A WEEKEND IN THE EASTERN SIERRAS

With Covid cases continue to rise in the country, road tripping (while social distancing, of course) has become the new normal. Since our last successful trip at Yosemite, we’ve been itching for another one. Before we agreed on visiting the Eastern Sierras, we all got tested and shared our results due to social responsibility.

DAY 1

Friday afternoon, my friend Nick, who graciously let me join his carpool, his girlfriend Tianna and I headed off to Mammoth Lakes, California. Since it would be a ~6-hour drive, we would make it to Hot Creek just in time for the sunset. As soon as I stepped out the car, I was greeted with a wide open view of a curvy hot creek leading to the mountains. We could see steam evaporating into the air as the sun began to set. We immediately took our cameras out to shoot. At around 11pm, we set up our tripods in preparation of the Milky Way. Other friends from SoCal soon joined and we reunited once again–though we could barely see each other’s faces in complete dark. This night was special to me because it was my first time witnessing an actual Milky Way, let alone capturing it. Still baffles me how our naked eyes could only see the hazy light but our cameras could capture the Milky Way with such depth. We car camped for the night and did not go to sleep until 3am.

DAY 2

At around 7am, we woke up to sun shining through our car. We got up and headed towards Wild Wiley’s Hot Springs. This place was well built, from the parking lot lies a long platform that guides you towards the two hot springs. We walked towards the bigger one and emerged ourselves in the warm, steamy water. Everyone was practicing social distancing by staying away from the middle area. This is a perfect place for those who want to escape the mundane city life and relax in a pool of soothing springs from what feels like the middle of nowhere. We took the rest of the day easy by grabbing breakfast at Stellar Brew and recharged at June Lake. For sunset, we drove to a completely empty road that is surrounded by gorgeous mountains. We ran up and down the road, took a drone group photo and overall had a great bonding time. It was a blissful moment–no cars, no noise, just us surrounded by the unbelievable views.

DAY 3

Because we did not get much sleep from the night before, we decided to sleep in and recharge before our big hike on Sunday. The hike to Minaraet Lake was dreaded since Day 2 because it would be a 13.4-mile hike out & back with a 2.9k elevation up. I was glad we decided to push the hike to Day 3 since our energy level was rather low after car camping. By 1pm, we packed everything and headed to the Inyo National Forest. We followed the John Muir Trail. To be honest, I thought I wouldn’t be able to make it up. Though there was an overcast and slight thunderstorm in the afternoon, the sun was still beaming on us while mosquitos were eating us alive no matter how much bug repellent we sprayed. The higher we hiked, the louder the thunderstorm was. I was a bit paranoid. However, there was no going back.

3.5 hours later we were greeted with a GORGEOUS lake! At the edge of the lake laid a patch a wildflowers. Purple, red, orange, white… you name it. This place felt like a paradise. There were only two groups of people who were camping there, so it seemed like we had the whole place to ourselves. After some rest, we started shooting the beautiful scenery. Nick and Derek even took a dive into the freezing cold lake! Then, things got even better. A orange, pink sunset started to appear through the gloomy sky. We did not expect to see such a burn that evening! We quickly took photos before the golden hour went away.

Now the most exciting part is here: we had to hike 7 miles down in complete dark. 3 miles in I already wanted to raise the white flag. My legs felt like someone was to cut them open. Though I am a tiny gal, I powered through, Naruto-style, and followed our leader Young Min down. That night, we had the best sleep of our lives.

Would I do the Minaret Lake hike again? Yes. But certainly not hiking back on the same day.

DAY 4

Monday was MAJOR rest day. It was a quiet Monday morning where everyone worked from the Airbnb. We spent the day working while also reviewing all the photos that we’ve taken over the weekend. Nick, Tianna and I headed home after work and that concluded our yet again, amazing trip.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Being in quarantine has certainly contributed to my lack of motivation. My camera was basically collecting dust since I wasn’t able to go out and capture any photos (I also don’t have a car). This trip was much needed. Being around like-minded creatives who I call friends definitely uplifted my overall mood. I’m grateful to have met this group of people who always motivate each other and act as each other’s cheerleader on social media whenever someone posts new content.

And the views… did I talk about this views? I would’ve never imagined places like Mammoth Lakes exist. I have so much more to explore in California alone and I look forward to more local trips like this soon!

Hi, I’M MINA!

I am a San Francisco based photographer and lifestyle + travel blogger. Born and raised in Hong Kong, I’m proud to say I came from a diverse background. I speak fluent Cantonese! Follow my social media to see what I’ve been up to.

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MY 2019 RECAP

If there was a theme to my 2019, it would be “#DoingThings”—the motto of one of my favorite brands, Outdoor Voices. #DoingThings to them means “moving your body and having fun with friends” and my 2019 was the epitome of that. This year was filled with weekend getaways. I was on the plane for quite a few times traveling across the country. Ever since moving to the West Coast I have had the opportunities to travel to nearby states, creating memories and #DoingThings with friends. Here are some highlights from a fulfilling year:

SPOTIFY WRAPPED

What’s a recap without posting my Spotify Wrapped of 2019? My Top Artist of 2019 is ODESZA and Artist of the Decade is The 1975. *pretends to be shocked*

LOS ANGELES

My coworker Anna and I took a week off to travel to LA. It was my first time in SoCal! Despite the unfortunate rain the whole time we were there, I had a great time checking out some iconic LA touristy spots and catching up with 2 of my college friends.

SANTA CRUZ

In April, I visited Santa Cruz for the first time for a weekend getaway. I soaked up some California sun while witnessing one of the most mesmerizing sunsets. This is now my go-to weekend getaway town.

I turned 23!

To celebrate my Jordan Year, I took a weekend road trip down to Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea and Big Sur with two of my closest friends Julia and Joe. If only words could describe how magnificent the Pacific Ocean is… The feeling driving along the curvy mountains with windows down and our favorite tracks blasting from the radio along PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) is indescribable. Shout out to my lovely coworkers who decorated my desk inspired by The Office, you know me too well.

Sf trolley party

My lovely friend/coworker Rishika hosted her birthday bash on a trolley back in June! I’ve always wanted to do this while I still live in SF. All of us were singing our hearts out along the Golden Gate Bridge during sunset. It was a day to remember.

LAKE TAHOE

I took a weekend trip to Lake Tahoe back in January, however I did not partake in skiing or outdoor sports. This time around it was summer. Joe and I, along with 2 others, drove up to Lake Tahoe to celebrate July 4. I lived up to the #DoingThings motto: moving your body and having fun with friends. The photos below speak for themselves.

SOLO TRIP TO SEATTLE

See https://www.minakwong.com/blog/solo-in-seattle.

ODESZA

To be honest, I was not particularly a huge fan of EDM music in college. Yes, I listened to EDM here and there but I didn’t pay much attention to the scene. Though ever since moving to the Bay Area, I’ve grown to love ODESZA and many other EDM artists. ODESZA’s music gives me euphoric and magical feelings–always putting me in a happy mood. Seeing their act live in LA back in July was without a doubt one of the highs of this year.

PHOENIX

Second time around in Arizona to visit my dear friends Marlon and Alnay! August in Phoenix was unbelievably HOT. But we were out and about #DoingThings in places such as Slide Rock State Park, Superstition Mountains and Old Town. Can’t wait to be back already!

VISTA LAS VEGAS

Celebrated my friend Katie’s 23rd birthday in Vegas! It was my first time in LV and boy did I have a great time. It was a cherry on top when my triplet best friends were also in town. Checked Kygo off my bucket list!

MUSIC FESTIVALS

Happy to check off Outside Lands and Austin City Limits from my festival checklist. I saw the god himself Hozier and Childish Gambino at OSL. In September I flew out to Austin to visit my best friend Julia and also to attend ACL. We somehow got backstage access to see Fisher’s set! We also saw LIZZO, Mumford and Sons and other amazing acts. I was freezing cold during OSL but dripping sweat at ACL. Weather is weird.

GETTING FEATURED ON IG

As an aspiring photographer, being recognized and featured from well-known Instagram accounts means a lot to me as it grows my confidence. Below are some posts that I have been featured in 2019. Many thanks to them!

I RAN A 5K!

Running a 5k may not seem much to some people but it was a huge accomplishment for me. I signed up one day on a whim and did not regret one bit. That was the most I’ve ran consistently. Running a little over 3 miles wasn’t too bad when the Golden Gate Bridge was my view! Shout out to Josh for waking up with me at the crack of dawn just to support me :) My goal is to attempt a 10k next year.

PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY

Josh and I drove down to the Monterey area for a mini Holiday getaway. We lucked out with the weather, as it was absolutely beautiful along Pacific Coast Highway. The first day we visited Pebble Beach to see the 18th hole, saw a lot of cute pups and did the 17 mile drive. The second day we saw some adorable sea otters at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and hiked Point Lobos. The last day we enjoyed a fancy lunch at La Bicyclette. A great way to end the year :)

In retrospect, 2019 was good to me. I’ve grown a lot personally. I’ve traveled to states that I never imagined I would visit. I’ve built stronger relationships with friends who I care deeply about. And lastly, I’ve met someone special who I look forward to creating new memories with. Here’s to hoping 2020 to be just as great as this year by #Doing(more)Things.

ADULTING?

“Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.” — Mary Schmich 

This quote came from an odd yet nostalgic music video “Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen” my friend Erica suggested me to watch. It derived from Mary Schmich’s book Wear Sunscreen: A Primer for Real Life. Though I only lived in New York briefly for a year and a half after I immigrated from Hong Kong, I could easily differentiate the lifestyle between “The City that Never Sleeps” and Northern California. And yes, California does have the ability to make you soft. 

Here’s what I learned in 3 months post-grad, the two things that almost everyone has in common in San Francisco are tech and yoga. Oh, and no one says “San Fran” here, please say SF when you come visit.

3 months into “adulting” made me feel like I’ve been working in San Francisco for 2 years instead of 2 months. I work 8am-5pm; my daily routine is wake up, work, go to Barry’s/Corepower Yoga to workout, occasionally attend happy hours, go home, make dinner, sleep and repeat. On the weekends I do a variety of things depending on what my friends are up to. And by friends I mean my coworkers because we see each other basically 24/7. 

Frankly, before moving here, I never had to worry about making more connections in a new city, paying rents, dealing with health care, 401K and stocks (I still don’t know how any of this works). I seldom call my mother because there are days where I am confused about everything and I only want to talk to her when I have my sh*t together. (Sorry mom, I’ll work on that.) There are also days where I feel homesick. The hardest part that I am still coping with is not having your closest friends right down the block from you—to share how your day went or someone to talk to when you feel low. However, I am confident that my personality will eventually allow me to overcome this feeling when I make more connections in the city. 

To keep myself busy, I’ve discovered some places in SF that I like to visit on the weekends. First, Philz Coffee. Philz is my go-to coffee shop and undoubtedly the place I frequent the most. Nothing beats an Iced Mint Mojito and a breakfast burrito on a Sunday morning while hungover (unfortunately I frequent this place the most after a night of having too much fun).

Second, Presidio of San Francisco. For $5, I can take an Uber to see the most breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean alongside the Golden Gate Bridge. This is one of the moments where I think, “Wow, I’ve made it. I’m here.”

Lastly, Mission Dolores Park. This is the closest thing I have to “summer” where I can wear a dress or shorts and keep my summer tan. Hundreds of kids and adults spend time at the park on the weekends. You can find some great tunes, great weather and great alcoholic drinks offered to you by sellers who take Venmo. It’s a place where time doesn’t seem to exist until dusk hits to tell you it’s time to head home. 

To all my closest friends that have helped me when I don’t feel my best or am having a rough week, I am so grateful to have you in my life. You make it easy when I am still adjusting to the city.

Quite frankly, there isn’t much purpose to this blog post except for me to show you what I’ve been up to in Northern California. I am starting to love this city and its people. I don’t know what my future holds just yet but I know it’s time to grab my camera and do some more exploring. It’s rather difficult when you have a full-time job but photography is forever my passion. And who knows? Maybe I will finally figure out how stocks work along the way. 

THE ONE WHERE I MOVED CROSS COUNTRY

Half a year ago I was binge watching “Silicon Valley” from an unreliable website because I have always been interested in working in tech one day. Little did I know I would actually make it after college. 

Moving across the country, to San Francisco specifically, wasn’t easy. Was I nervous? A little. Was I excited? Absolutely yes.

Almost 1 month has passed and I still have the same excitement as I did the day I got on the plane. Though social media posts may tell you that I am having the best time of my life, there are times I feel lost and lonely. Being in a completely foreign city and knowing just a few acquaintances can be scary, but thankfully the pace of life here picked up after I met my roommates, coworkers and a few awesome people I am happy to call friends. I can’t express how lucky I am to have landed a perfect job, met the sweetest roommates all while living in one of the most beautiful cities. 

Currently I am living in the Mission District. It’s perfect for me because everything is close by—bars, shops, restaurants and coffee shops etc. For the past few weeks I’ve been trying to explore different districts while working full time. I work with a team of 7 where all of them are fun, intelligent and dedicated. I am incredibly lucky to be part of the Adobe family.

I visited one of the most beautiful places in San Francisco called Lands End the past weekend. Staring at the magnificent Pacific Ocean makes me realize how fortunate I am to be able to pursue the things I want to do in life. 

I am writing this post so you can understand how it feels to be away from all your closest friends and family back home. That was the hardest part. For 4 years I have lived and breathed in Philadelphia. That was, and still is, a place I call home. I am not afraid of change but leaving my fondest memories at a place I love wasn't easy. Being in a city that you don’t know East or West is frightening sometimes, but I am here for a reason and I am excited to have this chance to explore a new city. 

A close friend once told me, “Be honest and fearless, always be smart and strong. I know you are capable of amazing things, never sell yourself short.” I still live by this everyday. With this, I encourage anyone who is reading this to take a chance sometimes. Another close friend of mine is moving to Phoenix from Philly and I admire his courage to just go without knowing the next steps. You may never know until you try. And to the City of Brotherly Love, I shall be back very soon. 

THE GOLDEN STATE

"If you're going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair..."

It's been 11 years since I last stepped foot in the Golden State. I was fortunate enough to visit San Francisco with my dad when I was 10 for his business trip. Pieces of memory from that trip still come back to me once a while. Now, as a student who will soon devote her whole life working full time, I knew I had to travel somewhere. Thus, the nostalgic memories of the warm air in California brought me and my mom back to San Francisco. 

It's a blessing to have family members live across the country—even the world. I stayed with my great uncle and aunt while I was there. As I walked out of the house the afternoon after I landed, I was welcomed by a beautiful breeze under a 60 degrees weather. For a second I thought summer came early. I absolutely despise the cold on the East Coast during winter. I could move to California just for the sake of the weather. 

The whole purpose of the trip was to visit my relatives; however, it wouldn't be a successful trip if I didn't visit a place on my bucket list: the Golden Gate Bridge. After an hour drive, a postcard-looking scenery was presented in front of me. As I imagined, that place was filled with tourists. The blue sky made a beautiful contrast from the red bridge. The weather could not have been more perfect that day. It was an eye-opening experience overall. Crossing this off my bucket list. 

Now, would it be a trip to California without trying THE famous In-N-Out burger for the first time? Fortunately there was one around the corner from where I stayed. I made a trip there when they just opened at 10:30am (never too early for a good burger). My verdict? It was definitely worth the hype and Instagram worthy; however, nothing beats Mickie D's fries in my opinion. 

For the remaining part of the trip, I caught up with some other family members that I had yet to meet. We went shopping in several places including Santana Row, an outdoor shopping area filled with gorgeous Christmas lights. We also went to "Christmas in a Park" in downtown San Jose, which is equivalent to the Christmas Village in Philly. On another note:  I was blessed to have a great uncle who knows how to cook—my mom and I enjoyed great meals every single day. 

As I am writing this, I am buried under my blankets in the horrendous blizzard. I'm already missing the warm winter in California. My trip was undoubtedly an enjoyable experience. Until my future visit to Los Angeles, I'm back to the brutal cold.