Hi, I’m Christine – nice to meet you.
Welcome to my lifestyle + travel blog – I’m Christine, a photographer and creative based in Atlanta. I love capturing moments, discovering new places, designing spaces and finding efficiencies in the everyday. That’s what this blog is about. I first started blogging about my travels years ago to document my experiences for myself. When planning a vacation (usually short, quick ones), I found myself scrambling across many different blogs to get recommendations – but often times, they were long 14-day trips or excursions completely out of my budget. What you’ll find on my blog is garnered toward the modern individual, who still dedicates time to traveling and exploring (but sometimes without the luxury of time or big budgets) and bringing a freshness to their everyday, whether it’s through redesigning a room or creating a new routine to allow more time for you to spend with your family.
I’m a real, everyday person too with a crazy schedule. Each day is a new discovery, a new lesson learned. As much slack as social media gets, there is something really neat – it connects people from all over the world together, when they might have never been connected – to share with each other, learn from each other, and experience through each other. My goal for my blog is to do just that. I’ll share things that I learn, experiences that I have (both the good and bad), and my perspectives – and in turn, I want to hear yours.
A bit about me
My first flight was solo at age 22 for work.
I was both very nervous and excited. During my childhood, my family and I always drove to all of our vacations – yes, even to New York State. Within 3 months of my new corporate job, I was sent to Orlando for a tradeshow – on a plane, alone, for the first time. I remember when we finally landed and I was headed to the car rental garage – it was easy, and the world was now available. Since then I’ve flown to 11 states and 7 countries, with so many more to go.
I’m a gaming and pop culture nerd.
Pop-culture, gaming, books, TV series, fantasy, etc. You can certainly find me dressing up at Dragon*Con and Renaissance Festival every year. I started watching anime when I was in middle school – and still watch it to this day (just because it’s animated, doesn’t mean it’s for kids!). My favorite things are Elder Scrolls, conventions, supernatural/fantasy TV series, all things faerie. In my other life, I am a tall Elf with a bad-ass bow and high sneak skills.
I love music – but not your typical tunes.
What you can find on my Spotify playlists include: 2000s alternative rock, Asian pop/rap, fantasy and gaming soundtracks, and Nordic folk music. When it’s bed time, you can expect to hear the 1-hour “Skyrim Atmospheres” but while I’m driving, you’ll find me jamming out and *attempting* to sing along with K-pop.
And yes, I’m the weirdo who still buys CDs.
I have a small but mighty family.
My husband and I met at a sandwich shop we both worked at during school and bonded over rock music and video games. Seven years later, we were married in Atlanta – and bought our first home together later in the year. While I’m the crazy creative in the house, he’s definitely the strategic, responsible accountant and tech-saavy guy. Together, we had our first child in 2020 and also share much love with our two cats: Zuko and Arya. I also include my plants as my children, and there’s plenty of those around too – both inside and outside.
These are a few of my favorite things
Japanese Food
There’s nothing like a good Japanese meal – sushi, fresh-off-the-grill Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) and a cup of warm Green tea. The food in Japan was so tasty – and I’m excited to find authentic spots in the area that capture the essence and flavor of Japanese cuisine. Bring on the rolls and raw fish!
Thrift Shopping & Fashion
While I do love a shopping trip at Zara or Anthro, I also love scoring some thrift finds at secondhand shops, especially online shops such as ThredUP. I’ve acquired a passion for fashion over the years. I love mixing old with new, breaking ‘rules’ and adopting trends from around the globe. Everywhere I travel, I try to visit a secondhand shop and pick up some global pieces. My favorite styles are modern minimalist, Scandi-contemporary and Japanese aesthetic.
Ballet
My first ballet performance, I was a soldier in the Nutcracker. Not the most glamorous, but it was the beginning of a lifelong hobby and career in dance. I danced all through school including college – and now teach to company dancers and convince them they love ballet just as much as me.
Botanicals and Plants
I have a very large green thumb – I love gardening, primarily outdoors for most of my adult life. When we bought our house, the landscaping was horrible, and I completely revamped the gardens and bedding to something I’m very proud of now (damn, I wish there was a neighborhood garden contest). In 2020, with quarantine, I’ve transitioned my love for plants indoors and went from 2 plants to 22.
Let’s make something together.
Quarté Away 