such an endearing photograph. 

the laughter, the love, it makes me smile. 

2011 highlights:
(in no particular order)

1. italy
2. italy with Dylan
3. graduation
4. visiting my bestie in Berkeley
5. celebrating our second New Years as a couple
6. pounding mochi with my Abuelita
7. spending more time with my family, in general
8. SF/SLO roadtrip with Dylan
9. going to Whistler and VanCity
10. being healthy, body and mind.


2012-- 'things to do'

1. be more patient
2. read more books and newspapers
3. go to another country for an extended amount of time, to work?
4. stay positive; optimism is key in life!
5. go on a cruise
6. become better in japanese
7. do more yoga/meditate
8. take more photos; they capture moments in time better than anything else.
9. be more open-minded
10. follow your heart

photo credit

relied so much on this blog during my time in London; and now they've come out with a new book! hooray! 

the book is full of great places to go to in London, just like its namesake website. it's what kept me continuously fascinated with that wonderful city, and it's also what's keeping me longing to go back. 

hello, what other city in the world has a sailortown? 

or what about finding out about yet another fantastic coffee shop? 

or the opportunity to leave the fast-paced, sky-scraper-filled city center to enjoy a wonderful winter walk among the English countryside? 

just saying, folks. 

first and foremost, merry belated christmas! 

i apologize for the lack of Christmas post; i was away in the lovely British Columbia (for the first time in my life!) celebrating a beautiful white Christmas holiday. being in a colder place during this season really makes you much more cheerier in such dreary weather. my favorite part is the sudden bursts of colorful dots of lights stringing along shops, streetlamps, trees, houses... at every turn there is something magical to behold! you definitely don't get such festivities here at home.

and finally, of course, happy 2012 everybody! 

my new years was spent with family and friends, surrounded by lots and lots of food and love (and booze, so classy!). my dad's birthday is january first, so every new years i am almost always with them for the countdown. and coming from a japanese ancestry, in our culture it is probably one of the most significant holidays of the year. as a result, our new years isn't an excuse just to sit and drink and be merry, it's a time to be together, eat special japanese new years food, and sit and drink and be merry. and alllll this on top of celebrating my father's birthday. it's probably one of my favorite times to be a part of my family; it's usually when family from all over the place all come to our house and get together and just be around each other. while this year was a little smaller than usual, it was still so wonderful nonetheless, and i am so grateful to be blessed with everyone in my life. 

unfortunately due to my grandmother having taken over my room during her stay, i wont be able to look for my list of 'things to do' for 2011, so i can't see if i was able to do everything that i had wanted to do in the past year. i suppose that will have to wait for another day. the 2012 version will follow suit, so stay tuned! it'll be helpful if you should decide to write one too! :)