galentine's!

this valentine's day, it was stormy outside. & when it's stormy outside in Hawaii.. You don't really go outside, because 

A) it's usually raining hard

B) there is nothing to do.

so me & my roommates decided to go to town and walk the strip. 

and of course, go out to eat. because. food.

 nadine found a starfish

 hula queens

i lost my bdubs virginity that night.

grateful for these chicks.

so much love.

the little boy liked hailey's butt.

rawr.

ALOHA

aloha!!

i moved to hawaii!!!

crazy, i know.

many people have asked me why i transferred to hawaii, (& besides the completely obvious answer) i decided to explain myself. 

so here you go:

i was born in las vegas, nevada and moved to pleasant grove, utah when i was 5.

i grew up in the same house (practically) & completed K-12 in pleasant grove.

when i graduated, i took the enormous leap, and moved to provo--a fifteen minute drive from my house. 

twenty if traffic was bad.

i did two years studying at byu, and enjoyed my time.

but.

i also had a lot of heart break

and no, not from boys. 

as you know, i tried out for cheer and didn't make it.

twice.

then i applied for a study abroad,

didn't get accepted.

and the topper: i applied for the advertising program & didn't get in.

life was a good time, but not really.

i had no idea what i wanted to study, and provo just didn't seem to want me apart of their school.

graphic design popped into my head when i researched every major, but the acceptance rate at byu provo is literally 20%.

with my track record, i figured i was safe if i didn't even try.

cue hawaii.

i looked, and hawaii has a graphic design degree.

i got excited. 

i realized that every ounce of my education had been done in utah county.

all of it.

i talked to my parents.

i prayed about it & felt good.

i applied in september.

got accepted november 1st.

moved here january 9.

started school january 12.

and so far, i'm loving every minute of it.

so please, enjoy too many pictures and follow along if you must, i promise i won't be mad:

no but seriously, i bought a super nice canon t3i before i moved out here.

too many pictures.

insta: josmaxena

snapchat: josmaxena

twitter: josmaxena

there's a little bit of a theme

it's been waiting for you

MONDAY july 28

rachy had to work Monday, so i had to be ALONE IN NYC.

secretly I was freaking out, because.

hi.

but i woke up and went running up & down & around 72nd street (which was probably one of my favorite parts of NYC)

afterwards, I got ready & headed on the subway + the one train.

I got off at 86th street & right infront of me was 

 for those of you who don't know,

i am the assistant manager at the francesca's at the University Mall.

come visit me!!!

but anyway, if you haven't come to a fran's before,

basically every single boutique is different,

so i had to go see this one!!!

it was incredible!

& I even got a secret tour of their back "rooom" which was a straight basement full of merchandise!!!

I got off at 86th to make my trek through central park:

i loved all of the performers!!

I was sweating & dying because it was so hot & I walked like almost 2 miles,

but it was so worth it because i got to go to the guggenheim museum!!

for those of you who don't know me very well.

I AM THE BIGGEST ART HISTORY/HUMANITIES NERD.

like my 2 favorite classes at BYU have been my humanities classes.

I had just finished a class in April that was Renassiance through Modern Humanities..

We talked about the Guggenheim so I HAD TO GO TO IT and it was such a cool museum.

i loved it.

After i walked through the incredible structure,

there was the cutest gelato stand,

so i obviously had to sample (& buy one)

rachy met up with me about then, and we walked around 5th avenue! 

we went into Saks, and drooled and envied.

then we went to fossil & i bought a beauty of a watch!

(that was my unnecessary & ridiculous purchase)

we went to magnolia's & i bought a little cheesecake that quite literally melted in my mouth.

we hung out at the library, but we were too late to go inside :(

then rachy & i walked down and ate dinner on restaurant row

at the cutest place bourbon street bar/grille. we sat on the balcony & it was such a fun monday!

:) 

(to be continued)

welcome to new york

(continuation of this post)

because rach & I had the biggest, longest day ever on Saturday, we slept in until literally 11:30. Her apartment has a full size bed, so we fit together nicely. But neither of us even shifted until about 11:25 am, that's how tired we were.

but anyway, we woke up & decided to go to brunch, because brunch. I am a How I Met Your Mother addict and Lily & Marshall always talk about going to brunch in NYC, so it HAD to happen.

are you drooling yet? BEST BREAKFAST I'VE EVER HAD.

if you ever make your way to NYC (which i highly suggest) Sarabeth's is a must!!

i got plum herbal tea which was absolutely to die for, & the Goldie Lox. It was Salmon and scrambled eggs with cream cheese & a scone & delicious jam and wow. melted in my mouth and I almost died and went to good food heaven.

After breakfast we decided to walk around and go to canal street. on our way to the subway, we passed this! & i am sorry. MY NAME (minus the i + an e) AND THE YEAR I WAS BORN. i was meant to live in NYC.

walking around & shopping, i was determined to find cool graffiti. 

so this was kinda cool.

Sunday was fun cause we just shopped all day,

my feet got the WORST blisters. woof

i bought those cute sandals at DSW the day before,

and yikes. my poor feet.

Anyway,

rach & i walked & then decided to go to AMC, a movie theater that has freaking recliners.

yup.

recliners.

we went to Sex Tape with Cameron Diaz & rach & i laughed our freaking heads off.

it was so good!

then we made our way home.

i love this person, 

way too much.

also, i realized that the subway is BRILLIANT and even though at times creepy,

i fell in love with it.