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

Junk Yard

T-Shirt - Hanes | Shorts - Vintage | Moccasins - Minnettonka 

This was one of the first spots my cousin took me to in the desert. Artist Noah Purifoy created this "Outdoor Desert Art Museum" out of 'junk' items. It is open to the public in the Mojave Desert and we had a lot of fun wandering around in the dust and sand. I've had today off which is nice. I am looking forward to a couple restful days. On Mothers Day last weekend I worked a 14 hour shift and I've been feeling like I'm on the verge of getting sick ever since so I'm taking it really easy today. I cleaned a bit this morning (still wasn't totally unpacked from the desert), caught up with my friend Jenelle on the phone, and then headed to my favorite coffee shop to catch up on some blogging ;) and eat one of their delicious paninis haha! I picked up all the items from the tailor yesterday and I'm thinking of doing a little post on that. I dropped off two more items yesterday though so maybe I'll wait 'til those are done as well. Getting things tailored isn't necessarily cheap, but it makes a lot more sense than throwing $$ away on cheap items that won't last. I'm really excited to wear these items that I've had tucked away for so long! 

xx 

Mariamma

Mars

Jumpsuit - Vintage | Sunglasses - Ray Ban | Boots - Lucky Brand

Mission to the desert! I really love how these photos came out. My cousin Cheyanna took all of them. She has such a good eye! In actuality Joshua Tree was so windy. My jumpsuit matched the rocks and all but really we were just trying to find a large hill that would block some of the wind! I start to feel like I'm going crazy when I'm having to squint and my hair is being blown everywhere and car doors won't stay open and ... all worth the photos later haha. I went to they gym today after work at 6:30, forgetting that it closes at 7, so I didn't really get my yayas out. I have to wake up early for a long shift tomorrow so I'm off to bed! More photos from my trip to come!

smooches on smooches

Mariamma

Little Dove

Top - Boohoo | Jeans - Fashion Nova

Hello and happy hump day! Today is finally my Friday. I got scheduled for 10 days in a row, so basically two weeks of work all crammed together, but I've finally made it to the promised land! And guess what I get to do tomorrow!? I get to go see my cousin Cheyanna in Joshua Tree and meet her new baby! I am so excited to visit with her and spend some time in the desert. Yesterday I took a pile of clothes that has been sitting in a corner of my room to get tailored. The first place I went was a cleaners/tailor but when I started going through the items the woman cut me off and said she was in the middle of eating lunch and could I come back in 2.5 hours ... I was so confused. I had to go to work in a little over an hour and I felt like she was just turning me away. So I packed my stuff up and found a tailor a few blocks away that is super legit, and all men sewing in the back! The older man at the front had me try everything on and pinned it accordingly. One of my items is a cheetah print maxi dress that I got at the thrift store. I want to shorten it into a mini dress and man was he encouraging that. He kept telling me I could probably make it shorter haha. Very different from when my mom hems my clothes. I'm really excited to get it all back in a week.

xx 

Mariamma

Casual Friday

Happy Friday! I had a lovely start to the day by having breakfast with my friend Lauren. She is moving away within the month so I wanted to hear how planning is going and just catch-up in general. I got the fried green tomato benedict and it was amazing. I worked this afternoon and then headed home to change out of my pants and into some shorts. Finallllly! I am so ready for the warmth to hit!

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

Red Cross

Earrings - Boohoo | Top - Boohoo | Skirt - Vintage

I'm up far too late with far too much energy right now. I have to pack tomorrow to go to a wedding this weekend and I wanted to get a lot of things done tomorrow, so hopefully I'll get sleepy soon. I just read through my last few posts and all I talk about is how sore I am haha. I am sorry if I sounded like a broken record! I think it's just a novelty while I'm getting back into shape and it has literally been making it hard to walk so it's been on my mind a lot lately haha. Last night I went to dance class and learned how to do something I've wanted learn for so long. I was practicing a bunch at work today when I thought no one was looking and got caught a few times. After class some of the girls and I went to Taco Tuesday at a restaurant/bar nearby and got margaritas. It was a really nice ending to the day. 

Cheers to new dance moves and margaritas! 

Mariamma

Lace & Denim

Lace Top - Victoria's Secret | Denim Dress - Thrifted | Boots - Free People

Hey hey! I hope you're doing well! I've a had a really nice couple days off. It started off with a movie/wine night in the bathtub. This has become one of my (not so guilty) pleasures. It's been quite chilly considering summer is around the corner and sometimes I just crave to be warmed to the bones, which a bath provides! The wine and movie just make it that much nicer. I tend to overheat quickly too so the movie or show distracts me and allows me to stay in a bit longer. You should try it ;). I've been to the gym both days I had off too. I was so sore this morning from yesterday but I still went to a Butt/Belly/Thighs workout class this morning. I don't think it would have been very hard if I hadn't been SO sore. It felt good to move all that lactic acid through my system though and I rolled out my muscles a bit on a foam roller after class. Afterwards I went to get a smoothie. Did you guys know that Jamba Juice has a 'secret' menu? I thought I'd try one that was recommended called the "Red Gummy." It was a little too sweet for me but it did taste so much like a gummy bear! I'll probably stick with my favorite Peanut Butter Banana one ;). 

xx

Mariamma

To-Do

I just got off work and it's only noon! I have the whole rest of the day and I have a list running in my head of things I want to get done:

• gym (I'm so sore that my boss said I was walking like a robot this morning - so I need to go move my muscles)
• wash my hair (yes, that's making it to the list)
• nap (I got off late last night and then worked at 6am this morning) 
• read my new book (trying to stay on that!)
• laundry (I have no clean workout clothes)
• take out trash/recycling
• cook the tofu curry that I have all the ingredients for (eggplant!)
• clean (trying to clean for at least 30 min a day while being educated/entertained by a podcast - this way my apartment is always so fresh and so clean) 
• take photos for the blog
• get ready to go out with Francesca tonight! 

Wish me luck! 

xx 

Mariamma

Ivy

Bom dia babes! Today is my Monday so to speak but I have begun working more at night rather than in the morning so I've had a very leisurely morning. I went to the gym yesterday and am so sore today. I had trouble crouching down to get something from a bottom drawer in my dresser this morning haha. I love being sore though. It lets me know that I actually worked yesterday! With a work schedule that fluctuates, so does the rest of my schedule ... but so far it's working well for me. It's nice to sometimes have mornings off, and sometimes be done by noon. It's a nice balance. Plus, working so close to where I live means that no time is wasted on commuting so I still feel like have a lot of free time. Last year I felt like my life revolved around working ... making sure I got enough sleep for work, that my car had gas in it, and I didn't have a lot of time to grocery shop and focus on what I was feeding myself. I am so grateful for where I'm at. 

xx 

Mariamma

Good Read

I am attempting to start a new book. As a kid I was such an avid reader. I remember being so interested in books that I would wake up in the middle of the night and crouch next to a lamp on the floor to get a little more time reading. It's frustrating now that books tend to just put me to sleep. I've said quite a bit that, "When I'm actually an adult I'll read every day before bed," rather than watch TV or scroll through Instagram. So I have yet to reach full adulthood. I have heard so many things about how using screens right before bed isn't ideal and I'd love to start a healthier habit. This week I will read before bed even if it just makes me sleepy. It's also occurred to me that maybe I should find some more enthralling books haha. 

xx 

Mariamma

Mustard

Good afternoon babes! I was supposed to have today off but I got a call right after yoga this morning that someone needs tonight covered. Luckily I didn't have any plans until later tonight so that works out pretty well. And now I get to postpone my free day, which I'm not mad at. The Grand Prix was in Long Beach this weekend which meant it was really busy at work and parking was almost impossible. I worked from 2-midnight on Saturday and then 8:30-4:30 Sunday so I was exhausted last night. Nothing too exciting to update you on.

cheers 

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

Desert Dance

These photos deserve a little intro. When I went to the desert, this was a big vision that I wanted to create. It was really fun to play with my creativity and movement. I'm really happy with how they turned out. This dress is something my mom gave me. I had a gypsy themed 21st birthday - a lovely party with live music and lots of dancing in my mom's backyard. And I wore this dress ... six years ago! It has returned for yet another spotlight moment. 

Today is my Friyay! After work I picked up my newly framed paintings, went to the bank, went to the gym with Joeye and then we got dinner at a Thai restaurant I used to go to all the time last year. I'm feeling sleeeeepy right about now. My body is so sore. I love it haha! 

xoxo 

Mariamma

The Final Hour

Today was pretty great. Work was really slow this morning so I got sent home after just two hours and decided to go sign up for that gym that will be opening up soon downtown. They have a good deal going on right now and they have another location that's only 20 minutes away that I can go to in the meantime. Dancing once a week isn't enough! I'm excited to take advantage of both the equipment and the classes. After signing up for the gym I went to yoga outside on the bluff and then to get some tea. When I got home and saw that I got a parking ticket (I forgot about the damn street sweeping) and was feeling a bit frustrated so I headed to the gym and let off some steam haha. I'm feeling good and sore after a nice hot shower. 

Happy Monday 

Mariamma

Anza-Borrega

Feliz Friday y'all! I don't have much planned for the rest of the day except some house projects. I'm currently at a coffee shop on 2nd street and I'm planning on picking up a painting that needed the glass fixed in the frame on my way home. A couple months back I did a post about spray-painting the frames of four pieces of artwork that I bought at the flea market. They are a set and I wanted to hang them in a certain formation together but the beams in the wall were going to make that tricky. The guy at the hardware store convinced me to buy this heavy-duty, double-sided adhesive that could hold up to 300 lbs (supposedly) to the wall. Long story short, one of them fell off of the wall (in the middle of the night I might add) and shattered. I took the rest down fearing the same fate and finally got around to getting it fixed. Now I can hang them all the old-fashioned way haha. 

Sometimes simple is better. Lesson learned. 

xo 

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!

Red & Gold

Hey there beauties! Today at work there was a story being covered on the news about two whales that swam up into the Seal Beach channel and got stuck when the tide went out. Whales (and horses) are my favorite animals and I've never seen one in the ocean so I headed there straight after work. A little crowd had gathered to watch. The area the whales were confined to was so small. I just kept thinking how scared or worried they must be. I'm glad they had each other at least. It was amazing to see their fins and bursts of air from their blowholes so closely! I sang a little song to Yemanja and prayed that the ocean takes them back safely. I just saw a little update and it looks like they are still in the channel but doing okay. Hopefully they'll get to return to the ocean during the night. I'll post an update! 

xoxo 

Mariamma

Visitor

I hope you all had a nice weekend. I just wrapped up mine with a steaming hot, candle-lit bath and I'm feeling particularly pampered. This last week my friend Hannah came to spend the day with me. We first met during my year in Rio de Janeiro and she currently lives in San Francisco. The last time I was up there to go to the Solange concert with my friend Christina we didn't get to see each other, so I'm so glad it worked out this time around! We walked seven miles along the beach together just catching up and soaking in the rare warm day. It's always so nice to catch up with old friends! Thanks for a lovely visit Miss Hannah! 

x 

Mariamma