Never Settle for Less..

“Never settle for less.”

These are the words I keep having to remind myself of. I must admit, at the age of 23, I feel like I’m at a standstill. I’m working at an okay job, that pays me an okay salary, trying to take little trips here and there that I can afford. I can’t say my life is completely bland. I have an extraordinary family, friends old and new, and an absolutely amazing boyfriend. I don’t want to sit here and complain that I have such a dull, meaningless life, because I don’t. But is it outrageous to want more? To want to feel like I’m worth more and capable of doing something that I, myself, see as extraordinary?

I’m afraid. That’s it. That must be the answer to why I feel like I’m limited to do the unthinkable. Or uncertainty. I’m uncertain of my calling, what I’m meant to do. Does anyone know the answer to this grueling question they ask themselves? Some people seem so sure and that frightens me because all this time I thought I was ahead of the game. I’m 23! I need to be doing the most I can be doing and more right now, while I still have all the energy and time to fail, while I am in my prime.

If you’ve been feeling this way recently or in the past, I will tell you this. I understand. After asking people to tell me what they think I should do and never being satisfied with the answer, it’s time to take charge. Stop being apprehensive. Stop waiting around for a spider to come crawling and take a bite out of you so only then can you become a super hero. Opportunities don’t always just come around when you least expect it, so you should create your own opportunities. And if one does happen to appear out of nowhere, identify it and take it.

Easier said then done, right? Well then, I guess all we can do is try. Try to not settle for mediocrity or routine. Try not to be afraid to take a leap of faith. Try not to be afraid to use your resources or find new ones. It seems so much more satisfying knowing you gave it your all even if you fail in the end rather than not even giving it a shot.

xoxo

Take the Initiative: Perseverance

This may sound a bit redundant or like a self confidence book, but this is the opinion of someone who makes perseverance a natural occurrence. I’ve never had anything majorly tragic happen to me, no serious sickness or disease, I’ve never encountered a near death experience, and I haven’t lost a close family member that I knew very well (except our dog, Kobe, I miss him). I have definitely had experiences that completely changed me as a person though. I’ve been through situations through work, friendships, school, and family issues that have molded me into what I am today. I’m not perfect, but I’m more apt to say that I can make it through difficult situations and anyone can grasp that mindset. I think if we do, the world can get through a lot more than we think we can.

We cannot judge others or assume any one other person’s situation is more difficult that ours, we’ll only end up resenting each other. We cannot assume we know how someone is feeling about their situations. I remember back in high school when my then boyfriend’s father passed away. I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t tell him it would be okay because I had no way of knowing it would be. I didn’t want to sit there and tell this person who I loved and was so closed to that things were going to get easier because let’s face it, sometimes it doesn’t. We should remember that life never gets easier and it sucks. It gets harder and we’re constantly battling different obstacles: mental health, body health, work issues, family matters, friends, birth, divorce, abuse, war, world hunger, violence, the list goes on. So what can we do? What can we say to others to console them?

Perseverance. We’ve all done it at some point whether we like to think so or not. We’ve all been through problems we thought were too big to conquer. Some problems may take a longer time to defeat, but it’ll happen. And when you get lost or trapped in thinking nothing will change or that things will just keep getting worse, remember you’ve done it once, you can do it again. Prove to yourself that you’re a person that can be strong  for yourself and others. Most of the time when we give up it’s because we’re lazy. We know that certain things take work and time and we want to wait around for a sign from God or whatever higher belief you have drop all the answers on your lap in a box tied with a bow and that will never do. Never feel sorry for yourself and say you can’t because you always can, you have, and you will.

Take the initiative to control your life and make the positive change you want to see.

xoxo

Home for the Holidays

Last week, Alex and I travelled back home to see our families for the Christmas holidays. It was a great 5 day trip, I ate a ton, laughed a lot, felt lots of love, and got to spend quality time with my close family and friends. Five days just wasn’t enough for the both of us, but we needed to get back to reality.

So far it has been just about six months since Alex and I made the big move. We’ve gotten used to the city, our apartment, and our lifestyle together. So much so that when we went home for the holidays, it didn’t feel much like our home anymore. Both of our old rooms were bare and none of our toiletries were in our bathrooms anymore. It makes me somewhat emotional, as if a piece of me isn’t home anymore. I only hope that my dogs remember me every time I make a trip back.

Coming back to SF after our 5 day trip back to LA, Alex and I both felt this sense of relief, like we are where we’re supposed to be. Our stuff is here, our food, our bed, our new home. I think we agreed that this place is finally starting to feel normal and good. The only thing missing, that we always miss, is our family and friends.

It really is difficult to change your habits, like moving to a new city. What you’re used to always feels like home, so when you have to suddenly deviate from that, it feels like something isn’t right. Maybe that’s why we don’t like change. We’re afraid of not feeling like ourselves anymore or feeling like we’re not in control. I have to remember all the times I’ve changed my routine, whether it be starting a completely new job or starting college, I survived and managed to get myself through it. All those new experiences made me a better person, allowed me to meet awesome people, and gain great knowledge that I didn’t have before.

We will always dread trying something new, but we always have to remember that we’ve been through it before so we need not to be afraid. I don’t need things to prove where my home is. I  always believe that saying,”home is where the heart is.” My home is with Alex, here in San Francisco, but it’s also back in SoCal with my family and friends, it’s in Seattle with my sister and brother in law, it’s in Nevada with my aunty and uncle. The ones I love have my heart and wherever they are, is my home.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

xoxo

It’s OK to Eat Alone

Since moving to San Francisco, I’ve found that there are more times than I had anticipated that I’d need to firmly assert my independence. This is due to the fact that I don’t know many people and Alex is always studying or has some dental fraternity thing going on. There are definitely those times when I need to occupy my time without the aid of another companion. For me, that’s hard to do as I like being around people, especially those that I love and genuinely enjoy spending time with. In the beginning, I wouldn’t even leave the house. Yes, I became that hermit that was afraid to venture out on my own being in a new city and not knowing people(I assume that’s a normal occurrence in this situation). However, as time goes on, I remember that I don’t have a list of people I can call anymore, I don’t know what events usually happen around this time of year, and I don’t know where a lot of things are (I’m solely reliant on Google Maps). But why I am going to use that as an excuse?

Up until now, I thought I was asserting my independence by seeking out things I’ve wanted to do and doing them, hanging out with more than one crowd, being able to make my own dinner. But alas, moving up to San Francisco has taught me that I am more reliant on others than I thought I was. Now, what do I do?

I don’t want to always go through life thinking I need others to have a good time. I don’t want to feel like I need my parents to help me make important life decisions…after all, it is my life!

When I catch myself in these moments, I literally have to shake myself out of it. I drag myself into some clothes and out of the house so that I can be on my own: figure out directions and places I want to go on my own, eat at a place 27 bus stops away from me so that I can grab some Soondooboo by my lonesome because I had a craving for it and no one else was able to join me. It’s okay to eat alone. It’s okay to enjoy what you want  without the worry of pleasing a companion you’re with. I’m not saying you should be a hermit and not try to be friends with everyone, but you should be able to live a fulfilled life on your own. As I’ve always said and always will say,”you cannot love another until you love yourself first”. At the end of day, when people move on, relationships change, people pass, all you have left is yourself. Don’t make it someone else’s responsibility to ensure you’re happiness. Besides, usually when you’re on you’re own doing something you love, you tend to meet others doing the same thing and a new relationship is born.

Cheers to those who brave eating alone and are so damn happy about it!

xoxo

In the End..What Am I Holding Onto?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how I may be scared to let go of things that have happened in the past. I don’t mean holding grudges or having feelings for old boyfriends. I mean certain aspects that keep a tight hold on my childhood like the people I used to call friends that have seemed to fade away with all this time that’s passing or music that I used to love in high school and middle school that almost seem silly to like anymore.

I need to face the facts. Things change, times passes, I change and move on. The more I dig into my thoughts and the meaning behind them, I realize maybe it’s deeper than that. What am I really holding on to?

I listen to music while taking a shower everyday and it’s my moment to think and sing as loud as I want. I’ve been listening to one of my favorite stations, the All American Rejects, on Pandora. The artists featured are AAR, Boys Like Girls, We the Kings, All Time Low, etc. Some of that punky, pop, alternative type music I used to listen to…okay I was obsessed with. I’ve thought to myself, I miss this. Granted I don’t’ listen to their current music, if there is any, I just remember and love the old stuff. The Boys Like Girls songs that remind me of that time I got up on stage with my best friend Nicole at the Club Nokia venue, or the All Time Low songs that remind me of the time I met them at the House of Blues for a show instead of going to our freshman year homecoming with some of my best friends at the time. One of the big ones I always remember was being OBSESSED with the Jonas Brothers (with full swing purity rings) with 3 of my best friends in freshman year of high school. What makes all of these moments (there were plenty more) so special is that I had no inhibitions, no worries, I wasn’t afraid of judgement or looking silly. All I knew was that I was with people I cared about, doing things we loved and had the most fun doing.

And now..I see it in a lot of people and I see it in myself. We’re restrained, stressed out, serious, and worrisome. Of course, we are happy and excited about certain things and what the future may hold, but in going through the motions of life, it seems as if we lost the light in our eyes and the excitement in our hearts that we carried with us when we were younger and life was easier. We care more about what other people will think, if we’re living our lives up to the standard of someone else, worried about going back to our high school reunions proud of what we’ve accomplished. We don’t make friends with everyone anymore, we just get major road rage and think everyone else is an idiot when things don’t go our way. We complain about the future of our country, but hesitate to realize that each of us is an important role that affects our outcome. We get drunk and argue about what football team is better (if you read my last post, you’ll understand my POV on this one). We look at the new youth and think they’re stupid and naive instead of helping them to do better and become great.

I don’t go to church anymore, like I used to. However, one of the few times I’ve gone as a young adult with my mom and grandma, I remember something the pastor said in his teachings (this one caught my attention, usually I’m trying to fight falling asleep). I don’t remember the exact words, but he said something along the lines of going through life with a childlike attitude. To be curious, compassionate, playful, like the qualities of a child discovering the world and all of its possibilities. He also said to not get childlike confused with childish. As adults, we still need to be mindful, considerate, responsible, and honest in the lives we lead. I couldn’t agree more with what he was saying.

Ultimately I think what I’m holding onto when I reminisce through music and the friendships I used to have, with the way things used to be is my childlike qualities that may have faded over time. I don’t want to get sucked into becoming an adult and thinking that everything spirals down from there as time goes on. I want to remember that it’s okay to sing and dance to my favorite songs, I don’t have to get mad and stressed over every little bad situation, I want to remember that I can have a great time without alcohol or drugs, I can accomplish what I set my mind to. With change, you can create a new happy, a new bliss, a new adventure and try new things you’ve never even dreamed you could do. And the moments when times get tough, as they always do, you just have to roll with the punches like you did when things got tough when you were younger.

Even if the All American Rejects or the Jonas Brothers aren’t playing the same music they used to, or they broke up, or whatever, there’s new music that I do love that I’d want to see live. I can still dance, sing the lyrics at the top of my lungs and have a great time with new friends and my new love. Remember the past’s great moments, but never forget that more are coming your way.

xoxo

What are you fighting for?

I recently went to a Dodgers v. Giants game at AT&T park. Alex and I were joined by his brother and cousin who visited from LA and our two friends who live in SF. All, except Alex and I were repping the Dodgers. Alex and i wore Giants hats. We though this would mix it up a bit, plus I’ve never owned a Dodger hat. I should mention that I don’t really associate myself with any particular team in any sport, although I do enjoy watching from time to time. The game was fun to watch. I found myself rooting for my home team and my new home team all at once. Unheard of by most die hard fans, I’m sure.

My odd experience occurred after the game on the walk home from the stadium with Alex, his brother and cousin. Now Alex’s brother is a huge sports fan and is really passionate about the sports he likes and the teams he represents. I’ve seen him get into tense spats and conversations over which team has a better shot at winning and certain players and how they play. However, I’ve never seen or heard of him ever crossing that line of good ‘ol fashion competition and plain disrespect to others. He knows when A. He’s been drinking too much and B. When he’s nearing that moment where he’ll say something rude.

So this brings me to this other random jerk off who was repping the Giants. He was drunk, clearly, and started yelling at us from behind while we were walking home. At first it started out with just useless banter, but when Alex’s brother returned with a few of his own words on the facts and history of the teams, this guy clearly got upset and started getting disrespectful mentioning Alex’s mother, commenting on Alex’s brother’s appearance and continuing to yell and be obnoxious. I should also mention this guy had an accent that seemed to be from New York or Chicago (he doesn’t even go here). So before anything could get out of control, Alex’s brother and cousin kept walking away and Alex stepped up to calm the situation down and then catch back up with us.

Now, this didn’t get out of hand and we’re lucky. But this is the exact thing I can’t understand about die hard sports fans. WHAT ARE YOU FIGHTING FOR?? I just read an article about a NY Mets fan at a Dodgers game get beaten up by a mother and son team obviously way too drunk and passionate about the boys in blue. I also watched a short documentary about a man who was literally walking in Boston wearing a team hat that wasn’t the Red Sox (I forgot the actual team). There were strangers telling him that he shouldn’t wear that hat or he’ll get beat up and then proceeded to chase him down the street.

What do I have to say about this? What.the.hell?! Honestly, this is just an alternate version of the bloods and the crypts or whatever and not being able to wear a certain color or you’ll die (harsh reality?). If you don’t think that’s acceptable, why is it acceptable for you to be that way at a sporting event where there’s families and children?? Some of these people swear they know these players personally and “defend” them as if someone if trying to physically hurt them. Reality check. They’re not your family and the only one physically hurting someone is you apparently.

It makes me so angry because it’s pointless fights and arguments that happen and result in serious injuries and in some occurances, death…and what for? No one can come up with a logical explanation as to why this happens..especially when there’s WAY bigger problems in the world other than your team losing this one game this one time. And if they don’t make it to the playoffs or Super Bowl or what whatever else this year…guess what?? They literally have a shot again next year because unfortunately for the lot of us, the world isn’t ending.

And might I add, if you’re over the age of 22 and still get into fights because you’ve had too much to drink and start being disrespectful, shame on you for being that old and STILL not knowing your limit with alcohol. You had a full 2 years to figure it out while it was still semi acceptable.

What can we do to stop the madness? Take it a day at a time and if you know someone who gets like this and think it’s absolutely absurd, talk to them and explain how petty and low it is to cause pain (physical and mental) to others based on sports. Don’t let people ruin the experience for everyone!

And as seen from the picture above, my sister and my boyfriend can get along although they like different teams. Nothing is impossible!

*END RANT*

xoxo

Flying High

I recently took a trip back home for the weekend for my grandpa’s 80th birthday. I traveled alone since Alex was due to arrive on a later flight after class. Luckily I had a window seat for a flight that was only an hour long. I was tired after a day at work and was hoping to not sit next to someone who wanted to chat, as cynical as that may seem.

While I was staring out the window, I got to thinking, the city of San Francisco looks so tiny from a higher point of view. I thought, how could a city, jam packed with buildings and some hundred thousand people look so small? How large really is our world? I think to myself a lot without words ever leaving my mouth. I could be walking in the airport, sitting at home, working out at the gym and I am always thinking, do I look okay? What does that person think of me right now? How can I become someone that people remember and know?

Truth is, in a world that is so large with billions of people and thousands of places, it seems unnecessary to always wonder what others think. No one person has everyone’s love, respect, or even knowledge of existence. There are simply too many people. Why am I so bent on making such a big impact right this second? And if no one notices, why do I care so much? As I read on some of the top leaders, entrepreneurs, and personalities, every single one of them was a “nobody” at some point. They didn’t make it their main focus to have people like them or approve of what they did. They achieved greatness by taking a combination of small and large steps, having some minor setbacks, and never letting their self doubt or the negativity of others bring them down if what they were doing was something they truly believed in.

With that being said, I stopped and realized, I am tired and I don’t really feel like making conversation with anyone let alone the stranger next to me on this plane. But who got anywhere by being a pessimist or letting a little setback, keep them from meeting a new friend, an exceptional acquaintance, or a potential business partner? Needless to say, I had an awesome conversation with the man in the seat next to me. I learned about his adventures around the US, he gave me some ideas on where to visit in San Francisco, and we laughed about how we missed the beach in the South Bay and how there’s no better place to live (although now we both reside in SF). I walked away feeling better. I wasn’t tired anymore, I was happy..happy to know that there’s nice, interesting people out there that I may have more in common with than I could ever possibly think.

Take opportunities, meet new people outside of your comfort zone, be pleasant. This world is too large to not want to explore and wander and see all of its possibilities and wonders it has to offer. Life is so short, so wouldn’t you want to go out thinking, “I went as far as I could and it was incredible”?

xoxo

Friend or Foe?

I’ve been out of high school for 5 years now. I’d like to think I’ve personally grown up and learned from my mistakes of the past with relationships, friendships, work. However, as an adult, you really do endure trial and tribulation on a daily basis. Even though you may not dive into “drama” on the daily, there are still people out there who respond to situations in a rather daunting way and a lot of the time I end up asking, “Didn’t we graduate high school already?”

My past experiences aside, I’ve recently come across someone who’s brought to my attention the dwelling issue of a friendship gone awry due to talking behind someone’s back and completely ignoring each other instead of getting to the root of the problem. Now, as a third party perspective on the matter, hearing of the situation was really…sad. Bashing people on the internet is so middle school (anyone remember Myspace, AIM, or 3 way phone call fights?)These girls are 20 years old, not quite adults maybe, but old enough to know what’s right and what is painfully immature for a 20 year old to be acting like.

When did people, in a world of immediate communication and contact, become so mute? COMMUNICATION! That is the key. If you want to sell something, you need to communicate, if you want to become anyone of importance, you need to communicate, if you want a lasting marriage, you need to communicate. Telling the truth, giving a valid opinion, standing up for yourself, finding the solution to any problem all takes communication.

I should state that when I mention communication, I DON’T mean that you should be hidden behind your computer and slamming people on whatever form of social media there is nowadays. I mean, if you can’t say anything to someone’s face, that you’d delightfully say behind their back or with the help of a technological device, then you are just being a coward. Plain and simple.

I’ve been involved with dumb drama and lies. I’ve found that it gets me nowhere, just makes me look like a brat that no one wants to be around. Luckily for me, I have friends that will tell me like it is and I’d do the same. I have a boyfriend who won’t take my bullshit just because I’m in a “mood”. I’ve learned and I’ll never stop learning about how to be a better person every single day and neither should anyone else.

It’s so hard to find out who really is a good person out there. I’ve come across many that it didn’t work out with or found to be ugly on the inside. You really want to surround yourself with positive people who will grow alongside of you and help you lead a happy life.

This subject is SO important, especially with the political debates going on in the US. What the people of our nation need is a leader who is constantly communicating the thoughts and ideas that will immediately affect our home and our way of living. I don’t want someone in charge of my life keeping secrets or scheming about some corrupt plan to raise taxes for useless reasons or a thought about invading another country to drain all of its resources and hurting its people for our own selfish gain.

Communication is nerve-wracking at times and you wonder if you’re going to hear what you want to hear. That fear will destroy you and will stunt your growth as a human being. Don’t be afraid to speak up.

xoxo

You’ve Got a Friend in Me

Making friends is not easy as an adult, or young adult if you will. I suppose in the eyes of others, I can’t say much with only having moved to San Francisco 3 weeks ago, but this “making friends” thing has still got me stumped.

Background: Never have I EVER had a problem making friends, but that’s mostly because I’ve been put in situations where it was easy what with being forced to attend school for 12 years of my life with some of the same people, meeting friends through my already established friends, or meeting people at work. I was put in those situations and luckily I had things in common with those people. If they were more of an acquaintance and I wanted to make an effort in keeping them friends, I had an endless list of activities and events we could go do locally. Also, I can talk the ear off of just about anyone if given the opportunity to..I have some sort of OCD where I feel the need to constantly fill the silence (something I’ve been trying to figure our and improve on).

With that being said, moving to San Francisco has definitely intimidated me. I’ve never lived in a city as big as SF. Sure I’ve visited DTLA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, but I’ve never had to live and spend all of my time there. I could always go back to my little cocoon back in Torrance. Here, my apartment is WAY to small to stay cooped up in all day. The things that race through my mind is A.) I don’t have money to spend on a special class to meet people yet, B.) I haven’t met people to hang out with from work…yet. C.) The people I have met, don’t live in the city. (Shout out to the people we know in Berkeley!) Luckily my friend Kelley from back home lives in the city and we’ve hung out quite a few times, however, I don’t want to always bombard her and only her…I don’t want to weird people out that way either. And lastly D.) It’s not as easy meeting friends to hang out with as it is to meet potential dates (go ahead, tell me it’s not harder!).

So these are all my worries…do you have a longer list? What I’m going to try to do to meet people and be proactive in doing so is this:

1. Sign up for Meetup.com…I did this, but have yet to actually say ‘yes’ to an event. Plus I’m going to drag Alex with me.
2. Kelley agreed with me TODAY to join a beginners Hip Hop class..she too, has not been here long and doesn’t know many people. We can look like fools (or be awesome in the clubs) together.
3. I’ve made it a point to reach out to ASPCA to FINALLY volunteer at an animal shelter..hopefully the people I’ve emailed get back to me ASAP.
4. Lastly, I will try to just talk to people more. Try not to be so intimidated by people. If I feel intimidated, I swear I think I have RBF..yes, resting bitch face. It’s not pretty, although doesn’t cause wrinkles (AYO Kim Kardashian).

The reason why it’s important to have friends, especially when you don’t have much family nearby, is to be happy. Who doesn’t love sharing a laugh about something you have in common together? Who doesn’t love saying, “I need a girls shopping day because Alex doesn’t wanna go?” Or just having someone to talk to about everyday things and go bar hopping with? Sure, I have two best friends and close family members I have back home that I always confide in, laugh with, and try new things with…but, they’re not here everyday. I can’t do everyday things with them anymore. I can only plan visits and call or email every so often. Alex and I want to feel like we have a fulfilled life everyday here, too…not just what we had back at home.

We shall definitely see what will come about in the future. We have at least 4 years in the beautiful city of San Francisco and we can’t wait to see what happens next. We can only take it day by day.

xoxo

Outside Lands over Coachella

When I started this blog, I promised myself I was going to post at least once a week. Well, I definitely screwed that up already, but with good reason of course. You see, my two best friends and their boyfriends came up to SF to join Alex and I at Outside Lands this year. I absolutely had the best time with them, drinking, eating, laughing, walking everywhere, and just hanging out.

However, the reason I am posting today is to tell you my reasons for loving Outside Lands over Coachella times a million. And I am not biased in any way, and I have been to both within the last 3 years.

Coachella:

Yup. Just what you hear from your friends that have gone and come back saying, “Coachella was crazy!” It is crazy. There are tons of people that attend, way more than I think go to Outside Lands each year. Coachella is talked about way more in the media and among your peers.  Many more celebrities and individuals in the fashion and entertainment industries attend. There are many sponsored pool parties, after parties, and tents that give freebies. Sounds great, right? Sure. My issue with all the hype and popularity created with Coachella is the crowd. There are way too many people and it’s SO hot. We’re talking in the 100 degrees sometimes. Think about this, thousands of hot bodies (sweaty, not necessarily good-looking) running around, some dirty (the Coachella campers that don’t shower) running around and rubbing up on you in the enormous crowds that surround the stage, in the tents, and beer gardens. Some people wear deodorant, others don’t. Usually, I don’t have a problem with loads of people and getting a little “ratchet”, but there’s no way to get drunk enough for that. You’re not allowed to bring alcohol into the grounds, rightfully so. That’s fine..but not being able to drink my $12 beer for my favorite performer is just whack. Yes, I said whack. It’s crazy that you have to buy your drink in the designated beer gardens and you have to finish it before you exit.

My positives? It’s fun for me to see the fashion that people come up with. Many clothing companies make it a point to showcase the “Coachella style” that the celebrities rep and the everyday goers. The lineup is for the most part, very good. There’s a little taste of different genres that are sure to tickle everyone’s fancy. Last year, I was able to check off Lana Del Rey, MGMT, Muse, Ellie Goulding, and Pharell off my list. All of which I have been dying to see at least once in my lifetime. Each act has a great set and the fans show much support and energy, it’s absolutely insane.

Bottom line, Coachella, the fashion is great, the music is more than I could ask for, but my sweaty self cannot stand the heat and the mass amounts of people who’ve never heard of personal space or deodorant and that’s enough to keep me away. I literally get the crap kicked out of me from attending one night..and it lasts three.

Outside Lands:

Yes! Finally, a music festival I can go to that’s more cold and relaxed. I love the cold, however, Outside Lands this year in particular, was pretty warm during the day. Outside Lands has 4 different stages (not nearly as many as Coachella), but the performers play long sets. There aren’t as many head liners, but that’s okay with me. The ones that they do have are more my style. Kanye West, Mumford and Sons, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kaskade…yes please! Best part is, I could happily say I saw at least half the set of each, if not the whole thing. Many delicious food choices and beer and wine..everywhere! No security telling me I can’t bring my drink outside of Beer Lands or Wine Lands to see my favorite artist, I can literally walk around with it, shop, look at some art, see some magic, or laugh at some mediocre comedians.

Not as many celebrities or hype about Outside Lands, yet it’s still really popular among the Bay area and Southern California where I’m originally from. It’s easy to find a hotel or Air B&B if you’re not from the area and when the festival is over..you can find me getting a late night bite or heading out to the nearest bar for my kind of after party.

Bottom line, Outside Lands, I don’t have nearly enough to complain about, if at all. I did have the best experience with my friends in the past and this past weekend in your presence and will definitely be coming back. Plus, hats coats, and boots are more my style than cut offs and gladiators.

I’m making it a point to explore my horizons when it comes to music festivals. My next adventure may lead me to Lollapalooza, Jazz & Heritage Music festival, Ultra, and Bonnaroo.

Here are some pictures from this past weekend…xoxo