fieldtrip to sequoia & kings canyon national park

Took a one-night fieldtrip to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, a much-needed retreat! Highlight: I saw my first shooting stars! One especially bright one with a long tail flew through the constellation, Cygnus, as we were gazing at the Milky Way galaxy. 🌌

Take your own fieldtrip to see the redwoods with the full itinerary...

fieldtrip to the california poppy fields

It's wildflower season! Here's the inside scoop for getting the best California poppy (our state flower!) pics...

go everywhere

With Spring here we've had the most perfect weather in LA and I've been planning some dreamy fieldtrips in the near future. (Think: Utah, Tulum, and Portland!) Also the wildflowers are in a super bloom because of all the rain we've been having so I want to go visit them ASAP. In the meantime, check out my fieldtrips to Seattle, Palm Springs, and Yosemite Valley!

xo from catie

fieldguide: 3 Essential Oils for Breakouts, Stress, & Energy

To preface this post, I am by no means an organic, all-natural product guru. In fact, I fell into essential oils quite by accident. But with a little fieldguide to introduce you to the wonders of essential oils, you'll be swearing by them in your beauty & wellness routine within a month. Here are my 3 essential essential oils...

2017

1. iPhone social media detox (for 3 months!)
Be more social, consume less media. Towards the end of 2016 I found myself mindlessly scrolling IG and Facebook or checking Snapchat even while in a conversation with my friends instead of listening. Deleting social apps off my phone, although difficult after initially going through swiping withdrawal, has allowed me to be much more present around people I love.

2. Meditate daily
I have a daily event with my fellow coworkers that reminds us to step away from our desks for a mere 15 minutes and meditate. Also the Headspace app is the perfect way as a beginner to get into meditation. Currently on a 20 day streak!

3. Work out 1 hour a week
Something is better than nothing! Also, so I don't feel discouraged when I only work out once.

4. Meet 3 new people
(When going out to a bar.) Welp 2017 is here and I'm still single, but I recently got out of a relationship that started by me gathering the courage to approach guys at a bar instead of waiting around for them to talk to me. Why not?! I literally have nothing to lose

5. No buying clothes/home goods (also for 3 months)
I'm trying to save money for a new car and after a flurry of spending activity in December, so no buying unnecessary 'clutter' items. However, I can spend on food and experiences.

Looking back, 2016 was a year of ups and downs, but I'm so excited and optimistic for the future!

xo from catie

be curious

In this turbulent time of politically uncharted territory, I feel like it's especially poignant to be curious towards others and not judgemental.

xo from catie

diy industrial pipe desk shelf

I have so much stuff in my room, you'd think I've lived here for 5 years rather than just one. It got to the point where you could never even see the surface of my desk due to the sheer amount of things piled on top, thus I seized the opportunity to make my own industrial pipe shelf! It's quite simple...