A WEEKEND IN THE EASTERN SIERRAS

With Covid cases continue to rise in the country, road tripping (while social distancing, of course) has become the new normal. Since our last successful trip at Yosemite, we’ve been itching for another one. Before we agreed on visiting the Eastern Sierras, we all got tested and shared our results due to social responsibility.

DAY 1

Friday afternoon, my friend Nick, who graciously let me join his carpool, his girlfriend Tianna and I headed off to Mammoth Lakes, California. Since it would be a ~6-hour drive, we would make it to Hot Creek just in time for the sunset. As soon as I stepped out the car, I was greeted with a wide open view of a curvy hot creek leading to the mountains. We could see steam evaporating into the air as the sun began to set. We immediately took our cameras out to shoot. At around 11pm, we set up our tripods in preparation of the Milky Way. Other friends from SoCal soon joined and we reunited once again–though we could barely see each other’s faces in complete dark. This night was special to me because it was my first time witnessing an actual Milky Way, let alone capturing it. Still baffles me how our naked eyes could only see the hazy light but our cameras could capture the Milky Way with such depth. We car camped for the night and did not go to sleep until 3am.

DAY 2

At around 7am, we woke up to sun shining through our car. We got up and headed towards Wild Wiley’s Hot Springs. This place was well built, from the parking lot lies a long platform that guides you towards the two hot springs. We walked towards the bigger one and emerged ourselves in the warm, steamy water. Everyone was practicing social distancing by staying away from the middle area. This is a perfect place for those who want to escape the mundane city life and relax in a pool of soothing springs from what feels like the middle of nowhere. We took the rest of the day easy by grabbing breakfast at Stellar Brew and recharged at June Lake. For sunset, we drove to a completely empty road that is surrounded by gorgeous mountains. We ran up and down the road, took a drone group photo and overall had a great bonding time. It was a blissful moment–no cars, no noise, just us surrounded by the unbelievable views.

DAY 3

Because we did not get much sleep from the night before, we decided to sleep in and recharge before our big hike on Sunday. The hike to Minaraet Lake was dreaded since Day 2 because it would be a 13.4-mile hike out & back with a 2.9k elevation up. I was glad we decided to push the hike to Day 3 since our energy level was rather low after car camping. By 1pm, we packed everything and headed to the Inyo National Forest. We followed the John Muir Trail. To be honest, I thought I wouldn’t be able to make it up. Though there was an overcast and slight thunderstorm in the afternoon, the sun was still beaming on us while mosquitos were eating us alive no matter how much bug repellent we sprayed. The higher we hiked, the louder the thunderstorm was. I was a bit paranoid. However, there was no going back.

3.5 hours later we were greeted with a GORGEOUS lake! At the edge of the lake laid a patch a wildflowers. Purple, red, orange, white… you name it. This place felt like a paradise. There were only two groups of people who were camping there, so it seemed like we had the whole place to ourselves. After some rest, we started shooting the beautiful scenery. Nick and Derek even took a dive into the freezing cold lake! Then, things got even better. A orange, pink sunset started to appear through the gloomy sky. We did not expect to see such a burn that evening! We quickly took photos before the golden hour went away.

Now the most exciting part is here: we had to hike 7 miles down in complete dark. 3 miles in I already wanted to raise the white flag. My legs felt like someone was to cut them open. Though I am a tiny gal, I powered through, Naruto-style, and followed our leader Young Min down. That night, we had the best sleep of our lives.

Would I do the Minaret Lake hike again? Yes. But certainly not hiking back on the same day.

DAY 4

Monday was MAJOR rest day. It was a quiet Monday morning where everyone worked from the Airbnb. We spent the day working while also reviewing all the photos that we’ve taken over the weekend. Nick, Tianna and I headed home after work and that concluded our yet again, amazing trip.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Being in quarantine has certainly contributed to my lack of motivation. My camera was basically collecting dust since I wasn’t able to go out and capture any photos (I also don’t have a car). This trip was much needed. Being around like-minded creatives who I call friends definitely uplifted my overall mood. I’m grateful to have met this group of people who always motivate each other and act as each other’s cheerleader on social media whenever someone posts new content.

And the views… did I talk about this views? I would’ve never imagined places like Mammoth Lakes exist. I have so much more to explore in California alone and I look forward to more local trips like this soon!

Hi, I’M MINA!

I am a San Francisco based photographer and lifestyle + travel blogger. Born and raised in Hong Kong, I’m proud to say I came from a diverse background. I speak fluent Cantonese! Follow my social media to see what I’ve been up to.

SUBSCRIBE TO MY BLOG!

OTHER BLOG POSTS

SOLO IN SEATTLE

4 months ago I said screw it and bought myself a $150 round trip ticket to Seattle. 4 months later I finally found time to pick up my blog and write about my experience. I don’t do many solo trips, but this one is of my favorite trips.

When I landed sometime in mid-July, Seattle was grey and rainy. I thought to myself: “Ah, bummer”. I was hungry, so I took an uber straight to Il Corvo, a popular Italian spot for fresh pasta. I ordered the Pesto pasta – definitely worth the 15 minute wait outside. I then checked into my hostel with a satisfied stomach. Because it was still rainy, I looked up some coffee shops in order to stay dry. Storyville Coffee, the place I chose, ended up being my favorite coffee shop in Seattle. I ordered a Vanilla Latte – it was delicious. The sweetness was just right and the latte art was pretty. I spent 2 hours there and a miracle happened. The sky turned bright blue and the rain stopped. Ecstatic, I packed up my belongings and walked around Pike Place Market, where Storyville is conveniently located.

I spent the rest of the day wandering around the city. I stopped by the Seattle Public Library to take some photos of the stunning architecture. When I got tired, I rested at the Elliot Bay Book Company with a book. After, I walked over to the Starbucks Reserve Roastery, a must-go when visiting Seattle. I didn’t purchase any coffee there since I wasn’t in the mood for another cup of coffee, but it was interesting to witness baristas sampling all types of coffee that they brew right in front of customers. Kerry Park was next. The park itself is quite tiny, but the views are stunning. You get to see the whole city skyline. I pulled out my tripod and shot some photos as the sun set.

The next morning I was up and ready to explore Seattle. First, I stopped by the iconic Gum Wall. As you could imagine it was packed with tourists. As soon as I took some photos I escaped the area. Still an iconic place nonetheless. I then continued my foodie journey, stopping at Piroshky Piroshky for some fresh pastries, visited the first Starbucks in Pike Place Market, and got a cup of coffee with cute animal latte art at Moore Coffee Shop. I visited the Space Needle in the afternoon. Again, another iconic place that every tourist should at least visit once in Seattle. I spent the evening hanging out with my hostel roommates who made my hostel experience super positive as a solo traveler. Some of us went to the ferris wheel for some night lights. Another girl and I went to a bar called Unicorn at night. They serve unique cocktails and have late night bites like corndogs. Such a lively place, highly recommend!

I started my third day with a delicious bacon, egg & cheese biscuit at Biscuit Bitch. Nothing’s more refreshing than being called a “bitch” in the AM. In the afternoon, I met up with one of the managers I work with at Adobe in Chinatown for some traditional dim sum. Then, I went to my most anticipating place of the trip, Chihuly Garden and Glass. The overall exhibition is filled with beautiful glass art, but my favorite spot is definitely the popular glass garden at the very end of the tour. Of course, I took a photo there to document my visit.

The trip so far has been nothing short of great food and hospitality. When I thought I have experienced it all, I met up with Jacob who is a grad student at Washington University. He reached out to me on Facebook prior to my trip and kindly offered to show me around. No, I did not get kidnapped. He treated me to happy hour at Pablo & Pablo (to break a stereotype called “Seattle Freeze”) before we wandered around Gas Works Park. It was a beautiful day in Seattle; we could see a clear skyline with some interesting gas plants around the park. Jacob has a car so he drove us to the WU campus for a tour. Unfortunately we missed the cherry blossom season but I could see Mt. Rainier from afar. Breathtaking views. Again, I’m appalled with the hospitality, thanks Jacob!

I spent my last day in Seattle with an unfortunate wisdom teeth infection. Not going to go into details but I’m just happy it wasn’t infected on my first day there. I went to Pike Place Chowder for lunch since that’s the only thing I could eat. My final stop was Storyville. I had to go back, the coffee was just so good. Overall, I had an amazing time in Seattle. It’s such a walkable city that I barely relied on transportations. The weather was in my favor despite some slight drizzles in the beginning. I am still amazed by the hospitality I received and the great company I had along my trip. I was alone but definitely wasn’t lonely.

More pictures of my trip below.

ARIZONA

This post is way too overdue as it is almost a month since I visited Arizona but I was busy putting together a mini vlog which you’ll find at the end of this post. I made a promise to myself that I will take advantage of my current location and visit more cities on the West Coast, so I decided to reach out to my good friend Marlon who just moved to Scottsdale, AZ. And with that, I didn’t have to spend Thanksgiving week all by myself and we could cross the Grand Canyon off our bucket list together.

Day 1

Marlon and I woke up early to drive to Sedona, which is about a 2-hour drive from Scottsdale. We hiked the Cathedral Rock for about 1-2 hours. The best part of any traveling stories is the chance to meet new people from around the world. We also overheard funny things that strangers say along the hike which make our hike even better. It’s a good thing I was exercising regularly, but that hike was nothing comparing to what I had to hike next at the Grand Canyon.

After our short hike we drove all the way up to Page. We first visited Lake Powell and took some pictures along the way. Next, we drove a little pass Utah to visit the Lone Rock Beach. It was a super cool place considering we were the only 2 humans there with a sole rock in the middle of the beach. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to drop in on one of the Antelope Canyon tours; however, Horseshoe Bend made up for it. Words cannot describe how BEAUTIFUL that place is. It was out of the world beautiful. Although it was crowded with tourists, I was in awe. And I still am.

Day 2

This was a big day for us as it was both our first time visiting the Grand Canyon! We woke up fairly early again to get the day started by driving from Page to the Grand Canyon. One thing I also enjoyed during this trip was the drive around the state. Arizona is quite different from other states that I’ve been to because you can see super far from one town to another since the state is mostly flat. Marlon and I would blast road trip music while staring at beautiful mountains, rocks and cacti. It felt as though we were in a cliche automobile commercial.

The park ranger from the Grand Canyon suggested us to hike the South Kaibab trial down to the Skeleton Point. It was great for a one-day hike. We took his advice and took off from the visitor center. We started our hike at around noon. It took us about 3 hours to hike down to near the Skeleton Point and decided to hike back up before it got dark. Our hike took us about 5 hours to complete. It consisted of us stopping for photos, eating food/snacks we bought beforehand, and slipping and tripping (my poor buttocks and Marlon’s knee suffered a bit). This was undeniably one of the most intense exercises I’ve done. Hiking back up was more challenging than I thought but I’m proud of my legs for staying strong. Shout out to Marlon for carrying my bag at one point because I was so out of breath.

Day 3

It was Thanksgiving Day. Marlon and I planned to cook a not-so-traditional dinner that included steaks. But before we prepared our dinner we took a short trip to Hole-in-the-Rock in Phoenix. Literally as the name says it was a huge rock with a hole in it. There wasn’t much of a sunset and that place was filled with tourist but nonetheless I was glad I could end my trip with some cool rocks and cacti.

I’ve lived in cities all my life; I never thought that looking at mountains and rocks would give me such joy and satisfaction. This trip had taught me to appreciate our planet and nature even more. It had also brought me new perspectives as being in big cities could feel jaded at times. There was no better way to spend my Thanksgiving other than hiking one of the most beautiful places on earth with some good company. I’m already itching to visit the Antelope Canyon next!

P.S. GO CHECK OUT MY VLOG!

20 DAYS IN ASIA

15 hours, 3 movies, and a sore back later, I arrived in Hong Kong. 

Before I devote the rest of my life requesting paid time-offs, I decided to visit my motherland for one more time. During our vacation in Hong Kong, my mom and I also travelled to Shenzhen, China and Taipei, Taiwan. 

Let's talk about Hong Kong, aka the Pearl of East. One of the best things about Hong Kong is that it is the Asian version of "The City that Never Sleeps"; you are bound to be in a sea of crowds even when the clock hits midnight. Within the 20 days that I stayed, I ate out almost everyday. It's hard not to; this city has the best places to get endless cuisine options—Japanese, Thai, Korean, Chinese, etc. Let's not talk about how much weight I've gained. Aside from food, this city is a shopping heaven. I bought new clothes and skincare products that I hope to share in another post. Hong Kong is also the perfect place for photography. The architecture there is absurd, as you already saw from my Instagram posts. Within 10 steps you can see old architecture blending with the new ones. I was excited to see Zaha Hadid's building at Polytech University. 

My relatives and I took a little trip to Shenzhen for 2 days. It’s rather easy to get to China from Hong Kong but the security process has become more serious. Subway stations in Shenzhen is a mini airport where people have to put their belongings down for security checks. I vaguely remember how this city was when I last visited but this time it was eyeopening. It has transformed so much with new shopping centers wherever you go. I tried several amazing and affordable Chinese cuisines and drank the best kind of bubble tea from this place called HEYTEA (110% recommend). Bubble tea places are EVERYWHERE. Shenzhen has transformed into one of the best cities for shopping and leisure. Highly recommend anyone to visit while in China.

Now onto Taiwan. My mom and I travelled to Taipei for 4 days. This city is also a food heaven itself. Taiwanese, I noticed, love to offer food samples wherever you go. Their hospitality is impeccable. Taiwanese are super friendly! We stayed at a hot springs hotel in Yilan for the first night; the hotel provides private hot springs in the bathrooms. Yilan is a rural area, but it still has night markets for locals and tourists to try authentic Taiwan street food. For other days we stayed in Taipei. We went to places such as Shifen Waterfall and Ximenting. While at Shifen, my mom and I got to release a lantern, sending it off with our blessings. Ximenting is a popular youth outdoor shopping district. Needless to say I bought a few pairs of shoes, clothes and beauty products. Overall I had a great time in Taiwan learning about its culture while trying different traditional food. 

Though 20 days aren’t that long, I feel like I traveled for a month in Asia. If you follow me on Instagram or Snapchat you probably remember I had my last dinner at an All-You-Can-Eat Japanese restaurant back in Hong Kong. My favorite fish to get at a Japanese place is raw salmon. Having unlimited salmon that night was the best way to end my Asia trip. Stay tuned for more photos from this trip on my Instagram. Till next time, Asia! 

KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD

My post-grad life has been nothing but being exposed to the sun everyday. That's mainly because I ran away to Austin, Texas for a few days as a mini "treat-yo-self" vacation with my buddy Conor. We picked Austin because we wanted to explore the southern part and heard this city has a rich art culture. 

As a East Coaster, I had no expectation coming into Texas. As it turned out, Texans are ridiculously friendly. Too friendly to the point where I wish East Coasters could do a whole lot better. My favorite reward of the trip was not my "Don't Mess With Texas" shirt but rather the southern hospitality. Everyone we met has a southern charm. Everyone genuinely cares about other's well being. 

As you imagined, we did all the possible touristy things—bar hopping on Dirty 6th (bars/clubs on 6th Street), Barton Springs, bat watching (which they never appeared. #disappointing), eating barbecue and shopping at South Congress. Barton Springs pool was closed on Thursday due to weekly cleaning. However, we were able to go to the other side to swim and enjoy the sun for free. This place is very scenic—a place you would see in a Nicholas Sparks movie. It was 90 degrees everyday while we were there; swimming at the Springs was a good way to cool off. Did I mention people brought dogs?! Austin is a very pet friendly city. Additionally, if you're into street arts and graffitis, HOPE Outdoor Gallery is a must-go. 

No one travels to Texas without trying its barbecue. Conor and I tried smoked briskets at both Rudy's Bar-B-Q and Terry Black's. Rudy's is a chain while Terry Black's isn't. I'm not a BBQ expert but both places had amazing food and services in my opinion. If you're a first-timer, employees will let you try samples of meats before you choose the ones you like. And may I add: CREAM CORN IS DELICIOUS. Wide selections of beer and Mexican sodas are some of the beverages you can enjoy along with your meal. 

Other days we went shopping at South Congress, a higher end shopping district. We also tried to go bat watching but unfortunately the bats never appeared. One of the highlights of my trip was reuniting with my friend Aimee who I interned with last summer. We spent some time getting happy hour at Irene's (A+ for aesthetic), delicious breakfast tacos at Flat Track, and cute plants at a local succulent garden. Through Aimee's recommendation, Conor and I visited a bar called Parlor and Yard. There, we met two guys who we clicked immediately. One of them happened to live in San Francisco! They both also have their own ad agencies. I love meeting new people; I believe meeting those who share the same interest with you makes any trip even more memorable. David & James, if you happen to read this, thank you for your hospitality, please stay in touch! 

Conor and I made a reservation at a speakeasy called Midnight Cowboy. The entrance is nothing but a worn out door, but inside is magnificent. The ambiance has a old London look. Fun fact: this place used to be a brothel prior to 2011. After you make a reservation they send you instructions on where to find the place and how to properly request to enter—pretty interesting. We spent our last night in Austin on Dirty 6th. I discovered my favorite shot at Buckshot—Dirty Girl Scout. It's basically drinking a thin mint milkshake; highly recommend that bar. Bachelorette parties and graduation celebrations made 6th Street even more lively while we were there. The street reminds me of Bourbon Street in New Orleans, except it's cleaner and wider. 

4 days went by quick when we were having fun. As Conor said, Austin is a certainly a city we see ourselves returning back. Austin has a slogan called "Keep Austin Weird", which is to encourage others to promote small businesses. On South Congress there are several dozens stores that sell local art, t-shirts, socks... you name it. Austin is a city made for artists. I can't wait to see how this city will expand in the near future. In the meantime, keep being weird, Austin. 

THE BIG EASY

“The Big Easy”—it describes the gentle, slow and easy-going way of life in New Orleans.

It's true. For 3 years in a row, I've visited New Orleans and this beautiful city is one of the most easy-going cities from my experience. I had the pleasure to visit NOLA once again for AMA's 40th Annual International Collegiate Conference. Although it was only a 5-day trip, time does not seem to exist there.

5 days were definitely not enough to do the most in New Orleans when the purpose of the trip was for a conference. However, I did get to visit Cafe Du Monde one last time. We stood in line for a while just to get 3 delicious beignets for about $2.70—totally worth it. Getting beignets at midnight while listening to jazz music is still on my bucket list... I guess I'll have to return soon. 

Aside from beignets, this trip mostly consists of food. Willies' chicken is undoubtedly the fan favorite of our group (sorry Popeyes). They also serve daiquiris, which is perfect for summer time. Pier 424 Seafood Restaurant and Oceana Grill are authentic seafood restaurants if your'e looking for a nice family meal. I also visited Johnny Sanchez, a Mexican restaurant that was featured on the Food Network. The place has an artistic feel and a beautiful wall showcasing the Mexican culture. You can't leave New Orleans without trying iconic food such as gumbo, jambalaya and poboys. Safe to say that you can spot me at the gym everyday after this trip... Follow me @salt.n.peppr if you want to see more photos of my meals! #shamelessplug

Now onto the conference. This is my third and final time representing my organization. With 30 people coming this year, it was a bit overwhelming but I wouldn't trade anything for the experience I've had with these 29 like-minded individuals. This organization has given me more than just a job—it has given me professional development, personal support and lifelong friendships. I am so grateful to be part of a Top 5 chapter out of 400+ chapters. It's not easy to get to where we are but hard work does pay off. Celebrations on Bourbon Street was the highlight of the trip undoubtedly. 

Lastly, I want to write about the people. It's rather fitting that the city is called "The Big Easy". Those who live and work there are some of the friendliest people I've encountered. Everyone has a special kind of heartwarming personality, maybe that's just part of the southern culture. NOLA was fun until I had to say goodbye. I highly recommend anyone to visit this city once in your lifetime, just be sure to save up for Bourbon Street. 

THE GOLDEN STATE

"If you're going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair..."

It's been 11 years since I last stepped foot in the Golden State. I was fortunate enough to visit San Francisco with my dad when I was 10 for his business trip. Pieces of memory from that trip still come back to me once a while. Now, as a student who will soon devote her whole life working full time, I knew I had to travel somewhere. Thus, the nostalgic memories of the warm air in California brought me and my mom back to San Francisco. 

It's a blessing to have family members live across the country—even the world. I stayed with my great uncle and aunt while I was there. As I walked out of the house the afternoon after I landed, I was welcomed by a beautiful breeze under a 60 degrees weather. For a second I thought summer came early. I absolutely despise the cold on the East Coast during winter. I could move to California just for the sake of the weather. 

The whole purpose of the trip was to visit my relatives; however, it wouldn't be a successful trip if I didn't visit a place on my bucket list: the Golden Gate Bridge. After an hour drive, a postcard-looking scenery was presented in front of me. As I imagined, that place was filled with tourists. The blue sky made a beautiful contrast from the red bridge. The weather could not have been more perfect that day. It was an eye-opening experience overall. Crossing this off my bucket list. 

Now, would it be a trip to California without trying THE famous In-N-Out burger for the first time? Fortunately there was one around the corner from where I stayed. I made a trip there when they just opened at 10:30am (never too early for a good burger). My verdict? It was definitely worth the hype and Instagram worthy; however, nothing beats Mickie D's fries in my opinion. 

For the remaining part of the trip, I caught up with some other family members that I had yet to meet. We went shopping in several places including Santana Row, an outdoor shopping area filled with gorgeous Christmas lights. We also went to "Christmas in a Park" in downtown San Jose, which is equivalent to the Christmas Village in Philly. On another note:  I was blessed to have a great uncle who knows how to cook—my mom and I enjoyed great meals every single day. 

As I am writing this, I am buried under my blankets in the horrendous blizzard. I'm already missing the warm winter in California. My trip was undoubtedly an enjoyable experience. Until my future visit to Los Angeles, I'm back to the brutal cold.