Cruising to Alaska.

All aboard the beautiful Royal Caribbean! Graduation has finally arrived, and the gent and I have set sail onto the Royal Caribbean that heads towards Alaska. Oh, how I love cruises! Endless food, beautiful views, fun activities, and entertaining shows every night. Each night the gent and I would treat ourselves to one, maybe two, okay more like three slices of pizza at the cafe (I mean it was only one floor below our room- how could we not). Every morning I would make myself a delicious mocha from the cafe and walk back to the balcony in our room to enjoy the view and the air outside. To top it off, this glorious ship took us straight to Alaska where each breath that was taken seemed to have made the air clearer and the view illuminate even more. 

Alaska is known for its wide-open spaces, breath-taking mountains, beautiful forests, abundant wildlife (like bears!), and adorable little towns. This is definitely the destination for outdoor activities including: dog sledding, kayaking, hiking, site-seeing, etc. We were able to visit cities like Juneau and Skagway, where both were enriched with many greens, eagles, bears, glaciers, and souvenir shops. 

Oh, how I wish I could turn back time to fall in love with Alaska all over again. Every day felt like a dream and every day I wanted to stay in Alaska longer. In a total of seven days, I unfold the collection of our little getaway. So, all aboard as we set sail on some delicious adventures! Amuse-toi bien!

After landing in Seattle and getting onto our cruise, the gent and I immediately went food hunting #foodies. On our first night on the cruise, we treated ourselves to a mojito and a delightful dinner. Every night, at the dining restaurant, the menu would change including: starters, main course, and dessert.

Our first stop was Juneau, Alaska. Oh, how green this little city was! We were fortunate enough to visit Glacier Gardens  . This beautiful botanical gardens features its unique flower towers set in the Tongass National Forest.  

As we continue our journey, our next destination was Skagway, Alaska. There really isn't much to do around Skagway- but maybe that's the point. To stroll off and realize your surroundings and how beautiful nature is. When the gent and I got off the ship, we decided to skip the shuttle to town and instead use our best mobility- our feet. We took a nice stroll into town in the cool but sunny weather, shopped around, and grabbed some fudge and ice-cream to-go.

Now, it wouldn't be a cruise-ship post without some food photos. Here are some delights featuring a few of my favorite eats throughout our trip. 

One of my favorite part of our little getaway, was waking up and grabbing a cup of mocha or hot chocolate in the morning or afternoon, and just sitting outside our balcony to enjoy the view.

Another one of my favorite parts of the cruise was how every night after dinner, when the gent and I retired for the night, we would return to our room with an animal towel sitting on our bed or hanging from our ceiling! I mean how adorable are these creatures? 

Fortunately, the gent and I received a special invitation to visit the kitchen of the cruise. After our tour around the kitchen and meeting some of the wonderful chefs, we were lucky enough to eat a buffet-style of some of their delicious numbers!

If Alaska has been on your list, I highly recommend it! From little towns, to beautiful views- it is the perfect little getaway. This has been one of the most peaceful and relaxing vacations I have been on and it is the perfect place to celebrate our love and graduation.  Cheers- To a successful #tayfunnygetaway!

Disneyland- Must Eat.

Every year I probably go to Disneyland at least once. A perfect place to revamp my childhood memories. However, my trip to Disneyland this year was extra special. Not only did the gent and I score sweet deals on the So-Cal Flex Tickets, but I got to go on my birthday! After entering the park I had to get my birthday pin (as seen in the photo to the left <--). Not only was I celebrating my birthday with the gent, but I was celebrating it with random strangers and characters/princesses (yes- it was absolutely the sweetest thing as people would randomly wish you happy birthday while in line, walking, etc). And to top this birthday off even more, the gent and I decided to try all these different food places that many people may not know about- the secrets. Today, on Knotuself, I want to share with you a list of must-eat foods that will make your Disneyland trip just that much more exciting and delicious. As for me, I can probably say no guilt was left after each bite because I mean you do burn it off while walking all day- am I right or am I right? As a foodie myself, this trip and adventure to Disneyland was definitely one for the books. There are still plenty of other delectable, mouth-watering bites at Disneyland that I have not mentioned yet because I myself have yet to try. But, when the time comes around again, I shall update this post with more foods you can cross off that bucket list of yours. 

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Harbour Galley -   Located near the exit of Haunted Mansion, you'll find this adorable gem tucked by the water. Inside this fluffy, buttery bun is filled with fresh mayo'd lobster. And let me tell you, the amount of lobster you'll find in your bun is quite generous. This is a must try for those of you who haven't yet! 
P R E T Z E L +  H O T D O G   ____________________________________
Refreshment Corner - Okay, so you might be thinking, "Pretzel and hotdog? What's so special about that?". But let me tell you, it isn't just any pretzel and hotdog. It's a jalapeño cheese filled pretzeled and a mac n cheese hot dog! YUM RIGHT? I must say the pretzel was by far my favorite, but both are extremely delicious and a must try. You can find this delightful place next to Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe. And when it is getting cold at night, get yourself a hot-coco because it is just the perfect icing to the night. 

D O L E W H I P  ____________________________________
Tiki Juice Bar- If you are a frequent visitor at Disneyland, than you already know about the infamous Dole Whip soft serve or float. This place is so well-known/popular that it has it's own wait time visible on the Disney app where you can view how long each ride is. It's a perfect treat to compliment Cali's weather. 

D I N N E R  ____________________________________
Carnation Cafe- To end this perfect night, the gent and I decided to try Carnation Cafe for dinner. Reservations are recommended, however we didn't make one and the wait was about 45 minutes (so not too bad- if you don't mind waiting). That 45 minutes of waiting though was all worth it. For appetizer we ordered baked potato soup. And to go along with this already delicious soup, we ordered fried pickles. Yum, yum, and yum. I then ordered myself sour dough bacon cheese melt, and the gent ordered himself the chicken-fried chicken. What made the night even more special was that our waitress brought us out a cupcake with a birthday candle on it for my birthday. Not a word was said that it was my birthday, but it was that special pin on my chest that said it all- I told you this pin was magical. So, if you aren't sure what to eat at Disney, you must stop by here found on main street! 

Feel-Good Reading Guide.

Post-undergrad has me missing one of my favorite hobbies: reading. Rarely, okay more like never, did I ever have time to read- for fun. But since graduation, I have read up to five books, and I'm onto the next. Inhaling these novels left to right, I thought I share some Feel-Good (quick) readings for you guys- mostly for the ladies out there that leave your heart with that pinch of satisfaction you have been longing for, those butterflies that will seem to tickle you randomly, and that breath of wanting more. So here are a just a few books that have captured my heart and will continue to hold that captivation:  

(Click on the book title below for more details)

1. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell 

This book has- without a doubt- stolen my heart. Set over the course of one school year, this story lies between two sixteen-year-olds who are brave and desperate enough to try to make their first love last. It encompasses the focus of being funny, hopeful, sexy, tear-jerking, and breathless. Each scene will make you itch for more. 

2. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi 

As we begin to step a little away from the romance aspect, this is my current read. As a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. This book will make you question what makes life worth living in the face of death and teach us the relationship between doctors and patients. It will teach you the little moments that we often take for granted. Kalanithi died in March 2015, but his book still lives on as a guide and gift to readers, to us. 

3. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell 

Another novel by Rainbow Rowell that I am excited to dig deeper. The infamous Jodi Picoult comments, "If ATTACHMENTS were an e-mail, I'd be forwarding it to my entire list of contacts". With that, I know this novel will lead us wanting more of her books and love stories.  

4. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson 

Sometime in our life, we all want to go on road trips. Morgan Matson has profoundly created a book about two crushes that makes us desire that road trip filled with love, touch, humor, and hope.

Getty Museum.

When people ask me, "what can I do in L.A.", one of my first initial response is the Getty Museum- and what a beautiful gem it is.  The J.Paul Getty Museum seeks to inspire and tickle our curiosity and imagination. With its chic garden and modern architecture, the Museum houses European paintings, drawings, sculptures, manuscripts, decorative art, and photography (from the beginning to present day). What makes the Getty Museum so welcoming is that it invites anyone and everyone for free. So why not enjoy a place with a view and beautiful art with some friends, family, or even yourself. The energy is comforting and you will never feel alone- I sure never do.

One of my favorite spots at the Getty Museum is the Central Garden. As an evolving work of art, it creates tree-lined pathways that makes it fun for me to walk through and it unexpectedly creates extraordinary sitings. As a plant lover, this place surely takes my breath away with its nooks and crannies. It illuminates the perfect lighting for any sightings and photos. 

 I first visited the Getty Museum back in December 2013 with my family and the gent. At the time, I have only heard about its location or saw photos of it on Tumblr and Pinterest- where I have always wanted to visit this place. When I finally had the opportunity to visit, I was not disappointed one bit. It exceeded every one of my expectations and more. So, when a few of my friends asked me to join them for an adventure this past weekend to the Getty, I couldn't contain my excitement and a "YESSSS" was all that was needed to illustrate that. So with that, here are a few collections of the photos captured this weekend with a few of my friends. I will forever be a fan of this place. 

Location:

The Getty Museum

1200 Getty Center Drive

Los Angeles, CA 90049-1679

(310) 440-7300

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