thirty eight from california

  For years we made the trek. Nine hours plus however many bathroom breaks it took to reach San Francisco from San Diego. It was to see my grandparents which was great, but it meant being thrown in the car at the wee hours of the morning where your only activity options were sleeping or eating or staring out the window. So when my dear friend Victoria and I were planning our much needed vacations, the concept of a road trip, much less a road trip in California, seemed less than enticing to me. Nevertheless, a few scheduling coincidences and a chance to reclaim the California coast in the make of adventure finally swayed my vote.

Thus, just as fall was quickly ushering Manhattan into its arms, we skipped backwards into the eternal summer of San Diego. Right before we left, I made the spontaneous decision to purchase a Fujifilm Instax instant camera and a boatload of film to document our adventures. What came out of it was thirty eight prints - some posed, some candids, some given away as gifts, and many that will be treasured for a lifetime.

On my turf, Victoria was shown all my favorite spots and some of my favorite people - Marine St Beach with Maegan, the Cove, Don Carlos with Ruth, Extraordinary Desserts with Drew, Balboa Park and Coronado with my family, and so much more.

We then began the first part of our journey and headed up North to Santa Barbara where we spent time leisurely walking along boardwalks, destressing for the first time in too long, and of course basking in the sun on both the beach and our rooftop pool.

After Santa Barbara, we faced the ambitious task of conquering the Pacific Coast Highway in one day. Unfortunately, our giant stacks of Swedish pancakes at our first stop in Solvang put us off to a delayed start (and a dangerous food coma while driving), but we made it to Morro Bay without w hitch. We then tackled Big Sur which was hands down my favorite part of the trip. It's gorgeous driving along the coast no matter what, but to have these enormous cliffs alongside you and breathtaking beach inlets below you was just something else. We managed to find Pfeiffer Beach which you cam literally only identify by sign that says "No RVs." You them drive about 2 miles down to the beach itself where the powerful waves have created a hole in an enormous rock formation and the sand runs purple from erosion. Not wanting to say goodbye, we pressed on to do the 17 Mile Drive in Pebble Beach. It's a fascinating neighborhood with ridiculous coastal views that even managed to make a La Jollan jealous.

Finally, finally we made it to our last destination of Sam Francisco where my amazing Big, Lauren, hosted us in her oh-my-god-is-that-the-golden-gate-bridge-from-your-window?! apartment. We had the chance to see Brad and Laura for some phenomenal views of The Golden Gate Bridge and oysters out on the deck of The Ferry Building. The food was such a highlight of San Francisco: Dinner with Nate and Alex at Delarosa's was phenomenal, salami sandwiches at Molinari's, chocolate at XOX truffles, and of course pizza at Tony's (with no wait!).

It was the perfect nine days. Pure bliss, wonderful rest, and the sun on our faces.

The Photograph Collective: Namesake

  “Namesake” by Amanda Liew We each have our own struggles, and mine is with love. For years, the lies I told myself have consumed me: You don’t deserve it You won’t ever have it You aren’t worth it You aren’t worth it You aren’t worth it You’ll never be worth it. There was a cry to God, One from the depths of my heart. And suddenly He made me remember: “Amanda. Worthy of love.” A literal translation. A declaration. A title. A namesake chosen before my birth to battle my greatest fear. A promise I can never run from. Amanda, You are worth it You are worth it You are worth it You’ll always be worth it. Love.

It's been such an amazing experience seeing The Photograph Collective take off. Our second project was on Self Portraits, and I chose to focus on my namesake. There was a time in my life when I was particularly struggling with being able to accept that I was worthy of love. From broken relationships to promises that were not kept, I allowed myself to interpret others' actions as a reflection of my own worth. When I was at Martha's Vineyard for FOCUS camp a few years ago, I was praying and sobbing with God - just wrestling over this emptiness and pain that I couldn't seem to get rid of. And then all of a sudden I heard "Amanda. Worthy of love." I realized then and there that yes, my name was a direct counter to my greatest struggle. It was a moment that left me in awe - to suddenly realize that before I was even born, God gave me a name so significant. A constant reminder that I was worthy of love, and more than anything worthy of His love.

To view the full post along with other projects, go to The Photograph Collective: http://thephotographcollective.com/2014/07/21/namesake-by-amanda-liew/

Behind-the-Scenes of Merry & Kelly's Engagement Shoot

  When my roommate's boyfriend, Kelly, told me he was going to propose, I died trying to keep it a secret. When Merry & Kelly did get engaged, I celebrated and told the world. When Merry hilariously asked me to take her engagement photos, I panicked and laughed...and then pointed them in the direction of someone with more experience: my good friend Rob Cleary. Nevertheless, the four of us went together to the Central Park Conservatory Garden on a beautiful Saturday evening when the weather was the perfect mix between spring and summer. As Rob dutifully snapped away, I took on the role of hair-fixer, bag-holder, sign-maker as well as behind-the-scenes-capturer. I love these candids because of how they capture Merry & Kelly's relationship - from the ridiculous sarcastic jokes constantly bouncing back and forth to the secret glances and smiles that they don't think I see. It brings me so much joy to see Merry & Kelly build their life together, and I can't be happier to be a part of their journey! To see Rob's engagement session photos click here.

Sunsets on the Hudson: Pier i

Taste: 3.8 / 5Ambience: 5 / 5 Would you want to eat there again?: Definitely - more for the environment than the food, though! Was the price worth it?: Yes!

A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to celebrate two very special people at Pier i: Tutu, who had just turned another year older, and Victoria, who completed her first half-marathon. We threw the phenomenal pair a semi-surprise party (one where they only knew something was happening, but not exactly what) and Pier i was the perfect location! It's often difficult to find locations where you can find good food, solid drinks, an excellent ambience, decent prices AND not have to deal with getting caught in a reservation. For events where you know people will trickle in here and there, perhaps spontaneously bring another friend along, forget to RSVP, etc., you need flexibility for your fun, and Pier i offers exactly that. Set along the Hudson River at 70th & Riverside, Pier i offers a wide variety of food options, but is also casual enough that you can easily pull up more chairs and tables as people arrive. The food, while quite tasty, is definitely not the reason you're coming here. Since there's no such thing as a secret in New York City, it's always tough to first stake out a good spot, but the wait is always worth it - I promise. If I didn't live on the East Side & wasn't so incredibly lazy, I would be at Pier i every other weekend.

What we ordered: Maine Lobster Roll, Watermelon Goat Cheese Salad, Bacon Wrapped Scallops, Calamari, Fresh Blueberry Lemonade