       When Taylor and I were planning our Palm Springs trip back in March, I made it a personal mission to try as many of the trendy food spots as possible. I think we did a great job hitting up several local favorites - the best of which was definitely The Pink Cabana! Located inside of the Sands Hotel, The Pink Cabana is a gorgeous poolside restaurant. The hotel is technically a little outside of Palm Springs in Indian Wells, but the Uber from where we were staying was quick and totally worth it! Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious, and since my eyes are bigger than my stomach (and wallet) I ordered quite a bit.. Between Taylor and I, we tried the artisan cheese board, oysters, prawns, and the salmon. We were also treated to some champagne and toasted with a couple of colorful cocktails! My only regret was not taking more photos, both of the meal and the perfectly designed space. After dinner we explored what we could of the hotel, which I also wish I had thought to capture more of. Everything was my favorite shade of pink, and testing out the day beds by the pool definitely made me wish I was a guest of the hotel. I'll be adding the Sands to my bucket list for a future trip, but in the mean time I'll be daydreaming about sipping Cabana Coladas in the pink paradise.
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    When I graduated college and found a full time career I started to worry that I wouldn't be able to find time for creativity outside of my job. Luckily my blog is sort of a creative "side project" where I can chose 100% what I like making and doing! The best part is getting to continue pursuing my love of photography wherever I go! I love finding fun photo spots and pretty lighting, especially during a vacation like our trip to LA. West Hollywood is full of cool murals, and my easy favorite was this yarn installation of rainbows. It was so unique, and I'm pretty sure there's nothing like it in Seattle! We have a couple more little trips planned this year and I'm so excited to get away from the office and explore. Here's hoping I'll find another gem like these rainbows ☺️
 When it comes to Spring in Seattle, the long awaited glimpse of sun isn't the only thing to look forward to! Each year we become host to a major film festival known as SIFF (Seattle International Film Festival) which brings features and shorts from around the world right to our city. Not only is this my first year attending any SIFF films, but I'm also lucky enough to be an influencer for the festival, complete with press privileges !!!! I'll be updating my instagram highlight throughout the festival, so stay tuned for discount codes and event coverage, but in the meantime here is my "can't miss" list:
Some other notable titles:
The festival has hundreds of films, and tons of special events so be sure to check out the full list for yourself and let me know if you end up making it to any screenings!
          Back in October I had the opportunity to visit New Orleans with Tyler and his family. It was the trip of a lifetime, and I loved every minute of it - from the ornate houses to the sweet treats! It's been a few months and I'm still thinking about the beignets and sno-bliz (featured in Part 1 of my New Orleans travel guide) In Part 2 of my guide I wanted to share my favorite part of our New Orleans visit, and the place we spent the most time: the French Quarter. The French Quarter truly felt like the heart of the city. It's full of life, art, and delicious food. There's so much to do, and in the 4 days we spent there we barely scratched the surface! Here's a list of 10 things to do when visiting New Orleans' French Quarter: 1. Beignets at Cafe du Monde As I mentioned, the beignets in New Orleans are amazing, and Cafe du Monde is iconic! It's cash only, so come prepared and know that lines can usually be expected. We luckily didn't have to wait long on a weekday morning but if you end up waiting for a bit just know it's worth it! There's both indoor and outdoor seating, and the service is pretty quick once you find a table. I recommend pairing your beignets with a cup of the Au Lait coffee, especially if you're starting your day there! 2. Riverboat Ride The French Quarter is only a few blocks from the Mississippi River, and we took a ride on the Riverboat as a way to see the city by night. Ours was a dinner cruise, and the food was just okay in comparison to what we ate later in the week, but the experience itself was really fun. They have live music and a bar on board, so it's a relaxing way to spend the evening with friends and family while still getting a great view. 3. Listen to Live Music Speaking of live music, the riverboat certainly isn't the only place to hear a performance. Similar to Nashville, it seemed like New Orleans is in constant rhythm. Many of the bars and restaurants have Jazz throughout the day (and night), and Frenchmen street is described as "consistently musical". A visit to any of the Jazz Clubs along Frenchmen is a great way to experience the culture and nightlife of New Orleans! 4. Do a Walking Tour We were originally signed up for a guided walking tour of the French Quarter, but by the time it rolled around we had already done quite a bit of exploring on our own. However, I think it would have been a great way to experience the area the first time, and eavesdropping on a few tours we passed made me feel like we missed out on learning some really cool history. If you don't want to pay for a guided tour, I definitely recommend you still walk around the area as much as possible. The buildings are really beautiful, and I couldn't stop taking photos of the bright colored homes and intricate details they had! There are also quite a few free tours you can download online if you don't want to wing it. 5. Bar Hop on Bourbon Street After our Riverboat ride we went out for a night on the town, to New Orlean's most notorious party street. The drinks are cheap and the bars seem to go on forever (to me it felt like a mini Vegas without the gambling) and people will be passing you beads regardless of whether it's Mardi Gras. Just a tip from experience: avoid the "daiquiris". They seem like a great deal, but are more kool-aid than anything and all the sugar will leave you full of regret. 6. Visit a Cemetery Unfortunately we weren't able to tour a cemetery during our trip due to poor timing, which I would say is probably my biggest regret of the trip. Luckily we were able to learn a bit about the above-ground tombs during the bus tour we did, but I would have really loved the opportunity to go inside the cemetery itself rather than a quick look as we drove by. On the bright side, I definitely want to take another trip someday and it's good to have a few more stops on the bucket list for next time! 7. Go Shopping The French Quarter has plenty of little shops and boutiques, which we stopped periodically in as we walked around. There are also a lot of souvenir stores and art galleries. If you're looking to get away from the brick and mortar shopping, you can head to the French Market for a variety of stands. 8. Taste New Orleans' Classics New Orleans is known for their traditional foods like gumbo, po-boys, jambalaya, crawfish, king cakes, red beans & rice... the list goes on and on. We weren't able to try it all, but we did our best. In order to maximize our taste testing adventure we ordered family style at a couple restaurants and got a little bit of everything. We even tried fried alligator! 9. Ride the Streetcar Riding the Streetcar was another thing we missed during our stay, but if you're tired of walking or just want another way to see the city I recommend checking it out. It's a lot like the cable cars in San Fransisco and you can purchase unlimited day passes to get in as many rides as you'd like (or need depending on where you choose to stay) 10. Watch the Street Performers Last but not least, New Orleans is full of street performers. We watched a hip hop group backflip over some people while telling jokes and one guy is known for juggling swords while standing on top of a rolling barrel! It was all super impressive, and since crowds usually form they're usually easy to find when you're looking for a break from all the walking. However, if you're going to stay for a performance it's standard to leave a tip so be sure to have your leftover cash from Cafe du Monde ready. Hopefully this guide is helpful when planning a trip to New Orleans, or at least convinces you to add it to your travel bucketlist! I loved it so much there and look forward to making it back someday to see even more of what Louisiana has to offer. There's a never ending list of things to do, and these 10 that I recommend are only a few of the ways you can spend your time in New Orleans!
 Happy International Womxn's Day! To celebrate I'm sharing a few of my favorite female owned businesses in a variety of categories. This is in no way comprehensive - the list of businesses I love supporting could go on forever but I wanted to highlight a few that I keep returning to over and over.  Rarity by Casey I've lost count of how many Rarity bow bands I own, but it's safe to say I have enough to match almost any outfit! Casey started the hair accessory business on her own, but now employs several other women who all hand make these adorable bows. They go really fast though, so if you happen to catch the shop when it's open be sure to stock up on all your favorite colors!  Studio DIY I don't remember exactly how I discovered Studio DIY's "Can't Clutch This", but I am so so glad I did. I signed up for the subscription, and receiving these fun bags each month always puts a smile on my face! Kelly, who runs Studio DIY, is such an inspiration for me. She's a style icon of mine, and a total boss with a gorgeous family! Ban.do I'm obsessed with Ban.do in every possible way. They bring so much color and joy to all of their products, and they're even fun to follow on instagram for a little inspo! They started as a hair accessory company, but now they have everything a girl could want, from teeshirts to planners, to giant heart shaped pool floaties. My dream is to same day get to design a product with their team! Lola Lola is an awesome feminine hygiene company that makes period products as well as intimacy products. The tampons and pads are 100% organic cotton, and can be ordered as a reoccurring subscription that arrives when you need it each month. One of my favorite things about Lola is that they care about their community, and donate the necessary feminine hygiene products to women in shelters who would otherwise be without each month. These are some of the most needed items at shelters, but are rarely donated. Since 2015 they've donated over 1 million tampons!  Molly Moon's When am I not talking about ice cream? Molly Moon's is a Seattle favorite and the owner Molly is so rad! Not only is the line always out the door, but Molly donates to several charities and created Scout Mint in order to buy Thin Mints to send girl scouts to camp.  Bird and Stone I've highlighted Bird and Stone a few times, because I love how they combine philanthropy with fashion! All of their bracelets represent a different social cause, and they donate some of the proceeds to relevant charities. Two that are important to me are She Should Run which helps support women in politics, and Planned Parenthood Brit and Co Brit and Co is a media company so as far as I know they don't sell any actual products, but I adore their instagram and all of the motivational quotes that come along with it. Their website is full of listicles, which I end up reading wayyyyy longer than I mean to.  Confete Party Box Confete is another great Seattle-based company, and I got to meet their founder at a networking event for local creatives. They give you everything you need to decorate an adorable themed party, and I'm super obsessed with their balloon displays.  Glossier There are not enough ways to describe how awesome Glossier is. I think the first product I tried from them was Boy Brow, and ever since I've been slowly trying everything they have to offer. So far I haven't disliked a single product! I especially love all of their skincare products which I use everyday as part of my routine.  True and Co I posted about my True and Co bra on instagram a couple months ago, and since then I've tried two other styles. I love all three bras so much, and have found the undies to be super duper comfy as well! And like I said on insta, why should men make all the money from bras?? Buy them from a female owned company and ditch those horrible underwire at the same time. Rifle Paper Co. I've been in love with Rifle Paper Co. and their paintings by Anna Rifle Bond for years now! Everything is so perfect and sunny and girly and there's nothing in this world that can stop me from buying their florals on everything (including this awesome pair of Keds that I have). I've been using their planners for 4 years and 100% would recommend them to anyone who is obsessed with organization as much as I am.  Studio Pep Another great party supply company, Studio Pep makes the cutest confetti, balloons, and even better yet: balloons filled with confetti! I used their products at my 23rd birthday party and the colors were everything I dreamed they'd be. The company was started by an awesome mama who is totally sweet, and includes "our daughters deserve the same opportunities as our sons" as a company belief. AMEN!!  Rocksbox I've been subscribed to Rocksbox for about a year, and I absolutely love it! I'm an affiliate, but even if I wasn't I'd still be a loyal subscriber and spread the word to my fellow jewelry lovers. Each month I usually swap my box out at least once or twice, which gives me so many options for styling my looks! I end up buying a ton of the pieces too so I can wear them over and over. If you want to try Rocksbox, use code "alhblogxoxo" for a free month! Oui Fresh Oui Fresh is ran by some of my favorite women on instagram, the ladies behind A Beautiful Mess. They have some cute apparel, an all natural beauty subscription box, and my personal favorite the daisy sunglasses! Check out their blog and shop for tons of gorgeous color and fun DIYs.
P.S. My "Sisterhood is Powerful" tee is from Luella, another great female owned business, and you can use code "xoxoalh" for a discount! The lightning earrings are from Ruby Olive, which is one of my go-to brands for light weight statement jewelry!
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