Out & About

Jacket - Pendleton/Hurley | Jeans - Rollas | Boots - Doc Martens

Yesterday, after work, my mom and I took a stroll down 4th Street to do some last-minute Christmas shopping. We stopped at Holé Molé on the way home for some Rosaritos and potato tacos. One of my coworkers has been asking me every day if I'd tried it yet so I finally got to say yes today! When we got back we ate dinner and watched the first half of Santa Claus. Today I worked until about 2:30. It was a slow day so we all basically just hung out. My mom just went on a walk so I can wrap her presents while she's gone so I'd better get on that! I hope you're all having a lovely Christmas Eve. 

xx 

Mariamma

La Palma

Vintage Jacko Jeans - LB Flea Market | 90s Booties - Thrifted | Vintage Belt - Thrifted | White Tee - Hanes

This has been a lovely week! Before heading back to Las Vegas for Christmas, my friend Brittany threw an epic dinner party that turned into an all night dance-o-thon when we took it to Pine Street. My next morning at work wasn't pretty, but it was worth it ;). I had dinner with my friend Elly at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles. It was both of our first times there and I am definitely a fan. We serve a gourmet version of the Southern classic at work but I've been antsy to try the original. It was nice to catch up and show her my place as well. My mom came into town a couple days ago and will be staying with me 'til Christmas, then we have a room booked for three nights at a fancy hotel across from the beach and I have all three days off to enjoy the stay-cation! Working for Marriott has some definite perks! I developed a bit of a cold today so I'm already daydreaming about the hot tub. 

Cheers to a lovely end to 2017, and hope on the horizon that 2018 will be the best one yet! 

xoxo 

Mariamma

Personalized

Having a unique name (at least in this part of the world) means that I have never found my name on a keychain or mini license plate. My grandparent's recognized that I would miss out on this very important ;) piece of American culture and gave me quite a few personalized items over the years to assure I didn't feel left out. I cherish all of them. I've had this necklace since elementary school and refused to wear it to school for fear of breaking it during one of my cut-throat tetherball tournaments or while defending a soccer goal. I'm grateful for my forethought because now, twenty years later, I can still rock it and reminisce on how lovely my family has been to me. 'Tis the season for thoughtful gifts. Inspired? I am.

xx 

Mariamma

Mini Juice Cleanse

On Monday night I headed up to Manhattan Beach, one of my favorite places, to have dinner with my uncle. He was here for a 12 hour layover on his way to Australia for two months (lucky!). I got there just in time to watch the sunset and then we got a delicious dinner at a restaurant a block up from the beach. After a bottle of wine, three dishes, and a slice of cheesecake I hugged him goodbye and sent him barreling down the street in a taxi, back to the airport. On my way back to my car I stopped by Pressed Juicery and was persuaded to take advantage of a pretty sweet promotion for a one day cleanse. With the cold weather and the holidays it's easy to go into hibernation mode - so it's reinvigorating to give your body a big boost of nutrients. A cleanse was just what I needed! I drank all six of the juices yesterday and ended the day with my second aerial yoga class. The studio is just a five minute walk away. It's SO nice to hang upside-down from stretchy fabric attached to the ceiling, who knew?! The class always ends with you laying sprawled in the hammock, and the last song to play was "What a Wonderful World." It really is too.

take care of yourself 

x

Mariamma

Just a Thursday

Thursday thoughts: I went through quite an identity shift this summer. People who are getting to know me now - as opposed to a year and a half ago when I moved down to LA - see me in ways I have never been seen before. I think being humbled by life events during my first year in Southern California has made me so much stronger, more decisive, more communicative, more happy! Having this new part of me at the forefront makes navigating through each day an adventure. I pleasantly surprise myself constantly. I am very aware of myself. This is such a relief after having jobs and relationships that encouraged or required a certain numbing of my soul. I feel alive. I feel like me. I feel like I can take a breath and there's no rush to exhale. I can just exist as I am. Isn't it silly that we don't always feel like that? I knew I'd get here, and I am so glad I was right.

Love

Mariamma

Le Pastel

velvet shift dress - lulus.com | faux fur jacket - urban outfitters

Hello hello little stranger. I am currently lounging in bed. Today is my Sunday night so to speak and it's been a very lovely 'weekend.' I've been conspiring with a few friends to go on a little getaway. One of my college roommates that I lived with in the dorms is getting her Ph.D. in Santa Barbara and we may have a little reunion next month, plus my friend Lauren in San Diego has a birthday coming up so I may head down there as well. I've had quite a strong travel bug lately and I need an adventure! I finally invested in a 50mm 1.4 lens and I'm obsessed. I just need a smaller case so I can bring my camera everywhere without having to worry too much. I also reinvested in Lightroom and Photoshop and have been having so much fun teaching myself new - more professional - ways of editing. It's a whole new world! 

Hope you're happy. 

xx 

Mariamma

Laguna Beach

Hello there! These photos were taken a couple weeks ago in Laguna Beach with some of my babely San Diego friends. I met Anna, Lauren, and Marina there after my breakfast shift on Saturday (so nice that I'm done by 11:00 or 12:00) and we had a fun and sun-filled afternoon. Afterwards we headed to Urth Cafe and grubbed out. I hadn't been there in so long! Lauren and I split the butternut squash pizza and a salad. So good! Afterwards, Marina and Lauren came back up to Long Beach with me and we got ready for my friend Leo's Halloween party. We took so many silly videos that night but no pictures! The next morning the girls came into my work to have brunch and I joined them when I was done. It was such a nice weekend! It's actually been pretty cold here in Long Beach and I'm missing that heatwave that had me at the beach just a few weeks ago! I'm ready for summer already! I have a very full week coming up and I need to get some stuff in order to make it all go smoothly so have a lovely night and I'll update you soon! 

xo 

Mariamma

Little Red Dress

Dress - Zara

Happy Halloween loves! I had all these plans to go to a Halloween dance party tonight but I feel like I'm getting sick and I'd rather kick whatever this is rather than risk making myself sicker. So instead, I cooked a healthy Indian dish for lunch, took a bath, then a nap, made myself a spinach and berry smoothie, and now I'm watching a nature documentary series on the Yellowstone thaw in bed. Quite an atypical Halloween, but thankfully I did plenty of celebrating with Lauren and Marina this weekend. One of my coworkers threw a party and it was so fun to see all of my work homies not only out of their work clothes, but decked out in crazy costumes. Luckily I don't work tomorrow so I can sleep in and hopefully get rid of this. My body does not like the cold which has always been so interesting to me since most of my ancestors (that I know of) came from pretty extreme cold. For some reason I'm just a heat-loving, tropical baby ... shrug*. 

xo 

Mariamma

Bay Area

This weekend I headed to The Bay to visit my friend Xtina and see Solange play a life altering show at the Greek Theatre. Christina and I danced together in high school so we go way back. I stayed with her in Oakland and we did a lot of exploring - visiting Lake Merritt, Berkeley, the Palace of Fine Arts, the Golden Gate Bridge, and took a dance class (that I am still SO sore from) in the Mission District. We ate really well along the way too. All in all it was a pretty perfect weekend. 

xoxo 

Mariamma

Solange photo cred to @shelbymayes, @itgoesanandanand, and @rchlstl <3

Zavalapalooza

This past weekend I headed North, very North, for Max and Jenelle's wedding. It was so amazing to be reunited with the crew for such a special night - celebrating two people that make each other really happy :). The wedding started at 3 pm, in the blazing Chico sun, and was full to the brim with heart-felt speeches, big smiles, drinks, the infamous El Paísa taco truck, and so many dance moves! I also got to allot practically a whole day to visiting with my sissy. My dad's side of the family is coming down for Thanksgiving but my sister has school (college!) so she's the only one I won't see again in a month. I love that girl. I'm currently in a coffee shop in Santa Monica, killing time before participating in a paid research study on meditation that my friend Elly told me about. I'm curious to see how it goes!

xoxo 

Mariamma

Stairway to Heaven

The news was on one of the TVs at work all this morning with updates about the mass shooting in Vegas. I don't quite know what to do with myself on days like this when so many other people have to suffer. My brother and his girlfriend were just in Vegas for four days celebrating her birthday. I am SO glad they'd already come back so I didn't have to worry. My coworker Brittany was visiting her parents there this weekend though so we were all bombarding her with texts at 6 am today. She's fine! I don't try to understand why things like this happen. It doesn't fit into my trust of the universe and I think it's too dark and evil to really wrap my mind around. I'll just keep sending prayers in that direction and damn do we need some better gun laws.

<3 

Mariamma

Bel Air

Hoops - NY&Co | Nude Top - F21 | Skirt - Thrifted | Boots - Amazon 

Photos by Alli Nadine

I am trying so hard to blog more! I have all these ideas for posts floating around my head but I realize I should just get in the habit of posting, whether it's well-thought out or not. My goal really is to post once a day - so you can see I'm slacking. I don't want to put too much pressure on written content though. My focus is on the photos. I've been strangely tired this week however, which has stood in my way a bit. Other than going on a long bike ride along the coast, going out to dinner and drinks with some coworkers, and running some errands, I've primarily spent the week at home. Last night I fell asleep at 8 pm and I still woke up groggy. I've been cooking for myself a lot so I know that I'm not lacking nutrients. I'll just listen to my body I suppose. It sort of gives me no choice ;). Tonight my friend Victoria is coming over to check out my new place and eat dinner. I'm cooking a polenta and mushroom dish and have a fresh bottle of wine ready and waiting! I really love to cook, but I especially love cooking for others.

xx 

Mariamma

Armani

Jacket - Vintage Armani | Jeans - Burlington | Booties - Free People 

My internet is up and running! I was planning on spending the day outside but it has turned into a very lounge-y day instead. It's still only 2 pm so there's still time ;). Its so nice to just relax at home though. The weather has gotten a bit cooler this week and the breeze that comes in through the window has me in a sweatshirt and slippers right now. There are palm trees outside my window, rustling and swaying in the gentle wind. I feel like I'd rather bundle up than close the window. I want to feel like I'm in the canopy. 

xo 

Mariamma

Gypsy Summer

Jacket - Zara | Swimsuit - Myra Swim | Choker - Lulus

Yup, a little sneak preview of the new place! I have been without internet this week (it's getting installed on Friday!) so I've been exploring the local coffee shop scene and renting movies to watch while I unpack. Today the maintenance guy fixed my closet bar so I can finally hang up my dresses. I now have two whole closets and I honestly don't know how I fit all these clothes in just one. I have SO many clothes and shoes. Not complaining but damn is it a bitch to move it all and reorganize! I've been traveling around all summer and living out of a suitcase so it's been like Xmas discovering all the things I've missed wearing and looking at. My place feels amazing. I think I am appreciative of what I have in a bigger and deeper way than ever before. Crazy how the universe just finds a way to teach you exactly what you need to understand.

Good omen update: when I was driving the Uhaul to my place for the first time, a monarch butterfly flew up the hood and then up the windshield. My family's Native culture believes that monarchs are a powerful sign of good luck, and I'd say so. I'm used to feeling lucky but these last few months put that in check a little bit. I think it's made me grateful for the good things rather than just expecting them. I didn't realize how entitled that expectation is/was until now. I'm glad for the lesson(s).

Gratefully yours, 

Mariamma

Fire & Ice

Ayyy bae bae. So much new! I moved into my own place this week and life is GOOD! I am living in downtown Long Beach, three blocks from work (a seven minute stroll), and three blocks from the beach! It has an amazing view and most my new coworkers live in the same hood too. I literally haven't driven and haven't needed to for the past three days. I can walk EVERYWHERE! I feel so so so grateful that this gypsy summer of mine is ending on such a high note. A space that is all mine and so fine. 

New life who dis?!

 It's Mariamma b*tches.

All in a Day's Walk

DTLA is kind of my old stomping grounds. I worked down here for a year and commuted for 2.5 hours a day to get here. It's been nice the last couple days to revisit some of my favorite spots and discover some new ones. I took a stroll through Pershing Square and ended up at The Last Bookstore where I found a book I've been searching for all summer. It's called The Chosen by Chaim Potok - a book I read in high school. I remember it capturing the pressure of living up to expectations as a young adult and it had a big emotional impact on me - putting words to feelings I didn't know were shared. I remember telling people it was my favorite book for a while, but I stopped because it turned a simple, "What's your favorite book?" question into a deep discussion that people often weren't looking for. I'm looking forward to rereading it and seeing if it hits my heart the same way it did a decade ago. 

cheers to long walks and the art along the way

Mariamma

Corona Del Mar

Yet another late post! This was an awesome day ... Olivia's first day in LA after we drove up from Tijuana/San Diego. We headed straight to a hike with my friend Lauren who was one of my college roommates right before I went to Brazil and met Olivia! It was a super hot day so we ended it in the water at a beach none of us had ever been to. Olivia and I purchased the matching shorts we are wearing at a famous street market in Rio called Uruguaiana. We bought them our last week together in Rio which meant we didn't get a chance to show off our twinsie outfit so I was sooo excited when she pulled them out of her suitcase. I miss her! 

may you all have a twinsie as amazing as mine 

thx for the photos Lauren! 

x 

Mariamma