Photo Diary of Coachella 2013

This year is my first time going to Coachella, and I'm sure it won't be my last time. It was an absolute blast! If you think you need to be very on trend with music and a loyal follower of some indie bands to enjoy Coachella, I'm here to prove you wrong. I am a very passive music consumer and I never follow any bands aggressively or consistently–I barely knew any of the lineup this year, but I had the time of my life being at Coachella. The trick is to go with some fun-loving friends. It sounds cheesy I know, but the absolute best part of being at a music festival is to dance sillily with the friends you adore and sing along to radio hit songs with the band playing live.

These guys made the trip great!

If you are driving to Coachella, you can get some awesome views along the way. Also if you are carpooling with more than 4 people in the car, you have a chance to win lifetime VIP access to Coachella.

View from road trip from SF to LA. Photo by Annie Teng.

Coachella is 3 days of constant concerts from 11am to midnight. There were 6 stages set up and each one had a concert going on with a 20 or 30min interval in between. Like any music festival, at times you had to pick between two of your favorite artists because they could be performing at different stages at the same time. Even a music dummy like me can tell you that a good live performance is 10x times better than a great recording.

James Blake. Photo by Annie Teng.

Unicorns dance during Postal Service performance.

Beach House. Photo by Annie Teng.

Phoenix definitely put up one of the best shows during Coachella.

Besides the music, another big fun factor of Coachella is the fashion. Girls will get their hairs specially done, wear very colorful outfits, and there are some who can definitely pull off the latest edgy high fashion leather accessories. Anything that is too "edgy" or "out there" for normal city life will find its rightful place at Coachella. 

Outfit seen here. Photo by Annie Teng.

Photo by Bryan Estrada.

 

Flower skirt from Brandy Melville. Photo by Bryan Estrada.

Hair by Christine Chang. Photo by Annie Teng.

Hair by Christine Chang. Photo by Annie Teng.

Hair by Christine Chang.

Thank you Coachella. It was lots of fun!

♥ [Cruise Around]

Between my last photo post and now, many things have changed. In particular, I'm excited to share my new hairdo and new bike!

Every time I get a haircut, I always walk in to the salon with an open mind, imagining some big changes... but undoubtely, I always walk out with some basic layering and a simple trim. Well, that pattern changed roughly two weeks ago when I walked into Code salon and walked out with a completely new look: I am now a ginger with bangs. Boom!

People ask me what triggered this change. The truth is that I've wanted to dye my hair for a while now. I booked this appointment early this year and I was waiting for my hair to get longer for better layering. One of my biggest concerns about dying hair is how the treatment would affect my hair's health. I did not bleach my hair. Afterwards, I also followed Irene's tips for how to care for dyed hair: intensive conditioning. So far my hair feels natural without any unusual dryness or split ends.

I always thought bangs are super cute, but I had always been hesitant to get it myself for two reasons: 1. my hair is thick and stiff. It is hard to keep it in place. 2. I have a short forehead, so my bangs would be naturally short since it would usually start from the beginning of my forehead. But my stylist at Code salon did her magic to create the illusion of normal length bangs on me.

I feel great sporting this new look. It is fun and surprisingly easy to maintain with the help of Aveda products. It took my boyfriend one week to get used to the new look, but now he loves it. <3

Photo by Christine Chang

Finally, I picked up a new bike (my previous one was stolen near 16th and Valencia in the Mission). I loved my previous bike from Giant, it was light-weight and easy to ride. But now I have a lady's cruiser from Public Bikes. I love how easy it is to get on and off it. It's taking a bit of time (literally) for me to get used to the 7-speed maximum, but I'm willing to spend more time with it (again, literally).

Public Bikes are absolutely beautifully designed. They are having a sale for small framed bikes (under 5'5") until the end of March. If you are looking for a bike, I highly recommend them. But remember to do some test rides in a shop and feel the weight of a bike before you commit to one.


What I'm Wearing

Shirt: Brandy <3 Melville
Shorts: Brandy <3 Melville (seen here)
Tights: AA (seen here)
Ring: The Rogue and The Wolf
Shoes: Cole Haan (similar)
Bike: Public