Independence Established

Dear lovelies,

It is official. I have a new apartment. I am going to sign the lease this week, and I am looking forward to this move so much. I don't know if I've ever been this excited before in my life. Ok, I probably have been, but still. I AM SO EXCITED.

Finding my own place and living on my own is going to be a challenge but a challenge that I willingly and most graciously accept. I feel like everything is falling into place as it should. I'm flying to an outer island for business and then flying in to move into my apartment in two weeks. I am looking forward to being immensely happy discovering the world as it presents itself to me. And how can I not be happy with a new apartment that has a pool and gazebo. :)

On a side note, I did some self-discovery within the past week or so. I found that I detest feeling even remotely caged; I would rather feel completely uncertain than feel caged by  a security that I do not completely want. In all experiences, I seek the freedom to be who I am. Feeling like a dulled-down version of myself is not an experience I enjoy. I am so excited to finally do what I want, when I want, and how I want. I'm not saying that my choices don't have consequences; what I am saying is that I am willing to face those consequences if those choices are completely my own. Live and let live, baby.  We only have one life to live, and to prevent ourselves from seeking something that would give us happiness/pleasure (as LONG as that something does not hurt another) would be unfortunate for our own sakes.

With that, I am going to start putting myself out there and trying new things!  I need to go to more gastropubs and bars and hikes and restaurants and cafes and beaches...etc etc. AND, I need to go to the art museum more, especially since I'll be living so close by.  I see wonderful strolls through art exhibits in my near future. I'll bring my journal and just immerse myself in art and, of course, have a coffee at the cafe. SO EXCITED. I used to have days to myself at my college and stroll through the countryside of Massachusetts. I think it's time I had those days back...just the strolls have to be in Hawaii now haha.

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Hope you all are getting what's yours and exploring the world! Don't let yourself be your own barrier! 

xx,

Cass

Cafes I Adore - ChadLou's Coffee Lounge

Hello lovelies!

Today, I wanted to share with you a gem in Kailua Town on the island of Oahu. It is a gorgeous little cafe nestled in the backstreets of my favorite city on Oahu. The storefront is painted a mint green (one of my favorite colors), the menu is written on a chalkboard, and they serve up some of the best coffee (at least in my opinion). Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to ChadLou's Coffee Lounge.

I love this place so much I had to share it with you all. It's such a quiet little coffee shop with a mostly wood interior and even some cute round lights that they sometimes turn on for additional cutesy ambiance. They also serve some awesome food and great ice cream. They have traditional ice cream flavors, like butter pecan and coffee, and some interesting ones, like ube (okinawan sweet potato). I love the ube flavor by the way.

If you want to read more about this place, click here to read some Yelp reviews! And, if you are ever in Kailua, you should try this place out! So that you know exactly where to go, here is the address:

ChadLou's Coffee Lounge

45 Kihapai St.

Kailua, HI 96734

(this is the cheddar, bacon, and apple muffin & the lavender iced coffee)

LOVE

Aloha,

Cassie

Daily Favorites

Hello lovelies!

Hope you all had an amazing Monday! It was a busy day for me; I studied all day. I can't wait for this exam to be over! The weather suited my tasks today, though. It was quite dreary and rainy in Hawaii, which helped me get more studying done. Now that the day has come to a close, I want to share some inspirational photos that I came across. Hope you enjoy them!

Favorite Wanderlust Photo:

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This is a photo of the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall (in the UK). The gardens were created beginning in the mid-18th century up to the beginning of the 20th century! It looks like a fairytale, doesn't it? I would love to wander these gardens all day. I can't wait to visit the UK one day and take tons of photos in this gorgeous place! See more gorgeous photos here.

Favorite Hair Tutorial:

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This braid looks so beautiful and effortless! I love the way it looks on light AND dark hair. To see how to achieve this gorgeous look, click here.

Favorite Funny Photo:

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This IS my life. OMG. I always want coffee, and studying has made me n e e d coffee. This photo is for all the coffee-junkies out there! Don't worry; you are not alone. To check out more awesome photos like this, click here.

Favorite Wardrobe Post: 

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This white maxi dress is drop dead gorgeous! I love the ruffled detail on the bottom, and if you look closely, you can see the slight cutout in the back. Perfection. I also have to appreciate the gorgeous backdrop (Versailles, hello!). Love this blog. For the full blog post and more views of this gorgeous outfit, click here.

Favorite Nature Photograph:

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All I can say is... i n c r e d i b l e. To see more shots of this gorgeous locale, click here.

Hope you all enjoyed my Monday faves! xoxo

Aloha,

Cassie

My Summer Treats

Hello lovelies,

Hope your day is going well! I know I mentioned that I would write about my Waikiki adventure, but it's gonna take some time editing all the photos (soooorry)! Until then, I wanted to do a short post about my favorite summer treats!

Summer is a time for relaxation, sun, laughter, and fun! Summer always evokes images of swimming pools, beachside gatherings, and yummy treats perfect for the weather! I live in Hawaii, which means it is H-O-T during the summer months, and the yummies that I have are usually refreshing to go along with the weather. Here are some of my favorite indulgences during the summer!

I love strawberries! In fact, it's safe to say that they are one of my favorite fruits (if not my favorite). They are sweet and tart at the same time, and they are so pretty to look at! The only thing are those little seeds; they can get stuck in your teeth (boo). But, all in all, they are a great fruit and can be used in many different recipes. In the summer, I love to snack on cold, fresh strawberries! Here, I photographed a usual snack for me, fruit and cheese (in this case - cottage cheese). I love the creamy texture of cheese and the bite of strawberries together! I also love strawberries with whipped cream (duh!) and champagne! I might just have that trio later...

OKAY. I LOVE ICED COFFEE! The summer heat, depending on where you are, can be oppressive. And oppressive heat can make one very sleepy or tired or sluggish. I find that a refreshing cup of iced coffee always saves the day. It not only wakes you up with caffeine, but the temperature also gives me back my kick! After a nice, refreshing cup, I'm able to conquer the rest of my day. I actually have mine black (no sugar or cream or milk) and preferably with a hint of lavender. 

Last, but not least - m o c h i ice cream. Yup, MOCHI ice cream. For those who aren't familiar, mochi is a soft Japanese rice cake. It's delicious and soft and gooey and yummy and perfect. Imagine that sweet, tasty cake wrapped around a ball of heavenly ice cream. YEAH. It's amazing. I love it. My dad has bought more for our family, and I couldn't be happier.

I hope you enjoyed my post! Let me know in the comments below what are YOUR favorite summer treats! I would love to know!

Aloha,
Cassie

"I honor the place within you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place within you, which is of Love, of Truth, of Light and of Peace. When you are in that place within you and I am in that place within me, WE ARE ONE"

It's been a long time...

Hey blog universe,

I haven't been on my blog for quite some time. My life has been so hectic, and I felt like I didn't have much to say! Which is crazy, because so much has happened in my life in the past few months. For starters, I am officially a law school graduate. I got my J.D., which means juris doctor (which literally translates into teacher of law)! I now have a professional doctorate degree!!! SAY WHAT?!

I still can't believe I have this degree and have accomplished this in my life. I feel like it was only yesterday that I was bumbling around my college town, searching for answers and trying to figure out my life. Don't get me wrong; four years at Williams were INCREDIBLE and I didn't even care that I was happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time (hehehe). Years later, at 24 years of age, I have accomplished something for greater than myself. And I feel happy about that.

On a sad note, I am currently studying for the bar exam, the exam I HAVE to pass in order to become a practicing attorney in my state. I am studying everywhere and all the time (mostly). I study in coffee shops, on beds, on chairs, in grass, in the sun, in the rain, etc etc etc. I STUDY ALL THE TIME. It really sucks. I wanted to say that more artfully, but it just...sucks. Still, I know that I am lucky to be taking this exam.  To be given this opportunity to represent the underprivileged and those in need is more than I could ever dream of. If I pass this exam, I intend on being a progressive lawyer that tries her best to mend families and help them move forward in life. I refuse to be a lawyer in search of conflict to profit off of. I would never be able to get up in the morning and look at myself in the mirror; I also would never be a good example for my future children (if I ever have any).

Last but not least, I have started working out at a gym again. AND I am contemplating doing some hip-hop again too! I miss it too much, and doing zumba classes has given me choreography practice again! :) We'll see how that goes!

I plan on blogging more regularly and am planning to do weekly Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday posts! I might blog sometime in between if I find something inspirational to share with you all or if I have some news! Regardless of when I blog, I think this blog will give me a space to share my life! Thank you for reading, if you are! :)

Here are some photos of my week so far:

The sunlight shining through the trees at the Shangri-La (Doris Duke's Estate on Oahu, Hawaii) 7/9/14

The Pasta Special at the Pavilion Cafe (located in the Honolulu Museum of Art in Hawaii)

Do you see Mickey?

Sunshine in Honolulu, Hawaii

Such a cheeky sign, no?

Yummy UBE Ice cream from my favorite cafe in Hawaii! ChadLou's Kailua.

ChadLou's Kailua - Storefront

Basking in the sunlight.

Fire-y Sunset in Honolulu - 7/9/14.

Some adorable candles at a boutique in Kailua. I still have some candles in my apartment. BUT I vow that I will return to come claim you, cute pink candles!

Always,
Cassie

"I honor the place within you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place within you, which is of Love, of Truth, of Light and of Peace. When you are in that place within you and I am in that place within me, WE ARE ONE"