Go. Experience this event.

Tickets go on sale today at 9am Pacific time for the Rise Festival. I went last October with some friends, and it was truly the most magical — and then one of the most challenging — experiences of my life. But let's focus on the magical. They've implemented changes this year, and they moved locations from the Jean Roach Dry Lake Bed to the Moapa River Reservation, which sounds more promising. They are also hosting it in Pheonix if you can't make it to Nevada.

Find out more about the event and buy your tickets here. Seriously, this is an event you would not want to miss if you have the opportunity to go.

READ ON to get my personal experience of the event, and to see photos, and a video. Also, look out this week for the road trip there and back. I mean, might as well make the journey fun too, right?

Day two in Seattle was equally exciting, but unlike the previous day, there was a lot of impulsive buying and money spending. Mostly on food, attractions, and experiences.

1. It was #NationalDoughnutDay, so obviously a trip to Top Pot Doughnuts was in order
2. Chihuly Garden and Glass — phenomenal/inspiring/amazing/fantastic/favorite etc. etc.
3. Learned glass-blowing at the Seattle Glassblowing Studio
4. Artist's at Play Playground — so fun! Even if you're not five years old
5. EMP Museum / Experience Music Project Museum 
6. Seattle Space Needle — where I caught a fish? 
7. Olympic Sculpture Park
8. Giant Shoe Museum
9. Owl 'n Thistle Irish Pub for some of the "best fish 'n chips" — agreed
10. Kerry Park to watch the sunset

READ ON FOR ALL THE DETAILS — like how I caught a fish at the Seattle Space Needle, and what places I would skip or not spend as much time at...

It's been awhile since I've explored a place I have never been to before. A place that I have little to no expectations or previous images of how it's going to be. When my stepmom provided a means of Southwest transportation and essentially a low-cost ticket to anywhere with a deadline of June 16th, I chose Seattle. Because, why not?

I spent three full days there, arriving at 9am on Thursday, June 4th, and leaving 10:30am on Sunday, June 7th.

My lasting image of Seattle is green and blue. Those are the colors I primarily saw from above, and below. I expected the green — actually even more green than I saw — but I didn't expect all the blue.

This trip I really tried to not plan too much, but leave some time to discover. However — because I'm me and love to plan— I ended up doing a lot of research beforehand to have in case there were specific places, tours, or events I'd be disappointed if I didn't see or take advantage of. So basically, each of my three days there ended up being jam-packed. In the best way possible.

The first day in Seattle was a combination of planning and wandering.

First day itinerary:

1. "Free" Walking Tour @ 11am (I say "free" because they ask to contribute whatever you feel at the end of the tour, and they did such a great job that I contributed/paid as much I would on a regular tour, but technically you could contribute nothing). 
2. Pike St. Press where I picked up a couple of cards, including the one above
3. Taxi Dogs for lunch at the Victor Steinbrueck Park
4. Pike Place Market
5. Gum Wall in Post Alley where my friend and I made a sticky mark
6. Columbia Tower — 40th floor Starbucks and a {free} view
7. Seattle Art Museum [SAM] — {free because of First Thursday}
8. The first Starbucks store at 1st & Pike
9. Watched the sunset back at Victor Steinbrueck Park
10. Went to sleep! (Especially after only getting four hours the previous three nights)

READ ON FOR ALL THE PICTURES & DETAILS...

Terranea Resort in Palos Verdes is what I think of as a real getaway without really getting away.

READ ON TO FIND OUT WHY...

I just got back from Seattle, WA Sunday and while I'm putting together a more comprehensive view of everything I enjoyed, this week I'm sharing some recent fun excursions in Los Angeles.

We wanted to hike in Malibu, so my friends and I reviewed some options and decided on Solstice Canyon. It's about an hour — on a good day — from the South Bay. The day we chose was a nice balance of sunshine and clouds, so it wasn't too hot.

We chose Solstice Canyon because of the remains of two buildings — which seemed historic and exciting in some way — and the potential sight of a waterfall. With the drought, we weren't expecting much. But we got a lot.

READ ON TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE KIND-OF EXISTENT WATERFALL...

When I'm in Vegas, I don't drink, gamble, or usually go out to show off my moves at a club. So what the heck do I do?

Surprisingly for some, Las Vegas is actually more than just for partying. For example, there's places like the Neon Museum.

FIND OUT WHY THIS IS A MUST-SEE PLACE...

I saw pictures from where my co-worker lives in Northern California – she has cows in her backyard. Like 50 of them all in a line. And she's backed up to a meadow so you know, pretty flowers, beautiful sunsets. All that greatness. I usually imagine her frolicking in the fields up there. It's not the California I know, but I can romanticize it.

Not that it's all bad here. There's always something to do or experience. It's a nexus of amazing activities. For me, living in the South Bay area, I've always had the beach as a refresh and a recharge away from the close-knit houses, tall buildings, and people.

Plus, I've always found other ways to make it more of what I romanticize about living in the country, or in an area where there's not as many activities and all you have are the people around you and nature and maybe that cute little diner that everyone gathers at.

Things like when my friend had the idea of getting a projector so we could watch movies in her backyard. That's what I'd imagine I'd be doing in the country.

READ MORE ABOUT OUR SWEET BACKYARD MOVIE SET-UP...