Last weekend I was invited to go camping with my friend Allie, and then three more of her friends I had never met. I have been so blessed by my new relationship with Allie, that I immediately jumped at the chance to hang out with her more and meet her friends. Let me just share something with you: I was not raised as a camper. So this is a big deal. I definitely went o REI and spent far too much money on "appropriate gear," and outsourced other necessities (hello sleeping bag) to my badass camping and backpacking friend Carolyn.

We camped at Salt Point in Jenner, California. The drive was a bit long, and far too windy for my stomach's liking, but it was so freaking worth it. The ocean, the company of Allie and her friends, the food and s'mores...It was so perfect. I asked Allie to let the other women know I'd be bringing my camera and if they wanted to do a photoshoot they should bring a flowy dress, knowing we'd be by the ocean. Taylor brought the most gorgeous, crisp, flowing dress and whatever backdrop I had her in, she and the dress just popped.

xxo

A couple years ago on a weekend trip to Seattle I discovered Darling Magazine. Darling is all about "the art of being a woman". None of their models are retouched. There are various body shapes and sizes; races and ethnicities. The articles in Darling are thoughtful and meaty-I've learned something about myself with each issue.

With that being said, actually reading through each one is a lengthy process. When I first starting reading Darling I was still in school, reading endless articles and writing ~~masterfully b.s.'ed~~ papers...I hardly had time to relax and take a breath, so reading for myself wasn't a high priority. But now that I'm basically unemployed and in the final stages of my thesis, I still find myself turning to Netflix or HBO instead of reading. It's one of those things that are so good for you, but also not your first instinct because we so often deflect and self-sooth by distracting ourselves.

With the most recent issue of Darling I'm doing my best to dive in. I was reminded of why I love it so much. It's a magazine for women. It's about both challenging and uplifting the reader. Darling is about learning and growing and knowing yourself and being comfortable with your self. It's little, but I love the fact that they use feminine pronouns. One day, I would be so honored to work for Darling. It encompasses everything I'm about: connection, creativity, femininity, and sense of self.

xxo