GAHH, can you believe 2011 is coming to a close? This year has been one of the best years of my life. I still cannot believe everything that has happened so far…in my career, in life. 2011 was a very very special year and I have so many wonderful memories. One of the biggest things I’ve learned this year? Never to take anything for granted and to just be happy in the present moment. Keeping up with my blog may have been the best thing I’ve ever done. I like that I can just click to my previous posts and see exactly what happened and when, each post bringing back a special memory. It’s crazy!! Already, so many of my dreams have come true. Most importantly, I want to thank each and everyone of you for following me on this wild, amazing journey. Every year seems to be getting better and better and I’m so excited to see what 2012 will bring. I love you guys! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

What I love most about California is the ability to just jump in your car and take long, sleepy roadtrips up the coast. My family and I did just that. I swear we always have so much fun together no matter what we’re doing. My dad, being a huge fan of The Doors, brought along his Greatest Hits CD and played it throughout our entire trip up to Santa Barbara as my sister, Dylana, and I, basically passed out in the backseat after grubbing on In-n-Out burger in the heat of the sun. It was incredible. Because of the constant rock n’ roll music flowing throughout my house, I went a bit Mick Jagger that morning and threw on a rad pair of leather leggings, a striped vintage blouse, and super long cardigan. Whenever I’m heading to the beach, I make sure to throw a hat on only because the sun here is ridiculously strong and shines all day long. “Are we there yet? No. Are we there yet? NO!” After constant bickering over where exactly we were headed, my parents decided it’d be a perfect time to take us back to a place Dylana and I LOVED AND OBSESSED OVER (when we were 2): Solvang. Solvang is basically this small part of Santa Barbara County just off the coast that is all Danish. I’m not kidding, EVERYTHING is Danish. You’ll find Danish sandwiches, pastries…even the homes look like their straight out of Denmark. It’s pretty adorable. Even though it’s kind of a sleepy town, I still enjoyed it. It was completely lit up with Christmas lights and got me back into the holiday spirit which I feel I didn’t really get much of in NYC and LA. So there you have it, me traveling up the coast with my crazy family…dressed like a Rolling Stone, or something like that.

(MiH Jeans tunic, Mango leather jacket, Volcom Brand jeans, Vintage Versace bag, Dolce Vita from Dear Fieldbinder boots)

Whenever I’m home, I always make sure to hike up in the Palisades to my favorite spot, Will Rogers Park. With it’s open fields of green grass and endless rows of trees, it’s really a California dreamland. Just being outdoors feels amazing. I don’t think I’ve gotten this much sun exposure in a while! The rustic, western setting and beautiful ocean views at the top of the hills get me inspired every time I make the hike. Wearing a worn-in denim tunic, some of my favorite Volcom jeans, and a beanie thrown on last minute, I nuzzled up to horses and ran around the yard foolishly with my arms spread out (pretty refreshing). By the way, I’m totally crushing on beanies and I don’t know why I haven’t brought them back with me to NYC. They are for sure on my “things to-pack” list. For now, I’m soaking in the SoCal sunshine and enjoying every minute of it.