Chicago Thrift Store | Kyoto, Japan

One of my favorite things to do is go thrift store shopping. I've been thrifting way before Macklemore made it popular. Ever since I can remember, my mom and I would spend Saturday mornings scouring thrift stores for little treasures. It's something that I've always done and continue to do to this day. Most of the things I own are from thrift stores. I love one of a kind things and especially when they are at a low cost. When we travel abroad, I always look for secondhand shops.

Japan is one of the best countries for this. They've really embraced the culture and there are heaps of thrift stores. When we were Kyoto we randomly found Chicago Thrift Store, which also has a location in Tokyo. When I saw it, it was like destiny and we immediately went in. Everything was really awesome and there was ton to choose from. The prices were really reasonable and affordable. I wanted to buy everything, but I controlled myself. I ended up buying on really amazing dress and a super sweet shirt for Markus. Overall it was a great experience and if you're ever in Kyoto, make sure to check it out for sweet vintage finds!

Wendell Smith Restaurant | Nashville, Tennessee

While in Nashville, Markus and I were determined to get some Southern food. Being in Korea for two years, you start to crave it. The closest is Korean BBQ and while it is delicious it really can't fulfill that craving. For dinner we wanted to eat somewhere inexpensive and well known. I read lots of reviews about Wendell Smith. It's definitley a dive, which I love.We went around 5pm so it was filled to the brim with the elderly there for the early bird special. I think we were the only ones there that didn't have white or gray hair. It was pretty awesome.

All three of us decided to order a "meat and three" which is exactly what it sounds like. We tried to get a wide variety of sides, my cousin Joy even ordering this weird fruit jello concoction.  Before we knew it, our table was filled to the brim with heaps and heaps of food. For the most part, it was good but it wasn't to die for. The fried fish and hush puppies were really tasty, but it's hard to ruin fried food. The fruit jello was exactly what I thought it would be, terrifying. I tasted a little and couldn't continue. It reminded me of hospital food. Everything else was just okay. If I were to go back to Nashville, I probably wouldn't go back and would try another dive. It's definitley worth a try if you're in the area, but it left me wondering if there were other delicious places.

Day One: Wandering the Streets | Kyoto, Japan

Markus and I spent seven wonderful days in Kyoto. Those seven days were completely planned out. Almost every hour was accounted for, but I did leave us some exploring time. We spent most of our first day getting lost on the streets near our hotel. We didn't have a plan and we stopped at anywhere that interested us. Kyoto is such a beautiful city that begs to be photographed. I didn't disappoint and snapped heaps of photos. It's definitley my favorite city in Japan. It's one of those places that my heart will always long for and I can't wait for the day that we can go back and get lost on the streets again. 

Jurassic Park Car | Nashville, Tennesse

When Markus and I were in Nashville with my cousin Joy, something exciting and a bit strange happened. After we spent the day in the city, we drove back to our hotel. Along the way, I spied a Jurassic Park car at a stoplight. Since Markus is a huge dinosaur fanatic, I tried my best to get a photo from the other side of the street. Joy decided that a photo in the car wasn't enough and she decided to follow the car.  Total stalkers I know! We tailed the car all the way to a nearby shopping mall and asked the driver to pull over.

The driver was really nice and said that people follow him all the time. He actually made his car like that as a way to advertise his film project, Jurassic Park: Origins. They're basically trying to raise money for a film that will tell the back story of Jurassic Park. It's mainly focusing on the creation of the dinosaurs, scientific challenges and the moral and ethical struggles. It's a pretty cool project, so you guys should definitley check it out! I never thought we would come across something like this in Nashville. This is why road trips are the best!

Mommyo & Me

Mommyo and I quickly took these photos the last day she was in Chicago. When I came back to Tampa after two years, we really wanted to do Glamour Shots. We've done them twice and we thought it would be hilarious to do them again. Sadly, there wasn't a location in Tampa and we had to forgo that dream. At least we have these. They might not be up to the caliber of Glamour Shots, but they'll do just fine.