I'm in NYC!!!

New York, I'm baaaaack!

After about a year, I'm so happy to be back in the city for a week! I'll be doing a look book every day starting tomorrow! So be on the look out.

For more updates, make sure to follow me on Instagram and Twitter!!

xx
Ashley

Reasons Why You Should Travel

1. You will experience something different in every place you visit.
Every place you go will have a new culture to learn. Traveling to new places is anything but boring.

2. It will make you more open minded.
Being in a new place and seeing how other people live will teach how similar all people really are.

3. You will meet so many new and interesting people.
Talk to as many people as you can. Everyone has a different story and you can meet some incredible people.

4. It will develop skills you didn't even know you had.
Whether it's getting lost and then finding your way, or ordering in a different language, you will learn and grow so much.

5. You will learn to be more independent.
When traveling, the only person you can relay on is yourself. This teaches a really valuable lesson.

6. You will gain perspective on how big the world actually is.
Seeing the rest of the world will make you open your eyes and realize that there are things much bigger than yourself.

xx
Ashley

Throwback Thursday: Pacific North West

My heart is in 3 places. London. New York City. And the Pacific North West. I lived in Seattle for a year when I was much younger and loved it so much. There is an energy that you get from the forest that you can't get anywhere else. From the cold weather to the cute coffee shops on every corner, I really can't get enough. Here are some of my pictures from the last time I was there. (These photos are just from Seattle, Washington & Vancouver, B.C.)

What are your 3 favorite places?

xx
Ashley

Shakespeare’s Corner Shoppe & Afternoon Tea

Earlier this week, after much planning, a few of my friends and I went for afternoon tea at one of my favorite places in San Diego, Shakespeare’s Corner Shoppe & Afternoon Tea. It is probably one of the most authentic experiences in the city. Next door, they also have an adorable little pub that has delicious food as well. We had reservations for tea at noon and when we arrived, we were the only ones having tea on the cozy little patio. Overall, the food is amazing and so is the service. The tea menu is also quite extensive, so there is something for everyone! If you are ever in the area, make sure to go and take a look in the adorable British shop, or make reservations for tea with your friends!

xx
Ashley

5 Things To Do Before Any Vacation

Traveling is a huge part of my life and is something that I hope will be a part of it for the rest of my life as well. I have certainly learned a lot while traveling, wether it was good or bad and I have also discovered some fun things to do as well, so I thought I would share them with you.

1. Print out EVERYTHING!
This is crucial and extremely important. Make sure you have all reservations printed and the information for where you are staying, especially if you are traveling abroad. Trust me, you would rather be over prepared then under prepared. This will be your saving grace.

2. Have a new fragrance that you take with you.
My mom and I started doing this on our first trip to Europe and it was one of the cutest ideas! We went shopping before our trip and we both agreed on Jo Malone Bluebell. Now every single time we smell it, it reminds us of that incredible trip. Because our memory is triggered by scent, its such a meaningful idea.

3. Check the weather of your destination!
This is the best way to find out what you should pack. Make sure you check the weather for the whole deration of your trip too! I have certainly assumed that the weather would be nice when it wasn't and it was definitely a mess!

4. Don't plan out everything.
One of the best things about traveling is having the ability to be spontaneous. That's one thing that I don't like about organized travel groups, you don't have to time to do anything yourself. Go to the little cute restaurant on the corner. Rent a car and just drive or walk around the city.

5. Order a car from the airport or train station to your destination
This will save you so much confusion and time. Ordering a car will usually cost you the same amount as a taxi and is completely worth it if you are not familiar with the city. The first time I was in Paris, we took the Metro to our hotel and wandered around for about an hour with heavy luggage to find it. Not to mention all of the stairs in the Metro itself.

Hope you liked this blog post and the cheesy photos as well!

xx
Ashley

7 Non-Touristy Things To Do In: San Francisco

It is no secret that I love to travel! Traveling is probably my favorite thing about living. When ever I am away, I like to immerse myself in the culture as much as possible, and the only way to do that is to step away from the "tourist traps." Now you obviously have to see the classic things in any city you go to, but when it comes to the rest of the days you spend in a place, try and experience the alternative!

The first place I want to write about is the incredible city of San Francisco, California. I've been going to SF all my life and have certainly found some amazing gems! Hope you enjoy!

1. Katana-Ya

By far my favorite ramen I have ever tried in San Francisco. Katana-Ya is authentic and extremely small. Make sure to get there early because the line can be crazy. But locals have nothing but amazing things to say about it.

2. Four Barrel Coffee

In the Mission neighborhood of SF is the incredible Four Barrel Coffee. Came here for the first time on my last trip and fell in love. The coffee is incredible (they roast all of the beans in house) and the staff is so friendly and willing to help.

3. Wasteland

If you love boutique style shopping and fun original pieces, then Wasteland is definitely the place for you. Endless racks of cool vintages pieces and independent fashion labels fill the store. You can also resell your used clothes there as well.

4. Plow

Probably one of the cutest brunch places in San Francisco. Everybody rants and raves about their amazing pancakes and eggs. It is decorated so rustic and fresh at the same time. It's a must try for breakfast and brunch people.

5. Outerlands

Another amazing breakfast place, Outerlands is rustic and so cozy. The entire restaurant is made out of distressed wood. It's so beautiful and they have the cutest chalkboard drinks menu.

6. Park Life

Park Life is such an amazing independent shop. They have beautiful graphic t-shirts, rad art and design books. It's one of those really fun nicknack shops.

7. Blue Bottle Coffee

This is my favorite Blue Bottle location because it's in the Ferry Building. The Ferry Building has an amazing vibe. Blue Bottle makes incredible lattes.

Hope you guys enjoyed this travel blog post!

xx
Ashley

Bye Bye Europe

It's finally here; the end of our amazing Europe trip. The end of this trip is very bittersweet. I don't want to leave these beautiful cities but I really miss my dog and good Mexican food.

Despite that, I can't wait to move to London next year. It's been a dream of mine since the age of 9, and I'm so excited for all of the amazing adventures I have to come.

This trip, I attempted my first few look books. I've been getting really good feedback from it, on this blog and on Instagram. It's something that I am definitely going to continue doing once I get back home.

Thank you for reading my blog. I appreciate every single person that has read it so far. There is a lot more to come.

xx
Ashley

Chelsea Girl

Outfit Credits:
Shirt - Forever 21
Skirt - Topshop
Shoes - Zara
Orange Bag - Michael Kors
Union Jack Clutch - Vintage
Sunglasses - Primark

Yesterday was our last day in London *tears*, so i knew I had to have a fun outfit. We spent the day looking at universities and ended the day in Chelsea. I'm obsessed with the show "Made In Chelsea", so I wanted to have a shoot inspired by it. This was by far my favorite shoot on the London leg of the trip.

xx
Ashley

Scotland

Outfit Credits:
Shirt - Topshop
Leggings - Topshop
Flats - Zara
Purse - Marc By Marc Jacobs

Sorry for the late post! The wifi at my hotel was acting up so I couldn't blog last night. But better late than never, right? Yesterday was so incredible. I was lucky enough to go visit my ancestral land in Edinburgh, Scotland. Scotland is so dark and beautiful. Sadly, we were only in town for about 6 hours, as it was a very last minute trip. I'm just happy I got the opportunity to visit on this trip.

I'll be posting todays look book tonight!
Back to London I go.
xx
Ashley