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    Valparaíso, Chile

    October 5, 2016
    Valparaiso, Chile
    I’m finally getting around to posting my photos from my visit to Valparaíso, Chile a few weeks back. As I had mentioned in my post on Buenos Aires, I was in South America for a school trip and only spent about half a day exploring Valparaíso. Although my time in this part of Chile was limited, that did not stop me from falling in love with the city. I can only hope my photos do it justice.
      

    HISTORIC QUARTER 

    My favorite part about visiting Valparaíso was getting to walk around the city’s gorgeous historic quarter. It’s such a treat having the opportunity to check out the colorful buildings, beautiful architecture and street art in this part of town. Furthermore, you get to experience amazing views of the city and port at every twist and turn.

    PLAZA SOTOMAYOR

    Before heading back to Santiago, our group stopped at Plaza Sotomayor. The Plaza is directly in front of the plaza is the Chilean Navy headquarters, a beautiful baby blue building. Furthermore, the city’s port is also few blocks away. At the port, you can also find a cute little market with a nice array of kitschy souvenirs. I bought a few cute llama keychains to bring back to my siblings, which they absolutely loved.
    Hopefully you enjoyed this photo travel diary of my short visit to Valparaíso! I would definitely recommend visiting if you find yourself in Chile and are looking for places to explore.
    xoxo,
    Helen
    Travel

    Palermo, Buenos Aires

    September 12, 2016
    Palermo, Buenos Aires
    Photos by Atsuko and Me

    Outfit Details:

    Wrap c/o Knit by Design Etsy
    Madewell Mini Transport Tote
    Denim Jacket
    Madewell 9″ Rise Jeans (Available in Davis Wash)
    Today I’m sharing a few photos from my trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina. While I was there for the purpose of taking a class to learn more about business in Argentina and Chile, I did make an effort to do some exploring whenever possible. On my last day in Buenos Aires, my friend Atsuko and I made a quick trip to  Palermo. This colorful neighborhood is filled with cute shops and restaurants, and is a must-see when in Buenos Aires.
    Atsuko and I got to Palermo pretty early in the day. Although most of the shops were closed when we stopped by, visiting this part of town was still worthwhile. Palermo has a very cool bohemian vibe to it; I enjoyed simply wandering around and looking at all the colorful buildings and beautiful street art. And while I did not get to do much shopping, which was probably for the better, it was fun checking out all the store windows and taking in some style inspiration while I was there. I think checking out local fashion trends is always a fun thing to do whenever visiting a new place. Don’t you agree?
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    About the Outfit

    One challenge in packing for this trip was trying to figure out what to wear. It’s currently late winter in Chile and Buenos Aires, so I couldn’t wear my current wardrobe. Luckily, as I was trying to figure out my wardrobe, Shea sent me a beautiful hand knit wrap from her Etsy shop Knit by Design. This piece served as the perfect accessory during the two weeks I was in South America. Although Shea has many gorgeous options to choose from, I picked the wrap in “chain mail” . The neutral color makes it easy for me to combine with almost everything in my closet. Just to attest to how versatile this piece is, I recently wore it as a shawl draped over a sundress. I liked that it made me look a bit more put together than if I had just worn a cardigan.
    In terms of quality, I absolutely love how soft the material is and that it drapes so nicely. This is definitely the type of piece that makes me look forward to the changing of the seasons just so that I can wear it more often. And that’s saying a lot coming from me!
    In my opinion, this is a piece worth investing in if you’re on the market for a cute and versatile wrap to wear this upcoming fall and winter seasons. And if you are considering investing in a hand knit wrap, you have an added incentive since Shea has been kind enough to offer readers of this blog 20% off any Knit by Design purchase with the code: SWEETHELENGRACE.
    As always, thanks for reading!
    xoxo,
    Helen
    P.S. I’ll be uploading more photos from my trip in later posts, but you can check out little snipets of what I’ve been up to on my Instagram.
    Outfit, Travel

    Santa Monica, CA

    September 5, 2016
    Santa Monica, CA
    Photos by Ale Veyna

    Outfit Details

    Round Sunglasses
    Top Shop High Waist Bottoms (Similar here and here)

     

    Going to the beach has always been one of my favorite summer activities. Sadly, I haven’t been able to enjoy many beach days this summer since I’m without a car. Luckily for me, the new Expo line takes you all the way to Santa Monica, so I was able to spend some time at the beach while visiting family in LA. Ale and I got up early on Saturday to make the two-hour trek from Pasadena to Santa Monica. Although this commute seems long, it goes by pretty quickly if you have a good playlist.
    The train drops you off right in Downtown Santa Monica, so Ale and I made a pitstop at Demitasse for coffee and pastries and walked past the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market before making it to the beach. Since the beach near the pier can get crowded, Ale and I picked a spot further away. I would definitely recommend doing that if you’re seeking a much more relaxed and quiet day at the beach.
    Now let’s talk about my bathing suit! I’ve had to improvise with swimsuit tops in previous summers since it can be hard to find one that fits me well, and this year was no exception. I was looking for something cute that would provide enough support, and this strappy sports bra from Forever 21 fit just the criteria. These high waist bottoms from Topshop that I purchased two years ago are still going strong since they are comfortable, provide a good amount of coverage and can be combined with pretty much any top. I’m always a fan of pieces that are versatile and stand the test of time.
    As always, thank you for stopping by my blog!
    xoxo,
    Helen