connecticut

Seeing peak fall foliage in New England has been on my bucket list for a really long time, and I was finally able to check it off last week. What started as just a wild thought in my head ended up becoming a spontaneous day trip to Connecticut with three very willing friends. This trip was a simple and refreshing getaway, but it was also a wonderful reminder that anything is possible when you actually act on your crazy ideas and be a teensy bit more bold! Impulsivity isn't always a vice ~

I was able to fill up a disposable that day and got them processed—this is autumn in Connecticut through a small 35mm camera. It was so, so incredibly beautiful.

We woke up at 3:00am and drove out to the seaside of New Haven to watch the sunrise. It seemed like we were on the edge of the world. Once the sun warmed us up a bit, we grabbed a hearty breakfast at a local diner called Georgie's and then headed up north an hour to go hiking at Talcott Mountain State Park.

An abundance of leaves to crunch with our feet! The ground was completely covered by a humongous blanket of yellows, reds, and oranges. We returned to New Haven to eat America's best pizza at Frank Pepe Pizzeria (not sure if I agree that it's the best, but the white clam pizza was bomb) and almond coconut and pumpkin ice cream at Arethusa Farm Dairy (the scoops were massive and worth every penny). Then we drove back down to Philly and finished our spontaneous trip with a bang—by accidentally locking ourselves out of the car. LOL. Auto people came to the rescue, and our perfect day wasn't tainted one bit. :)

Most of our trip was on the road—we took turns driving, napping, and choosing which Spotify playlist to turn on. You'd think that such long drives are painfully boring. Yet, I felt much contentment in enjoying the bright sunlight and spotlessly blue skies, aimlessly going somewhere with no rigid schedules or plans, and being surrounded by people I care deeply for.

I know I've been a little quiet recently... life has been a lot (as always, ha). I just wanted to update you guys that despite the busyness and exhaustion, my heart has been filled to the brim with thankfulness. And, I am continuously seeking more joy and peace during this sweet season of my twenty-second year.

Much love,
Chaereen

P.S. Happy Halloween! Although I've never truly celebrated Halloween (besides checking out the house on my block back in California that turned into a wildly decorated haunted house, Bates Motel, or princess castle every year), I realized today how much I'd love to dress up my kids in cute DIY costumes in the future. Heh.