Holy Matcha

MATCHA LOOKIN' AT?!

I got to escape my day-to-day stress of the city and ran away to San Diego for a much needed quick vacation. While I was in her hometown, Holly hosted part of my visit and introduced me to the best local spots in her hood. We've been talking about this trip for some time now, and though it's so overdue, we made it happen! Truly, I had the best time  seeing her in her element! Though a San Diego weekend guide is coming to the blog really soon, I couldn't help but talk about one of San Diego's most instaworthy hot spots.

I already feel relaxed thinking back to the kind of day it was. Clear blue skies at the perfect temperature. I'm sure the San Diego locals never have to worry about what us San Franciscan's call "FOGUST". (Don't worry Karl the Fog, we still love ya!)

Holly, her mom and I went to visit North Park to finally experience Holy Matcha: a boutique cafe with millennial pink and tons of greenery styled to perfection.

Here's a three reasons why the hype is worth it.

REASON #1: THE DECOR IS ABSOLUTE GOALS

As soon as you walk in, the tropical leaf wallpaper to the pink saloon style seats catch your eye. Sprinkle that in with a few gold art deco accents, a pink neon sign and hanging plants, and you've got Holy Matcha! The owners and designers of this place did not dissapoint.
They even go above and beyond to display fresh floral arrangements on their counter.

REASON #2: THE EXPERIENCE IS WORTH IT

The playlist is on point with girl power anthems, the pink seats are soft and cozy, and the food is as good as it looks. For them, matcha is not only a drink, but it's an ingredient, a craft and a lifestyle. They really make sure to nurture an experience when you come in, down to the itty bitty details.

TIP ON WHEN TO VISIT: visit on a weekday to get the full experience without the rush.Holly assured that we went on a Monday to enjoy the experience at a slower pace. On weekends I've heard it's hard to enjoy the seats without feeling a little rushed.

REASON #3 MAD LOVE FOR THE MATCHA MENU

Last but definitely not least. Talk about matcha madness on that menu! Not only did everything match the brand, but it tasted fantastic. I mean, look at it, it's hard not to call it picture perfect. Holly and I ordered as much as we could so we could try a little bit of everything. 

The Avocado Toast

Back that hass up! You can't really go wrong with this pick. Holy Matcha's avocado toast is topped with chili flakes and pepper. To make it even a little more extra, the staff stencils matcha powder on the plate, just because. 

The matcha soft serve

I scream, you scream, cause the ice cream is soooo good. You can't see it in this picture, but the matcha soft serve brings a modern touch to everyone's classic swirl flavors. Yup, this swirl soft serve is pink and green. 

The Rose Lemonade and the Matcha Horchata

The rose lemonade was so refreshing, with hints of floral flavor. As for the matcha horchata, that's what won my heart, hands down. 

If you're going to San Diego, do yourself a favor and hit this place up. I am so grateful to have shared this experience with one of favorite girls! Go with your gal pals, and don't be shy to take some pics to savor the memory. It's worth the experience, and the treats. Enjoy! :)

Disneyland Daze

June was such a whirlwind

...and I'm thankful for such a spontaneous trip to close out the first month of Summer. If there's one thing college has given me, it was the friendships I made through those years, and this trip was all about celebration and reunions

Though my college days are long gone, becoming a sister of Phi Gamma Chi  has welcomed me into a sisterhood that never fades; no matter how often we see one another, or how far we live in distance.

Arika and Alisa's Graduation Party

My big sister Jessica and I drove from the Bay Area to Southern California to visit my little sister, Arika, and her biological twin sister, Alisa, for their college graduation party at their home. 

Alisa (left) and Arika (right), Class of 2016 graduates! Congratulations to these beautiful twins!

We got settled in after our 5 hour road trip, and joined Arika and her family for the gathering in their beautiful backyard. Tacos and quesadillas are only a few of the mouth-watering foods we ate this weekend and each bite was thrown back with mojitos that were both strong and refreshing. Her aunt makes the BEST mojitos!

As if we didn't eat plenty enough, in food coma and all, we couldn't resist the huge slices of the creamy coconut cake at the end of the night. 

Another sister who lives in the area, Alison, joined us. Together we all played with plenty of graduation themed photo booth props, took many instax pictures, and had a good chance to catch up on each other's lives.

Arika and her family made Jessica and I feel so at home instantly. I'll always remember how comfortable it felt, how warm the weather was that evening, and the summer ambiance set by floating candles in the pool.

Disneyland

Bright and early on Sunday morning, we woke up, got ready, threw on the sparkly mouse ears, and ventured out to Disneyland. We met up with another sister, Christine, whom we haven't seen in years, and spent the day together at the happiest place on Earth. 

I bought my very first Disney pin! I don't think I'll be an avid collector since I don't visit very often, but I couldn't pass up the grape soda badge from 'Up'. 

Our family with BB8 cups filled with frozen lemonade

California Adventure

We hopped over to Disney California Adventure, since I had yet to see Car's Land. It was like stepping right into the movie! All the things I remembered about Radiator Springs was right there in front of me. We also attempted to catch the new Frozen show, but had to hold off until next time.

We wandered deeper through the park, and came across an area that didn't catch my eye before. I never anticipated to begin my National Park Service career until a few years ago, so when we came across the national park inspired attractions, it had a whole new meaning to me. My inner park ranger was thrilled that Disney had celebrated one of my favorite parts of my home state...it's beautiful nature!

This quote is one I have tattooed on me, so when I found it in the park, I jumped on the bench and took a picture with it. Not pictured is the guy sitting on the bench right next to me, lol.

National Park Service inspired signs at Disney California Adventure. So cute, I died a little inside.

We couldn't leave without stocking up on those infamous Disney themed sweet treats before hitting the road. Between the three of us, we grabbed cookies, caramel apples, cake pops and a few other desserts mostly decked out in the shape of Mickey's head.

We dropped off Arika, said our goodbyes, and Jessica and I headed back home to the Bay Area. Surpringly, we made it back to work first thing on Monday morning. 

Through the years, Arika and Jessica have showed me hearts of gold. Both resilient in their own ways, they always remind me to keep pushing forward when the going gets tough. 

I don't know what I did to be lucky enough to have Jessica and Arika in my sorority family line. Even though we don't see each other often, as soon as we reunite, it's like time never passed. I'm so thankful for them and this special weekend we spent together.

Chill at Coachella

Coachella with my bellas

Festival life... I'm all about it. When I take time off to go to a festival, I unplug from my day-to-day life and commit to living in the present. I go in with zero expectations, other than to leave with lessons about something new... about myself or the world around me. I treat them like a modern day retreat for my soul. 

Exploring Coachella with Kamp Kawaii

For the most part, Coachella was a blast. Looking at the event from an event planner's point of view, it's a well-curated festival. Coachella is infamous for it's legendary and diverse musical lineup with food vendors that redefine what carnival food should be. It's so well put together, it's earned itself a reputation that "any body that's anybody" must go, and is one of the country's most media-covered and branded music festivals. 

Day two during it's golden hour. It made for perfect sunset vibes and good lighting. 

In the Campground

Every morning, I woke up to beautiful palm trees and desert views, and walked on lush grass that felt good on bare toes. Though we did get some pretty bad wind at night, having a little park ranger background always goes a long way in these circumstances.

One the first day, we woke up and lined up to try the beauty bar, where they styled or braided your hair any way you wanted! The line was pretty long to return to one day two, so we tried doing something else. One of my favorite moments was the detox yoga session I participated in that Saturday morning. It brought me to tears.  

Inside the Festival

As expected, almost every performance had a special guest and the Yuma tent was lit. I wish I spent more time at the Do Lab stage, but I allowed my experience to follow where my group was headed. 

Heading into the festival from camp with Abbie and Nisa.

My festie bestie, my soul sister, Abbie.

Did I make the most of my experience there? Of course, that's what it's all about. Being present. Leaving Coachella, I did gain an appreciation for attending more multi-genre music festivals, and through the lack of, it confirmed my love for festivals with a focus on community and self-growth. Time to revisit my festival bucket list!

Besame Mucho.... or same, much?