Category: Link LOVE

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Hi everyone! Gosh, it is definitely fall around here in Tokyo!

Every year I mourn the loss of summer but at the same time revel in the coziness of fall. Although I desperately yearn for the hot burning rays of summer…the hot drinks, warm sweaters and bold colors of nature that come rolling in the fall are some of my greatest loves. Fall really is gorgeous. It’s kind of a conflicting time of the year for me, emotionally, when it comes to seasons. Ha.

Well, last month just flew by quick as a panther. I have a bunch of photos to share from my trip back home to Ehime, which I hadn’t been to in over a year. It was good to go back and see all my relatives. I got to eat figs right off the tree…which is a dream come true for me. I LOVE figs. We also made tempura from veggies straight from my great uncle’s garden. Nothing tastes as good as fresh vegetables you picked yourself. I loved getting to experience this organic lifestyle…almost wish I had more space in Tokyo to do this myself.

This month starts the second half of the fiscal year in Japan. Lots of new things to experience and work towards at work for me, which is always exciting. Personally, I have a couple of friends coming to Japan (doesn’t it seem like everyone is coming to Japan these days???) so I’m really looking forward to seeing them! I think my college friend and I are going to try to eat at the university cafeteria, just for old times sake. Let’s hear it for the 230 yen bowl of ramen!

What are your plans this month? I hope you’re enjoying this beautiful season of harvest! x

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– The punctuation test.

– These were delicious!

– Found this in my mailbox last month.

– Dine in a library? Yes, please!

– Dictionary stories.

– Love these photos of ships from above.

– Interesting. Did you walk to school when you were a kid?

Happy first day of August!

It is a joyous day, not only because it’s the start of my favorite month of the year but, also because today is the start of the firework festivals and all that summer matsuri season!

I’m going to the Edogawa Firework Festival on the Ichikawa-side tonight, just like last year. Crossing my fingers it doesn’t rain. I hope Dru’s teru-teru bozu does his thing!

Also very excited to share my trip to last month to Istanbul with you. It was so so so amazing. If my company had a branch in Istanbul, I would definitely put in a notice to go for a year or two. I came back with more questions than answers but I kind of like that, too. I’ve even more interested in Turkey now than before I went. Hopefully I’ll have a chance to go back again someday.

What are your plans for the summer? Any firework festivals? 😀

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– Could Detroit rise again? (via)

– I love to-do lists; apparently Leonardo did, too.

– This typeface is awesome.

– Um, yes. (so funny!)

– Love letters to a tree.

– Currently reading this book.

– Taking sand sculptures to a new level.

Happy first day of July! How is everyone?

I am so glad June is gone and over with. Besides the great time I had with my sisters and friends, it was a roller coaster month of just hanging in there. I blame everything on the air-conditioning at work.

I caught a cold in mid-June that just wouldn’t go away. I’m sure there are quite a few people who get sick during this season. For me, gone are those days when you have a high fever one day and you’re right back on your feet the next. It felt like the plagues of Egypt…one calamity after another (in case you couldn’t tell, I tend to be overly dramatic when I’m sick). It pretty much kicked me in the butt for more than a few weeks.

But it could have been worse (the real ten plagues of Egypt could have been inflicted on me). So I’m definitely happy to be back on my feet to welcome July!

Especially since I will be taking a short trip to…(drum roll please)…TURKEY! Woo hoo! I’ve had a crush on Istanbul for years so I can’t tell you how excited I am to be going there.

It will not only be my first time travelling to Europe (technically Turkey is located in both Europe and Asia…but they’re part of the EU, right?) but my first time being in a predominantly Islamic country during ramazan. It should be very interesting, I can’t wait!

As always, I would love it if you have any tips or recommendations! x

Oh my, tis June! How is everyone?

I’m hardly surprised anymore how a month can fly by so fast. But it’s been a lovely month filled with outings with friends. Because the weather has been getting considerably warmer, it’s definitely kept me outdoors more often than not. I. LOVE. SUNSHINE.

This month is probably going to be the start of the rainy season, which I have a love/hate relationship with. Love the sound of rain and thunder…but do not like having to walk around in it when I have my work clothes on.

I don’t know if you’ve realized but June is also one of only two months in Japan that has no public holidays. The other being August, which I feel doesn’t count as a no-holiday month because, although technically not an official public holiday, everyone takes time off for Obon anyways. So in my opinion, June is the longest month ever work-wise. (And yes, I am complaining despite the fact that Japan has quite a number of public holidays.)

Someone stop the clock! Can you believe it’s May already?

Hello April, it finally feels like spring!

How fabulous is it outside these days? I’ve finally started waking up earlier (thank you sunshine!), which means I can walk to work (no rush hour!) while admiring the cherry blossoms along the river. It doesn’t get much better than that.

March was full of ups and downs. Cold days, sunny days. Fun days with friends, sick days in bed. Sobbing sad days, fabulously confident days. Thankfully though, more ups than downs, which were mostly in my head anyways.

I’ve come to realize that I am not that great at thinking long-term. You know the whole what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life discussion? Thinking about it makes me go bat shit crazy at times. I know what I’d like to do next week…but ten years from now? Um, I could be anywhere doing a multitude of things. And I would probably be happy just to be alive and well. But sometimes that answer is just not enough for this tough world. Which brings in the bat shit craziness.

I’m hoping April will bring answers. Or at least some peace of mind. Until then, maybe you can tell me how you deal with things you can’t control in life…like the future?

Looking forward to more warm days outside under the sun! How about you? x

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– The man who collected maps.

– I could use this in my apartment.

– Ghibli color palettes.

– This article about the world of Miyazai Hayao by Priscilla Ahn.

– Hope the sky is clear for the eclipse on April 4th!

– Also, this eclipse song is genius (even though it’s for a past eclipse).

Hello March, hello all!

Are we ready for the blossoms to start blooming? It’s just around the corner! I’ve been seeing various ume blossoms popping up here and there. Nothing makes my heart happier than knowing that warmer days are ahead in the near future.

Last month was a lovely month connecting with friends, both old and new. We had awful chilly weather in February but all the laughter and fun definitely made my heart much warmer!

Also…can I take a second to tell you the most bizarre thing?

Hello February!

The shortest month of the year is already here and it is going to zoom past, I fear! (That’s right, I started this paragraph with a rhyme because sometimes that’s how I roll.) But I’m actually looking forward to days whizzing past right into spring (officially only 47 more days to go!), aren’t you?

I don’t think I ever mentioned it but this year my resolution-ish goal is to do things that scare me. Not really awful things but just things that I would hesitate to do at times. Such as trying something new that I’ve never done before (that swimming class at the gym) or being a little aggressive (pushing for more responsibility at work).

I’ve come to realize that the older I get, the more cautious I become…especially in my head. So this year, because I have a feeling it’s going to be a great year anyway, I’m going to try to challenge myself. (I mean, it’s about time, right?) And weirdly, I am looking forward to it!

How is your 2015 going? Hope you have an amazing February! x

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– Did you hear? This is how to fall in love.

– Travelling on a shipping container is a dream of mine.

– Bring the conveyor sushi to your home.

– These words.

– What New Yorkers read on their commute.

– Understanding Japanese onomatopoeic words through chocolates.

Happy New Year everyone!

I am spending our whopping nine-day holiday off work for new years with family in Okinawa (if you don’t know, it’s the most southern prefecture in Japan). This means I am wearing short sleeves outside. Short sleeves in January! You don’t know how giddy I am about this!

Well, the locals were wearing coats…but whatever. The wind is definitely both strong and cold but when the sun is out in the afternoon? BLISS.

This year my family (also including my grandma and uncle’s family) drove out to my grandpa’s grave, which is on a mountain looking towards the east, to see the sunrise above the ocean to welcome the new year together. The weather forecast said cloudy so we weren’t sure we would be able to see the sunrise. But miracle of miracles, because the wind was so strong, it blew the clouds away just enough for us to see the glorious first light of 2015! Hurrah!

Did you go see the sunrise? Were you making new years resolutions?

I am good and ready to start this year. Looking forward to all the possibilities that 2015 holds for all of us. Wishing you all a fabulous new year! x

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– 2015 is the year of sheep! Did you send nengajo postcards?

– This is going to be my new years resolution.

– Which airplane seat do you prefer? Aisle, middle, or window seat? (I’m a window seat girl)

– Tempted to get my hands on these.

– New years in Japan.

– This hilarious imaginary library.