The theme of December is always reflection, so most days I find myself looking back at the year and all the things I’ve done, accomplished, and failed at, and use it as the compass to my growth for the year ahead of me.
Here is this month’s recap as a San Francisco influencer.
December 1 | Attending a Tea Party with a San Francisco Influencer, Having $42 Omakase, and Bar Hopping
The first day of December was a very special day! I started it off by having a tea party at Sip Tea Room in the Inner Sunset. I went to go meet with a new friend, Paris, and we really hit it off! She’s an influencer born and raised in San Francisco and we’ve been in touch all throughout the year and finally found the time to hang out which was really nice. The morning was spent with some yummy sweet treats, finger sandwiches, and (very strong) tea. I opted for the Scottish Tea and boy did it have a lot of caffeine in it! Definitely underestimated how much caffeine it would have!
After our tea party, I spent the afternoon working on a few brand deals, then went out for $42 omakase at Amami Sushi and bar hopping in the Mission. I don’t really drink or go out much, however, I was feeling a little adventurous and had a lot of energy. I was surprised myself when I told my boyfriend I’m in the mood for some cocktails and cute bars. We went to Trick Dog and True Laurel, and they did not disappoint!
@www.bynicalina.com Is Vlogmas a thing on TikTok? 🫣 #vlogmas #vlogmas2023 #diml #ditl #dayinmylife #dayinthelife #sanfrancisco #sanfranciscoinfluencer #sfinfluencer #sfblogger #sanfranciscolife #sanfranciscoblogger #sanfranciscofood #sanfrancisconights #sanfrancisconews ♬ original sound – NICA LINA / San Francisco
December 2 | Apartment Hunting in San Francisco
This was another fun, exciting day! I started the day off by trying out some new makeup products by Sweed Beauty and doing some laundry with my favorite detergent from Dedcool. I love this scent, it reminds me of our trip to Europe this past summer.
Once we finished up our chores, it was time for the fun part of the day: apartment hunting! We only viewed two apartments but we really fell in love with the first one. It was honestly love at first sight. It was absolutely perfect and a true San Francisco apartment.
Spoiler alert: We signed the lease just a few days after.
It’s so crazy that I once was a little girl, looking out the window while my mom drove around the city, and dreaming of one day living in one of the apartments that I saw. I was always such a huge fan of the nooks and always admired seeing people reading or working on their computers through the window. Now I get to be that person! Ah, it makes me so happy.
We found out about all these listings via Rent SF Now! It was the only tool we used to find the best apartments in the city.
After apartment hunting, we went to go eat pho and explored around Haight!
@www.bynicalina.com #CapCut #sanfranciscoinfluencer #sanfrancisco #sfinfluencer #sfblogger #sanfranciscolife #sanfranciscoblogger #dayinmylife #vlogmas #vlogmas2023 ♬ original sound – NICA LINA / San Francisco
December 3 | Spending the Day in Napa Valley
We had set up an apartment tour but the leasing office ended up being closed on Sundays! It was a complete bummer. I wish they hadn’t allowed for tours to be booked on the day that they’re closed. It wasn’t a complete waste of time though. We ended up watching the 49ers game at a pub and had some delicious food!
December 4 | Apartment Hunting in Napa Valley
I had the day to myself and booked a few apartment tours up in Napa Valley. I really do love having days to myself. That’s definitely something I want to prioritize in the new year. I used to spend countless days by myself and now I rarely ever do that.
The day was quite relaxing and very enjoyable. I don’t many photos to show because my phone freaked out and I had to reboot it. I went to a bakery in the morning and had some pastries + a coffee, toured 4 different apartments (one of them was so freaking beautiful and had lovely amenities!!!), and then went back home before the sun set.
I had this revelation while I was out apartment hunting and while these apartments were incredible and looked like fancy hotels, I knew I had to stay in the city for just a little bit longer.
I thought to myself, I’ve been waiting to live in Northern California my whole life and I know that San Francisco isn’t quite north enough and I’m not a city girl, but this is where I need to be for now to really establish myself and my brand. If I go ahead and sign a lease to one of these apartments, what else will I have to look forward to? I want to move to Marin/Napa/Sonoma when I’m a little bit older and feel like I am ready to leave the city life.
December 5 | Getting My Car Mirror Fixed + Signing the Lease to Our New Apartment
If you read my November Recap, you’d know that just a few weeks prior to this date, my car mirror had gotten damaged while I was working at Flour and Branch! I was very fortunate to have one of my followers, Karl (who I’ve actually seen a few times because he works at the valet at the Park James), reach out to me and let me know that he works at Ford Serramonte and will happily order me a new mirror + install it. I was so ecstatic!
Before heading out to Serramonte Ford, I went to a really aesthetically pleasing cafe called The Lighthouse and picked up some bread pudding for him as a thank you! The installation process took no longer than 5 minutes. If you live in the Bay Area and ever need someone to help you out with anything Ford related, definitely reach out to Karl! He’ll help out in the best way he can.
In the evening, we went ahead and signed our lease to the apartment in San Francisco. It was so exciting and made it so, so real!!!
@www.bynicalina.com another fun day in the life ☁️✨😌 #vlogmas #vlogmas2023 #southsanfrancisco #fordbronco #sanfranciscoinfluencer #sanfranciscoblogger ♬ original sound – NICA LINA / San Francisco
December 6 | Getting My Hair Done at Population Salon + Rainy Lazy Day
It was time to get my hair trimmed by Frida at Population Salon! I’ve been going to Frida for nearly a year now, how crazy is that! I wanted to show my appreciation for her by gifting her the GHD Platinum+ Flat Iron in the new limited edition color Alluring Jade.
It’s crazy to think I used to see her every 2-3 weeks and always went through some major hair change, but as of right now the Dora haircut is here to stay for a while! We went for the usual trim and choppy layered french bob look.
It was a very rainy and gloomy day in the city, so I spent the rest of the day working and resting.
@www.bynicalina.com Relaxing rainy day in SF 🧡 #sanfranciscoblogger #sanfranciscoinfluencer #vlogmas2023 #vlogmas #frenchbob ♬ original sound – NICA LINA / San Francisco
December 7 | Staying Home + Checking Out a Christmas Bar in the City
Since the first few days of December have been go-go-go, I decided to stay home for the day and work on my laptop. In the evening, my boyfriend and I went to Pacific Cocktail Haven with some of his friends. It was such a cute holiday bar! I loved how well decorated it was as well as their Christmas mugs that the cocktails came in. I opted for their hot, buttered rum and it reminded me of what Harry Potter might drink!
It was a fun night and very memorable at that. I love when my boyfriend and I go out and take the train rather than driving. It makes the night so adventurous. I definitely want to take more public transportation in the city for 2024.
December 8 | Creating Content for Flour & Branch + Heading to MJ’s Sushi for Dinner
I created fun content at Flour & Branch that are holiday related, then went down to Fremont to have dinner at MJ’s Sushi! I love MJ’s Sushi, it’s one of my favorite sushi spots. My good friend Shawn is the general manager so we go to the restaurant quite often. My favorite location is the Palo Alto location! We had dinner at the Fremont location then spent the rest of the evening hanging out at Shawn’s home.
December 10| Exploring Napa Valley with Green Dream Tours
I absolutely loved my afternoon exploring Napa Valley with Green Dream Tours! It was me + 9 other San Francisco influencers. I brought Paris with me and we had such a great day.
Influencer tip: For days like this I love to bring a weekender with a couple of outfits so that I can create as much content as possible! I changed into three outfits and I’m so happy I did because I ended up having a variety of content to post for the next week.
December 11 | Creating Content for Curated by Nica Lina
I decided earlier this year that I wanted to have a hobby that combined my love for antique shops, interior design, and estate sales. I’ve accumulated a small collection for Curated by Nica Lina, an online boutique that specializes in antique furniture, home decor, and jewelry as well as providing services for personalized antique shopping and interior design sourcing. I spent the day working from home, then taking advantage of the sunlight to capture some product photography for what I’m launching!
December 12 | Creating Content at Cosmic Eye + Dinner at Fermentation Lab
This was a very productive day! I started the day off by picking up some Christmas decor at Target for Cosmic Eye, one of my clients in the city. I created some holiday content for them, then quickly went home to cook some dinner, then went back out for dinner with a few San Francisco influencer friends at Fermentation Lab in Japantown!
December 13 & 14 | Creating Content for Visit Carmel by the Sea
Ahhhhh this is something I’ll always look forward to every month: going to Carmel by the Sea and creating content for them! I’m going to be shooting all the different restaurants in Carmel throughout the year and it involves me visiting at least once a month. This is such a fun project and I’m so happy to be a part of it. It really means so much to me that Visit Carmel by the Sea is one of She’s Out of Town’s clients.
As an owner of a small, boutique creative agency, it means a lot when businesses trust me with my expertise to make their vision come to fruition.
It’s very apparent when someone loves what they’re doing, and when someone works with me, I really show them that I love to do what I do while also helping their business expand. When working with a client with my agency or as an influencer for any brand/property, I never say yes to a deal unless it’s something I can see myself truly falling in love with. I love being creative and being able to work with the best people and being able to see/experience these beautiful places. At the end of the day, not only am I living my dream of being able to do this for a living, but I’m also fortifying a long term relationship with a human being who also has a dream
I will never see business as something transactional — 1 will always see it as an exchange of energy fueling the bigger picture to come to fruition asap. That’s why it matters so much when someone believes in my ability to help their business expand, while I also see a potential to be a part of the growth of their business. It’s all energy — it’s all love. I run my businesses with intuition as much as I do with love. This isn’t just something I do for fun, it’s really my livelihood.
December 15 | Spending the Day at Flour & Branch
I spent the afternoon with Paris at Flour & Branch, and she was my model for the day! We created a series of fun videos for the bakery and then hung out on Fillmore in Pacific Heights for a short while.
Afterwards, I went home to freshen up and went to dinner with my girlfriend Qiqi at Movida Lounge. The food was a beautiful fusion of Persian and Mexican food, featuring lots of fresh seafood. We ordered quite a bit of plates and I was not disappointed by anything at all. I’ll definitely be going back!
December 16 | Launching Curated by Nica Lina
I spent the day working on Curated by Nica Lina, my small online marketplace featuring unique vintage finds! I had so much fun doing this at home.
December 17 | Eating Yummy Vietnamese Food & Spending the Day at Home
Ejay was out of town for a climbing trip with his friends down in Nevada, and I picked him up at the airport first thing in the morning. We ran some errands in the morning and then went to go have some Vietnamese food before going home.
December 19 | Making Spam Musubi Bake
@feedmi Spam musubi bake is like a deconstructed spam musubi meets sushi bake! Warm, creamy, savory, & perfect for sharing! INGREDIENTS (12 servings): 2 cans spam, cubed ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce ¼ cup mirin rice wine 2 tbs white sugar 8 cups sushi rice, cooked furikake Japanese kewpie mayo 1 green onion, sliced roasted seaweed sheets DIRECTIONS: 1. Fry spam & simmer in the glaze. 2. Layer rice, furikake, & fried spam. 3. Add drizzle of mayo & furikake. 4. Broil for 3 mins until top is toasty. 5. Serve w/ green onions & seaweed! #hawaiianfood #spammusubi #spam #sushibake #potluckidea #easyrecipes ♬ Married Life (From “Up”) – Gina Luciani
I spent the week in absolute pain. From migraines, to menstrual cramps, to having an upset stomach.. It was definitely not the best part of the month, however I took the time to just lie in bed and rest since Christmas was just a few days away!
I made spam musubi bake, which was absolutelyyyyy delicious.
December 20 | Date Night at Little Shucker
We had a fun date night at Little Shucker and its sister restaurant, The Snug! It was such a great night.
December 22 | Flour & Branch Content Day + Me Day
Ah, this was a really nice day. I went to Flour & Branch to create some content, then I went to Laurel Heights for a well needed me day. I perused around some shops, scoped out new home decor pieces, and then went to a bookstore. I finished off the day by going for a drive around Golden Gate Park and sitting in my car for some time.
December 23 | My Mom Came to Visit!
My mom came to visit for Christmas! I took her all over San Francisco, from Flour & Branch to my neighborhood, and to Mill Valley. I definitely want her to visit more in the new year, especially when we have the apartment ready!
I had a collaboration with Stay Pineapple, so we stayed there for the duration of my mom’s stay.
December 24 | Christmas Eve
It was a really fun and eventful Christmas Eve. We had dim sum in the morning, explored Chinatown, and then went to Palo Alto for MJ’s Sushi. We definitely overate but everything was so delicious!
December 25 | Christmas Day!
My mom and I walked to St. Patrick’s for Christmas mass, then had dim sum again in Chinatown. Afterwards, we hung out at my place before dropping my mom off at the airport later that evening!
December 26 | Spending Time at Home
The day after Christmas is my favorite day of Q4, because it’s the most calm day of the entire season. Ejay and I spent the morning eating leftovers, watching Youtube videos, and spending time at home.
December 27 | Eating Hot Pot in Santa Clarita & Going to IKEA
My friend Sofia, who I went to college with in Chico State, was in town! We went to go have dinner with her at this ridiculously good hot pot spot in Santa Clarita called Taichi. It was honestly so good and I’ll definitely be returning! It’s been so long since I had hot pot, I was so happy to have it again!
December 29 | Flour & Branch’s Holiday Party
Ejay and I spent the day at home then took the train to go to Flour & Branch’s holiday party! It was such a fun evening with the team. It made me so grateful to be a part of the company and its growth!
December 30 | Heading to Guerneville
I was so so so excited for this trip to finish off the year. One of my favorite things to do in the world is go to a small town, stay at a bed and breakfast, and explore! It’s been SO long since Ejay and I had done this so it was well needed.
We started off the day by picking up some sweet treats and coffee from Flour & Branch, stopping by the Apple Store to get Ejay’s new Macbook Pro and Airpod Max, then going to Bernal Heights for some quick lunch, and seeing Paris very briefly!
Afterwards it was time to hit the road to Guerneville. We stayed at this cozy and super aesthetically pleasing bed and breakfast called Mine + Farm. It truly was a splendid stay!
December 31 | Spending New Year’s at Guerneville
New Year’s Eve was so special! We spent the day exploring Bodega Bay and Forestville, then celebrated the new year in our room! It was such a calm and beautiful way to end the year. As I get older I start to realize, partying just really isn’t the vibe and doesn’t fit my lifestyle anymore. I’ve changed so much since moving to San Francisco and I do think I’ve changed for the better. Living a very simple and calm lifestyle has garnered so much happiness and contentment for me and everything that surrounds me.
Life of an Influencer
And that concludes my December recap! I can’t wait to see what 2024 and January has in store for me!
