For me, the best part about Los Angeles is undoubtedly the food. The local fast-casual restaurants are great, the fancy food is fabulous, and the desserts are unmatched. I have been quarantining in Bellevue, WA…
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Kellie and I became friends when we lived in the same dorm during our freshman year at Chapman University. After college, she left the entertainment industry and decided to start her own business! She is…
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Here are 15 fabulous fast-casual restaurants in Los Angeles that are great options for takeout during quarantine! When I think of fast-casual restaurants, I immediately think of Panera. You order and pay for your food…
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I met Lauren the summer after our sophomore year at Chapman University, and she is the definition of a GIRL BOSS. She’s one of those all-around talented people who is always working on something. Lauren…
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The FEATURE Section is a hub where you can find small businesses and creators to support. From the beginning of Lively by Laura, I knew I wanted to use this platform to showcase my hard-working,…
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Despite the virus, I’m still going to create New Year’s resolutions for 2021. I expect that quarantine will continue for at least the first half of the year, which will keep limiting my activities, so…
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2020 RESOLUTIONS RESULTS: 4.5/11 Not shocking, but I didn’t accomplish a lot of my resolutions because of the virus. I forgot about half of them by April anyway, but I did work really hard to…
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Growing up, I used to read on the way to the grocery store, to and from sports practice, on vacations, under the covers with a flashlight…just all the time. I was a regular at Half…
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Looking for ways to save money? Same. POV: You’re in your twenties, and you’re just trying to live your best life. You landed a full-time job (congrats!) and you’ve finally stopped living off your parents. …
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I try to block out most memories from my awkward middle school days, but I distinctly remember my 13-year-old self waking up early on October 25, 2010 just to catch my dad before he left…
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Living in Los Angeles changes you. You start thinking that paying $15 for avocado toast is normal, you’ll give yourself 30 minutes to drive 3 miles, and you’ll start drinking green juice. This post is…
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At this point, any smartphone can take pretty good photos. However, just like with camera photography, half the work is taking the photo, and the other half is editing. I usually spend about 60 seconds…
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In 2019, I took an extra two days off from work and visited a few friends from college in New York for Labor Day weekend. I hadn’t been to Manhattan since middle school, which was…
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One of the best parts about living in Los Angeles is the endless amount of amazing food. The desserts are so decadent, fun, and Instagram-worthy! I have a big sweet tooth and have made it…
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Going to college at Chapman University in Orange, CA introduced me to all kinds of desserts that didn’t exist in the Seattle area back in 2015. After living in Los Angeles for the past couple…
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La La Land was released in December 2016 when I was a sophomore in college. I had just returned from a semester abroad in Prague, and I was eager to start exploring Los Angeles since…
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My dear friend Katherine started a podcast called Soul Chats earlier this year. Every week, she invites guests to dive deeper into their passions, from how to be more environmentally conscious to embracing body positivity.…
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What’s an easy way to show your boss that you’re going above and beyond? Staying on top of what’s going on in your industry. How can you do this easily? Feedly. *not sponsored* Really Simple…
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These 10 easy hikes and trails near Seattle are lovely year-round. Seattle doesn’t have big hikes in the city itself, but you can find yourself surrounded by forests within 90 minutes. If you’re only visiting…
View PostThese 10 easy hikes and trails near Seattle are lovely year-round. Seattle doesn’t have big hikes in the city itself, but you can find yourself surrounded by forests within 90 minutes. If you’re only visiting…
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Mount Rainier National Park is a photographer’s paradise, no matter the season! There are so many trails and lakes, you definitely can’t cover anything in one day, but here are 6 photo stops that require…
View PostMount Rainier National Park is a photographer’s paradise, no matter the season! There are so many trails and lakes, you definitely can’t cover anything in one day, but here are 6 photo stops that require…
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I recently watched The Social Dilemma on Netflix, an exposé on the big tech companies like Google, Facebook, and Instagram, highlighting all of the negative impacts that social media has had on society. One of…
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If you have extra time while visiting Seattle or Portland during the summer or fall, I recommend doing a day trip to Mount St. Helens! Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano and erupted 40…
View PostIf you have extra time while visiting Seattle or Portland during the summer or fall, I recommend doing a day trip to Mount St. Helens! Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano and erupted 40…
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~CLICK TO VISIT MY PRINT STORE~ During these times of COVID-19, I have seen a lot of artists start selling their prints online and I finally took time to research which platform would be for…
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Subscription boxes are packages full of curated products that are shipped to your door, often monthly or quarterly. These boxes allow you to discover new brands and offer you a variety of products for a…
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I’ve compiled this list of Black-owned tea companies from resources published by Shoppe Black, Forbes, Green Matters, the AAMBC Journal, The Black Wallet, Old World New, Eat This Not That, Black Enterprise, Sprudge, and We…
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I’ve compiled this list from resources published by Shoppe Black, Forbes, Green Matters, the AAMBC Journal, The Black Wallet, Old World New, Eat This Not That, Black Enterprise, Sprudge, and We Buy Black. Images are…
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https://spokenflames.com/ This list of Black-owned candle companies was compiled from resources published by @sarahmian, @birthdatecandles, Apartment Therapy, The Zoe Report, and Madame Noire. Images are from Instagram. Alexandra Winbush | Brooklyn, NY | https://www.alexandrawinbush.com/ |…
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Looking for places to donate to that specifically benefit the Black youth of America? This list was compiled from resources published by NY Mag, Esquire, Charity Navigator, Town and Country Magazine, HuffPost, NBC, Elite Daily,…
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This list of activism and anti-racism accounts were mostly compiled from resources published by Parade, Sarah Sophie Flicker & Alyssa Klein, High Snobiety, Independent UK, and The Good Trade. ACLU Nationwide: Twitter | Instagram |…
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Here is a Google map of over 250 Black-owned restaurants in Southern California. I hope to check some of them out when I get back down there! You can also use Intentionalist or EatOkra to…
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Hi, I'm Laura Claypool, and I'm so jazzed you're here! I'm a blogger and self-taught photographer seeking adventure, artisanal ice cream, and other experiences that make me feel alive!
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