This is the abridged version of our trip. I am more than happy to talk travel and elaborate over a cup of tea anytime. Let's make a date! 
It's a lot to sum up one month in India when we live in LA. Everyone seems to live such a busy lifestyle including myself.. so here it goes...
It sounds so obvious when I say this out loud, "This is my life!" I have this one life to live and I get to spend one month in India! It's a long time coming and it finally happened. I've spent 3 weeks here, come back to work a few days and leave for another week. Never taken a full month off though. A full month in India felt like 6 months. This is a much anticipated trip for Rama and I.
This is where my heritage is from. I had deja vu almost everyday for the first few weeks.  Having a proper cup of tea multiple times of day or night is such a treat. We even get a proper cup served on the train.  Hospitality in India is fantastic. 
This is how we set up our tour.
Land in Mumbai. Booked Byke Hotel before LA departure. Only thing we booked ahead of time. We have an idea of where we are visiting and booked everything in India. 
Downloaded popular local apps for booking hotels, train, and domestic flights. 
Stayed a few days in Colaba. I finally had a masala dosa. A real one! OMG so light and delicious.
Traveled to Delhi to visit an old friend.
Head over to Rishikesh and Haridwar. Took a dip in the Ganga (beautiful, magical, rich, powerful and deep). You get some good cow love here.
We took the train to Agra where we spent our 9 year anniversary at the Taj Mahal. What a majestic place. This inspires us to visit the other wonders of the world. 
Fly to Colcatta for a brief visit while on our way north to Makaibari and Darjeeling. I love the airports. There is a "no announcement" policy where the ticket agents are. Way more personable, streamline, and quiet.
We are traveling near the end of Monsoon season and  have many days of beautiful rain. It's quite a wet trip. More fantastic tea here in the north. The people and lifestyle are completely different. We question if we are still in India. Our neighbors are Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, Bangladesh. Everything is different/relaxed from what we experienced so far. We're literally in the clouds. Close to 7000' elevation. Darjeeling is dreamy and romantic in the rain.
Our trip is edited as we fly down to Goa where we spend the week. Rented a Royal Enfield as our transportation. The Portuguese influence lends to yet another completely different experience in this grand country. Beaches, foods have a different flavor and sauce. Tried some real tasty south Indian dishes. My fave. Love the Goan St. Andre Port. Checked out the north beaches and the historic part of Panjim. Waited the rain out at many bars and cafes. And some more cow love. They head to the shores to take in the evening sunset.
Back up to Bombay where we spend the last few days checking out different areas including 100 year old ice cream shop, antiquing, thalis, Ganesh Chaturthi and bargaining.
Finished our trip with a shower and dinner at the JW Marriott which is around the corner from the airport. Ubers work well in Mumbai. 
Til next time India. I know we'll be returning.

Hello! I'd like to share an interview with me on this cool blog about LA. Check out Voyage LA to read the write up and see other cool stuff that is going on.

This weekend was a lovely time celebrating the love of two dear friends and their union. Not only was I honored to style this beautiful bride, we spent the whole weekend filled with friends, family and so much love your heart can burst! It is the day after I came back from the Mission Ranch Hotel in Carmel, CA and my heart and soul is still buzzing from the wonder and joy that sparked through this weekend. 
I'm convinced it is LOVE that made her hairstyle last perfectly through the evening while dancing and being whipped around on the dance floor...and maybe a little help from SEVEN Fini hairspray available at The Local Salon NoHo, CA.

I'm happy to experience love and beauty in life.

Im trying something new this season. I find fall/winter to be a difficult season for me to dress. I live in LA where we have plenty of sunshine and not many chances to wear typical seasonal wear including warm coats. I will be, what I call, closet shopping. Going into the depths of my closet to find items I have not worn in a while and shopping for new items that I can add to my everyday looks. 

I love a classic vintage look with lots of color. In the cooler seasons, my look completely changes. Here, I still have a classic inspired look. Sandals are ok to wear in the fall in LA. My top is a wool minidress paired with a vintage circle skirt. I brightened up this ensemble with a new giant purple necklace. I am loving this new necklace, as it's going to be a staple throughout the holidays. Now if I only had a colorful simple knit dress. Pants is a whole other story that does not work for me at the moment. 


I have started a lookbook to get inspired and feedback on what others think. Click on the link above to check out what Iv'e come up with . Feel free to leave a comment or suggestions.

Diwali is a beautiful time of year.  We light our lanterns to dispel the darkness of our ignorance. The light shows us our journey through life. We clean our homes, accounts, everything around us including our hearts. This is the festival of lights for the new year.

I remember going down to Artesia, CA for the celebration. A section of Pioneer Blvd is closed off with jewelry, clothing, and food vendors. What more can you ask for but good food, good shopping,  and good music. Our favorite vegetarian spot to eat at is Udupi Palace. Oh do I love their simple masala dosa. This is a family friendly festival where everyone is in good spirits. 

A night of mexican wrestling, burlesque, and comedy. You can't ask for more at Lucha Vavoom. Since 2002, Lucha has been putting on a most fantastic unique experience of entertainment. 
It's been years since Iv'e gone. We ended up with ringside seats this Halloween. Everyone looked amazing in their costumes or decadent evening wear. I went as my version of Katrina (Grace Jones) from the 80's cult horror film Vamp. Heisenberg and his bag (lady friend) of blue crystal meth won the $250 costume contest. 
Highlights aside from the obvious was the glow in the dark midget wrestling and thriller side show (not going to be pc about that one), pole burlesque, and Cassandro!
Lucha Vavoom happens around Valentines and Halloween. Can't wait for next year.

What a weekend! There were two major events this is weekend in LA. These events included two major street closures. Both of which I was able to participate in. 

Saturday June 22, 2013 was the LA Culture Festival. A 2.5 mile parade down Hollywood Blvd stretching from  Vermont to Cherokee. The parade is a collaboration of carnival festivities from Central and South America. It's basically 4-5 hours of dancing to soca music with a fantastic feathery carnival costume. At the end of the parade, there is a block party called " Carnival Village" featuring live music, authentic food, vendors, and of course more dancing. Last year was my first time supporting this event in LA. Now I will always support this event. It's just getting better every year!

Sunday June 23, 2013 was yet another Ciclavia event. This time it was 7 miles of the iconic Wilshire corridor that was closed to motorized vehicles and used for bicycles. This was a great way to view this historic part of LA. I got to appreciate the detail in the buildings as well as get to know (new to me) businesses in the area . We rode our bikes all day long. From Echo Park to LACMA to Little Tokyo. I got acquainted with tasty new places to eat in K-town (including 24 hour tofu restaurant and 24 hour coffee shop with wifi),  had a picnic at Hancock Park overlooking the tar pits, and made a personalized bicycle license plate at the Pettersen Automotive Museum. These are just a few highlights. We did so much more while meeting up with other riders and friends throughout the day. I'm always looking forward to Ciclavia. The next event is October 6, 2013, The Heart of LA including Chinatown! See you there.