Brooklyn Botanic Garden

I am coming to you from the sweetest little diner in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn - a neighborhood on the southeastern-most tip of Brooklyn. I haven’t been here before and it has a unique vibe. The Brooklyn accents I’m hearing are HEAVY & I love it. I’m here bright and early on a Wednesday (writing this early but posting it later because this cute diner doesn’t have wifi and I barely get cell reception). I had an 8 am appointment with an Orthopedic Surgeon, finally! They took X-rays to rule out a few things and when the doctor examined me, it took about five seconds for him to see that my right shoulder blade is “winged” and not laying correctly or moving symmetrically with the left side. He said something isn’t attached properly, there’s inflammation, and the whole shoulder seems sprained. He gave me a game plan, which includes continuing physical therapy, icing, and I’m coming back in two weeks for a steroid injection. I’m so relieved to finally have a plan of action! I felt like I was in good hands, finally. I will definitely be needing a nap today. Sofia invited me to go to a comedy show at Fotografiska last night. It’s a photography-focused museum in the city, and actually in the building that Anna Delvey/Anna Sorokin wanted to buy with investor money. It truly is a beautiful building. The night was hosted by Marie Faustin, a hilarious New Yorker that I found on TikTok a while back. Sofia stumbled on her instagram around the same time (she happens to live in our neighborhood) and she snagged these tickets when she saw Marie was hosting. I didn’t realize ‘til I got home around midnight that my appointment was so early today + it took me over an hour to get over here with two train transfers, so I got about five hours of sleep. But I’m feeling good, relieved that I probably won’t need surgery and that there is a middle-of-the road treatment that is likely to speed up what has been a very slow recovery.

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Estou vindo da lanchonete mais doce de Bay Ridge, Brooklyn - um bairro na ponta mais ao sudeste do Brooklyn. Eu não estive aqui antes e tem uma vibração única. Os sotaques do Brooklyn que estou ouvindo são PESADOS e eu adoro. Estou aqui bem cedo em uma quarta-feira (escrevendo isso cedo, mas postando depois porque esse restaurante fofo não tem wifi e mal consigo recepção de celular). Eu tinha uma consulta às 8 da manhã com um Cirurgião Ortopédico, finalmente! Eles tiraram raios-X para descartar algumas coisas e quando o médico me examinou, levou cerca de cinco segundos para ele ver que meu ombro direito é “alado” e não está deitado corretamente ou se movendo simetricamente com o lado esquerdo. Ele disse que algo não está conectado corretamente, há inflamação e todo o ombro parece torcido. Ele me deu um plano de jogo, que inclui fisioterapia contínua, gelo, e estou voltando em duas semanas para uma injeção de esteróides. Estou tão aliviado por finalmente ter um plano de ação! Eu senti que estava em boas mãos, finalmente. Eu definitivamente estarei precisando de uma soneca hoje. Sofia me convidou para ir a um show de comédia no Fotografiska ontem à noite. É um museu focado em fotografia na cidade e, na verdade, no prédio que Anna Delvey/Anna Sorokin queria comprar com dinheiro de investidores. Realmente é um belo edifício. A noite foi apresentada por Marie Faustin, uma hilária nova-iorquina que encontrei no TikTok há algum tempo. Sofia tropeçou em seu instagram na mesma época (ela mora no nosso bairro) e pegou esses ingressos quando viu que Marie estava hospedando. Eu não percebi até chegar em casa por volta da meia-noite que meu compromisso era tão cedo hoje + levei mais de uma hora para chegar aqui com duas transferências de trem, então consegui cerca de cinco horas de sono. Mas estou me sentindo bem, aliviado que provavelmente não precisarei de cirurgia e que há um tratamento no meio do caminho que provavelmente acelerará o que tem sido uma recuperação muito lenta.

xo

Mariamma

Blue Skies

When I first arrived in Montana it was through a blanket of smoke. I mistook the smoke for a magical mountain mist when we were flying in, and then I remembered my mom mentioning the fires in Idaho. That last photo is what those same mountains looked like only a couple days before. A merciful rainstorm made its way through the valley and I finally got a few days of blue skies at the end of my trip. Living on the East Coast, I’ve avoided some perilous, scary moments with fire in the West. There were advisories to stay indoors because the air quality was so bad … which is hard to do, coming from the big city to enjoy my fix of nature and all. I had to go snap some photos of my favorite mountain range finally emerging from the smoke. I did, in fact, get my nature fix. Yesterday on our way to Missoula we passed a whole herd of Bison and my cousin pulled off so we could get a closer look and pay our respects. I have video footage to share and I will be diving into editing all of it shortly. It was quite glorious to return to my bed last night, put on an outfit this morning (with some new loafers I thrifted in Missoula!), drop off some dry cleaning, and walk through my neighborhood to one of my staple wfh coffee shops.

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Quando cheguei a Montana, foi através de um manto de fumaça. Eu confundi a fumaça com uma névoa mágica de montanha quando estávamos voando, mas lembrei de minha mãe mencionando os incêndios em Idaho. Essa última foto é como essas mesmas montanhas pareciam apenas alguns dias antes. Uma chuva misericordiosa fez seu caminho pelo vale e eu finalmente consegui alguns dias de céu azul no final da minha viagem. Morando na costa leste, evitei alguns momentos perigosos e assustadores com fogo no oeste. Havia avisos para ficar dentro de casa porque a qualidade do ar estava muito ruim… o que é difícil de fazer, vindo da cidade grande para aproveitar minha dose de natureza e tudo mais. Eu tive que tirar algumas fotos da minha cordilheira favorita finalmente emergindo da fumaça. Eu, de fato, consegui minha correção de natureza. Ontem, a caminho de Missoula, passamos por uma manada inteira de Bison e meu primo partiu para que pudéssemos dar uma olhada mais de perto e prestar nossos respeitos. Tenho imagens de vídeo para compartilhar e estarei mergulhando na edição de tudo em breve. Foi muito glorioso voltar para minha cama ontem à noite, vestir uma roupa esta manhã (com alguns mocassins novos que economizei em Missoula!), deixar algumas roupas na lavanderia e caminhar pelo meu bairro até um dos meus cafés.

love

Mariamma

Montana Morning

Good morning loves! As you can see I am back in Montana, visiting my fam. It is sooo beautiful in the summer and I’m so grateful to be able to pop back into one of my favorite places on the planet so frequently. Growing up, visiting Montana required a two day road trip and lots of planning. Getting to fly here still feels like such a treat. My nephew Chief is six now and I’m babysitting him this morning while my sister/cousin is at a board meeting a couple towns over. He just woke up so I’m going to change gears and make us some breakfast and maybe go on a little walk if I can coerce him to go. Happy Friday! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

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Bom dia amores! Como você pode ver, estou de volta a Montana, visitando minha família. É tão lindo no verão e eu sou muito grato por poder voltar a um dos meus lugares favoritos do planeta com tanta frequência. Crescer, visitar Montana exigiu uma viagem de dois dias e muito planejamento. Voar aqui ainda parece um prazer. Meu sobrinho, Chief, agora tem seis anos e estou cuidando dele esta manhã, enquanto minha irmã / prima está em uma reunião do conselho a algumas cidades de distância. Ele acabou de acordar, então vou mudar de marcha e fazer um café da manhã para nós e talvez dar uma caminhada se eu puder coagi-lo a ir. Feliz sexta-feira! Eu espero que todos vocês tenham um fim de semana maravilhoso.

beijão

Mariamma

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Hey! I hope you’re enjoying your weekend. Yesterday evening I got to visit the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. We went at 5:30 when it had cooled down and the lighting was so glow-y. It was bigger than I expected with so many little gardens, greenhouses, and sculptures. I love finding and exploring the many green spaces of this beautiful city. A friend of mine said that September in NYC is the most perfect in terms of weather and I can see what she was talking about. I am very much looking forward to the rest of the month.

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Ei! Espero que você esteja aproveitando seu fim de semana. Ontem à noite, visitei o Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. Fomos às 5:30, quando esfriou e a iluminação estava tão brilhante. Era maior do que eu esperava com tantos pequenos jardins, estufas e esculturas. Adoro encontrar e explorar os muitos espaços verdes desta bela cidade. Uma amiga minha disse que setembro em NYC é o mais perfeito em termos de clima e posso ver do que ela estava falando. Estou muito ansioso para o resto do mês.

xo

Mariamma

Double Rainbows and the Like

The art above is all original paintings by Claire Ray. Her site here: clairerayart.com

Here I am only one day later! Woman of my word ;)

These are some random snaps that, I think, paint a lovely ‘behind the scenes’ look into my wonderful weekend. It started with being picked up at the airport in Kurt’s truck with a broken muffler, getting an Impossible Burger from Burger King and eating it on the dusty ride to Patagonia - about a 1:15 drive from the Tucson airport. Oden was asleep when we got in so I got to visit with Claire for a bit before (re)meeting him. He was just two weeks old when I met him for the first time last year so this was the first time he wasn’t just a bundle of blankets. They live on the top of a desert mountain. The property has a gorgeous view, lots of bird feeders which attract a ridiculous amount of hummingbirds in particular, and a variety of lizards that cling to the back porch screen. So much to quietly observe, which is not unlike the city in some ways. I like to observe, maybe even to the point of calling it a hobby. Another highlight was trekking through brush to a creek. I say trekking only because there was a variety of poison oak that I had never encountered before. Growing up in Northern California, I am very familiar with the plant, and the miraculous fact that I have never had the rash it’s famous for has led me to believe I am immune. But I wasn’t about to take my chances with this new strain with pointy leaves. The creek was the perfect temperature and a welcomed relief from that famous Arizona sun. I am happy to report: I have still never had poison oak.

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Aqui estou eu apenas um dia depois! Mulher de palavra minha ;)

Estas são algumas fotos aleatórias que, eu acho, pintam um lindo olhar "nos bastidores" do meu maravilhoso fim de semana. Tudo começou quando fui pego no aeroporto no caminhão de Kurt com um silenciador quebrado, pegando um hambúrguer impossível do Burger King e comê-lo no caminho empoeirado para a Patagônia - cerca de 1:15 de carro do aeroporto de Tucson. Oden estava dormindo quando entramos, então pude visitar Claire um pouco antes de (re) conhecê-lo. Ele tinha apenas duas semanas de idade quando o conheci pela primeira vez no ano passado, então esta foi a primeira vez que ele não era apenas um pacote de cobertores. Eles vivem no topo de uma montanha deserta. A propriedade tem uma vista deslumbrante, muitos comedouros de pássaros que atraem uma quantidade absurda de beija-flores em particular, e uma variedade de lagartos que se agarram à tela da varanda de trás. Tanto para observar em silêncio, o que não é diferente da cidade em alguns aspectos. Gosto de observar, talvez até ao ponto de chamá-lo de hobby. Outro destaque foi a caminhada pela mata até um riacho. Digo trekking apenas porque havia uma variedade de carvalho venenoso que eu nunca havia encontrado antes. Crescendo no norte da Califórnia, estou muito familiarizado com a planta, e o fato milagroso de nunca ter tido a erupção pela qual é famosa me levou a acreditar que sou imune. Mas eu não estava disposto a arriscar com esta nova variedade de folhas pontudas. O riacho estava com a temperatura perfeita e um alívio bem-vindo daquele famoso sol do Arizona. Fico feliz em informar: ainda nunca tive carvalho venenoso.

** knocking on wood **

Mariamma

Laurel Canyon

Hey! Just a couple shots from my one-night-stay in Laurel Canyon. This area has a unique, artistic vibe and I loved the evening light across the canyon. I went on a long walk that night. It was the perfect temperature outside and it was fun to look at all the houses along the windy roads. This stay involved a series of unfortunate events however, including burning the crap out of my hand with boiling water. It’s healed quickly though so all is good. These photos are much prettier than my hand atm.

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Ei! Aqui estão algumas fotos da minha estadia de uma noite em Laurel Canyon. Esta área tem uma vibração única e artística e eu amei a luz da noite do outro lado do canyon. Fiz uma longa caminhada naquela noite. Estava a temperatura perfeita lá fora e era divertido olhar para todas as casas ao longo das estradas ventosas. Esta permanência envolveu uma série de eventos infelizes, no entanto, incluindo queimar a porcaria da minha mão com água fervente. É curado rapidamente, então tudo está bem. Essas fotos são muito mais bonitas do que minha mão agora.

xo

Mariamma

Red Rocks

Hey there honey bees! This was such a fun day! We were staying in downtown Denver and called up our friend Jessica who lives about an hour away. She drove down and had breakfast with us and then we made a spontaneous decision to drive the thirty minutes outside the city to visit the Red Rocks Amphitheater. It was so nice to get outside! They happened to be doing a soundcheck for a Prince tribute that was going to happen that night and we were all wishing we could stay. I’ve added going to see a concert there to my bucket list. Jessica said the acoustics there are unmatched!

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Ei, abelhas! Este foi um dia tão divertido! Nós estávamos no centro de Denver e ligamos para a nossa amiga Jessica, que mora a cerca de uma hora de distância. Ela dirigiu e tomou café da manhã conosco e tomamos uma decisão espontânea de dirigir os trinta minutos para fora da cidade para visitar o Anfiteatro Red Rocks. Foi tão bom sair lá fora! Eles estavam fazendo uma passagem de som para um tributo ao Prince que iria acontecer naquela noite e todos nós estávamos desejando que pudéssemos ficar. Eu adicionei indo ver um concerto lá na minha lista de desejos. Jessica disse que a acústica é inigualável!

Parque Lage

Hey hey! Yesterday I went to Parque Lage for the first time ever! It was bigger and even more beautiful than I expected. There are tons of little trails that lead you to some amazing spots - all green and gorgeous. It is only a few blocks away from where I am living now and entry is free so I will definitely be back soon. One of the things I love so much about Rio is how the city is tucked into nature. The mountains and forest are a backdrop to it all. Today is Election Day in Brazil and they elected Bolsonaro, a misogynistic, racist, homophobic, militant man, with little respect for nature I might add. I was biking back from Gávea this evening when it was officially announced that he won and lots of people were yelling and honking (in excitement). After over a decade of one party’s corruption people here are hungry for change, but the alternative is someone who openly spreads hate. It sounds sadly familiar. This world … I don’t understand it. I’ll be here when he begins his term in January so we’ll have to wait and see.

Ei ei! Ontem fui ao Parque Lage pela primeira vez! Era maior e ainda mais bonito do que eu esperava. Há toneladas de pequenas trilhas que levam a alguns pontos surpreendentes - tudo verde e lindo. É apenas a poucos quarteirões de distância de onde eu estou vivendo agora ea entrada é gratuita, então eu definitivamente voltarei em breve. Uma das coisas que eu amo tanto no Rio é como a cidade está escondida na natureza. As montanhas e a floresta são um pano de fundo para tudo isso. Hoje é o dia da eleição no Brasil e eles elegeram Bolsonaro, um homem misógino, racista, homofóbico e militante, com pouco respeito pela natureza que eu poderia acrescentar. Eu estava pedalando de volta da Gávea esta noite quando foi anunciado oficialmente que ele venceu e muitas pessoas estavam gritando e buzinando (em empolgação). Depois de mais de uma década de corrupção de uma parte, as pessoas aqui estão famintas por mudanças, mas a alternativa é alguém que abertamente espalha o ódio. Soa tristemente familiar. Este mundo ... eu não entendo isso. Eu estarei aqui quando ele começar seu mandato em janeiro, então teremos que esperar e ver.

paz e amor

Mariamma

Yosemite

Hello loves! I am chillin' in my usual coffee shop, post yoga on the bluff. I am addicted to one of the paninis here so I've been loving going to yoga and then working on the blog and eating lunch down the street. I am excited to share these photos! Yosemite is too beautiful for pictures to truly capture. I had such a nice weekend with a mixture twelve old and new friends. We camped for two nights with no reception, no electricity, just coyote howls and lots of stars. Fresh air does a body good. One thing that makes Yosemite so unique is the striking contrast between the soft green meadows and the towering rock formations and mountains. There is nothing gradual or transitory about the valley. It is two extremes that together, create a true work of art. Nature is magic. I am excited to be heading up to Chico in a couple weeks for my birthday. I have my two days there already jam-packed with plans which include more nature and a little dancing, among other things.  

Happy Monday 

Mariamma

Wild Wind

Hi babes! I just got back from Yosemite and I can't wait to show you the photos! I knew Yosemite was beautiful but in-person it was beyond striking. It was such a lovely weekend with old and new friends! I realized I've gone to three national parks in the last few months! I'm happy to be getting my nature fix. I really love traveling and seeing things for the first time. Being reminded at how gorgeous this planet is keeps what is truly important at the forefront of my mind. Nature is my therapy I suppose. I hope you all had a nice weekend, wherever you spent it! 

xx 

Mariamma

Claire & Kurt's Wedding

What a magical weekend! I drove seven hours each way to go see two of my favorite people from college get hitched! Kurt is my honorary big brother and I've known the lovely Claire for just as long. This weekend was amazing. I got to see so many people that were so influential in my college years whom I hadn't seen in far too long. The setting was amazing as well - bursting with oak trees, tire swings, a creek, all covered in tall grass. Most of us camped along the creek in a little neighborhood which was nice when I wanted to fall into bed after dancing for hours the night of the wedding. I'm so happy I was able to be there! 

xx 

Mariamma

Newport Sunset

I was on a bit of a roll there last week with posting and then this week got the best of me! There was a lot going on both at work and at home but it seems to be settling nicely. The last few days in Long Beach have been soooo beautiful. A little taste of summer that leaves me wanting more! I started off today by going to the gym and then getting my hair trimmed and getting a boba tea on the way home. The last time I grew my hair out I was so adamant about not using heat on it and it was so healthy. This time around I have had a lot more fun styling it (that's what it's for after all ... and maybe warmth haha) but I can definitely tell the difference in health. I chopped a few inches off the bottom but it's so long now you can't really tell. After I got home I walked a couple miles in the sun to the Goodwill and ate some fruit with lemon and tajin from a cart along the way. A long juicy walk ;). I didn't find anything at the thrift store today, which is rare. The photo above was taken in Newport Beach this past weekend. My friend Francesca and I met there for a beach picnic and coffee date <3. 

xoxo 

Mariamma

Spring Mood Board

The new Instagram feature where you can save photos has quickly turned into a mood board. Scrolling through, I started to realize how cohesive my photos and interests are and thought they would make a nice collage to share. I hope these images inspire you as they've inspired me! There is a lot about social media that doesn't sit right with me but the ability to share and have access to inspirational art is undeniable. 

Enjoy 

Mariamma

Lake Henshaw

I love the city, but this small town girl will always crave wide open spaces and some peace & quiet! I decided to give into my craving this week and took a trip to the desert. Luckily it's only a three hour drive. It's so nice to have my scenery change so drastically with just a couple hours in the car. That's the appeal of California I suppose! Everything is at your fingertips. 

x 

Mariamma

P.S. The whales made it safely out of the channel. Apparently they weren't in a big hurry to leave even when the tide went up. Marine biologists that were watching their behavior said that they were likely cleaning barnacles off of themselves on the sand. Happy ending!

Saturyay

Happy hump-day folks. I just had two lovely days off - a bit productive and a bit relaxing. I am about to go check out a michelada spot with my friend Ashley. One of the chefs at work told us that it is the best place in SoCal so we are going to investigate! These photos were taken last week on a little Saturday outing in the sunshine. This park is in-between Long Beach and Seal Beach and I decided to do some exploring. I had taken photos with a photographer there but I had only really seen the entrance. I was curious about how far back it went. In true SoCal fashion, it wasn't very large and was surrounded by fancy houses haha. I'm really craving a getaway into nature. I'll just wait for it to warm up a bit and then I'll scheme :). 

x 

Mariamma

Valentine's Day

Top - Express | Shorts - Thrifted | Over-the-Knee Boots - Free People | Jacket - Thrifted

Photos by KDotPhotography 

Happy belated V-day you filthy animals! I know that a lot of people find this day cheesy af ... I'm one of them ... but at the same time, who cares?! Let's just all be cheese-balls and be down for a day that promotes showing appreciation for the ones you love! You don't have to do it with even one gift, just spend that time :). I had a lovely little evening in Hyland Park (first time there) going to an M. Ward show that gave me tingles at one point. It's fun to get a little dressed up and go be moved by some music. 

I hope you had a wonderful day then and are having a wonderful day now. 

Cheers to happy holidays that don't preside in December. 

xx 

Mariamma

Cacti

Top - Thrifted | Pants - Stolen from my Ma :) | Booties - Circus by Sam Edelman 

Good morning! Today is my last day in Santa Barbara and luckily Nicole has the whole day free to spend with me! Yesterday we had lunch together and then I headed downtown while she met with a professor for a few hours. I wandered around, popping into shops while sipping on a matcha latte from Good Cup. When Nicole was done we met up and headed to dinner at a restaurant in La Arcada. I'm just waiting for her to wake up right now so we can go wander around more today. I'll head back to Long Beach this evening ... just in time for traffic. 

Have a lovely Friday! 

Mariamma

Dirt and Dusk

Dress - Vintage | Boots - Harley Davidson

Photos were taken by the talented Kristen Joseph, one of my coworkers.

happy friday folks 

Mariamma

Horseback Riding

If you knew me as a kid at all, you know my love of horses. I still have a chunk of money saved in bank in Missoula for my "future horse." Someday ... My cousin's friend George offered to take me riding as a late birthday present and it was hands down the best gift. I got to ride a Strawberry Roan that was as sweet as he was large. We drove out into the cut above Arlee for a good hour, drank some Summer Shandy's and went on a 6 hour ride! It was so beautiful and exhilarating. There really is nothing better than a gallop up a mountain. 

love 

Mariamma

Spokane

If you've been following along on this month's adventures on my Instagram you know that I am currently in Montana and Spokane was a nice little pit-stop along the way! I flew stand-by with Southwest Airlines and the closest I could get to Montana was Spokane. It just so happens to be where Braxton and Alex live, two guys I met in Vegas a few weeks back. Braxton was kind enough to show me around Spokane on Saturday and introduce me to a few of his friends. The Spokane River was a definite highlight with a drawstring bridge that swayed as you walked across it.

I'm currently in Charlo, Montana staying at my cousin April's house which is right up against the majestic Mission Mountains. This range has snow on the tops year-round and makes for an insanely beautiful backdrop to ... life! I feel immensely grateful to be here. I daydream about coming home to Montana all year long and I haven't been back for two years. Hanging out with my family, watching the deer make their way across the fields, and picking strawberries from the garden - it's been a dream! Photos to come!

xoxo

Mariamma