Published Work - The Atlas Heart

Interviews

Interview About Life & Travel on Sivana East

WHV Australia Interview: The Atlas Heart on Diaries of a Wandering Lobster

Blogger Interview: Mimi McFadden’s Slow Travels on TraveLibro

Featured Posts

A Perfect Itinerary for 3 Days in San Francisco on Bobo & Chichi

5 Popular Day Trips from Paris, France on Voyager

The Best Things to do in the Blue Mountains on NOMADasaurus

What You Need to Know Before Studying Abroad in Florence on Go Overseas

Safe International Travel: 11 Tips for Traveling Confidently in 2018 on Go Backpacking

Where to Stay in San Francisco – A Guide to the Best Neighbourhoods on The Planet D

Tips & Tricks to Getting International Flights for Under $400 this Summer from the US on Skyscanner

5 Reasons Why Cruising the Mekong River in Vietnam is a Must on Go Backpacking

Where to Begin? 8 Powerful Things we can do to Promote Justice on Elephant Journal

This is the Surprising Reason Why I Hated Living in Portland, Oregon on Thought Catalog

San Diego is my Happy Place on The Idyll

A Guide to Portland, Oregon on Anita Hendrieka

Travel Moments: Florence, Italy on Little Things Travel

Wednesday Wanderlust: Sydney on Valerie & Valise

Hiking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in Winter on The Global Couple

5 Free Things to do in Melbourne, Australia on Globetrotter Guru

The Abel Tasman Coast Track, New Zealand on The Adventure Junkies

Collaboration Posts

Best Animal Sanctuaries to Visit in the World on A Southern Gypsy

10 Jaw-Dropping California Hikes You Can’t Miss on Eternal Arrival

The Lesser Known Islands of Thailand on Live Less Ordinary

18 Bucket List Ideas from World-Class Travelers on The Petite Adventurer

Where 30 Digital Nomads are Going in 2018 on One Weird Globe

45 Most Beautiful Places in California on A Passion & A Passport

Quintessential Rome – What You Can’t Miss in the Eternal City on In Pursuit of Adventure

20 Responsible Travel Tips on Girl Vs. Globe

The Ultimate Travel Playlist on Willful and Wildhearted

Camping Tips on Bunch of Backpackers

What’s Your Worst Travel Fear? on The Boho Chica

Go See Write Posts

12 Things to Do in San Francisco

How to Spend 24 Hours in Singapore

The Best Summer Music Festivals in Australia

The Top 10 Foods to Try in New Zealand

Why Dark Tourism is Important

Best Stops to Make on an Oregon Road Trip

Finding Wanderlust: Introducing The Atlas Heart

Top 8 Walks to Take Around Wellington, NZ

Although we won’t be doing a big Thanksgiving ce

Although we won’t be doing a big Thanksgiving celebration with family this year, we’re thankful to be moving into our own place in Berkeley this week!

It’s a historic house built in 1910 with a private deck, office space, formal dining room, and a living room that could fit 3 of my SF living rooms inside of it.

So far furnishing ideas (mostly from Suneel) have included an indoor slip ’n slide, arcade basketball, pool table, and a life size batman painting.

Excited for more at-home karaoke nights, board game marathons, and, really, just having as much fun as possible as we explore more of the East Bay in this next chapter together.

Full walkthrough coming soon!

Just finished up a month of living in Tahoe, recon

Just finished up a month of living in Tahoe, reconnecting with nature, spending almost every night stargazing in a hot tub, and enjoying the outdoors whenever we had clear days and good air quality.
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To sign off our time in the Sierras we did the @tahoevia with @alpenglowexpeditions. It was a 4-hour private guided rock climbing and hiking tour with one guide who kept more than 6ft of distance from us the whole day. There was mask wearing to and from location, a temperature check, and a thorough sanitization of gear. This is the new normal and I appreciated every precaution Alpenglow Expeditions took to keep us safe and having fun.
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More to come soon about Tahoe - for now I’m still soaking up just how magical this past month has been in the Sierras.
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📷All pictures were taken by our guide @tim_mincey

#ad One of my favorite outdoor date activities in

#ad One of my favorite outdoor date activities in 2020 - having a BYOW picnic at the beach or enjoying a day hike in a beautiful place.

With most bars still closed in San Francisco, as well as most of the “city things” we’re used to enjoying for more date-like activities, I’ve been leaning more into outdoor “bar” dates.

Having good wine and delicious takeout from a favorite local restaurant to enjoy at the beach or a scenic park - or going on a short hike to a stunning vista point to do the same - has become my bread and butter for a fun date night with my partner.

Once a week or every other week, we bring a bottle of wine to enjoy in nature. It usually involves adventure, gorgeous views, board games, and just the two of us.

So I was excited to discover the new Horizon Drinkware Collection by @camelbak that includes vacuum insulated camp mugs, tumblers, and even a wine bottle.

I’ve been using their 25 oz wine bottle and wine tumblers on these outdoor adventure dates recently and it has been a convenient way to keep our wine fresh and at the perfect temperature for the whole day, no matter how hot it is outside.

And if you’re drinking white wine or rose, it stays cold for up to 35 hours!

I bought my first piece of @camelbak gear back in 2015 when I started getting more into hiking and liked the idea of having a durable daypack with a decent-sized hydration bladder.

I still use that @camelbak backpack five years later (!!) for hiking, which shows you just how durable their products are and why I’m a big fan of them.

And their new Horizon Drinkware Collection is no exception - offering up a unique way to enjoy your favorite beverage in a beautiful place that’s safe and convenient.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Horizon Drinkware Collection, head to the link in my bio for more info.
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What has been your favorite outdoor date activity lately?

#BeyondTheHorizon #camelbak

My face when I’m daydreaming about Al Pastor bur

My face when I’m daydreaming about Al Pastor burritos. 🌯
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Many thanks to my friend and talented photographer @thepanipoori for this shot. We spent a day around Bodega Bay at the start of summer to get out of the city, explore a new place, and do some photography. Would highly recommend if you’re looking for a good day or weekend trip from San Francisco.
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I’m constantly amazed at how much natural beauty California has to offer, so happy that I decided to move back here after 5 years abroad to call this place home again. ✨ #bodegabay #californiaroadtrip

It’s hard to believe that I was walking through

It’s hard to believe that I was walking through Big Basin redwoods only a couple months ago.
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I hope I’ll be able to do that again someday. The fires in the Santa Cruz Mountains have destroyed all the buildings in Big Basin but the trees remain standing - charred but still here. Pretty much the mantra for 2020, right?
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Fire season in California comes back with a vengeance every year without fail. A clear reminder that climate change is VERY REAL and that we should appreciate nature not just by visiting and supporting local parks but by voting in the politicians who actually take climate change seriously.
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Stay safe everyone ❤️

Have you heard of the Berkeley Fire Trails? 🔥✨

My boyfriend, who went to UC Berkeley for undergrad, recently took me to visit these secret trails near campus. Trails that he used to hike and run on a weekly basis when he was in school.

The 7-mile fire trail system cuts along Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve and through UC Berkeley campus.

And these trails offer some of the best views I’ve found in the East Bay.

The most popular fire trail to start with is the Stonewall-Panoramic Trail, which starts from the Stonewall Road entrance to the Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve and takes you to the East-West Trail once it gets to the portion of land that’s run by UC Berkeley.

Be prepared for a steep and unshaded, dusty ascent but stunning panoramic views from the top make the journey very much worth it.

You can make the hike as long or as short as you want. The best views are towards the beginning of the hike, so we ended up doing around 3-4 miles roundtrip.

Along the way, you’ll get views of colorful houses on the surrounding hills, windswept perspectives of the San Francisco Bay Area, and some desert wildlife - we saw a rattlesnake while we were eating lunch! 🐍

This hike reminded me a lot of the hikes you might fight in San Diego or LA - that feeling of urban nature combined with desert landscapes.

And speaking of desert landscapes, I’d recommend hiking this trail either in the early morning or around dusk to avoid too many people and the worst of the heat. We hiked this around 3pm and it was hot and crowded.

Also, make sure to bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and energy to tackle those steep climbs. And don’t forget your mask! 😷

This hike has been one of my favorite activities to do during COVID-19 this summer, made complete with eating burritos at the summit on a hot day.
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#berkeleyfiretrails #berkeleyca #berkeleyhikes #berkeleytrails #berkeleycalifornia #bayareahikes #bayareahiking #eastbayhikes #eastbay #eastbaytrails

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