Santa Rosa

Another lovely visit to Santa Rosa to spend time with my aunt and uncle. The first night we ate at El Molino Central and it was delicious.

Day two we had a lovely breakfast prepared by my aunt. Later, she and I went out for lunch at Valley Swim Club. I was so enamored with the restaurant and vibe! I brought materials to make zines with my aunt, which we dove into later in the afternoon once back home. It felt so special, sharing a creative and therapeutic practice of mine with her, exchanging the zines we had worked on with each other.

My aunt prepared a lovely dinner for the three of us, followed by watching a Taylor Tomlinson Netflix stand-up special before bed. Day three greeted us with a slow morning of coffee and breakfast before I headed out for home. I stopped by the roadside to capture a beautifully fallen tree with roots that were so intricate, and a coffee from Valley Swim Club.

Oakland for Treats and Tatts

Last month I took the train to Oakland for the day, where I got treats from Forma Bakery, a tattoo from Adrianna at Thorns Tattoo, a beer at Cato’s, and a glass of wine at Clio’s.

Portuguese Countryside

We started the second half of the trip with a boat ride along the coast. When we anchored down for a bit I was able to jump into the ocean, and while it was absolutely freezing, I’m so glad I jumped in (and scurried right back up onto the boat!).

Then it was on to the villa we would be staying at for the remainder of the trip together. This property was so beautiful. The house is massive, with old furnishings and artwork. I was so impressed with how much cooler it was inside the villa than outside due to the architectural and interior design of the house, given that it was designed and built pre air conditioning.

The courtyard view from my room was lovely. I could hear birds chirping just outside my window. The pool was lovely, and the property went back quite a bit with chickens, plants, and other wild life.

We spent time visiting local pottery artists, walking around the neighborhood of our villa, exploring a flea market, a hilltop medieval town, and generally slowing things down.

Lisboa

When I completed my 3000 hours as an associate marriage and family therapist in December, I booked a trip with Women Photo Tours to Portugal. I’d followed Amanda for a long time before getting off social media and received an email about the upcoming trip and knew it was the right time.

We spent the first three days in Lisbon, walking about different neighborhoods, enjoying meals together and separately, and taking in the culture. I brought my Canon AT 1, Rolleiflex medium format, and Super 8 cameras with me.

Film brings me so much joy. It slows me down. It helps me focus on the present moment and engage with what is before me. While I shot about half of the rolls I brought with me, I feel like the ten or so rolls I went through tell the story of my time there. Colorful. Artistic. Full of good food and good company.

One afternoon when the group did a photoshoot with a model and local clothing shop, I went off on my own and found a sweet little cafe, got myself a matcha, and sketched for bit.

LMFT

I did it. Seven years of my life came down to one four-hour exam on Monday, May 4th, 2026. I passed the licensing exam to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. One of the greatest days of my life.

When I submitted my 3000 hours to the Board of Behavioral Sciences in early January, I reached out to my sweet friend Paulo to ask him to take portraits of me on film that I can use on various platforms in my endeavors as an LMFT. Turns out, Paulo was also interested in updated portraits, and we got to do a film photoshoot swap date.

I am immensely grateful to everyone who supported me through my second grad program, four years of being an associate, and all of the positive energy sent my way during my exam.