“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer”- F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

So this summer has given me a lot of time to reflect on the last couple of months and the months to come. I’ve also been really enjoying my surroundings. Sometimes it is the simplest of things that makes you smile. This is a corner of my patio that gets me every time I pass by; it reminds me of somewhere foreign with cobblestone streets and vespa scooters.

Pour a glass of rosé and enjoy your summer nights. Or at the very least, indulge by seeing The Great Gatsby film that is out now. I’ve heard mixed reviews, but I, for one, will be seeing the film this week and I hope to find some extra time to read a few of Fitzgerald’s short stories this summer.

Let us not forget that this is the time of year we are supposed to relax…

-xo

Hi everyone! I hope you are enjoying your Memorial Day holiday, and what I consider the kickoff for summer. As promised, today I will be featuring the photos from my collaboration with Weekend Society, an amazing apparel brand based here in Los Angeles.

What I love about this company is that they understand how diverse and unique Los Angeles is. Their brand is cohesive, but anyone, regardless of style preference, can find a look they love in their line. Just take a look at their website to see what I mean.

When styling an outfit for this project, I wanted something that garnered the image that is L.A. What I mean is that Los Angeles can seem like a very big place full of stereotypes if you are unfamiliar, but when you have lived here for some time (or in my case, “born and raised”)  it starts to feel small. Sometimes, too small. You get into a habit; the same group of people, the same shops, restaurants and nightlife; the same routine. Summer, though, offers a little refuge from that routine (since we tend to branch out from routine and actually enjoy some time away), and there’s no better area of Los Angeles to remind you of how much there is to do in this vast “land” than Santa Monica. In less than five minutes you can go from some of the best restaurants and nightlife to great shopping to the beach, and find different people and atmospheres at all three locales.

So what does all of this mean? L.A. can seem complex, but it’s not. It’s simple, really. Just don’t confuse simple with simplistic. We are a community of different minds engaged in a myriad of projects, opportunities and full of diverse dreams, but we all share a love for our home. We call Los Angeles home because we want to, not because we have to. We may all be quite different, but we’re not strangers. We’re Angelenos.

Special thanks to my friend, Ali, for being an amazing model!

Disclaimer: I endorse this brand’s products on my own accord. I was not paid for this endorsement, but the Weekend Society shirt was given for the purposes of this shoot.

[Do not repost photos or content without permission. Thanks!]

Hey everyone!

On Monday I will be posting some very exciting photos, but until then I wanted to give you a sneak peek of what went on behind the scenes at my recent project. I was lucky enough to collaborate with the guys behind Weekend Society, an L.A. based apparel company with amazing designs and even better, a shared love for Los Angeles. Along with the photos, I’ll be sharing a little bit more about the concept and look when the post goes live Monday morning. Be sure to check out their site for some new pieces to add to your summer collection and a special thanks to my friend Ali for modeling!

See you Monday, x.

[1.] Josh Goot dress, $1,013 (I only recently learned of the Australian designer, but I am OBSESSED with all of his pieces. [2.] Dolce & Gabbana Pour Femme, $82. [3.] Diptyque Choisya candle, $28/$60. [4.] Kate Spade Pack a Picnic Champagne Box, $98. [5.] Mistral South Seas Bain Moussant, $17.50.

I’ve been really enjoying flowers this month, more so than I usually do. In fact the flowers above were purchased on my way home yesterday. I’ve seen a lot of really amazing dresses and jewelry lately that have me yearning for a tea or picnic. There’s something really special about this time of year, and as a kid I just did not get it. I used to appreciate every other season more than spring, but now that I can do things like pick up fresh flowers just because I feel like it and drink a glass of champagne with a slice of quiche because it sounds delightful, I am beginning to love this time of year. So while this month’s wish list is composed of a lot of florals and spring season luxuries, it’s also representative of how I am figuring out who I want to be as an adult.

It’s so great that we can choose to be the people we want to be and make a life for ourselves that we are proud of. As I think about my future, both personally and professionally, I am constantly evolving and making slight changes to be more of the person I know I am and less of the person others may want me to be. For instance, I have traveled quite a bit and I definitely think learning about other cultures impacts how you live your life. However, most people go on holiday and then come back to live their lives like nothing happened, but I am LOVING the journey and process of visiting new places and bringing a slight part of that experience back home with me.

Thanks to everyone who entered my very first giveaway! It was fun to see what you ladies all had to say about the necklace, and I am glad I chose this piece from J. Crew to kick off my giveaways on According to Adriana.

Here is the original post:

I said in the post that I would be using random.org to choose a winner. So, without further ado….

HERE IS THE WINNER:

Congratulations, Kelly!

I will be reaching out to you on Twitter and Instagram with further details.

Thanks, again, to everyone who entered.

Dear reader,

I’m having a case of the Mondays, but it’s not what you think. Yes, it is Monday. Yes, I’m feeling a bit melancholy. But, in this case, the two do not go hand in hand. My flight back from London was on Friday of last week, and since then, I feel like my career goals are at a bit of a stand still. I am so eager to start working on my portfolio and getting my work out there, but it seems as though it is going to be much more difficult than I had imagined. Of course I knew it would be difficult to start out in the journalism industry, but I feel as though it’s not even the bureacracy of the industry that is holding me back. No, I have three projects I am working on right now for both my personal portfolio and course work, and with all three I feel as though the work I am going to produce is not going to be up to par for the dream I have envisioned. So, this post is part rant/part request. I accept my current skill set, and I acknowledge the areas in which I can improve. This said, if anyone in the Los Angeles area with videography/film making skills is interested in collaborating on a project, give me a shout. Blogging is community oriented, right? Well, hopefully there’s a person in the community looking for a short-term project. And on that note…

wishing you a great week,

Adriana