A Web & Graphic Designer Inspired through Running & the Great Outdoors

Archive for the ‘Miscallany’ Category

Part 2: Day 2 in Tokyo

After strolling around on a cold but sunny first day and going to bed quite a bit earlier than I would like to confess, we acclimated to Tokyo time a bit more as we headed out at 5am to weather the rain at the Tsukiji Fish Markets. First stop, navigating the Metro, surprisingly easier than I would have thought. Tiny tickets in hand and the emptiest I ever saw the subways the entire trip.

2_metro

Welcome to Tskukiji. To the outer markets first, as they are open to everyone all day. And since it was the holidays and a very cold rainy day, I found out that this was actually a quiet day. sheesh!

2_tskuji

A tradition at Tsukiji, a sushi breakfast at 7am. I got the tuna plate, nearly 7 different kinds of amazing.

2_sushi

After filling out bellies with sushi, we headed into the indoor wholesale markets,that open at 9am to the public. The bottom two images that have grey blue large bodies of fish, are the giant tuna and one getting sawed in half.

2_tuna

I have learned that most places have westernized toilets. But after hours of walking around, drinking hot green tea in the cold cold rain, this Japanese-style toilet was all I could find… hmmmm.

2_toilet

Then it was back to the Metro to find our way to Ginza, known as one of the most upscale places to shop in the world. yipeee!

2_city_rain

At 2pm, this was the weather, so we ducked into a little English-type bistro for some hot lunch and a beer. Heaven. And who says the Japanese dont celebrate Christmas?

2_rain

Lastly, a shot from our room after a long and cold day. How gorgeous are all the lights.

IMG_3170

Stay tunned for Day 3 and our weekend adventure to Kyoto.

Tokyo Day 1, video

I wanted to put together a fun gif of the Tokyo Tower, on our bus ride from the airport to our hotel.

tower

 

Day 2 to come soon.

Holidays in Japan, Part 1: Tokyo

Happy 2013!

Just 3 days ago I got back from my trip to Japan. And one of my resolutions is to blog at least once a week. My pictures alone will take me through the middle of the year I think! Ha! Hopefully not, for everyone sake.

So here’s part one, day 1. It was a long day being that we flew out of LAX at midnight and got in after a 12 hour flight to Tokyo at 5am the following day (missed all of Dec 20th, so bizarre). Then in an attempt to stay awake, we wandered around the city, just soaking it all in. Looking back, we did so much that first day!

Starting before the flight with some beautiful bills from the bank-o!

money

Seeing double arriving in Tokyo airport at 5am.

airport

Off to a good start, even the airport signs are designed nicely.

airport_signs

And this maybe TMI, but toilet seats that stay warm (it was SO cold there, so appreciated that one). And directions and features as well! Spray! Yikes! And those icons, hilarious.

bathroom

Right across from our hotel we stumbled upon our first shrine, the Kumano Shrine. And some gorgeous Olympic posters, plastered all over the city.

day1_tokyo

Then it was off to a find some lunch. We settled for nothing but the best, a small little off the grid corner noodle shop in the Golden Gai district of Shinjuku. Amazing! There were only 7 seats and I was the only female. The other men were nearly all in suits, I propose on there way to work as it was still 9am in the morning. They would come and go faster than it took us to order our soba. Fastest I’ve ever tried to eat a bowl of soba in my life, and most delicious as well. Worth it.

day1_tokyo_3

A crazy circular intersection of street lights. And some Love.

day1_tokyo_2

Then we found our way across the city to the Park Hyatt Tokyo (think Lost in Translation) and to my surprise sadly renovated. Though still fun, with gorgeous views and great illustrations.

hyatt

The views from the top of the Park Hyatt Tokyo.

hotel

And as we continued on our jont we ran into a fish tank, just on the street outside a restaurant. I mean how could I NOT take a snap of this. Fresh fish fillet anyone?!?

fish

And drink vending machines everywhere, of course with beer! Cold Sapporo to go anyone? Yes, Please.

vending-machines

Then into Yoyogi park, massive and beautiful.

shrine

yoyogi_park

Some funny signs.

signs

It wasn’t quite the year of the snake yet, but now it is!

2013

And finally, to our room with a view to call it an early night. Funny how much you can do when you start exploring a city around 6am!

room

Next post, day 2-3 to come soon! Stay tuned…

Lakers Tonight

 

We have a very thankful NYC visitor (happy for the storm to be over and happy to get out to the west coast today) in town this weekend and in order to start things off on the right note, we are taking him to a Lakers/Clippers game tonight.  In honor of that, I put together a little outfit I thought would be great to wear to a game! Just wish I was wearing it. Hehe!

Happy Weekend!

 

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A BIG September Birthday

Hey there again! It’s been a busy BUSY few weeks. It started with a crazy labor day. An unexpectedly fun weekend.

Oh, let me start with the small fact that I turned 30th, yep, 30, this month, actually on the 12th. So it’s official, I am in a totally new decade.

Back to labor Day weekend. I have been trying to clear up my skin the last few months and have been seeing this amazing woman in Hollywood every few weeks. So, after my bi-monthly facial on Saturday, I came home to my apartment filled with all my favorite people, parents, etc. So much fun, even if it was after my facial! My first surprise party, wish I could have this every year, then I guess it wouldn’t be a a surprise, huh?

Then a few days later, the day before my birthday my beau got us tickets to see Mr. Conan O’Brian live. The guests were Eva Longoria, so adorable and tiny, and James Marsden. Too much fun as well!

And to top it all off my love surprised me… Again, with a special dinner at Scarpetta, at their very own Chef’s Table! It was a 7 course tasting menu, with a few extra courses thrown in there just cause they liked us so much. Additionally we hada a wine pairing with each course. Total gultons and amazingness. My favorite thing that night was hearing them say “Fire the Octo!” to get that delicious octopus on the grill. Let’s just say we waddled out of that place happy campers.

Now just walk around the apartment and yell that out every now and then! :) Must be the thirties already making me loco.

There were so many other surprises and fun times, with wo-workers and more, I don’t even have room to mention. It was a pleasantly overwhelming and positive way to turn into a new decade. I hear their the best anyways! 30′s here we go!

Recap on the 30 before 30 list to come! :)

Thursday Thanks ::: 10 :::

It’s thursday. And today I am so thankful for so many things:

• Having a fun convertible to drive up the coast anad have a lovely dinner in Malibu with my beau

• A girls weekend in Palm Springs riding horses and drinking vino

• Having two of my favorite people coming over for dinner at the new apartment

• A wonderful step father who helps me turn my old furniture into something shinny and new!

Thursday Thanks ::: 9 :::

So, it’s official, I am a resident of Marina Del Rey. Gosh this whole moving apartment things really has thrown me for a loop. There’s always so much mor to do than I realize. But Memorial Day weekend was a blast move or no move.

I am so thankful for:

• A wonderfully fun wedding with a truly happy couple and a wonderfully fun first time being a bridesmaid

• An amazing new apartment (pics above) and asome fun decorating to come

• Sunny and mildly hot weather to enjoy the new pool with on the long weekend

More regular posts to come now that we are getting settled. Promise. No, really.

Thursday Thanks ::: 7 :::

It’s been a long couple of weeks burying my face in my own branding stuff. And I have been told I need to take a day and enjoy the weather and the fact that the beach is right outside my front door. So, today, if the clouds allow, I am planning to take a few hours and head out and lay in the sand. Sometimes just getting away for a bit helps solve a lot of questions when you get back.

This week I am so thankful for…

• having the time to knit

• a convertible for this nice sunny warm weather

• Every growing follower on my blog. It’s such an inspiration! Thanks everyone! (let me know what you’d like to see more of)

What are you grateful for this week?

(source)

For Dad’s Day

I know Mom’s day was just last week. But in a short month (June 17th) it will be Dad’s turn. So rather that shop last minute, I thought we’d get a head start. Just a few ideas to get you started… happy shopping.

Soap  //  tape  // flask  //  bag  //  beer  // gift basket  //  chocolate  // ceramic animals

Read On, Reader.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately, and thus have a pile of books that I am reading, want to read and need to read when they come out. Here’s what’s on my list this month.

For the business side:

Since recently starting on the path to (graphic designer) freelance, I have been reading up on a lot of books for business. The first one I ever got when I was thinking about making the jump was, naturally, “Creative Inc.” by Meg Ilasco and Joy Cho. It’s my bible. Highly, highly recommend it to anyone starting out or veteran, there’s stuff in there for everyone.

The next one I want to read, but have not yet is “Design is a Job” by Mike Monteiro. Anyone read it yet? Let me know what you think.

And “Start Something That Matters” by the founder of Toms shoes Blake Mycoskie. What an inspirational story for business.

And of course, we can’t forget summer reading lists are coming out. I mean who doesn’t need a good book for the beach. And since I live at the beach, literally, I have quite the pile starting.

My book club just finished reading “The Fault in our Stars” by John Greene this month. What a great inspirational story about a girl falling in love while being sick with cancer. A tear-jerker in the end, but worth every tear. A definitely must read this year, great for the beach. It’s one of the fastest reads I have read in a while. I went through easy-breezy in a week, though some of the girls in book club said one day and they were done. It’s that great.

“Feeling the Shoulder of the Lion”, while not a light read, it supposed to help with the ego and open us up to the universe and our spiritual being. We all need to work on ourselves, all the time.

And after digesting all those books, light and not so, here’s one you can really consume this summer. Mrs. Lilien is one of my favorite lifestyle blogs around. And it’s only fitting that she came out with her first book, a “Cocktail Swatchbook” with delightful cocktails to flip through and make. It’s not out until the end of May, but worth adding to the list. I know it’s on mine.

What’s on your summer reading list? Recommendations?

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