no strings

Mayer Hawthorne's video "No Strings" is finally up on Youtube!

You should check it out because 1) it's a great song, 2) Mayer is awesome and 3) I'm one of the extras in the video :) (I'm playing with the yellow beach ball in the beginning). So click "play" and enjoy!

with Mayer at the video shoot!

Love,

Samantha Mariko

Disneyland style

(shirt: Uniqlo; shorts: vintage Levi's; shoes: Converse; sunglasses: Lowrys Farm)

I finally made my way to Carsland at California Adventures this weekend and I loved it. My friend and I got there right before the park opened but we still had to wait in line for an hour for the main attraction Radiator Springs Racers. It was worth the wait though. And it was nice to see the the Disney bear that is so popular in Japan has finally made its way to America. I have the miniature versions of Duffy and Shellie May attached to my travel bag because... well, I am that Japanese. 

Today, I'm finishing up my packing and doing last minute things for my move. I may be MIA for a bit once I'm in Japan but hopefully I get into the swing of things very soon. Next time I post, I'll be in Tokyo :) 

Thanks for reading loves!

Love,

Samantha Mariko

san diego the extraordinary

(shirt: Nordstrom Rack; pants & wedges: Forever 21; 

purse: Zara; shades: H&M)

I know this post consists of a random collection of photos, but there is one common theme. I decided to spend part of my last weekend in Orange County in San Diego to visit some friends and explore more of its greatness. Hopefully you can tell by my photos that I had some amazing food... starting with blueberry, strawberry & banana waffles at Kensington Cafe. After heading over to the beach for a bit, I was introduced to Extraordinary Desserts, which is true to its name (the floral decorations are real, by the way). For dinner, my friends and I grabbed a bite to eat at Craft and Commerce, a bar/restaurant that reminds me of Father's Office. The interior decor was very urban and welcoming, and those oysters shown right above were absolutely delicious. I think I may have underestimated San Diego til now. I can definitely see myself going back to all of these places sometime in the future. 

Love,

Samantha Mariko

main street

(dress & shades: H&M; belt: gift; heels: Zara; purse: from Japan)

When I went to Main Street today, there was no way I could just walk by this vibrant wall without taking a  picture in front of it. Perfect since my outfit is the exact opposite of vibrant. But I still love the dress I picked up at H&M recently - I think it'll be a versatile item in my closet. And this will probably not be the last time I'll be wearing this lipstick, just FYI.

I had a great time yesterday catching up with some of my girlfriends and enjoying the beautiful weather in Surf City. Exactly one week til I depart for Tokyo! Too excited for words.



Love,

Samantha Mariko

Rola & Lena

Currently wanting these books at the moment, but I don't see a point in purchasing them in the States when I can buy them once I'm in Tokyo. I think collecting Japanese models' fashion/ lifestyle books will be my new hobby, but we'll see.

Love,

Samantha Mariko

gavert atelier

If you follow me on Instagram, you might remember me posting a picture from after my photo shoot at Gavert Atelier, an upscale hair salon in Beverly Hills. I finally received some of the images from the shoot, so I thought I would post one here. I would honestly never think to do my hair that way, but I guess it works. I was more surprised that my hair stylist also did my makeup, took the photos, and edited them, too. Multi-talented, I must say. 

It's finally starting to sink in that I'm leaving for Japan in a little over 2 weeks. I'm planning to make each day  count & hopefully squeeze in some more blog posts!

Have a good week everyone.<3

Love,

Samantha Mariko

fashion island x hello, emy

(blouse and skirt: Brandy Melville; wedges: Forever 21)

I was lucky enough to collaborate with Emy, an amazing photographer & fellow blogger, for a photo shoot at Fashion Island. We both have a love for Brandy Melville, so we decided to use some of their pieces for the wardrobe for this shoot. It's actually not easy to shoot at an outdoor shopping mall, with all the shoppers and dogs around. But somehow, we made it work. Thanks, Emy! :) Make sure to check out her blog here! 

I'd also like to give a big shout out to all of my followers - I've just recently reached my 100th follower since I started in October. Thank you so much for your support! It means so much. <3 

Love,

Samantha Mariko

black & gray

(shirt dress: Uniqlo; purse: from Japan; heels: Zara; glasses: H&M)

After so many of my friends recommended that I watch The Dark Knight Rises, I gave in to the hype and saw it for myself. I gotta admit, I was drawn in to all of the thrill and suspense and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Since I knew the film was going to be over 2 hours long, I opted for my comfy T-shirt dress that I purchased in Japan and paired it with my new heels from Zara. For me, the simpler, the better. 

Love,

Samantha Mariko

treasures

My friend recently came back from a trip to Asia and brought me back these beautiful souvenirs from Thailand. Since I don't travel that much, I'm always ecstatic when someone brings me back gifts from their travels. I myself enjoy picking out souvenirs from my trips for friends and family - the smiles I see are always priceless. 

On a different note, is everyone keeping up with the Olympics? I've been  rooting for Team U.S.A and Team Japan since I can't choose one or the other. I guess that's what happens when you are half-Japanese :)

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@samantha_mariko) and Instagram! 

Love,

Samantha Mariko