Mardi Gras in Nola

My first Mardi Gras in New Orleans was in 2007, and I was pleasantly surprised that it was way more than the hot mess on Bourbon Street that the festival seems to be known for. It's more like a city-wide block party with good food and drinks, and fun parades with elaborate floats, costumes, and marching banks. And after a couple more visits, New Orleans has become one of my favorite cities in the country. I went back for Mardi Gras weekend this year, and I learned that yes, I am definitely eight years older and no, my body cannot take three straight days of partying anymore. But I could still appreciate the fun spirit in the city while attending the parades and parties! Here's some photos:

showing off my parade swag!

A Home You Love

I love interior design blogs, and I'm turning 30 later this year, so when this Domino post caught my eye, I had to check it out: Things every girl should have at home by 30

As with many must-have lists, you have to take online life advice with a grain of salt. I happen to have most of the items, but I don't necessarily agree with all of the ones on the list, such as...

San Francisco Architecture

I've always liked the unique architecture around San Francisco. I'll always love the classic Victorian homes and earthquake cottages, but there are some zany designs out there that just add more character to the city. When I first arrived, I saw a building in SoMa with furniture attached to the outer walls, like they'd been thrown out the windows... turns out it's a work of art that required more than 100 volunteers. Here's a couple fun buildings I've seen recently while wandering around the city:

Folsom Street

Hayes Valley (couple blocks from the Aether shipping containers)

(Reminds me of a cheese grater)

Urban Hiking

I always love seeing the Golden Gate Bridge peeking above the city landscape. (View from Buena Vista Park)

That hill in the distance is mine :) (View from Corona Heights Park)