The Beauty of Hawaii

Hello lovelies!

As some of you may know, I live in Honolulu, Hawaii on the island of Oahu. I have been to many other states in the U.S., and I also lived in Massachusetts for a while during my college years. I love the mainland U.S., and I miss it a lot; however, Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places on earth, and I am so lucky to be able to call it my home. For those who decide to visit our wonderful paradise, please take the time to venture outside of Waikiki at least once. Waikiki is only a small part of Hawaii, and it is commercial Hawaii. I'll admit that it is quite fun, and I do enjoy going there once in a while. Still, it's not real Hawaii to me. Hawaii is the quiet of the windward side and the delicious and cheap local treats at hole-in-the-wall restaurants and the adorable "aunties" and "uncles" that you meet everyday. Hawaii is more than just hula girl bobble-heads and Waikiki; the true beauty of Hawaii, to me, lies in the people and the land outside of the glitzy strip. Head outside of that bubble and you will be amazed.

I also recommend traveling to the outer islands! Life there is different from Oahu. Each island has its own personality; my personal favorite, so far, is Molokai. You can actually s e e the stars, and they are magical. I went on a school trip there, and it was one of the most amazing trips I have ever taken. Wherever you choose to visit, always remember to step outside of the tourist traps and go on an adventure! I know it's hard sometimes, esp in foreign countries. BUT DO IT. You will learn the most, grow the most, and have so many amazing stories to take back home with you.

I hope you come to visit us in Hawaii one day! We are definitely a unique place in the world, and I invite you to discover all the beauty that my home has to offer! I want to leave you with pictures of last night's sunset in Honolulu. The sunsets this summer have been i n s a n e.

Aloha,

Cassie

Decorating Favorites - Dining Rooms

Hello lovelies!

I decided to theme my "favorites" posts from now on! I like things to be quite organized, and I think theme-ing is the perfect way to go about that! :) Anyway, I chose home decor as my first "theme." I am planning on moving into a new apartment sometime at the end of this year or early next year! And, my plan is that it will be my own place for a while. I get to decorate, design, and prettify independently. I am so excited, and I have been looking at home decor books for inspiration recently.

I have decided to feature a few gorgeous dining rooms, each with their own style but gorgeous nonetheless.

Style #1

I adore this dining room I found on this tumblr. This is a perfect dining room design for a smaller house/apartment. I love the wood table; it has a repurposed look to it, although this table might be brand new. The pops of green from the potted plants are subtle and are perfectly complemented by the green in the frames and pictures on the wall. I love the arrangement of the photos and prints; I love collecting old posters and postcards, so this design may be perfect for me in the near future! I also adore the candlesticks. There is so much vintage charm going on here! 

Favorite #2:

I love the use of this wooden plank for a dining room table. Although my table may not be this long, it is a great way to take repurposed wood and integrate it into your home decor. As you can tell, I am a big fan of repurposed/recycled/reclaimed wood and other household things. If it ain't broke, right? You can peruse the original blog post here.

Favorite #3:

Okay, okay...like whoa. This is a dining home design for my dreams! The home is obviously right on or quite near to the ocean. I love the idea of "opening up" your dining room experience by having a window wall. I think it brings so much natural light into the room and just makes your dining experience so much more pleasant. Imagine coming into this room to eat breakfast. D R O O L. Also, I love the wall/shelf; I would maybe put a few framed photos of my friends and family, along with some shells or beach treasures. This is probably way out of my reach, but one can dream, right? To see more of the house where this dining room came from, click here.

I hope you enjoyed my design inspiration! Have a good evening, and see you soon.

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"