Tree of Life | New Orleans

I recently took a trip to New Orleans for one of my best friend's weddings, and (oh my!) I adore that city! We flew into Dallas, hopped in my parents' motorhome, and went on a road trip adventure to New Orleans. On the way, we stopped at Caddo Lake for a few nights - but we'll get to that in another post!

Once we arrived in New Orleans, the first thing on our to-do list was to see the Tree of Life. This knobby and droopy oak tree is absolutely massive and believed to be 100 to 500 years old! I just love how mysterious and beautiful it is, especially when lit with the last light of the setting sun. I definitely recommend visiting the tree and the park it's in (Audubon Park). 

To compliment the tree's mystery, I wanted to go with an elegant and romantic look - so I wore that stunning cobalt blue dress from Haute Rogue and shiny jewels by Eliza Designs LA. Not gonna lie, I felt like a princess in this shoot! The breeze was blowing both the dress and my hair just right, the temperature was a perfect-70-degrees, and I was surrounded by beauty. I don't think the conditions could have been any better - but I guess that's what Spring brings in the bayou!

Photos shot by Darius Twin.

Colorful Surroundings | Artist's Palette

Here I am, walking amongst nature's painting in Death Valley and taking in the most stunning views of the setting sun. This vibrant, natural-dream is the face of the Black Mountains and is called Artist's Palette. I figured this would be a great time to showcase one of my festival-inspired looks, brought to you by Urban Outfitter's festival shop, because those pastels complimented the look oh-so well!

When it comes to festival wear, I'm all for cute and comfortable - because the majority of my time is spent dancing to my favorite bands, letting loose and feeling the groove! So I just *have* to wear my dancing shoes - aka, my favorite pair of Chuck Taylors to keep up with that momentum. I always try to steer clear of sandals or anything with a  heel, because by the end of the day, my feet will be sore, stepped on, and dirty. No thank you!

There's also nothing better to dance the day and night away in than a nice pair of high-waisted denim shorts (oh, and Urban always has the best selection!) They look so amazing with this 70s inspired halter top, but you can really add any flare you want with them - like a rock n roll tee or a bathing suit top and still look like a babe! 

The last thing I added into the mix is that denim jacket for those late-night shows where the weather starts to get a bit breezy. It's always a good idea to have another layer on you - one that will add another element to your outfit but also keep you warm. Even if you find yourself using it as a seat cushion for most of the day! 

Go with the Flow | Zzyzx Rd

While road tripping to Vegas from LA, have you ever passed by the exit sign for Zzyzx road and wondered what in the world that is or how you say it? Maybe you stopped by the sign for a photo, but have you ever actually taken the road to see where it goes? Well, you should! Because the location in the photos above is where it will take you! It's such a secret gem that many people don't actually get to see - and it needs to be seen! 

This is one of our many times to visit the area, but each time we visit it's a new experience due to weather and lighting. This time, we drove by mid-day so the light was heavy but caused for some great shadows and contrast - so I did what I couldn't resist to do - wear red. This is my dad's favorite color on me! ::) Everything I am wearing is listed below!

Photos shot by Darius Twin.

Superbloom in Death Valley

We finally did what we absolutely had to do - chase the Death Valley superbloom - and those beautiful, desert wildflowers were exploding with color everywhere I turned! I visited Death Valley during spring of last year and there were tons of flowers, but nothing quite like this. Flowers smothered the surface of the valley and added a whole new essence to the park.

We shot this series of photos when we had first arrived -- when it was raining and the winds were up to 50mph! Oh, and our plan was to camp in our tent -- which ended up being the worst idea (ha!) so we slept in the car! But hey, weather added a sense of mystery to these photos and I love it! Those thick, layered clouds and moody skies created such a nice contrast. Check out what I'm wearing below -- my new favorite outfit for springtime ::)

Photos shot by Darius Twin.

Skies on Fire | Valley of Fire

I'm happy to (finally!) share one of my favorite shoots to date, picking flowers and dancing the night in away in the Valley of Fire. Okay, maybe not picking flowers, I brought that one along with me -- but don't those turquoise accents look dreamy? This is quite possibly the most beautiful sunset I've ever experienced, the sky seemed to be on fire, and nothing felt better than to let loose and flow with the breeze. How could you not when you're wearing that dress by Leon Max and jewelry by Lena Bernard? So I did just that, while playing some of my favorite tunes and feeling the love with Darius Twin.

Under the Milky Way | Zzyzx Rd

Here's Darren and I under a full moon, wrapping up one of our road trips through the desert. I absolutely love the sky in this image. While staring up at those stars, I remember wondering to myself what all exists out there in the infinite skies above - it's a strange curiosity that always keeps me thinking! You can find this beautiful location off of a strange exit onto Zzyzx Rd in the Mojave Desert near Las Vegas.

Valley of Fire Diary

Here's my photo diary, some 35mm snaps and some of Darren's, from our sunny-day in the Valley of Fire! 

This amazing tee from Re-Vice reads 'burn the bras' -- there's no better place to wear it than in the Valley of FIRE, with of course, their perfectly crafted denim. 

Can you tell I am really loving the colors going on here? Just look at those tones -- the petal pink compliments the burnt orange hues with such a vibrant and desirable contrast. Plus, look at those rocks glowing amongst the vibrant blue skies. So I'll do what I always do, grab my camera and snap away.

I'm also really feeling those 70s vibes (as you can see!) 

Now I'm going to feel the wind, while showing off my new watch by Cluse and ring by Sarah Perlis. 

And again, the scenery had me snapping away!

Here's another moment when I was really feeling the petal pink, rose gold, and denim on those rocks.

There's never a bad moment here at the Valley of Fire. I mentioned this in one of my recent posts, but it's only a 45 minute drive from Las Vegas. Yeah, you gotta go!