Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.
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The Menton Lemon Festival (Fête du Citron)
If you’ve ever wanted to visit the French Riviera, one town you have to stop at is Menton! Menton is the last town of the French Riviera before you hit Italy, you can literally see Italy from the coast! It is a beautiful, colorful town with picturesque provencal buildings and surrounded by the turquoise-blue Mediterranean Sea. But what the town is most well known for is the Lemon Festival. The Menton Lemon Festival (Fête du Citron) is my favorite festival in the French Riviera! It is usually held during the last two weeks of February and attracts visitors from all over the world. Citrus fruits are in season in the winter in the South of France, so it’s the perfect time to visit this citrusy town.
The biggest attraction at the Fête du Citron is the huge display of larger-than-life sculptures made exclusively out of lemons and oranges. Every year there is a theme that connects each sculpture, last year the theme was Les Fêtes du Monde (world festivals), which celebrated important holidays and festivals in various countries from Germany’s Oktoberfest to Mexico’s Dia de Los Muertos.
Une tarte au citron. So yummy!
The entire festival is run by the City of Menton and is complete with a parade and various local artisans showcasing their products throughout the town. My two favorite things to pick up are lemon olive oil and lemon tarts (tarte au cirtron). Don’t pass them up!
How to Get There
The easiest way to get to Menton is via train. Menton is less than 30 minutes by train from Nice (towards Ventimille), but be prepared to go early as the train gets more crowded with tourists going to the festival throughout the day.
You can also drive, but parking is limited in Menton and many roads are temporarily closed or blocked due to the parade and influx of pedestrian traffic.
When you’re done with the festival, take a walk along the coast on the promenade.
This is such a unique experience and I highly recommend it to anyone who visits in order to get a better appreciation of the region!
Reviewing Every Four Seasons Resort in Hawai‘i
It’s no secret that Four Seasons has the reputation of being of the best and most luxurious hotel chains in the world. Every Four Seasons Resort combines the luxury that the brand is known for with the essence of the location of the property. Recently (pre-pandemic), my husband and I made it our mission to stay at every Four Seasons property in the islands. We love the level of service that Four Seasons provides and we know that we can expect a high level of service at every property.
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai (Hawai‘i Island)
For our first property, I’ll take you to the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, located in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawai‘i. It first opened in September 1996 and includes over 240 rooms and 3 restaurants. The hotel is super private, so you feel like you’re the only one on the island. When we arrived, we were greeted in the lobby with welcome drinks and sat down with a front desk agent to go over a map of the property.
There are many different buildings that make up the property, with several different room types. We stayed in a prime ocean-view room with a view of King’s Pond. It was so tranquil and we even had a little bird greet us every morning on our balcony. The food was amazing, and we loved the musician who played at both restaurants while we were there. Many ingredients at both restaurants are locally sourced right from the Big Island, so you know you’re getting the absolute freshest food. Our stay was only a short one, but I would definitely love to stay here again!
Highlights:
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King’s Pond! It’s a manmade lagoon connected to the ocean and is filled with an array of sea life, including the resident spotted eagle ray, Kainalu.
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So many pool and beach options!
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The view from the breakfast restaurant is unmatched
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There is amazing local entertainment at dinner at both restaurants
Four Seasons Resort Lana‘i
The Four Seasons Resort Lana’i is my absolute favorite Four Seasons Resort in Hawai‘i, and my second favorite of all Four Seasons properties I’ve stayed at, only behind the Four Seasons Bora Bora. Lana’i is a very small island and is only accessible either via flight from O’ahu or ferry from nearby Maui. The Four Seasons is about a 30-minute shuttle ride from the airport, and on your way to the hotel you may be greeted by some local deer, only found on the island.
Once you arrive at the hotel, you are greeted with lei and a welcome drink. During check-in, you are given a wristband that unlocks your room and also allows you access to the pools and other amenities throughout the property. The entrance to the property is quite understated, but once you enter you will be blown away by the views of Hulopo’e Bay. Most rooms also have stunning views looking out onto the bay. We loved spending time on our lanai and also loved lounging by the pool all day. The pool and beach attendants are constantly giving you fresh, cold water to keep you hydrated throughout the day. Breakfast was honestly my favorite part of the day, order something ala carte (like the lemon ricotta pancakes) but don’t forget to check out the wide selection of the buffet, which includes Hawaiian poke and poi. If you’re not feeling like having a large dinner, check out the sports bar where they serve venison burgers made from local venison.
I can’t say enough good things about this property, you will just have to check it out for yourself!
Highlights:
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Each room feels like you are in your own little bubble, you forget that you are connected to other rooms!
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Jeeps are available to rent on-site to explore the rest of the island (most roads are off-road)
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Make a day out of visiting the Lanai Cat Sanctuary
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Lots of places to lounge spread out around the huge property
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The food at the bar is not what you would expect, it’s like you are at a fancy restaurant with the ambiance of a bar!
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The best breakfast buffet- ask for the bulgogi bowl! They also offer poke and poi. The lemon ricotta pancakes are also amazing!
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Kombucha on tap… amazing!!
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The adult pool feels like you are at a waterfall
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Being the only large hotel on the island, the beach also feels super private and provides some great snorkeling
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea is the oldest Four Seasons property in Hawaii, it first opened its doors in February 1990. This resort property is huge and features four restaurants and two pools. The breakfast restaurant is outside-inside so you can have views of the ocean and pool area. The rooms come with the cutest Hawaiian-print robes, which were the softest robes I’ve ever worn! I thought about buying one but could not justify the price point, unfortunately.
We loved walking around this large property and it was great that there were so many cabanas and beach chairs surrounding the main pool. The one thing that was sort of a “complaint” for us was the lack of chairs and space at the adults-only pool. You’d have to get there extremely early, during breakfast, in order to snag a spot there. But the view from that pool is amazing, so don’t pass up the opportunity to take a quick dip there even if there are no seats available! The beach is gorgeous, and there are complimentary beach chairs available, but you will be sharing the beach with a few other hotel properties. We also loved having the lawn games to play while we were waiting for our dinner reservation.
Highlights:
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Great dinner! We were there on a Sunday where they had a Prime Rib Special at DUO and it was amazing!
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Gorgeous beach in front of the property complete with a shave ice stand!
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Free cabanas around the main pool available without reservation
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Fun lawn games scattered throughout the property like cornhole and ladder golf to keep you busy between other activities
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Free shuttle to the nearby shopping center (The Shops at Wailea)
Four Seasons Resort O’ahu at Ko Olina
The Four Seasons Resort O’ahu at Ko Olina is the newest Four Seasons property in Hawai’i, opening in June 2016. It is located in Ko Olina, which is a resort town located on the west side of O’ahu with several other hotel properties. The main feature of Ko Olina is its four man-made lagoons, which are perfect for swimming and family gatherings.
When you enter the Four Seasons O’ahu, you are greeted with a welcome drink. The property is much smaller than the other Four Seasons in the islands, so it’s quite easy to find your room. We stayed in an Oceanfront Room, with a beautiful view of the lagoon. The hotel is complete with two dinner restaurants, one breakfast restaurant, and a Starbucks-esque coffee shop. Don’t pass on Hokule’a, the coffee shop, the drinks are great (I get the matcha) and they have a beautiful deck with an ocean view. Since we were based on O’ahu at the time, we have gone back to their restaurants again and again. They are all amazing, but my favorite by far is Mina’s Fish House. Michael Mina is a world-renowned chef and he does not let us down at Mina’s Fish House. The restaurant also has an in-house fish sommelier to explain to you the catch of the day and even where it was caught (usually right off the coast)! I have celebrated my birthday at Mina’s fish house and at La Hiki, the breakfast restaurant and I highly recommend both!
Highlights:
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Mina’s Fish House – by far the best restaurant I’ve ever eaten at on O’ahu. Most dishes include fresh, local ingredients. My favorite menu item is the lobster bisque with crab and truffle boba, seriously amazing!
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The adult pool has attendants who bring you complimentary, refreshing snacks every hour ranging from frozen grapes to cake pops!
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The hotel is located on the west side of the island, so you are able to catch the most breathtaking sunsets
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Weekend brunch is a must! There is a huge range of foods at La Hiki from Japanese to Hawaiian to American and everything in between. The lobster and prime rib stations are great. You won’t be disappointed!
What is your favorite hotel property? Let me know in the comments!
6 Makeup Essentials for Travel
My first makeup look with my new “expensive” palette as a teen. I had no idea what I was doing, LOL!
When I turned 18 and got my first job, I was so excited to start making my own money! I already knew what I wanted to spend my first paycheck on: makeup! What else? As soon as that money hit my bank account, I headed to the mall to buy my first “expensive” eyeshadow palette: the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette (which is now, sadly, discontinued). It was the first makeup product I ever owned that didn’t come from the drugstore. I had been watching so many makeup tutorials on Youtube that featured UD’s Naked palettes, so I knew that was the one for me. That purchase really set off my obsession with makeup and I ended up with quite the collection.
Fast forward to today, and my view on makeup has definitely changed. I don’t really go for the “glam” looks like I used to, I much prefer the more natural-looking makeup looks now. I think it all has to do with when I moved to France for the first time in 2017. I had to make a bunch of sacrifices in order to stick to my budget since my visa at the time did not allow me to work, so of course, makeup was one of the non-essentials that had to be reduced. I also noticed that women in France didn’t wear full glam makeup daily, and instead embraced and enhanced their natural beauty.
Most of the trips my husband and I take within Europe are only a few days long, so we opt to pack in carry-on suitcases 99 percent of the time. This also means I have to pick out which makeup products are most important to me. My makeup looks nowadays are very simple, so I choose products that are lightweight and just make me look more put together. Without further ado, here are my six essential makeup products for travel!
Yves Rocher High Coverage Luminous Concealer
(via yves-rocher.fr)
I haven’t worn foundation in years, but there are still times where I have blemishes or dark circles that I would like to conceal. The Yves Rocher High Coverage Luminous Concealer is by far the best concealer I’ve ever tried. It’s super thin and lightweight but still gives great coverage and lasts all day. I use the shade 275 Gold. It’s fragrance-free and works well for those with sensitive skin and eyes.
L’Oreal True Match Lumi Glotion Natural Glow Enhancer
(via Pinterest.com)
THIS!!! This is my holy grail. If I could only use one makeup product for the rest of my life, the L’Oreal True Match Lumi Glotion Natural Glow Enhancer would be it. It is so versatile and can give you so many different looks depending on how much or little you use. I use it in two ways: I either top off my makeup with it on my cheekbones and nose, or I put it under my makeup by mixing a few drops with my moisturizer. It gives you a nice, healthy glow while not making you look like a glazed donut (unless that’s what you’re going for!). I use the shade Medium.
Tarte Tarteist Pro Glow to Go Highlight & Contour Palette
(via tartecosmetics.com)
I’m not gonna lie, ever since the pandemic started, I haven’t been using a contour palette. Buuuuut if I did need one, I would use the Tarte Tarteist Pro Glow to Go Highlight & Contour Palette! It’s so simple and you can take it on the go, even slip it into your purse. It comes with two different highlights, one shimmery and one more subdued, and one contour shade. The palette can also double as an eyeshadow palette. I love the contour shade and I use the less shimmery highlight shade a ton. It also contains vanilla extract and coconut, which makes the palette smell sooooo yummy!
Chella La Vie Eyeshadow Palette
(via professional.chella.com)
The travel-sized Chella La Vie Eyeshadow Palette is so cute! It fits in the palm of my hand and has the perfect neutral shades. Two of the shades have a pearlescent finish and the other two are matte, which allows you to make so many combinations that go perfectly with any look. I use the lighter shades for daytime looks and add the darker matte shade for more dimension. I also find the gold shade to be stunning in the summertime!
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner
(via sephora.com)
The Kat Von D Tattoo Liner eyeliner is such a classic. It’s so easy to use and leaves you with a sharp, opaque liner look that lasts all day. The thin liner tip makes it super easy to achieve a winged liner look whether you are going for a thick wing or thing. I have the travel-sized version in the satin finish shade Trooper Black.
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara
(via tartecosmetics.com)
I know I’ve said this about pretty much every product on this list, but I absolutely LOVE the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara! It lifts my lashes while separating them at the same time, so you’re not left with clumpy-looking lashes. I use the waterproof formula so it lasts all day and doesn’t budge unless you use an oil-based makeup remover. It’s also safe for contact lens wearers, which is super important to me because I wear contacts every single day. Definitely will repurchase again and again!
I hope you enjoyed this blog post! Let me know which makeup products you can’t travel without in the comments 🙂
My Favorite Travel Moments of 2020
Shipwreck Beach, Zakynthos, Greece
2020 was an unprecedented year in every way possible. When the pandemic first hit Europe, France went into lockdown and I was not allowed to leave the confines of my apartment for two months. My husband did all the grocery shopping and pharmacy runs as only one person per household was allowed out at a time and for only an hour a day. It actually felt kind of weird coming out of lockdown and being able to walk outside freely without an attestation (kind of like a permission form) in my hand. Soon after the lockdown order was lifted, Europe reopened for non-essential travel (within the EU) and it almost felt like a “normal” summer. Though things looked and felt a lot different, I still had some amazing travel moments that summer. I felt extremely blessed to be able to experience a summer in Europe without many other tourists and I completely understand my privilege in being able to do so. Without further ado, here are my favorite experiences of that summer!
5/ Reindeer Pizza in Oslo
Oslo was our last trip pre-pandemic. We had visited for only a weekend at the beginning of March to meet up with my brother-in-law. Norway is a stunning country filled with beautiful landscapes, but what caught my attention the most was the food (of course!) and the rich, Viking history. We were lucky enough to meet up with our Norwegian friend, Regine, who took us to see some amazing places and try some amazing food! My absolute favorite thing to try was reindeer pizza at Grefsenkollen Restaurant. The restaurant is located on a hill with an amazing view of Oslo city and has such a beautiful ambiance. I highly recommend Grefsenkollen for some truly delicious Norwegian cuisine with great prices.
4/ My First Time Solo in Venice
A first for me this year: my first time in a foreign country by myself! Woody had to drive back to Nice to attend some meetings, so I was left to my own devices for about 24 hours in Venice. I was a little nervous at first, but once I got outside I had such a great time! I got lost in the narrow alleyways of the city, found some cute local shops, explored St. Mark’s Square and the Ponte di Rialto area, ate some delicious bruschetta and gnocchi, and even had some gelato! It was a short amount of time alone but definitely made me feel like I could take a whole solo trip by myself one day!
3/ Shipwreck Beach in Zakynthos
I’ve seen pictures of Shipwreck Beach swirling around the Internet for years. To me, it just seemed like one of those places that I would never get to in my lifetime. I also imagined that it would never live up to the hype. Boy, was I wrong! The color of the water at Shipwreck Beach is something I’ve never seen before! The contrast of the bright, electric blue water and the cool, white sand was nothing short of a dream. You will need two separate days for this spot, one day to see it from the lookout point (you can go to nearby beaches before or after) and another day to do a boat tour out to the actual beach.
2/ Spectacular Views in Manarola
Cinque Terre has always been such a dream place to visit for me. Being only a 4-hour drive away from us made it a great option for us to visit this summer as we wanted to be socially distant while still being able to visit new places. We also wanted to visit somewhere that was usually filled with tourists in hopes to see it in a rare state: empty. Well, we totally got our wish! Cinque Terre was practically a ghost town. It was sad to see the businesses not booming with customers. We had so many moments on this trip that we were awestruck, but one of my favorites was definitely having dinner at Nessun Dorma. Normally, this would have been next to impossible as this restaurant hands-down has the best view in all of Cinque Terre. We did still have to stand in line for about 30 minutes as the restaurant does not accept reservations, but it was 100 percent worth it and I would do it again! Definitely check it out, and don’t forget to get some cute cocktails and focaccia, which the region is known for.
1/ Moon Beach and ATVs in Milos
Milos is hands-down my favorite new place I visited in 2020. Everything about this Greek island is a dream. The people are lovely, the food is amazing, and the views are absolutely breathtaking. Every corner of Milos has something different to offer. My favorite thing had to be the beaches. Sarakiniko, also known as Moon Beach has to be one of the coolest places I’ve ever visited in my life. The rocks that form the beach literally look like you are on the moon! It’s also cool to the touch, even under the extremely hot summer sun. If I could only go back to one place that I’ve visited before, this would probably be it.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post. Let me know in the comments where in the world you would like to visit once it’s safe!
A Day Trip to the Lavender Fields of Provence
When you think of the Provence countryside, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? For me, it’s lavender fields. Beautiful rolling hills that seem to go on forever with waves of purple and pink flowers swaying in the wind. When we first moved to the South of France, I knew that one thing I absolutely had to see was the lavender fields in the summer. A few summers had gone by and we always seemed too “busy” visiting other places that by the time summer was over, we had forgotten about the gems right in our backyard.
Last year, we knew we had to finally make our way to the famous lavender fields of Provence. Since we were in a pandemic, we wanted to travel but still maintain social distancing. The best solution we found was to rent a car for a week and explore all the places near the French Riviera that would have been difficult to get to without a car. One of these trips consisted of a whole day in Provence, which I will detail in a future blog. We ended off our day in the best way- watching the sunset over the lavender fields.
We visited the lavender fields in the last week in June. I find this to be the best time as the lavender fields are in full bloom and the farmers have not begun to harvest just yet. While there are no specific spots that you need to search (the whole area is teeming with lavender and sage fields), I would start off with Plateau de Valensole. I ended up taking most of my photos in a random field near the village of Puimisson. While you may see lots of posts mentioning the town of Valensole, there are actually no fields in the town. There are, however, many small local shops in the town where you can purchase local products such as honey and soap if you would like.
How to Get There
By far the best and most convenient way to get to the lavender fields is by car. I do believe you can also take a combination of trains and cars from the coast and nearby larger towns, but this may take some time. I’ve found the Apple Maps is usually more accurate than Google Maps when it comes to more rural areas in France.
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Aix-en-Provence to Valensole is 69.7 km (43.3. mi)
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Marseille to Valensole is 100.7 km (62.5 mi)
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Nice to Valensole is 162 km (100.6 mi)
What to Know
Bring a tripod
You will definitely want to bring a tripod, especially if you are with your family or significant other. The photos come out beautiful no matter the time of day, and you will want to keep these photo memories forever.
Make a day out of it
There are so many outdoor activities in the surrounding areas, so if you have a limited amount of time in the area and would like to maximize your time, you may end up combining a trip to the lavender fields with something else. Before we visited the lavender fields, my husband and I went kayaking in the Gorges du Verdon. I packed a dress and changed in the car so I could still have some cute photos in the fields
Beware of bees
I know this may seem like an obvious one, but I truly could not believe how many bees there were. I’m not afraid of bees, so it wasn’t much of a problem for me as the bees were more interested in the lavender than anything else. You are in their territory of course, so be aware of your surroundings. I had to run back and forth setting up the camera on self timer and posing, so that is something to consider. If you are allergic to bees I would be very careful.
What to Bring
A camera
Like I said, the photos come out absolutely stunning here and you will want to keep the memories for a lifetime. I would personally consider bringing a nice camera instead of just your phone.
A tripod
If you’re bringing a nice camera, this is a total must! They also make tripods for phones nowadays. Make sure your tripod is of pretty good quality as the ground is very uneven, flimsy tripod legs may fall over easily.
A change of clothes
As I said earlier, since we were doing other outdoor activities, I decided to bring a dress with me for the lavender fields. You could also go to various locations throughout the area and bring different outfits for each location and time of day.
Water
It is extremely hot and dry in the area, so make sure to stay hydrated. As it’s a pretty far drive no matter where you’re coming from, packing a snack isn’t a bad idea either.
Where to Stay
The three closest “big cities” to the area are Aix-en-Provence, Marseille and Nice. Aix-en-Provence is landlocked, while Marseille and Nice are both major port towns. All have great hotel options as well as Airbnbs. If you are looking for more of a local feel, there are many beautiful Airbnbs in Valensole, Manosque and Puimisson.
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The Best Photo and Video Editing Apps in 2021
As we start the new year, many of us have goals relating to our social media presence. Whether you run social media for a large company or would like to achieve a certain aesthetic on your personal Instagram, these apps will help you take your photos and videos to the next level! All of these apps are super user friendly and have features that you can use for free (except Retouch).
1/ Lightroom
Lightroom is my go-to for everything photo editing. It is extremely user-friendly while boasting a ton of photo editing power. My favorite thing about Lightroom is the ability to edit individual colors. You can totally change the mood and aesthetic of a photo just by tweaking the saturation or luminance of a single color. You can also purchase presets from a lot of your favorite influencers to achieve a similar aesthetic as them. The best part? The free version of Lightroom is absolutely amazing and has most of the features of the paid version. Personally, I prefer the paid version so I can edit on my laptop and the photo bundle on Adobe also comes with Photoshop, which is nice to have as well. Download the app here.
2/ Retouch
Retouch is the only app on this list that is not free to download. It is a one-time payment of $1.99 for unlimited use, and I think it is 100% worth it. Although Lightroom has features that allow you remove unwanted objects in your photos, I find Retouch to have a much cleaner-looking end product. You can remove entire objects or people from your photo with just a touch, seamlessly blending the photo where the object or blemish had been removed. If you’re looking for an app to quickly remove unwanted people or objects from your photo, this is the best one I’ve found. Download the app here.
3/ Lens Distortions
Lens Distortions allows users to add overlays and effects to your photos from lens flares to dust and natural elements such as snow and rain. I personally like using the app to add small light hits to the area of the photo where the sun would be hitting. There are several free features (which are the ones I use), but you can choose to upgrade to LD Unlimited to unlock their full library of premium features and photo effects. Download the app here.
4/ Tone Studio
Have you ever wanted to edit videos taken on your phone the same way you edit your photos? Enter Tone Studio. The Tone Studio app was created by Travel Instagram Influencers Lauren Bullen (@gypsea_lust) and Jack Morris (@doyoutravel). Not only can you use the app to edit your videos (and photos) with presets created by the two influencers, you can also edit each individual color and other components just as you would in a full-blown photo editor such as Lightroom. While there are other video editing apps on the market, the reason I recommend this one specifically is because you do not lose the quality of your video when you export your finished product. The app offers several purchasing options including free features, buying individual preset packs, and yearly/monthly subscriptions that give you access to every feature of the app. Download the app here.
5/ Unfold
Unfold consists of beautiful templates for Instagram stories along with simple photo editing tools and the ability to add text in stunning minimalistic fonts. Some template packs are free while others range from $0.99 to $1.99. You can also purchase a subscription for access to all packs and editing features. I love this app because it makes it so easy to create beautiful Instagram stories with minimal effort. The templates layout photos in various ways and you can add text to your liking. I personally like the aesthetic of Unfold over Storyluxe. Download the app here.
6/ Storyluxe
Like Unfold, Storyluxe provides many beautiful templates to achieve a cohesive look on your Instagram story. Storyluxe provides many more free templates than Unfold, which is its main advantage. The editing tools are somewhat limited, but if you are looking for a free or inexpensive way to make your Instagram stories stand out, this would be your app! Download the app here.
7/ UNUM
UNUM is an easy, user-friendly way to plan out your Instagram feed. You can add and rearrange posts to start or maintain a cohesive look to your profile. In UNUM, you can also add captions to copy and paste when you are ready to post your photo. The app also includes a calendar to remind you when to post and connects with your Instagram to provide you with the analytics of your profile. Download the app here.
Introduce Yourself (Example Post)
This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.
You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.
Why do this?
- Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
- Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.
The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.
To help you get started, here are a few questions:
- Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
- What topics do you think you’ll write about?
- Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
- If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?
You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.
Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.
When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.
Britt Kehaulani 