This post is going to be a bit of a throwback post. When I visited Italy last summer, I brought along several 35mm disposable film cameras to capture some truly candid shots of Venice, Rome, and Florence. This experience gave me an interesting and different perspective to photography. I’m so used to snapping multiple photos, looking at them, and then taking more to adjust for the mistakes in the previous shots. With a film camera, there’s no way to see what you’ve snapped until much later, until you’ve filled up your camera and gotten all your photos developed, so you really have to think hard about the composition of your photo, as well as find that perfect moment to capture.

Venezia

Roma

Firenze

Now, for the cameras:

Color: Fujifilm QuickSnap Flash 400 Disposable 35mm Camera 

Black & White: Ilford XP2 Super Single Use Camera with Flash (27 Exposures) black and white film

I got my film developed at Oscar’s Photo Lab in San Francisco. You can also get them developed at some Walgreens, CVS, and Costco stores.

Hope you enjoyed the photos, and happy 2019!

♥ Cindy

Video was shot using the iPhoneX + DJI Osmo Mobile 2 for stabilization. Edited with Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2018 and Adobe After Effects CC 2018.

If you enjoyed the video, please give me a thumbs up/subscribe to me on YouTube!

After spending a few rainy days in Melbourne, I headed off to Sydney in hopes of spending a few days in the sun. Unfortunately, a rare case of rain hit the city for the first two days I was there, so I couldn’t spend as much time outdoors as I had liked to. Luckily, in addition to its beautiful outdoor landmarks and picturesque beaches, Sydney provided some amazing indoor activities during the rain as well.

Take a look at the map I curated to see all the places below in context.

1. Soak up the sun at Bondi Beach

Sun’s out, guns out. Head over to Sydney’s most iconic and popular beach: Bondi beach, and take a dip in the ocean—or do some shopping in its small boutiques along the coastline.

2. Swim and sip at Bondi Icebergs

When you get hungry and thirsty at Bondi, stop by Icebergs, a restaurant, bar, and recreation club right next to the beach. There’s a pool carved into the side of the ocean where you’ll still occasionally get hit with the ocean waves while swimming. Visit the bar and restaurant upstairs to get an amazing view of the ocean while sipping your refreshing drinks and eating your delicious meal.

3. See the cuddly (and scary) animals at the Wild Life Sydney zoo

Visit the Wild Life Sydney Zoo to see all of the unique animals Australia has to offer. You can even get up close and personal with some of their koalas.

4. Visit the Opera House early in the day

I got to visit the Opera House twice during my stay in Sydney: once during the more crowded hours in the afternoon, and again at 7AM in the morning. If you want to avoid the hoards of tourists getting in your way of photos, or just want to enjoy a quiet walk up and down the stairs leading up to the opera house, I highly recommend making the sacrifice of getting up at sunrise and visiting the opera house early in the day.

Otherwise, your photo will look more like this one below (with a bunch of people hanging out in the background):

5. View the Opera House from Royal Botanic Gardens

Interestingly, the best view of the opera house is actually not at the opera house. Believe me, the monument looks a lot better once you’re bit further away. Get away from all the tourists and escape to the Botanic Gardens on the east side of the opera house. You can enjoy a quiet stroll through this city park that resembles New York City’s Central Park (at least from what I saw in the movies) and walk past the joggers to enjoy a view of the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and the city skyline.

6. Have the new style sashimi at Sake on the Rocks

Sake on the Rocks is a Japanese restaurant located in an area close to Circular Quay called The Rocks, a historic neighborhood filled with cobblestone roads, shops, old pubs, and upscale restaurants. My favorite dish was hands down the “New Style Sashimi,” which is a dish of sashimi revamped with hot sesame oil on top to slightly sear the raw fish.

7. Shop at the Queen Victoria Building

The Queen Victoria Building (or “QVB”) is a late 19th century building in the CBD that houses a myriad of shops, restaurants, and cafes. There’s a comprehensive selection of stores that range from local Australian boutiques to more common designers like Coach and Calvin Klein. If you’re still not satisfied, QVB is connected to the Westfield mall, which is located directly on its north facing side.

8. Find the hidden bird cages at angel Place

Wander through the streets south of Circular Quay and you’ll find this hidden art installation on Angel Place between Ash St. and Pitt St. The artwork is called “Forgotten Songs” and was designed by Michael Thomas Hill. As you stand underneath the birdcages you can hear the sounds of the birds that once inhabited Sydney before the city was built.

9. Walk through the tunnels at sea Life Aquarium

After finishing up with the land animals at the Wild Life zoo, head next door to the Sea life Aquarium to stroll amongst stingrays, jellyfish, and sharks.

10. Do the Bondi to bronte walk

If you’re hungry for more beach scenery after visiting Bondi beach, walk south along the coast to visit a few other beaches and sights, including Mackenzie’s Point, Tamarama Beach, and Bronte Beach.

11. Have super spicy thai food at chat thai

After hearing about how Thai food is Sydney’s current obsession, I knew I had to check out the craze for myself. Upon seeing great reviews for Chat Thai (a chain scattered across the city, including at the Westfield mall), I had one of the spiciest but most delicious Thai dishes: mu krop—crispy pork belly over rice with a fried egg on top.

12. See Sydney from above the clouds at the sydney tower eye

Go to the 5th floor of the Westfield mall and you’ll find the entrance to the Sydney Tower Eye, an observation deck with a 360 degree view of the city.

13. Have coffee and breakfast at parlour lane roasters

If you’re looking for a unique, retro-style cafe to sit down and enjoy breakfast and a flat white, this is your place.

14. Visit the Museum of Contemporary art

While strolling along The Rocks area or Circular Quay, visit the Museum of Contemporary Art, which is completely free to explore.

15. Take the ferry across circular quay at night

To get another great view of the Opera House or Harbour Bridge, jump aboard one of the ferries going to or from Circular Quay. Your opal card (transportation card for all buses, trains, and trams) will also work for ferry access.

In this post I also wanted to give a huge shout out to the Four Seasons hotel in Circular Quay for a wonderful stay. The hotel is conveniently located just a 5-10 minute walk from the Circular Quay ferry station, several bus stops, and, if you’re lucky enough, you could get a room with a sick view of the Opera House. The best part though, was probably the included breakfast which included freshly-made Eggs Benedicts and omelettes.

I also tried out room service for the first time and got this a.ma.zing pasta. I called concierge to ask the chef for the recipe. Turns out there was uni butter in it, so welp, it might not be very easy to recreate at home.

Hope you found this travel photo diary helpful. If you haven’t done so already, you can also check out of my post for Melbourne as well.

The vlogs for both cities are on their way as well ;)

♥ Cindy

Video was shot using the iPhoneX + DJI Osmo Mobile 2 for stabilization. Edited with Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2018 and Adobe After Effects CC 2018.

When people think of Australia, the first thought that often comes to their minds is probably the iconic Opera House in Sydney (and maybe kangaroos and koalas). I knew Sydney was a place I needed to check off my Australian bucket list, but Melbourne was another city that intrigued me. If Sydney was the mainstream, beautiful blonde bombshell, I envisioned Melbourne to be her brunette, alternative, artsy sister. While Sydney is known for its beaches and famous landmarks like the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, Melbourne is more renowned for its coffee, street art, and its neighboring adventures on the Great Ocean Road.

Take a look at the map I curated to see all the places below in context.

I arrived in Melbourne after about 20 hours of traveling, first from San Francisco to Sydney, and then after a delayed flight from Sydney to Melbourne. It was tough a 20 hours, so when I arrived, I knew I needed to treat myself to a flat white in the coffee capital on Australia.

1. Have a flat white in the coffee laneways

Melbourne is famous for its laneways, which are tiny pedestrian-only streets filled with hole-in-the-wall shops, cafes, and small restaurants. I chose to explore Centre Place, which is one of the most popular laneways that has graffiti spilling into it and loads of coffee spilling out.

2. Visit the Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes

When the weather’s right, head south of the CBD (Center Business District—what the Melbournians refer to as the downtown area) to Brighton Beach. There, you’ll see a row of colorful huts where surfers will store their surfboards and other surf equipment.

Beware of all the bloggers here asking their “Instagram husbands” to take about a million photos for them.

Bikini: Kendall and Kylie via Revolve

3. Explore the street art on Hosier Lane

Another cheap and easy thing to do in the CBD is to head on over to Hosier Lane after visiting one of coffee laneways and explore the huge amount of graffiti on this street. Street art is not forbidden—it’s encouraged.

Duster Coat: Ba&Sh via Rent the Runway | Shirt: J.Crew | Jeans: Anthropologie | Sneakers: H&M

4. Have breakfast and coffee at White Mojo

Have a sesame latte and some of the prettiest breakfast plates I’ve ever seen at White Mojo Specialty Coffee Roasters.

5. See the mix of traditional and contemporary installations at the National Gallery of Victoria

The NGV (National Gallery of Victoria) is a definite must-do here in Melbourne. It’s Australia’s oldest art museum and holds art ranging from the 19th century to the 21st century. Its collection ranges from Asian to European art, and works by Monet to works by Julian Opie. It was probably one of the most intriguing art museums I’ve ever gone to, and I was in love with the mix of the old and the new. Did I also mention it’s free?

6. Travel the Great Ocean Road

On my third day in Melbourne, I decided to venture out of the city to explore the Great Ocean Road. Instead of going on a regular bus tour, I opted in for an Airbnb Experience with Pete, which was, in my opinion, thousands of times better than going on traditional bus tour. Pete drove our group of five in his mini van along the Great Ocean Road to visit some of its major sights, stopping for meals and coffee along the way.

What set Pete apart the most was how he truly tried to create bonds between the people traveling through his conversations. He would tell us personal anecdotes along the journey and not skimp out on the textbook information for each destination either. I would highly recommend booking a tour with him either on Airbnb or through his Facebook page. You can also check out a video one of his guests made for one of his experiences.

We learned that there are actually 8 apostles, not 12. They decided to lie to all of us and name it the “12 apostles” just because it had a better ring to it.

I would say Loch Ard Gorge(ous) was my favorite (pictured above).

We stopped along Torquay, Lorne, Gibson Steps, 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, and London Bridge. We also got to see a few Koalas out in the wild and have lunch at some local cafes.

7. Have (more) coffee at Brother Baba Budan

Hang with the hipsters at this always-crowded coffee shop serving Seven Seeds Coffee in the CBD and stare up at its incredible ceiling.

8. Chinatown Melbourne

Did you know the oldest Chinatown in the Western world is located right here in Melbourne? The restaurants here are amazingly authentic—none of that chop suey, general tso’s chicken crap that Chinese Americans had to create to appeal to western palettes so they could survive in America. We ended up having hot pot at a place called Dainty Sichuan.

9. Breakfast at Hardware Société

If you didn’t get your “Instagramable and hip coffee shop” fix yet, head on over to Hardware Societe for a French inspired breakfast (I got the baked eggs!).

10. Explore Southbank at night

Walk across Melbourne’s many bridges across the Yarra river and visit Southbank to watch hoards of locals eat, drink, and party on a night out.

11. Have dinner at Supernormal

Have some delicious revamped Asian-inspired dishes at Supernormal. Though the price can be quite steep, the flavors here are the best around. The waiters are so nice to the point where they will give you free dessert because they feel sorry for making you wait so long for the food.

12. Visit the Shrine of Remembrance

Catch a glimpse of Melbourne’s skyline after walking up the stairs to the Shrine of Remembrance, a war memorial to honor the men and women who fought in World War I. Also free to enter.

13. Visit the State Library of Victoria and then have a snack at the Queen Victoria Market

Unfortunately, on the day I visited, the dome of the library was closed off for a special event. However, I found other parts of the library equally picturesque. The library is walking distance from Queen Victoria Market, which sells fresh produce, meat, and seafood, and is full of stalls selling street food, cheeses, and jams.

14. Do your Christmas shopping at the Royal Arcade

When you want to do some more unique, local shopping, head to the Royal Arcade, which originally opened in 1870. This light-filled building houses local chocolatiers, toy shops, as well as cafes and bakeries.

15. Go up the Eureka Skydeck

For a more comprehensive view of Melbourne’s CBD, head up the Eureka Skydeck building (the highest observation deck in the Southern Hemisphere).

Melbourne was coined the world’s most livable city for 7 years in a row (before finally being defeated this year by Vienna, Austria). After experiencing Melbourne’s amazing food from its melting pot of different cultures and interacting with its friendly and upbeat people, I can see why it’s reigned on top for so long. It seems like everyone in Melbourne is accepting of everyone else’s unique backgrounds, and I think that’s why incredible art, food, and culture continue to emit from this city.

♥ Cindy

Video was shot using the iPhoneX + DJI Osmo Mobile 2 for stabilization. Edited with Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2018 and Adobe After Effects CC 2018.

Happy Labor Day everyone! Hope you all had a great time relaxing during the long weekend. I spent most of my holiday with my family up in Lake Tahoe, exploring Emerald Bay and hiking up the mountains with... the new addition to the fam—Kairos the Corgi! 

Many of these shots were taken on the top deck of a boat cruise that circled the lake and took us to Emerald Bay.

If Emerald Bay gets a little too crowded, head on over to Sugar Pine Beach, where there are plenty of parking spots and lots of shallow waters to swim and do water sports in. Here I am, in head-to-toe H&M (probably the most inexpensive outfit from my closet).

The last few times I blogged about travel, my posts were mostly focused on bigger cities and their attractions and restaurants. It's a nice change to visit a place that's more nature-focused. In this setting, there are definitely more opportunities to take photos with more negative space (my favorite!).

Emerald Bay got its name because its waters are slightly green. The more shallow an area of water is, the more green light that it reflects.

We brought Kairos the Corgi, our Pembroke Welsh Corgi pup, along for the ride. He's super adorable but also super sassy—and can be quite a pain in the ass when he gets excited. To keep up with Kai and his daily musings, follow him on his Instagram account: @kairosthecorgi—which is growing way faster than my personal account. I don't know whether I should feel happy or sad about that.

My apparel might not be sporty enough for hiking, but I'm absolutely in love with this jumpsuit from Petite Studio. It fits me so well, and the bottom of the pant is tailored to sit perfectly on my ankles. Not too long, not too short. My only complaint is that it was quite a splurge (it's apparently on sale now though!).

If you enjoyed these photos, please don't hesitate to pin them on Pinterest. If you enjoyed the video, give it a thumbs up, and subscribe to my YouTube channel as well :)

♥ Cindy

Video was shot using the iPhoneX + DJI Osmo Mobile 2 for stabilization. Edited with Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2018 and Adobe After Effects CC 2018.

Buonasera! Here is the final installation to my trilogy of Italy vlogs—a short video on my 24 hours in Forence. If you haven't done so already, be sure to check out Part 1 on Rome, and Part 2 on Venice + Burano (probably my favorite out of the 3). If you're liking the videos so far, please give them thumbs up, or subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Although I was only offered 24 hours in Florence, I was able to explore a variety of places because the city was very condensed and easy to navigate on foot. Considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence is filled with famous masterpieces such as Michelangelo’s David and Sandro Botticelli's The Birth of Venus. Despite not being very well-versed in art history, I still found the city to be intriguing and filled with gorgeous monuments. Oh, and scattered with delicious authentic Italian food on every street corner.

We decided once again to do one of our early morning photo/filming trips. Since the area around the Duomo (otherwise known as Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore) is always crowded with tourists during the day, I attempted to get some nice shots at dawn but found dozens of other photographers and vloggers trying to do the same thing.

As a general rule of thumb: your knees and shoulders must be covered whenever you enter a cathedral or church in Italy. But don’t be alarmed, there are dozens of vendors selling scarves and capes outside the church for women like myself—who, finally getting a break from her work wardrobe, chose to bring along the most revealing pieces from her wardrobe on her vacation.

Piazzale Michelangelo is one of the best vantage points to get a view of Florence as a whole. Do note that you will have to work for it though. Google maps might tell you that it’s a twenty minute walk from wherever you are in the city… but that twenty minute walk is a walk straight uphill. And if you’re doing it in the 90 degree Italian summer, do expect a workout before you’re rewarded with the view.

After hiking up to Piazzale Michelangelo, we were quite starving by the time of dinner. Because Italians usually eat very long dinners late into the night, we booked a reservation at La Giostra at 9:15PM. I was dying to try the Florentine steak, and the internet was telling me that La Giostra was the place to try it. Although the steak itself set us back 84 euros, the restaurant provided us with multiple glasses of wine on the house and a free appetizer platter. We also ordered the pear ravioli, which was divine.

And by no means did they skimp on this appetizer sampler. On it was a tasty salad, bruschetta, foie gras, vegetable fritters, and house-made bologna. This would’ve set me back at least 15 bucks in San Francisco. But here it was 0.

The restaurant is dimly lit with hundreds of small ceiling lights that created a romantic but nostalgic vibe. On the wall are photos of famous celebrities that have visited in the past, including John Travolta and Tom Hanks. If you’re interested in dining here, be sure to make a reservation in advance on La Giostra’s website.

Our small but cute Airbnb. Filled with all sorts of nostalgic furniture.

The shakerato was definitely my favorite drink in Italy. Such a shame you can’t get it in the States…

Being a tourist, I was obligated to say hi to the David statue at the Accademia Gallery. David was created by Michelangelo when he was only 26, and is considered one of the most renowned works of the Renaissance. Because it’s such a famous piece of art, be sure to book your tickets to the Accademia online in advance to avoid waiting in the long line that stretches far around the block.

The Accademia is also home to a myriad of other famous works of the Renaissance. If you get tired of looking at paintings and sculptures, be sure to stop by the music gallery that showcases a variety of ancient instruments.

Stop by Ponte Vecchio, a bridge that houses multiple shops selling everything from jewelry to leather goods.

Taking the train out of Florence? Stop by Mercato Centrale Firenze, a hipster marketplace/food court that’s located few minutes away from the Firenze SMN train station. You’ll find a variety of vendors selling authentic Italian street foods, and loads of locals and tourists alike enjoying a casual lunch.

Below the food court is a marketplace, selling fresh vegetables, meats, spices, olive oils, pastries… you name it. I was really hard to walk through without the urge to get myself a second lunch.

I had a fairly smooth time traveling throughout Italy thanks to the Frecciargento—which is the high speed train that connects Italy’s major cities. Previously known as the Italian Eurostar, the train got me from Rome to Florence in 2 hours and from Florence to Venice in another 2 hours. I would highly recommend taking the Frecciargento or Frecciarossa, especially if you’re traveling first class, in which case they will offer you a free small bottle of wine and snacks!

Although I’m relieved that I’m done with all my Italy vlogs, I’m also sad to finally put this vacation behind me. I truly had a great time, and learned lots of the Italian language and customs along the way. If you found any of the content helpful, please pin these ideas on your boards on Pinterest, give the video a thumbs up, or subscribe to my YouTube channel :)

♥ Cindy

Video was shot using the iPhoneX + DJI Osmo Mobile 2 for stabilization. Edited with Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2018 and Adobe After Effects CC 2018.

Buongiorno! I promised y’all a part 2 to my Italy Part 1 Vlog on Rome, and here it is!

Venice was one of the most stunning and unique places I’ve ever traveled to. Despite the city being touristy, it was definitely less hectic and more manageable compared to Rome and Florence. Although Venice has plenty of places dedicated to tourists and large crowds, it’s easy to step away from the main road and into quieter, more secluded alleyways. Due to its small size, Venice is very easy to explore on foot (you also have no choice but to do so since cars and bikes alike are not allowed on the island).

In addition to Venice, we also set aside one morning to visit the island of Burano, which is just a 30-40 minute boat ride away from Venice. Its colorful houses, small narrow streets, and picturesque canals make it one of the most gorgeous and rare places to photograph.

Since boats are the only form of transportation allowed in Venice, walking around became exponentially easier compared to the more hectic Rome and Florence. You can stroll through the city carelessly without having to worry about cars and vespas looming around the corner.

I loved exploring Venice during sunrise and sunset—the orange sunlight hitting the colorful brick houses really makes everything look surreal. I made an effort to wake up at 4:30 AM one morning to explore the area around our Airbnb and the Rialto bridge to get a sense of the city at its quietest.

Waking up early proved its value when I arrived at the Rialto Bridge. I walked past it a couple of times during the day and it was absolutely flooded with tourists trying to get their own photo of the Grand Canal. At 6AM, however, it was completely empty and gave me a chance to watch Venice’s sunrise without the disturbance of other tourists.

Piazza San Marco is equally as beautiful in the rain as it is at at dusk. Be sure to stop by both sides of Caffè Florian to listen to live music performed by small ensembles of classical musicians.

Compared to Rome, Venice’s food game is unfortunately not as strong. Try to avoid tourist traps that serve American staples like French Fries and Burgers or American-converted Italian dishes such as Spaghetti and Meatballs. (Note that Italians never eat spaghetti together with meatballs. They will have them separately—spaghetti as a first course and meatballs as a second—but they will never combine the two).

But because Venice is so close to the ocean, there is a large selection of fresh seafood that comes to the island every day. Opt for the dishes that contain seafood instead of the more familiar American dishes.

Burano

When in Venice, try to stop by the picturesque island of Burano. The distinct colorful houses in this small island town were used to help sailors coming back in the fog determine which house was theirs. To paint a new house in Burano, you must notify the local government, which will then give you a selection of possible colors you’re allowed to paint with. Quite complicated, but definitely an important protocol to keep the island looking colorful and beautiful.

As Murano is popular for its glass-making, Burano is famous for its lace. Stroll through the town and you’ll find countless shops selling locally-made lace.

getting to Burano from venice

To get to the island of Burano, we took the Vaporetto Line 12 (Vaporetto = water-bus) from the Fondamente Nove stop, which comes around every 30 minutes. Tickets cost 7 euros one way, and the ride takes around 30-40 minutes, stopping at the island of Murano in between. To get a good idea of when Vaporettos arrive, download a super helpful app called CheBateo, which provides a time estimate of arrivals for each boat—available on the App Store and Google Play.

Restaurants in Burano serve a wide variety of seafood. We had the spider-crab gnocchi and the more adventurous but equally-delicious squid ink spaghetti. Our verdict? Don’t be daunted by the squid ink and the black color. The spaghetti was actually amazingly-savory and was reminiscent of the seafood pasta we had the previous night.

What’s a visit to Venice without a Gondola ride? Try to go around dusk to catch the sunset and to avoid the harsh midday sunlight.

Go museum-hopping and visit the free-to-enter Museo della Musica, a museum of music focused on displaying ancient instruments (such as the 6-string viola here!)

Remember to fill up on gelato, coffee, and pasta before you leave. Our gelato was from a shop located right off Piazza San Marco called Venchi, which also sells beautifully-wrapped gift boxes of chocolates. We shared two scoops: the rich Crema and the refreshing Fig.

I am the woman under the umbrella.

The Bridge of Sighs received its name because prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice there before they were taken down to their cells.

Venice was by far my favorite city in Italy—possibly one of my favorite cities I’ve ever traveled to. Tired from visiting touristy spots in Rome and Florence, I made an effort to skip touristy attractions such as the Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica. Instead, I found that wandering the streets (and even allowing yourself to get lost for a while) was more rewarding and eye-opening. Farewell Venice for now, but I’ll definitely be coming back to you in the future. I’ll be sighing one last time as I get on the train to leave.

Liked the video? Give it a thumbs up on YouTube. Liked the post? Save a few pins from this post to Pinterest :)

♥ Cindy