Malibu Farm + Zuma Beach// Pointe Dume

Cruising down PCH, wind in hair, Lana del Rey’s 13 Beachesplaying boldly in the background. This is my favorite way to spend a Saturday morning.

My first stop: Malibu Pier, to have an iconic California breakfast at the Malibu Farm restaurant. Everything about this place makes me happy.

From the rustic decor, the plants hanging from the ceiling, the rooftop terrace, and most importantly, the spectacular food!

Not to mention they make the best iced lattes + homemade watermelon juice.

 

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Their Swedish Mini Pancakes are my absolute favorite!

An artful juxtaposition of the most perfectly complementing flavors. The thin, soft yet subtly crisp pancakes, are topped with a tart medley of cooked berries, and then finished with a dollop of light homemade whipped cream.

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I also adore their fried egg sandwich. I ask to sub the bacon for avocado.

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Farm fresh vegetable stand on the Malibu Pier.

 

A quick, breezy drive down PCH later…….

Stop 2 : Zuma Beach : A secluded haven 

 

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Hike trails to Pointe Dume

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Sand in my toes, a breathtaking view- I wouldn’t want it any other way.

 

XOXO,

Shiza

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New Year, Healthier Me

Although I believe that New Year’s Resolutions do not EVER work, I do believe that it is a good time for self- reflections and perhaps a new mindset. I am not saying that your resolutions won’t work, I am just saying you would rather use it to contemplate on where you are at your life and find ways to make achievable, positive changes. Nothing too crazy or dramatic, because just because the calendar year changes, that doesn’t mean you have too, too. With that being said, I am going to share with you guys some healthy breakfast and drink ideas which will have you feeling great both inside and out. I have been enjoying eating healthier since the start of this New Year because with my cousin’s Big Fat Indian Wedding this past December, I was tired of eating rich and spicy Indian food.

Breakfast- Smoothie Bowl

Smoothie Bowls are all the rage right now and what’s great about them is that they are an easy to make breakfast for your busy mornings. You can even make the smoothie the night before and top it right before eating. It makes for a refreshing and satisfying breakfast that will give you the energy boost that you need to kickstart your day!

You can literally use any fruits that you want in the smoothie bowl, blend the fruits (ex: strawberries , blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, mango, kiwi) up with about a 1/4 cup of greek yogurt, a splash of orange juice, and a drizzle of agave nectar or honey for some sweetness and you have yourself a delicious smoothie. Make sure you put in more yogurt than juice so that the smoothie is thick and can be eaten with a spoon. I literally eyeball it. No need to be really specific , the possibilities are endless. Each smoothie that I make has its own unique flavor and taste.

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A very berry smoothie

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A mango, strawberry, & raspberry smoothie

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The mango, strawberry, raspberry one blended.

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Toppings:

  • Pomegranate Seeds
  • Blueberries
  • Strawberries
  • Chia Seeds
  • Sliced Almonds
  • Granola
  • Dates
  • Drizzle of Honey or Agave Nectar
  • Coconut Shavings
  • Kiwi
  • Chocolate Chips

Hydrate- Coconut Water

I absolutely adore coconut water , especially from a fresh coconut. Although, I do enjoy vita coconut water or the Taste Nirvana Real Thai coconut water with pulp that come in green bottles from the store year-round when I can’t find Thai Coconuts. Coconut water has more potassium than a 4 bananas and is packed with electrolytes and tons of other health benefits.

 

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Hydrate-Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

I love to drink pressed orange juice throughout the day. Orange juice is an excellent source of Vitamin C and a great thing to drink as a snack that keeps you refreshed and satisfied. I go through several bottles of these a week. If you own a juicer you can juice your own oranges and make freshly squeezed orange juice at home. You can even make your own fresh oj blends using other citrus such as blood oranges, grapefruit, or tangerines. It will take a few extra minutes but it is definitely worth it and can easily spruce up breakfast on the weekends.

 

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  Eat – Salads

Salads are a great way to stay in shape especially when they are packed with wholesome ingredients and fruits and vegetables that you enjoy to it and are served with light, homeade dressings that are not packed with calories and fat because store bought dressings can LITERALLY KILL your salad. I shared a scrumptious salad recipe on another blog post titled “Summer Salad Recipe” so check it out if you are interested in making a healthy homemade salad packed with flavor .

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My homemade Summer Salad from the blog 

 

These are a few ideas on healthy eating, stay fit and well both on the inside and out. SO sorry this post is a month late (I drafted it but never go to actually completing and posting it) , but i hope the New Years Resolutions you made in January apply to your life today .

XOXO

Shiza

 

 

(Water) Falling in Love | Santa Ynez Falls Hike

A super fun and relaxing way to unplug while also exercising is hiking! There are so many great hiking spots here in LA, but I totally fell in love with Santa Ynez Falls in Pacific Palisades. It’s a pretty easy hike; perfect for beginners, although there’s a few  rocks to climb and streams to cross at the end towards the small waterfall, but nothing too hard. We were there at about 9, and we had the whole place to ourselves! It was cute and quaint, if you could describe a hiking trail as that. I had just finished The Scarlet Letter, and Santa Ynez gave me the woods in Boston vibes although it probably wasn’t like it, besides the stream and the sun peeking through the trees ever so often. It was pretty chilly and shady, so it was a good idea that I had brought a light jacket. Anyway, I’ll for sure come here again to take some better pictures and maybe have a lil photoshoot with friends. Free parking and free entrance- just another reason to spend the day at Santa Ynez Falls. Some photos of the reverie below! Let me know what your favorite hiking spots are!

XO,

Firda

 

another world

 

surrounded by the trees

 

as the light hits the fall leaves

 

nature

 

rock ‘n streams

 

action shot!! drought in California what?

 

we made it! cutest lil waterfall! would be a lovely dip in the summertime

 

nice leaves

 

edgy tunnel

 

art!

 

drives on the PCH with Spanish music> anything else ever

http://travelaway.me/reykjavik-the-stunning-capital-of-iceland/

Daydreaming- Iceland

Lush green mountains, black sand beaches, and relaxing hot springs- what more could you want from a beautiful island vacation? I was always mesmerized by Iceland’s beauty from photos on Tumblr and Instagram, but Justin Bieber’s music video for his new single I’ll Show You really took the cake. Basically, it’s him frolicking through Iceland’s gorgeous green hills and rock formations, gazing at waterfalls, and dipping into it’s hot springs. Goals. But since not all of us are pop stars and can’t hop on a plane to Iceland right at this moment (although someone told me there was a Groupon for it), let these doodled photos take you into the daydream that is Iceland (which actually means island in Icelandic- the more you know..).


Reykjavik-the pretty capital is filled with museums about Vikings, the rotating Perlan glass dome, and the über cool (or should I say warm;) geothermal Blue Lagoon spa.


The Blue Lagoon spa- shout out to volcanos man!


In Vík í Myrdal, has a long stretch of black basalt beaches, and another shoutout to volcanoes.


Gullfoss Waterfall- This waterfall produces rainbows all the time..ok.


The blue ice caves of Skaftafell- How it would look if you were in a blue bubble, probably.

These are only some of the amazing snapshots of Iceland- waiting for the day I can see these in real life and not daydreams!

Xo- Firda

*Not my photos, just my edits*

Photo Credits:

Reykjavik
Blue Lagoon Spa
Black Sand Beach
Gullfoss Waterfall
Blue Ice Caves

Photo Diary : Au Natural in Vancouver + Victoria , British Columbia

This is a memoir on my trip to Canada a few summers ago. The charming natural beauty of Vancouver and Victoria left me breathless and in love.  Hope you enjoy. Xx

The Capilano Suspension Bridge Park of Vancouver has by far the most breathtaking nature hike I have ever been on. Yes, it is better than those sunset hikes in Zuma Beach. The park is basically enormous canopies of tall, evergreen trees interconnected through beautiful suspension bridges and cliff walks. All of which overlook a gushing waterfall and river giving off a sweet mist. Adventuring through the park, I literally felt like a frog 100 feet up into the trees.

We took a mini cruise over from Vancouver to Victoria. Here are pictures of the Butchart Gardens, they are truly one of my favorite gardens. There is a vast array of mini gardens throughout this massive garden and a cute tea house where we did a traditional British Tea with delicious scones and clotted cream. This is definitely a must go place.

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Xoxo,

Shiza

Summer Retreat: Mammoth Lakes, CA

Hey y’all! So between summer camp counseling, my online history class, and hanging out with friends, a nice, spontaneous camping trip was much needed! Location: the absolutely gorgeous and popular skiing spot Mammoth Lakes, California or what most people call it, Mammoth. I’ve heard a lot about the place from friends and family, but it going there for real was spectacular. Unfortunately, I was a little sick but it was still great! With the fresh air, mounting trees, cutest chipmunks, stunning lakes, and a beautiful waterfall, it was definitely the best summer trip yet!

On the road: Passed by grape vines, cornfields, ranches, and many cows. Also, first time at the Mojave Desert! It had some eerie ghost towns and some cute old towns that brought us back about 50 years.

 Almost there!! You don’t see this many trees in LA + peep the lake. So gorgeous.


After the usual setting up/eating part, we decided to take some pictures around the campsite.

Hammock view;)


“Summer” nights: Absolutely freezing- I wore an ultra chic ensemble of 2 sweaters, pants and fluffy pj pants, and my dad’s leather jacket. Also a story for the books: me, my sister, parents, and their friends were casually sitting by the fire, eating and enjoying the stars when my sister calmly whispers, “There’s a bear..” And there it was. A huge one even on it’s paw, casually opening our bear free storage locker that we hadn’t closed and locked yet. Rookie mistake. We watched quietly as the beat devoured my Hawaiian bread. Of course, no one listened to me that we were supposed to make loud noises, but I suppose I was too scared to do so. Also, it was kind of funny. Some guy was taking a video. Then we snuck to a tent where I started laughing and sister proceeded to tell me to be quiet. I texted my friend who would appreciate this kind of situation. Eventually, after trying to scare it away using the car alarm, it walked off toward the lake, which, coincidentally was where my tent site was. #fantastico


Although, waking up to this wasn’t all that bad. I had a major cold so after a breakfast of half frozen Nutella on a tortilla, I grabbed my cup of tangerine flavored Emergen-C, and observed the serene and freaking perfect Twin Lakes. Then an impromptu kayak ride was a must. Definitely felt like a ~part~ of nature.


Soo serene. I might even like lakes more than the ocean…maybe.

Free trolley rides to the top of the mountain are so worthwhile. Probably heaven on earth…

  

Morning hike to the bottom & halfway up a waterfall!!

  

Takin the road less traveled. After that, it was time to pack (or more like reading Mango Shaped Space and soaking in the last of the beauty and fresh air). Overall, it was a trip to remember! I definitely recommend going here- even if you’re super sick. On our way home, we went through Yosemite- another great excursion for another post.

Hope you all enjoyed, xo

Firda

South Coast Botanical Garden 🌐

The South Coast Botanical Garden on the edge of Palos Verdes is truly a gem! One of the best places I’ve ever been in LA so far this summer! Since it was a free day (3rd Tuesday of every month), I decided to stop by with some family and friends. 87 lush acres of trees, flowers, gardens, trails, animals, and other wildlife. Walking in, we were greeted with a quaint Japanese garden, one full of cacti, a children’s garden, a gorgeous rose garden with a stunning fountain, and tons more. I didn’t get to explore the whole place; you best believe I’ll be there again soon. Everyone needs a little flora and fauna in their day. This’ll be a photo blog, cause I want the pictures to do the talking. 

Xxx- Firda

 Pink fuchsias!🌷

Can’t go wrong with a cute koi pond!🐟

 

So picturesque.📷

  

Weeping bottlebrush.😢

  

Hungry caterpillar🐛🌸

  

Love these!!😋

  

The trees were great on this sunny day.🌳

  

The Wild West for a hot sec🌵

  

Kinda, sorta hiking? Wear comfy shoes.👟

  

Adorable bridge that’s supposed to be over a stream but y’know that drought situation.💦

  

“A rose by any other name would smell such as sweet..”🌹

  

Signs if you get lost which is bound to happen- it’s huge!🚩

  

A great place for cheeky photoshoots😜

  

Nice place to sit and chat.💺

  

Not the Trevi but it’s close enough🌀

  

Bridge over a koi pond in the children’s garden🌈

 Lavender love💜 

5 Things to do on a Sunday @ Home

1) Bake. Nothing is more aesthetically pleasing than baking something delectable that you can devour afterward. I find baking to be relaxing and stress-relieving. I can be having the most chaotic week, but when I put on that apron, I forget everything and drift into a world of sugary dreams.

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I made my favorite crispy chocolate chip cookies ( I have a blogpost on the recipe) along with a lovely darjeeling chai.

2) Read or Watch a Good Movie
Most of us have busy schedules and our fridays and saturdays are packed with parties and fun. We often don’t have time to do things as simple as watch a movie or catch up on reading. I believe that Sundays were made to do the things you love and most of all relax. Curl up with a good book or put on an old hollywood movie on netflix and have fun!

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This is an excerpt from one of the cutest books on style by Nina Garcia, “The Little Black Book of Style”. This is one of my favorite quotes❤️.

3) Go for a long walk
Long walks are always fun. I love going on a walk and taking pictures of the beauty of nature and perhaps doing a mini-photoshoot while I am walking… It depends on my outfit / mood. But it is honestly so fun and adveturous.

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Here are some flowers , I picked up from my front yard after the walk. I love fresh flowers. It looks so rustic and crisp. Placing flowers in a mason jar or cute bottle makes your floral arrangement look vintage and unique.

4) Take a bubble bath
A hot bath with some good music, “spa water” or tea , and a fizzing bath bomb or bubble solution is all you need for a pleasant bath. Baths are calming to the body and often require alot of time. That is why I prefer to take long bubble baths on Sundays. I love addig some essential oils to my bath for a calming aroma and some bath salts.

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This is my all time favorite bubble solution. I have been using it ever since I was a little kid and still love it! You can find in the baby section of Target. It smells like berries and last forever. I also love using this lemon sugar scrub. Its exfoliating and has a lovely citrus scent that lingers on your skin throughout the day. I am not exactly sure where its from, but bath & body works sells great scrubs. A combination of these two make for a luxurious and relaxing bath.

5) Exercise
This means do anything athletic. It can be anything from yoga to playing dance games on the x-box or just going for a run. My definition of a workout is jumping on the trampoline. It is a great workout for the lymphatic system. I also love doing yoga. It relaxes me. I think sunday’s are a perfect day to do fun workouts if you get lazy during the week! Make sure your playing some of your favorite music while doing so. Music radiates energy and motivating vibes during workouts.

Xoxo,
Shiza

Spring Break- Point Mugu, Malibu

Happy Spring Break! This past weekend I was blessed to be able to go camping at Point Mugu State Park in Malibu. It was totally last minute, I literally packed 15 minutes before I left. Turns out last minute plans ARE the best, because I had an amazing time. With the beach across the street and plenty of hiking trails to choose from, there was a ton to do! I arrived from the always beautiful PCH around 6, and after putting our stuff down, went promptly to the beach to see the sunset, which was absolutely gorgeous. After, we had the typical camp dinner by the fire. Have you ever had Thin Mint s’mores? Cause you totally should. Oh, and the stars we absolutely mesmerizing, I saw Orion, the Little Dipper, Big Dipper, and maybe even Jupiter (if it wasn’t the North Star).  

     

After a very cold and uncomfortable sleep, I was waken up by the sound of birds. And after an amazing breakfast of homemade funnel cake (best I’ve ever had) and Samoas and Thin Mints (the girl I was camping with is a Girl Scout), we decided to go on a hike at one of the park’s many trails. We chose the overlook one, because we wanted to see the ocean from the hills. The hills were luscious and the flowers were a beautiful yellow. It was slightly foggy and a bit chilly but nonetheless beautiful.  The ocean view was decent.

  

 

   

The beach was really cold and the waves were huge, so I mostly stayed by the shore. There was the coolest rock formation at the side of the beach with caves and such but the tide was too high so we couldn’t explore.  

     

In sum, Point Mugu is a total must go! There’s something to do for everyone and the nature is stunning. 

Till the next adventure, 

F xx

Something I’ll Never Get Sick Of

Happy Friday lovelies! So since you guys probably want to have some fun this Friday evening, I’ll keep it short and simple. One thing I’ll never get sick of, ever, would probably be sunsets. Everyday the colors of the sunset are different and always breathtaking. Totally cliché, I know, but they are so beautiful and no matter where you are, the sun will always set. I have a thing for constants in life. The amazing sight will always end your day gorgeously. Here are some pictures of sunsets I’ve taken, from the beach to car rides to the streets. Enjoy, and have a safe and wonderful weekend.

xx – Firdausi

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