Mission San Xavier del Bac

Took a serendipitous trip to Mission San Xavier del Bac, located on a Native American reservation in southern Tucson. The incredible architecture from 1692 and the interior paintings are quite impressive for having been created nearly 300 years ago.

Notice the difference in the towers? One is refurbished to show how the mission would have looked at the time of its creation while the other is kept in its original condition to keep the exact materials untouched for historians.

Tucson, AZ

Tucson is not just heat (although it does get very warm). It also has lovely rain and pretty cacti and great coffee. Check out its quirky downtown or just watch all the sunsets you possibly can. 

Sunsets in the desert are indescribably beautiful and even more perfect in person. Here's many moments in Arizona's sky.

Portland, OR

This quirky-cool city possesses a unique fusion of urban and natural. Downtown Portland is full of large buildings and interesting people, while the quaint neighborhood of St. John's, Portland is home to local eateries and stores. Their numerous bridges, hiking trails, and the bluff make Portland the perfect spot if you want to be in a big city without feeling overwhelmed by a lack of nature - here you can find both without having to travel many miles. Also note that Portland is the "dream of the 90s." (Portlandia fans?) Hipsters are real and I've never seen so many vegan/organic/wholesale/locally grown/locally owned places in my life.

Views from the St. John's Bridge

Santa Monica, CA

If you're ever headed to Santa Monica, make sure to go to their farmer's market on Sunday morning. Fresh fruit, flowers, and the ocean within 2 blocks.

Yosemite

The perfect place to simply enjoy life. To all who have never been here: go.

Griffith Observatory

An evening at Griffith Observatory is worth the parallel parking and hike. You can see the entire city of Los Angeles and the surrounding  area from above and when the sun goes down, every city light sparkles. If you are an astronomy enthusiast, come here to see the giant telescopes and the stars without smog or city lights interfering with them. 

Downtown Los Angeles

There are countless things to do in downtown Los Angeles if you plan what sites you want to see ahead of time. This visit consisted of Angel's Knoll Park to see the 500 Days of Summer iconic bench, the Walt Disney Concert Music Hall, MOMA, and building admiring.

500 Days of Summer Bench, Angel's Knoll Park

Venice Beach

A location full of sunshine, skateboarders, and iconic graffiti, Venice Beach, CA is a vibrant setting with many trendy shops and colorful people. Come here expecting to see all kinds of different people and to eat fried oreos.