this weekend with my best friend and I thought what a better time to write a blog post on how I plan for my trips than now! Whether you’re planning for a long trip or a short trip, I have the tips for you!

I asked my friend the other day if she wanted to go to Los Angeles this weekend for one day just for fun because it seemed spontaneous and fun to explore and adventure! I’ve gone to LA multiple times but have only done the most tourist of tourists things you could possibly think of! So I want to plan a trip that is more than just tourist things, I always like to plan like that because I feel like it opens your eyes to whats around you, and you can learn more from what you see or randoms you meet. Obviously, you do have to make time for the tourist things as well though – like the Hollywood sign in LA, the Empire State Building in NYC, or the Bean in Chicago. Those are what make the trip. But I like to look for places that aren’t too touristy and that are cute and artsy (obviously).

So what I do first, is research… I read blogs, I go on Pinterest, I check others’ Instagrams and just open my eyes to what is out there. Once I have a better idea, I start to make a list of what appeals to me. I go through and look at a bunch more blogs and posts, etc. I continue to add to my list. I also text people who have been and ask for recommendations on must sees.

Once I have my list all set, I pull up a map of the city and I open an excel document. I do research on the areas to learn their names and see what they have to offer. I sort out all the places I am interested in by the areas they are in. Then I check the map again and see what makes sense. I plan according to how far things are. I also take into account if it a restaurant or museum and it has hours for when it is open. Depending on how many days you have, you will plan differently. I was in San Francisco for two and a half months so I had a looot of time to explore these areas and places, but for this trip to LA, we have one day so we will probably stay within a few areas that are around each other. I also take into account the time length of the trip because you might not only want to go to one area for a specific thing; I recommend taking the time to explore that area and not only limit yourself to whatever you have planned. It is important to plan extra time for that because sometimes its good to just roam and explore! And thats how I plan for my adventures. I want to make sure I see everything but also enjoy my time there – you never know when you will go back to some place so plan and live it to the fullest – and remember to look up and around and not always down at your phone!

relationships

Published on October 3, 2017May 29, 2018 by bellademuthLeave a comment

So my blog post ideas come from things I am passionate about. One thing I am passionate about is how girls(and boys) feel about themselves… whether thats with relationships, insecurities, aspirations… etc.

My whole thing is about inspiring others to truly live the life they want to live and to follow their dreams. It hurts me to see others putting themselves down or being put down by others. You are so much stronger than your thoughts or whatever these haters have to say. My new thing is actually believing that haters will make me stronger. I’m taking their comments and seeing how I can grow with them.

I get upset when my friends tell about bad friendships they are in. If someone is causing you SO much negativity and unhappiness, you need to get out of that friendship. I know you love them and you’ve known them for years, or whatever your excuse is.. tell yourself that those memories are just memories and that the pain they are causing you now is much more important to pay attention to. I’m not saying that if your friend is having a bad month, to drop them- obviously you want to be there for them! But if they truly treat you badly or make you feel like nothing. If they put you down or call you names or discourage you from doing what YOU love and what YOU wanna do, then drop them. People do stink, fake people exist. Your life should be full of positivity. Bad days are inevitable, I get it. But everyday can have a good and positive moment and thats what makes life so great. My next relationship topic is with a boyfriend or girlfriend. They go hand in hand. If your significant other is not treating you well, then you need to end that. And I know, I know it can be hard. I know you may be stuck because you care about them. But you are allowed to be selfish in this life. You are allowed to do what you wanna do and live how you wanna live. And if this person is stopping you from that or telling you not to do something, that is not how it should be. If this person is not letting you go or making you feel guilty for something, that’s not right. You are doing nothing wrong (maybe you are, but you’re probably not(check yourself first)). I know, and you know, what a good relationship should be like, and I do believe that its your life, you’re allowed to be selfish and do things for you. I just get passionate about this topic because I believe in it so much, and want everyone to see and understand their worth.

For those who read this and may need a friend or someone to confide in, I am always here- just shoot me an email or a DM and I got your back!

de-stress

Published on September 22, 2017May 29, 2018 by bellademuthLeave a comment

So I’m not gonna lie, I consider myself a pretty positive person. I love life and I get excited when I think about how great and fun it is and all the cool things you can do in this life. But my one devil that I just can’t over come: stress. I stress so much. I tell myself all my positive thoughts while I stress but I still do it. School has been in session for about 4 weeks I believe and I have two presentations coming up. My dad once told me that public speaking is EVERYONE’S fear… but why do I feel like my fear is different? Everyone seems so chill about it. When I master the anxiety of public speaking, I will share some advice for you guys – I genuinely want to become a good public speaker, it seems fun. Until then, I’ll just help you with ways to calm the heck down from stress.

Take a nice, long shower or bath
After that shower or bath, turn on some Christmas lights, light a candle, put a face mask on and lay in bed. Drink some tea and just relaaaaaax
Watch a movie. At night. After you’ve finished your homework (usually the thing that stresses me out)
Eat your favorite fruit
Drink more tea (the calming kind)
Go for a walk
Make a vision board
Let your thoughts out in a journal
Evaluate your priorities
Tell yourself that it IS going to be okay, and the thing you are stressing out about is so little
Keep a good attitude
Take deep breaths
Spend time with positive and uplifting people (they exist – go find them)
Go to bed early
Exercise – whatever that entails to you
Plan for a night of relaxing
Watch the sunset
Do arts and crafts
Listen to your favorite music or a positive YouTube video or podcast
Dance (my favorite)
Go out for ice cream or froyo or gelato or something that is appealing to you
Clean your room / declutter
Write you goals
Eat lunch in a park
Make a list the night before of what you need to achieve the next day
Laugh! At yourself… anything!
Escape for a bit and read
Say “no” to activities that you know will put you behind or stress you out more
Try not to procrastinate. I say “try” because I am procrastinating right now but I don’t mind because I enjoy writing and it makes me happy and less stressed!
Let go of a grudge or something negative that has been building up inside of you all week

Although these are little things to do when you are stressed, if you start to implement them into your daily lifestyle, you will notice that your life is more positive and stress free! Remember… it may be bad (stressful) day but its not a bad life 😉

san diego

Published on September 9, 2017May 30, 2018 by bellademuth1 Comment

I have been living in San Diego County for about the past four years and I’ve just been kind of living – going places where my friends think are cool and such. I haven’t really taken the time to learn about San Diego and see what there is to do! So my friend Maggie came to visit and it was a perfect excuse to make my signature excel document on things to do based on articles and Instagram, as well as things I like to do. She was only here for two and a half days. I decided to devote one day to Carlsbad and Encinitas, and the other day to San Diego (North Park and La Jolla). Maggie and I LOVE taking photos so I decided to take her to some cool places where we could take photos. We started off the first day with brunch at Native Foods. The vegan mac and cheese is to DIE for omg I haven’t stopped thinking about it. After that we were on our way to Carlsbad. We explored Carlsbad Village for a bit. I took her to Spin Records and Lhooq Books, as well. Lhooq Books is such a cute, lowkey book shop. The photo of Maggie and I was taken by a photographer that we met at the book store! His Instagram handle is @sweetpapermedia. Such a cool guy!

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We just explored random streets around the area until it was dinnertime. We grabbed food to-go from Eve Encinitas, took it to the beach and watched the sunset! The next morning, we had breakfast at home but had matcha at Holy Matcha! which is everything aesthetically pleasing. Maggie is a matcha fanatic so how could we not go there. We explored North Park for a bit. It was my first time there and I really enjoyed the area. It has a lot of cool and artsy places!

After a bit of exploring there, we stopped by the Spruce Street Suspension Bridge on our way to La Jolla. This has been on my bucket list since I have moved to San Diego and I finally went!! After that, we went to La Jolla to try Trilogy Sanctuary which was AMAZING. Its looks weird on the outside but go to the fourth floor and it is a roof top restaurant! Once we finished there, we were a bit tired from all that we’ve done with the day so we went back home. After we napped, we went to the Carlsbad Forum because that is the best mall ever. It was a quick trip but we fit a lot and it was a great time! San Diego is always a good idea!

san francisco

Published on August 2, 2017May 30, 2018 by bellademuthLeave a comment

This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern in San Francisco. The day I received the final details, I packed up my room (once again) and booked a flight for a few days later. It all happened so quick, I was overwhelmed. Luckily, I had family to stay with but other than that, I was alone. This was my first time truly traveling alone and I did not know where or how to start with my adventures. I went on Pinterest and Instagram; read multiple articles and made an excel document of where I wanted to go. (Making an excel document like this was inspired by someone I met at work and I LOVE the idea and plan to continue it for all my trips!!!)

This was my first time in San Francisco so my homework was to study a few different maps to get an idea of where everything is. San Francisco was huge and strange to me but learning where everything is and where the Bart/Muni goes, makes traveling a whole lot easier. There was one day where I walked 8 miles just for fun! I love getting lost then finding my way home, its almost like a game to me.

My favorite areas were probably the Marina and North Beach just because I enjoyed the vibes and the areas. I also enjoyed the Mission District, and hanging in Dolores Park. My favorite food place would have to be Vegan Burg. It was DELICIOUS. Vegan or not, you have to try it!!!

One of my ultimate favorite things that I did this summer was grabbing some food and just chillin in a park or some random grass that I found. I would write, read or just people watch and it was soooooo nice. This helped me reason how healthy it is to be able to explore and do what you love on our own! Traveling alone truly helped me learn a lot about myself and grow.

WARNING: San Francisco is in fact cold in the summer. Don’t be fooled by those photos. Everyone said that this was the best summer and there were some warm days but man were there some cold days!

I learned that it is overwhelming and stressful to go to a completely strange city on your own but I recommend making a list of what you want to see, as well as learning and understanding how to get around and in one day, you can become a pro! San Francisco is such a cool city and unlike the others. The hills and the colorful houses are what made me love it! Also, the vibes and how chill everyone is pretty great.

I recommend exploring the places on my list, including the ones I didn’t make it to! Some are touristy, but how could you not!