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Japan Trip Photo Diary: Osaka, Tokyo, and Kyoto

January 22, 2019 Filed Under: style

When my work announced that they were closing the office for a whole week this summer, I decided to go on vacation with my mom and brother to Shanghai, China and a bunch of cities in Japan. Jared even got to join us in Japan after some meetings. I posted a bunch of Instagram stories from the trip and photos here and there but never did a trip post. Finally, this will stop hanging over my head and I can cross it off my list of things to post. Whew. By the way, I did share the beauty products I bought in Japan if you’re into that kind of thing.

dotonbori canal osaka japan — Some of the best food we had was found while exploring the Dotonbori street which runs parallel to the canal pictured above. It’s a bustling area that is filled with tons of small food stalls, restaurants, and shops. I highly recommend getting some takoyaki here!

omu soba in osaka japan dotonbori — Omu-rice or omu-soba was another fun thing we ordered in Osaka. This is an omelette filled with either rice or yakisoba noodles.

osaka castle japan — Osaka Castle was beautiful! The area is not very shaded so you will definitely want to bring an umbrella or wear a hat in the summertime. It was extremely hot in Japan in July and the humidity is no joke!

So. Many. Temples. Japan is filled with them and visiting a few temples and shrines is a must.

We randomly found this while in Ginza and it was SO awesome. This particular day it was pouring rain so we took shelter in the various shopping centers, like Ginza Six. Ginza has the most luxurious stores and high end shopping in the area so you’ll get to see the world’s largest UNIQLO, the fanciest A&F, and more. This rooftop is free to access and is a plant oasis in the middle of skyscrapers.

I wish I remembered the name of this place but this conveyer belt sushi restaurant is near Kyoto Station. Hands down, this was the best conveyer belt sushi I’ve ever had. The fish was amazing quality yet CHEAP. We had a lot of fun ordering sushi off the tablets and having it shoot out to us!

This might be weird to post but I was obsessed with the PINK fridge in our Kyoto Airbnb. Kyoto is one of those cities that is great to stay at a house because it is slower paced, you can live like a local, and actually has grocery stores around in case you want to cook. Make no mistake, although we cooked a meal or two, we still went to the convenience stores several times a day. I am obsessed with Japanese convenience stores and drugstores and will make a trip back one day just to eat, drink, and shop. (Why are sandwiches so much better in Japan??)

Fun crepes in Harajuku which is as crazy overwhelming as you think it would be.

You must get pancakes in Japan. So fluffy and put American pancakes to shame.

I know ferris wheels aren’t exactly iconic in cities anymore but ok…this rainbow one in Odaiba is just the cutest! The rest of the photos below are from the teamLab Borderless museum. I have recommended this to tons of people after going because it’s really fun. For the price, it is worth a visit. Something like this would be super expensive in LA or Seattle I think! It is right by the ferris wheel and you take a cool train from Tokyo’s city center to get here. Make sure you reserve tickets early!

The reality of Instagram…imagine how long it took to get the snap below hahaha

I took sooo many photos from this trip and have learned my lesson – I’ll try to edit photos earlier on :) The overwhelm of documenting things but wanting to live in the moment is also something that I struggle with. For now, this is all I’m going to share but maybe I’ll share more in the future!

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On 2019 Goals, Instagram/Blog Breaks, and More

January 14, 2019 Filed Under: life

After NYE, I was determined to get a blog post written and published within the first few days of 2019. Coming back from a hiatus is incredibly difficult because you feel like there’s so much to catch everyone up on – where do you even begin? I posted on Instagram about not knowing how to write a blog post again and my friend Becca said to just start writing and then edit later. So that’s what I’m going to attempt here. (ETA: I definitely started editing before finishing my thoughts, but I really tried!!)

I felt a bit of guilt but mostly I felt thankful for some breathing room in this area of my life that I totally control. Blogging isn’t my full time job as you all know so I can more easily take a step back when I need to. My day job has been very demanding, wedding planning is definitely stressful, and there are plenty of other life things taking the bulk of my time these days.

I also took about half a month off of posting on Instagram which felt nice too. There’s always pressure to post consistently but I wasn’t feeling inspired as much as I did pressured to. Something I’m working on is sharing more of my everyday, which starts with embracing that I don’t always have to post things that I consider to be super exciting.

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2019 Goals

I know no one really cares to read another blog post about someone’s 2019 goals and I don’t really want to write about all of them anyway. There are a few that I wanted to share though because they will likely be a part of some content on my blog and social media.

Working out more. I’m going to be testing out Classpass soon to see how that goes because I think classes will keep me motivated. Plus, paying for a membership is one way to keep me accountable haha.
Prioritizing my wellbeing and mental health. As I learn how to take better care of my body, my mind, and my faith…I might share some of that here.
Being more real and raw in my online presence. This one feels uncomfortable in a world that consumes tons of content everyday. Sometimes I think – who even cares? Are people even reading this if I pour my heart out? And then how much is too much when it comes to sharing?

Wedding Planning

I’m not going to lie, wedding planning is a crazy process. Especially in Seattle. There are so many couples getting married and only so many venues, vendors, and dates. It’s a lot of money, coordination, and decisions. Oh my gosh, the decisions. I always knew I don’t like making decisions but this process has definitely confirmed that for me again.

Not being absolutely enthused about the planning process made me feel like there was something wrong with me. Don’t girls dream about their big day their whole lives? Isn’t this supposed to be the most magical time of my life? Quite honestly, I think that’s a load of BS fed to us from the media and maybe the industry. Being married is what I’m most excited for! So if any of you future brides out there are also feeling overwhelm and stress for the big day, I hear you. You are NOT alone and it’s perfectly okay if you don’t feel like this is a fairy tale.

Books I’ve Been Reading

Final Girls by Riley Sager – I normally don’t like books that flip back and forth between the past and present but with this one, it was really well done. There were some crazy twists near the end of the book that actually got me!! I read this in basically three sittings which is pretty good considering my attention span with books when I’m not traveling. Highly recommend if you like a good mysterious thriller with plot twists.

The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine – I’m still making my way through this one but I think I’m going to enjoy it. It’s not as dark as the other books I usually read (yet), the chapters are short, and it’s filled with pop culture references. So – this one is a nice, easy read so far. I’m intrigued for sure!

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris – I read this in one sitting while traveling and it was so fun. Definitely a dark story but there’s a great ending at least! This book goes by super fast so if you need something for a flight, for example, I would definitely order this one.

Upcoming Travel

We’re going to Victoria B.C. for a long weekend next month! I’m so excited to explore the city again with Jared, since he’s never been. We have a fun partnership in the works for the trip but it originated as one of my gifts to Jared for Christmas! I’m looking forward to a relaxing time and itching to travel again. Our trip to Vegas this month actually got canceled (or rather, postponed to an undecided date) because of some crazy drama at the hotel! Long story that I probably can’t talk about it publicly but I will definitely write more about it if we do get to go at the later date!

What do you want to see more of on my blog?

I have a brief survey here – none of the questions are required so feel free to fill out what you wish. It will take 1 minute tops unless you like to top a lot like me. Also, it’s anonymous. I think. Thanks friends!!

ReachNow Ride for Date Night in Seattle

November 15, 2018 Filed Under: seattle

Ask any of my friends and family, they will tell you that I hate driving. Especially in Seattle. Living in Capitol Hill means I’m close to public transportation and within walking distance of a lot of my favorite spots so luckily I don’t even have to drive. Whenever I’m headed somewhere just a bit outside of my neighborhood or downtown Seattle, it can pose a challenge to not drive. Yes, not having a car allows me to skip the hassle (and cost) of parking but I often spend a lot more time taking the bus or walking. When I’m in a pinch, rideshares are my jam but I’ve also had a few less than desirable experiences with those. Haven’t we all?

One of the coolest ride services I’ve had the opportunity to experience is ReachNow Ride. Although I’m new to ReachNow Ride, I’m not new to ReachNow! Jared and I love the ReachNow fleet of cars and have enjoyed using them for rides around the city, especially after I got rid of my car. I enjoy them as the passenger, of course, while Jared drives :) When we found out how unique ReachNow Ride is, we were super excited to test it out on date night!

reachnow ride seattle review

Why ReachNow Ride?

First of all…I can’t pick which feature is my favorite. I legitimately think the masterminds behind this service were on the same wavelength as me because they are right up my alley!! First of all, the important stuff: complimentary amenities. ReachNow has free Voss water, candy, and charging cables in the backseat of every Ride. There is no surge pricing, ever. (Say what???) You can also personalize your Ride by selecting a radio station and preferred temperature before the driver even arrives. For all of you fellow travelers who hate small talk with your driver, you’re going to love the app because it also allows you to select Quiet Mode for your Ride. My dream come true, honestly.

I like that you can pre-schedule a Ride, that you’ll get picked up in either a BMW X1 or 3-series, and you know the driver is going to be professional and the car clean. That is a game changer because I have been unpleasantly surprised a few too many times with other types of ride options while getting around Seattle. reachnow ride complimentary amenities

Try ReachNow Ride with $5 off!

I am excited about ReachNow Ride and want you to try it out too! You can get $5 off your Ride by using the code: RideWithGrace. Let me know how you like it afterwards!!

In the future, I am also going to be keeping my eye on their promotions. I found out about this promo on my own and wasn’t asked to share this but for Thanksgiving there is a promo to rent a car for five days for only $250! Jared and I love to travel as you guys know and this would be perfect for our next road trip!

reachnow ride discount code seattle

Thanks as always for reading and for considering supporting the businesses that I truly love! P.S. If you’re wondering where we went for date night, we ventured to Green Lake for a gorgeous sunset and some Italian food at Lucia – which is where we went for an anniversary dinner when we were in college!

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Thank you ReachNow for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.