Leavin' on a Jet Plane

(Neutrogena Ageless Essentials Continuous Eye Cream, Boscia Clear Complexion Tonic Face Refresher, Alexander McQueen scarf, All Saints cardigan, Bassike organic cotton t-shirt, Ruby & Ed sleep mask*, Helmut Lang denim leggings, Oscar Blandi dry shampoo spray, Sony PSP Go, YSL lamb leather bowler bag, Elle Japan, Jean Yu silk-satin bra, MAC lipstick in Crosswires, Maybelline Volume Express mascara, Philosophy blush compact, Natalia Brilli bracelet, Valentino sandals)

*I never wear a sleep mask on a plane, but I like the idea and this one is cute.

Tomorrow I'm leaving for Chicago, which is normally a 12-hour flight, but I was late and couldn't get a seat on the direct flight so I have to transfer in San Francisco, turning 12 hours to 17. 12 hours is rough enough.

Regardless, being comfortable on such a long flight is my main priority and I've naturally put a lot of thought into it. Denim leggings (I will never say the j-word) are perfect in maintaining a casual chic look while still being completely comfortable. A loose t-shirt and barely there bra are also key in this. Planes have a tendency of being ice cold, so I always bring a cardigan and/or big scarf along onboard (which can also easily turn into an extra pillow if needed). As for shoes, I usually opt for flats as long as they're cute, make me look good, and are easy to take on and off.

The bag, of course, needs to be big enough for all my personal entertainment and in-flight necessities, while still being awesome. I always bring a magazine, book, and some sort of handheld gaming device...though I've unfortunately lost my DS somewhere in my apartment. The air in planes is very dry, so on long flights I make sure to bring along some undereye cream as well as some kind of skin refresher (sprays work best for quick, mess-free application) to keep my skin moisturized. I always seem to break out a bit on planes, so one that promises a clear complexion doesn't hurt.
If you want to look fresh when you step off the jumbo jet, bring along some dry shampoo for a quick touch-up. Although an aerosol can admittedly wouldn't be ideal to try and bring through security.

I don't like wearing makeup for long periods of time whether I'm on a plane or not, so I take it easy. A swipe of mascara and lipstick, and a bit of blush (I'm so pale that I look like a corpse without a little color), and I'm good to go.

What are your must-haves when you have a long flight ahead of you?

It's Getting Hot in the Cityyy...

(Photo from the G-Staff Blog )

The sweltering summer heat and humidity is in full effect and here to stay until sometime in October...this calls for eating salted watermelon with friends, daytrips to the beach, guzzling cold mugi-cha (barley tea), and spending lazy afternoons in cafes with a book and a tall glass of iced coffee.

I love summer. ♥

Next week I'm headed to Chicago for two weeks...I'm sure I'll get homesick for Tokyo, but I'm looking forward to escaping the humidity for awhile. It's pretty brutal and I'm sure my fan could use a break, too.

Rain Keeps Falling on my Head...

(Clockwise: Hunter x Jimmy Choo, KORS by Michael Kors, Chooka, Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Kate Spade, Givenchy, Vivienne Westwood, YSL)

With the rainy season upon us, it's time for me to temporarily put away my favorite suede, silk, and cloth shoes and bring out the rubbers. Of course, this time of year is the perfect excuse to stay at home sleeping in or curl up on the couch, slowly making your way through your entire book collection, going to the movies, sitting in cafes for hours, and department store shopping (the rainy season is devastating on your wallet, you see).

But sometimes you do need to go outside, and when the time comes, rubber shoes can be your best friends while maneuvering through the thousands of puddles on crowded sidewalks.

The obvious choice for any rainy day are rain boots, of course. Luckily more and more designers have started rolling them out, so they're not the boring fishermen variety of years past. A lot of them even have heels now, which I absolutely love.

However, it IS summer and it's insanely humid, so sometimes I just don't want to stick my feet into muggy boots all day, you know? This is where the wonderful world of rubber sandals comes in. And there are a lot of good ones. I'm seriously lusting after the KORS, Dolce & Gabbana, and Givenchy rubbers above.

My only dilemma is that I hate the squeakiness that comes along with rubber shoes when you go inside...

Rainy Day

(Sorry, I can't remember where I got all these photos; just digging through my interiors folder)

With the warm weather finally here to stay, I'm getting a little stir-crazy in my shoebox of an apartment and dreaming of one that's higher up with more sunshine, more of a breeze (not much of either on the 2nd floor when your building is surrounded by huge office buildings), and more room.
I really can't stand too much clutter so usually opt for a sleeker, cleaner space. Maybe that's just the OCD in me. I also arrange my books by size, my closet by item, have a fridge that looks like a game of Tetris, and tap my toothbrush twelve times after brushing. But hey, that's just who I am. Bless the people in my life for putting up with me, hah.

1) Loving the open kitchen (mine's almost literally a closet in the hallway) and the zebra accents...my apartment needs some zebra.

2) I may kill for the bookshelf wallpaper and hot pink table. Since seeing this picture, I've really been on the hunt for a pink table. I'd love a bookcase but there's barely room for a garbage can in here so I think bookcase wallpaper would be perfect.

3) Plain and simple, I want a lace blanket.

4) Longing for a vanity.

5) Dark floors + light walls + lots of light = my home interior weakness.

6) It kind of reminds me of an old hospital, but that's cool.

Mindless May

I have been in suchhh a fashion rut the last month. I literally lounge in my pajamas until the last second, then throw on the nearest dress that I can find and a cardigan if necessary, and head out.

At the very least I can say that I've reached the point where heels are more comfortable than flats. That's nice.

Uhhhh so Golden Week was spent hanging around Tokyo, going to boat races crowded with old men and gangsters (I was almost literally the only female there), cat cafes, and hitting up Costco for unnecessary amounts of cheese and chocolate-covered pretzels. Then we roadtripped to Tsurumi to pick up two of our friends and drove to Atami for two days of that fresh mountain-meets-sea air, stopping in Hakone and Odawara on the way. Good times. But I have to say that I love having a 7-11 across the street versus having to literally walk 20 minutes down a mountain. The hike back up was killer, but the chu-his we bought got us through it just fine.

There was a private onsen set into the mountainside, overlooking Atami city and the ocean. It was absolutely gorgeous and the alotted 30 minutes went much too quickly. I hope we can go back sometime. I love Atami.

I got a new job soooooo I've been super busy juggling everything. Pretty much starting a whole new life. It's about time, I need to get myself together.

OH. And heading to Chicago for two weeks in July. I'm beyond excited for that, it's been over a year already.

I promise that my next post will be soon, and much more interesting. Sorry for my rambling! I'll leave you with some random pictures. iPhone dumping.

(Hanging out on top of the Mori Building in Roppongi)

(Nighttime hangouts at Odaiba Park with gorgeous views of the Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower)

(Thai and Burberry for White Day ♥ )


(I took a cooking class at ABC Studios and was full for like...two days. Never again.)



(My favorite cat at the cafe...I seriously contemplated kidnapping him.)