Cheetah

Hello and happy Saturday night! Yesterday I picked up this lovely cheetah print number at the Salvation Army along with an oversized, double-breasted black blazer (with gold buttons!). I was excited to take photos in this dress today. It's a little big but perfect with a belt. I tried on so many waist belts in my closet and they all looked great with it. I decided on the brown one in the photos because I got it at the same thrift store a couple months ago. Entirely thrifted outfits ftw!! The fabric has this wrinkle-proof texture which will be perfect for the belted look because it won't bunch like normal fabric. I was feeling quite saucy in my matching nail/lipstick combo as well. It looks as though the weather in Long Beach is finally going to warm up in the middle of this week and I am so looking forward to a little less layering. 

<3 

Mariamma

Jungle Haus

Happy Friday folks! Today is my Sunday so-to-speak. There are free yoga classes outside overlooking the ocean every weekday at 11 in Long Beach and I've been going on my days off for the past month. It's becoming a bit of a habit which is nice.  I brought my computer and some documents with me so I could do my taxes at a coffee shop afterwards but I just realized I'm missing a W-2 form so I'll blog now ... do taxes later. I was scheduled last week for eight days straight and I was SO tired by the end of the week. I feel like I still need more sleep. Maybe nap then taxes ;). 

Sombrero

Hey hey! I just got back from getting my nails fixed. I went over to my friend Linda's house after work and her dog jumped up on me and broke a nail haha. I came home to grab a jacket before I bike to dance class in 30 min. Even though I get to be active at work I have been feeling so antsy. I need to be exercising more! My long walks on the beach are lovely, but they're not satisfying my need to sweat! A new gym is opening up around the corner though so that may be a good option. I wish there were more dance studios in DTLB! 

xoxo 

Mariamma

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

A Little Lush

Hey there beauties! I just got back from lunch at Seabirds with Meg, Sabrina, Carlos, Selena, and Garen. Today is Meg and Sabrina's last full day in Long Beach :( I may go to an art show with them tonight ... I just keep postponing the actual goodbye! The food at Seabirds is so good though and all vegan. They had these jackfruit nachos that pretty perfectly mimicked carnitas. Lucky me that it's so close! 

Happy Friday 

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

Home Body

Black Silk Maxi Slip - A gift from my Mamma

Happy Saturday! I got off of work not too long ago and am currently brainstorming on what to do with the rest of the afternoon. It's a bit chilly today so cozy things are sounding best. This evening I am going to my friend Dani's modern dance performance in Pasadena and then going out dancing with some friends in Hollywood. Should be a festive little night on the town! My friends Sabrina and Meg who I'm going out with tonight are moving to the Caribbean in about ten days, so I'm soaking up as much of them as possible before their impending departure. They have lived a few blocks away from me since I moved to Long Beach and I am so sad to lose such awesome neighbors! I'm obviously very excited for them though and have been playing with the idea of going to visit. I hope you're all having a lovely weekend! 

xoxo 

Mariamma

Home

Boa tarde my sweets! Today is my second day off and it has been a very productive 'weekend' on the home decor front. I had three big tasks to take care of: 1. repot SIX plants (some were new and some had outgrown their pots) 2. assemble my NEW COUCH (loveseat), and 3. repaint the frames of the four paintings I got at the flea market last month. I can check them all off my list! I'm just waiting for the frames to dry in the backyard right now. It was quite windy today and getting the newspaper to not blow away was a feat, as well as getting the spray to not just blow into the wind. I accidentally painted a little of my adidas slides because the wind was blowing my direction at one point. But if they're going to be any color, I'm happy they're a little gold! My plans for the rest of the evening are to go see a movie kind of late. I may be a bit sleepy for work tomorrow. 

contemplating a nap 

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

LA Women's March

Hey! I'm sitting at the dining room table in my friend Nicole's apartment in Santa Barbara. We were roommates freshman year in the dorms at UC Davis (along with two other girls) and we thought it was about time to catch up! I drove up yesterday - a lovely sunset drive along the coast - and will be here 'til Friday. I've never really visited SB. I got into the UC here and we drove through campus when I was 17 during our road trip to Mexico, but that's all I've seen. She's in grad school here and has some classes and meeting throughout the day so I'll probably do a bit of solo exploring.

Last weekend was the national Women's March and I've been dying to share these photos. It was amazing to see so many people of every different gender, color, and creed come together to voice their support of one another. My faith has been restored in human goodness. After marching we listened to a few speeches and and performances ... I cried during Andra Day's performance of Rise that seemed so perfect for the occasion. After that we headed to an Ethiopian spot downtown and then took the metro back to Long Beach. It was a wonderful Saturday. 

xx 

Mariamma

Streetscape

Velvet Top - Target | Jeans - Anine Bing | Booties - Circus by Sam Edelman | Necklace - Lulus.com

Hello! Happy Friday! I just got back home from the chiropractor. Anyone who knows me knows how much I crave my back cracked so the chiropractor is more of a treat than a chore. I sprained my neck a few days ago and it was still not feeling healed so I had an expert take a look. My whole neck has felt warm since I left the appointment ... maybe it got the blood flowing again! Anyways, tomorrow is the annual Women's March in DTLA and I am going with my friends Meg and Joeye. I didn't go last year and was a bit embarrassed about it so I requested the day off this year and made a plan to get myself there! With all the sexual harassment and assault cases that have been brought to light this past year, I feel that it's super important to show face and support other women! I'm bringing my old camera with me and am hoping for some great, inspiring photos to share here. Stay tuned. 

<3 

Mariamma

Lauren's Birthday

Hey there sweet thangs! Last night I went to see Jumanji with a friend and it was so much better than I expected! I thought it was going to just be a remake of the original but everything about it was modernized. We laughed a ton :). These photos were taken this past weekend in San Diego. I really love going to visit Lauren. I've been down to visit her enough times now that we spend half the time visiting places I know and love, and the other half exploring places I have not yet been. It feels like a home away from home thanks to Lauren's lovely hosting. She's always trying to convince me to move there but I am still partial to Long Beach. It's so nice to have a little change of scenery though. 

x 

Mariamma

2018

Hello loves. I'm sitting in a coffee shop off 2nd street. I had an appointment on this end of town and I decided it was a good excuse for a bike ride. It only takes me about 15-20 minutes to get clear across town. Long Beach really is a little slice of heaven! I took the bike path along the beach, bundled in my vintage minnie mouse bomber and listened to Olivia's seven minute voice note with my headphones for half the ride. She just officially finished her masters! So exciting!! 

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and New Years. I spent NYE with some of my old friends from High School. We all met up at Jared's house in Venice for a lovely little reunion. This past weekend I headed down to San Diego for Lauren's birthday. It was wonderful to catch up with her and Marina, dance, speak some Portuguese, eat some pão de queijo, etc. It was an ideal way to spend the first moments of 2018. I am so excited for what this year holds. 2017 was anything but predictable and it's so funny that I assumed my life would get more and more predictable as I got older. I don't make this assumption anymore ;) 

cheers to new years and new possibilities 

xo 

Mariamma

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