THE GRAND CANYON | USA | USA Series

Ever looked at the picture you've taken and thought, "Why does this look familiar?" and then you get home and realise that your calendar has the same image?

Well, this was what looking out at the The Grand Canyon made me feel. Of course, it took my breath away. So much so I broke from my family and decided to go trigger-happy with my new camera just to capture a smidge of what I felt. But try as I may, the grandeur of the canyons are not fully cemented in the pixels that you see above.

I'll be honest enough to say that this isn't the best picture, but that's really the point. The Grand Canyon is a must see because no calendar, no counterfeit image could replace the real thing. I look at this image and think, "Wow, and that's not even all of it!"

It's a rare feeling, being gobsmacked. But the only other time I was so confused about the scenery in front of me was when we had our stop over in Utah. I remember thinking, "Why am I in a calendar right now?"

When a site makes you feel or think that way you just know it's a special spot - a great story starter.

Until next time,

sL xxx 

VENICE & SANTA MONICA | USA | USA Series

Do you ever get that feeling that after a long year all you need is, well, fun?

This is what the last few days in Los Angeles was for me. After doing the tourist-y things: Hollywood Sign, Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, GRAMMY Museum and even catching a Lakers game, I just wanted to chill and not do much. This picture on the Pacific Ocean shoreline just before Santa Monica Pier, a shoreline that stretches from Venice to Santa Monica, just reminds me of how peaceful I felt on our final days in LA.

When I look at this image, I remember a great family day out. We had corndogs, fairy-floss and ice cream - regardless of the fact that it was winter. After almost a full week of being a tourist, I was just glad to get some sun and some fun with my family. Santa Monica Pier made me feel like a kid again. Laughing and screaming, riding rollercoasters and ferris wheels - it was great!

I look back on my time in LA and often think, if I were to go back, I'd just go to Santa Monica again.

Until next time,

sL xxx

NEW YORK CITY | USA

New York City. They say if you make it there you'll make it anywhere. 

I know Frank Sinatra meant, "If you can be successful there you can be successful anywhere," but I'd like to suggest that if you get the chance to just see New York City, even just for a holiday, you can go anywhere. Little did Sinatra know that his classic ballad would ignite this little lady to sit twenty-two hours on a plane just to "make it" to NYC. Regardless...

New York truly is a concrete jungle. Full of historical buildings with incredible architecture, it's five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island) all tell their own incredible story. I have so many pictures from this city, but I find that its iconic buildings alone are enough to set nostalgia and the imagination alive.

Sinatra was right in sense that New York is a place that encourages dreams. From broadway to television; from Wall Street to fashion; from journalism to novels - it is a city full of opportunities. It's a world where culture is at the tip of your fingers and laughter is right around the corner. It truly is one of the best cities in the world.

Next time I post about New York, I'll share about the theatre. You can't go to New York and not go to the theatre!

Go and visit. You'll love it!

sL xxx