** Before I start, I just want to say that I am SO aware how bad these pictures are. With the shadows and blown out whites this is a photographer's nightmare. However, I had been waiting to take these office pictures for 1.5wks before I moved and it was so dark and rainy the entire time that the space was too hard to shoot with natural light. Finally I waited until the last day when I had to start packing up and this was the best I could get. So I am telling myself, "Better this than nothing!" :) **

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1. Get regular trims. Not only as a means of keeping you cool, but as hair grows faster in the warmer seasons and is put through more distress there are more split ends. Cut off the ends for healthy hair and making it easier to detangle. 
2. Leave in conditioner is your friend. Comb leave in conditioner through your hair before you head to the pool or beach if you won't have time to wash out the chlorine or salt right away. It will leave your hair silky soft and protect if from absorbing too much of these harsher elements. 
3. Protect it with UV serum. "What? Sunscreen for my hair???" you ask? Yes! This exists. It important for your hair's health in general but ESPECIALLY important if your hair is color or chemically treated in any way (suggested products listed below). If you're unable to get one of these I also suggest wearing a hat or scarf and/or running your hands through your hair after rubbing sunscreen on your body or spray it lightly on. 
4. Deep condition / hair mask. You don't have to do this every week (though it wouldn't hurt!) but it's good to try for at least once a month. While I love simple DIY hair masks that are 3 ingredients or fewer (THIS infographic is my jam) there are less messy, store bought options available as well. Some are even packaged for travel! 
5. Clarify! Clarifying shampoo is to daily shampoo as deep conditioning hair masks are to daily conditioner. Replace your regular shampoo routine with this every other week or once a month. A lot of chemicals, products, salt, minerals, etc can build up in your hair over the summer and create dullness or fade your color. A clarifying shampoo counters this by removing any unwanted residue and styling products that coat your hair. Buy one of the below products or DIY your own with ¼ cup apple cider vinegar and 2 cups water. Rinse and condition! 
6. Embrace your natural hair. This is practically a movement right now, so just jump on the bandwagon. Skip your blow dryers, curlers, straighteners, etc and get comfy with your God given texture. Try a messy bun, loose braid, air-dried wavy curls, etc. Get on Pinterest and get creative! (See 30 Summer Hairstyle Ideas to Copy When It’s Just Too Damn Hot). I personally have been living in braids or loose beach waves all summer (see #7). 
7. Fake the beach hair. Loose, salty beach waves just scream summer! Spritz some beach spray (like my favorite pictured above) into your hair and scrunch it for a tousled, "I totally could be a surfer girl" vibe. I also like to section off my lightly damp hair into 8-10 pieces and spritz this in before letting them air dry separated. Once dry just brush through with your fingers for a relaxed, California hairstyle. 
8. Fight frizz with moisture. Instead of straight-ironing the frizz away supplement your hair with a frizz oil or serum. 1-2 drops of this can add shine and help prevent or tame frizz and fly aways. Just don't use too much or you'll weigh your air dried hair down. PS: Keeping up with the trims, hair masks and regular conditioning will help prevent frizz in the first place! 
9. Switch to a wide tooth comb! When detangling wet hair don't use a brush. This can be too hard on your fragile strands when they're wet and cause them to break (creating frizz and split ends). A wide tooth comb gently separates your hair and is perfect for combing product through. 
10. Wash your hair, for the love of your scalp! With dry shampoo challenges becoming all the rage there are many people bragging about not washing their hair for 1-2 weeks (mmm...yummy). Like all things, skipping a wash is only good in moderation. It's important to wash your hair for the health of your scalp. This doesn't mean wash your hair every day, twice a day. But instead of washing once a week, try every other day. You can even do a cleansing conditioner. It's important to massage your scalp and make sure it doesn't dry out or build up bacteria. Don't believe me? Read 6 Reasons You Actually Do Need to Wash Your Damn Hair.

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Get the Look:

Jumpsuit - Elevenses Acacia Embroidered - Anthropologie (Sold Out) Similar 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 // Blush Pumps - Steven Madden (Sold Out) Similar 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

My boyfriend, Mr. Darcy,* and I took a road trip from Oregon to California this month. He grew up mostly in the Portland area and his dad and step-dad still live in Oregon. While having met his father multiple times before, this was my first time meeting his step-dad and visiting his home state (PS: He made me feel incredibly special as I am the only woman he's ever introduced to his step-dad! <3 ).

We stayed with them in Crooked River Ranch-an unincorporated private resort community located in Central Oregon. This area of the state is a striking mixture of desert and mountains perfect for outdoor adventures such as hiking, rock climbing, golfing, cycling, and summer picnics-almost all of which we did.

*If you've read any of my adventures with my boyfriend on the blog you'll know I refer to him as Mr. Darcy for his nom de plume. 


Where to Eat:

• Terrebonne Depot - 100 year-old former train station has been resurrected into a full bar and fresh food restaurant. Meats and organic seasonal vegetables are sourced locally.
• Juniper Junction - Stop by by the historic, old west building for huckleberry ice cream (a Oregon speciality you won't get anywhere else). 
• Sparrow Bakery - Voted best restaurant and bakery in Bend, OR and is a local favorite. 
• Cottonwood Cafe - Quaint cottage turned cafe, this delightful casual spot serves breakfast and lunch with creative, affordable, high quality, house created fare. They even have a fire pit in their backyard dining space that is dog-friendly! 

Where to Stay:
Where to Play: 

• Hike or Rock Climb at Smith Rock State Park - Considered to be some of the best rock climbing areas. It has several paths along the Crooked River and even a few waterfalls. 
• Visit Tumalo Lavender gift shop and farm - home to 10,000 beautiful lavender plants with colors ranging from white to purple to pink. The lavender is in full flower in mid-July and is at its peak for viewing and cutting. You can wander through the vibrant purple fields and take in the strong, sweet fragrance of lavender as you hand-cut your own bouquet. Summer hours at Tumalo Lavender are varied as so they encourage you to arrange your visit ahead of time by calling 541-419-9449.
• Golfing - The area is well-known for as a golfer's paradise( See link for different courses).
• Bike to Tumalo Waterfalls - The 97-foot falls of Tumalo Creek is a popular and easily-accessible spot for visitors and locals alike looking for a scenic spot and gentle hike.

This month I traveled throughout Oregon with my boyfriend, Mr. Darcy.* He grew up in the PNW (Pacific North West) and has some very cherished memories of his former Oregon home state. I really enjoyed seeing it through his eyes and spending time with his family.
*If you've read any of my adventures with my boyfriend on the blog you'll know I refer to him as Mr. Darcy for his nom de plume. 

I flew up early in the morning from San Jose, CA to Portland, OR-where we spent a few days before our cross state road trip.


This was my first time visiting "The Beaver State" (before you get any ideas, it's in reference to the early beaver fur trade. The beaver is also Oregon's official state animal and appears on the state flag). After our stay in Portland we headed southeast through Central Oregon. We originally had grand travel plans: However, the day before I got to Oregon there were winds pushing smoke from B.C. and southern Oregon's wildfires. There was so much smog you could barely see the mountains and the air quality was very poor. Instead, we focused on quality time and seeing what we could.