Happy List | 21

As always, life has been busy. But it has also been really, really good. 

Here's my latest happy list:

+ Trips to the winery that we are members at (especially when friends can come along!)

+ Going for walks at our favorite trail along the creek

+ Morning coffee dates at a local outdoor coffee shop

+ Dinners out with my coworkers

+ Seeing the sunrise when I drive to the gym in the morning

+ The anticipation of our trip to Hawaii (less than two weeks away!!)

+ The signs of fall present in my neighborhood now

+ Going to book club on Halloween night and meeting new people

+ Our Halloween tradition of going to Chipotle in costumes for free/discounted meals

+ One Bars (maple donut and peanut butter pie are my favs)

+ My new ridiculously comfortable mattress

+ Working from home three days in a row last week

+ Having dinner at my friend Nathalie's house and making plans for a fun project we are working on together

+ Marly in his donut cone

+ Sheet masks from Whole Foods

+ Watching Gilmore Girls with Dai (it's the best and makes my heart so happy)

What has been making you happy lately?

There are fires happening north of the Bay Area, so all of the Bay Area is currently filled with smoke. It has been kind of crazy, actually. Looks like we will all be staying inside as much as possible until further notice!

Life Lately | Fall

While I do enjoy November, October is arguably one of my most favorite months of the year and I am a little sad to see it go. But then again, I have a tendency to say that about most months from about May through December (yes, this means that in my books, January through April generally suck. Except the parts in January where we celebrate my birthday).

This year, I sadly haven't been up to many "fall-ish" activities like usual. Sure, I've had my fair share of pumpkin spice iced coffee and I did stop at a pumpkin patch for about a total of 5 minutes, but other than that...we haven't done much celebrating of this favorite (ok, probably second favorite) season of mine. Don't fret! There is still time to light the fall candles, sip tea in my favorite chair, and awe at the changing leaves.

Fall has a tendency to make me nostalgic for some reason. Anyone else? Maybe it is life generally slowing down from the busy-ness of summer fun, but each time late September or early October rolls around, I find myself being reflective about life and wanting to watch comforting shows that I have loved for years (like Gilmore Girls and How I Met Your Mother, my go-to's).

Here are some things we have done/that have happened so far this fall:
- I went out to the Sacramento area to visit my animal-loving aunt
- Someone rear-ended me in my beautiful new car (all is well now though!)
- We went to San Diego for my dad and uncle's surprise 65th birthday party
- Dai and I played on a new co-ed softball team together, our second team we've been on together
- I got into a great workout/healthy(ish) eating routine that I love
- Dai's kitchen flooded and is in the process of being repaired/remodeled/AKA everything is chaos
- I finished some cool projects at work that I am pretty proud of
- We went to a live show of the My Favorite Murder podcast (my fave!!!)
- Dai and I went on a mini weekend trip to Sonoma to celebrate a close family friend's birthday
- At work we had a week of workshops/meetings where we got our whole team together in one location (we all work across the country) and had lots of fun going to dinner every evening
- I discovered I love sheet masks
- We went on some nice dates
- I've read some good books
- We went out for a wine tasting day with my friend Nathalie and her boyfriend
- I've hardly slept in my own bed
- I forgot to go to jury duty and had a small panic attack about it (it all worked out though!)


We technically still have nearly two months of fall left, so we shall see what else happens :)

How has your fall been?

Happy List | 20

I've been spending a lot of time alone lately, but it has actually been pretty good for me. I've had some moments to reflect on how life has been going and its just all around bee nice to have a little space alone with my thoughts. During this time, I decided a new happy list was due!

My Favorite South Bay Area Coffee Shops

If you know me or even just follow me on Instagram, you know that I take my coffee pretty seriously and am always on the hunt for a cool coffee shop to check out. I've been to a lot of coffee shops both local and along the way on my travels. Now it's time for me to share some of the wisdom I have gained through my coffee testing trials and fill you in on what the best coffee shops in the South Bay Area are (AKA San Jose/Santa Clara). I couldn't narrow it down to just what the best coffee shops in the entire Bay Area are because, quite frankly, I don't think I've tried enough of them. I know, shocking, right? But I haven't given the coffee shops in Oakland or Berkeley their fair shot at winning me over, so I didn't feel right about narrowing it down that much. I guess I know what my future coffee goal is!

Anyway, if you live in the Bay Area or somehow find yourself here, these are the coffee shops in the South Bay I think you should check out!

July Goals

Hello, July! Here we are, halfway through 2018 already! Feels really strange when you put it like that. 2018 has been an interesting year so far, but I am hoping that the rest of the year won't be quite as hectic!

Life Lately | June

June. Somehow I blinked and it was already June. It seems like I was just curling up inside, hiding from the cold, and now I am planning a summer of outdoor adventures and time spent by the pool. Time can be a funny thing.

I hate that it always seems that when I pop back up here in this space, it has been so long that I feel the need to update you on what has been going on in my life. But alas, here we are again, virtually strangers. Let's see...the last you heard from me was April, the 19th to be exact. This was shortly after I had returned from spending some time in San Diego and had bought a new car. I had also shared just a bit about my dad's health problems that we were learning about at the time.

Since then, my dad has had quadruple bypass open heart surgery and is recovering very well. We had no idea that the blockage that was found in his arteries would end up being something so extreme, but we are all glad that this was caught early enough and that he was able to quickly act and have the surgery. I spent another two weeks down in San Diego at the beginning of May to be with him and my family during the surgery and those first weeks of recovery. The time leading up to the surgery was definitely stressful and scary and took an emotional toll on me and my family, but once he was out of surgery and awake, we could all let out a breath of relief. He went home after 5 days in the hospital and has been doing really great ever since. He will be going through a lengthy rehab process, but we all feel very blessed that it went so well and that he is back to being like him old self again, which didn't take long at all :)

Literally right after I got home from San Diego, I took a short nap and then went off to see Taylor Swift! I was gifted a ticket from my close family friends for Christmas and I had been waiting since then for the day to finally arrive. I wasn't really sure what to expect from Taylor in concert, especially since I have been a fan for 10 years and her style has changed so much since then, but my MIND WAS BLOWN. It was honestly more than I could have ever even imagined. Say what you want about Taylor Swift, but that girl is TALENTED. And passionate. And pretty all around amazing if you ask me. I really wasn't into her latest album when it came out, but after seeing her perform most of it live and understanding the context of it all more...I really see that Taylor is still the same Taylor, but she has just grown and developed. It was such an amazing night and I am so happy I finally got to see her perform live!

Less than a week after I returned from San Diego and saw Taylor Swift, Dai (remember him? my cute Japanese boyfriend??) and I flew up to Seattle for a weekend away with our two friends who are also a couple. I plan on sharing more about our trip, but for now I will just say that we had a really fun time and that even though I had been to Seattle twice before, I saw it from a different perspective.

In the few weeks since our Seattle adventure, Dai and I have both been just trying to relax and get a handle on life, really. I've been doing things around my apartment and trying to feel organized again. I'm adjusting back to my work week routine of actually going into the office more regularly, rather than working from the hospital, my dad's house, Seattle, coffee shops, wherever there's wifi... We stayed local for Memorial Day and just did whatever we felt like doing, like going to Santa Cruz for brunch and to play on the beach with Marly, and having my family over for a BBQ. Last weekend we went on a hike in San Francisco and I had a day of solo adventuring. This past weekend we went to the county fair and to see Ocean's 8 (loved it!).

It's been getting warm out and I've been enjoying the taste of summer that we have been experiencing here in San Jose. I can't wait for more weekends of relaxing by my pool and mixing up summer cocktails to enjoy while I do so. We have some fun things planned for the coming months and we are determined to have an amazing summer.

Well, that's pretty much all that's been going on in life lately. On Wednesday I am flying down to San Diego (with my Marly!) for a long weekend and will work for part of the time I'm there and will hang out with my family the rest. I'm looking forward to seeing my people and spending Father's Day with my dad for the first time in a few years!

How has life been for you? Do you have anything fun planned?

P.S. I also chopped my hair off while I was in San Diego in May and I am LOVING my shorter hair. It is so fun and feels much healthier! I just needed a change and decided to go for it.

Happy List | 19

Happy Thursday, friends! Thursday is pretty great in that it's-almost-friday kind of way, right?! Like the last several weeks, this week flew by. We spent last weekend down in LA with Dai's sister and nephew (and parents who were visiting from Japan) since they were getting ready to move to Hawaii this week, so after getting home late Sunday evening, we had to jump straight into the work week.

Life has been moving quickly lately, but it has also been really good in many ways. Through the busy-ness and curveballs, I've been trying to do my best to savor the little things that make me smile.

The Lights Festival + Video!

A few weekends ago, Dai and I took a little day trip about 2.5 hours north of the Bay Area to attend a lantern festival called The Lights Fest. I really wasn't sure what to expect from this, but some of Dai's coworkers invited us to come along so I said yes to the adventure. I am so glad I did.

My Favorite Skincare Products

As I've been getting a little older and am no longer in school (AKA survival mode), I've been trying to overall take better care of myself. It is no secret that the key to looking youthful is taking care of your skin, so I've been upping my skincare game little by little.

Here are some of my favorite products that I've added to my routine over the last several months or so.

If We Had Coffee | 5

If we had coffee... We'd probably meet at Big Mug and I'd be indecisive about what to get, debating if I should try something new, before just ordering what I really wanted: an extra hot vanilla latte.

We'd sit down on the wooden benches with a small table between us. I'd tell you with a sigh how hectic the past month and a half has been. I'd tell you all about how my car simply stopped in the middle of the road when Dai and I were arriving at his sister's house in LA at nearly 2am, and how after getting it safely parked, we were never able to get it started again. I'd tell you all about my dad and sister coming to LA to rescue me and how we towed my car 100 miles with a U-Haul moving truck and trailer (because of course we couldn't just rent a pickup truck and instead needed to get a whole, empty moving truck) to a mechanic near my dad's house, only to find out that my car was officially done. Oh, and I'd mention how we had to get my car up on the trailer in a tight one-way street, in the rain. We'd both have a laugh about the ridiculousness of the whole thing, now but a distant story to laugh at even though it was just a month ago.

With a big smile on my face, I'd gush about the silver lining that came out of that messy situation: my beautiful new car. I'd tell you how much I love it and how it is a little crazy how much someone can love a car. I'd tell you how I was planning to keep my trusty PT Cruiser for a couple more years while I saved money, and that while of course it would have been nice to have a new car, that I was really thankful to have a car at all, so it was quite a surprise and a treat to get my pretty Nissan Rogue.

My Homemade Jewelry Hanger

When I moved into my apartment a year and a half ago, I knew that I needed some way to organize and beautifully display my jewelry. I searched online, but didn't really find anything that I liked, so I started sketching out some ideas. One trip to Home Depot later, I had everything I needed to start building my perfect jewelry hanger.

Outfit | Pretty in Pink

Happy Wednesday, friends! We've made it halfway through the week already (or, finally, some of you may also be thinking haha). For me, Wednesdays are one of my favorite days of the week, particularly because I usually work from home. I can typically work from home two days per week and have discovered that Wednesdays and Fridays work best for me. From the recharge I get from the weekend, I am able to power through Mondays and Tuesdays pretty well, especially knowing that I can take it slow on Wednesday (I can sleep in later, no commuting in traffic, I can wear comfy clothes all day, etc). Then, I head into Thursday feeling good from being at home the day before and knowing that the next day I will be at home too, and then *boom* it's the weekend again! It's honestly a pretty sweet schedule and I really enjoy the flexibility that it gives me. I know that I am lucky because not all jobs and companies allow this! 

February Goals

Happy February, friends! Wow, here we are, already one month down for 2018. As I've said before, I actually love January, but man did that feel like the longest month to you too?! A new month has begun and I am looking forward to what it will bring. The past few days, things have just felt a little different. Winter already seems to be slipping away here in California and we have been having nice, sunny days. I've been working from home with the windows open and have been taking nice walks outside with my pup, Marly.

My Favorite Podcasts

Over the past few years I have really come to love podcasts. When I first discovered podcasts, I was doing a lot of driving (still do!) and they became my company during my daily commute to school and work. I also would continue listening as I walked from class to class on my college campus. It was like I had little friends with me!

A Whole New Look!

Break open that bottle of wine you've been saving! Or, maybe just get some coffee since I'm not exactly writing this at 5 o'clock... At any rate, I'm excited to show you all the new facelift that this old blog of mine got! You might have already noticed since you are here reading this post ;)

Happy List | 18

I know for a lot of people that January can be a pretty dull month. For me though, it is always one of my favorites. I enjoy the start of a new year and of course, I love my birthday! We always end up having a great month filled with fun things going on.

Adventure | San Luis Obispo Mini Getaway

The day after my birthday a couple weeks ago, we decided to keep the celebrating going and head down to the little town of San Luis Obispo for a short weekend adventure. We took the day (Friday) off of work and hopped in the car for the 3 hour drive down south.

2018 Goals

Happy New Year! We are officially a week into the new year and now all the holiday festivities (including my birthday week!) are really over... I figured it was time to sit down to reflect on 2017 and think about where I want to go in 2018.

Palm Springs

In August, Dai and I visited Palm Springs for the very first time. We decided to spend this little weekend away relaxing in the desert to celebrate his 30th birthday (and our 6th anniversary that was a few days later!). Palm Springs has been on my list of places to visit for a few years now and it amazes me that we didn't make it until this summer. It is in California after all, and only about an hour from my dad's house!

As you may know, I have this sliiiiight obsession with cute houses and all things mid-century modern. For someone like me, Palm Springs is pretty much paradise.

We opted to stay at the Marriott Desert Springs Villas in Palm Desert rather than directly in Palm Springs and absolutely loved it! While one day I would love to stay at a cool, retro hotel in the heart of Palm Springs, this resort was a relaxing oasis for us, which was exactly what we needed on this trip.
We stayed for two nights and spent our one full day lounging in the pool (because there is no lounging by the pool when it's 110 degrees out!), sipping on drinks, and laughing together. We went out to Babe's BBQ for a special birthday dinner, which was so very yummy!

We spent our evening drinking Moscow mules in the coper mugs I got Dai for his birthday and watching Master Chef on my laptop, which really is our kind of low key night. On our way out of town, we also stopped at a coffee shop in downtown Palm Springs, because how could I go somewhere new and not find a coffee shop to try?

This desert sunset was unlike any I had ever seen before. There is just something special about all of the open space, mountains, and palm tree silhouettes.

All of the awesome, unique houses made my heart so happy. I truly felt like a kid in a candy store! Thankfully Dai was pretty patient with me and let me drive around the neighborhoods and hop out every time I saw a house that I just had to have a photo of (which was like every few feet haha).
This was definitely such a nice little trip for us and we are already dreaming of going back next spring or summer. It was a weekend of pure relaxation, which we totally need sometimes! Our trips are usually packed with activities and things to see, but this was different and a welcomed change. We both felt so refreshed after these couple days in the desert.

Can't wait for our next visit!

Labor Day Weekend Getaway

The week before Labor Day, Dai casually suggested that we drive down to LA to see his sister and nephew for the holiday weekend. After gushing over recent photos of his 2-year-old nephew floating around in the family group text, Dai was really itching to see that boy. We didn't have any plans for the weekend and neither of us mind the 6 hour drive too much, so I said why not? Plus, I know what it is like to miss my nephews and always feel like they are growing up so fast, so I want to support every opportunity for Dai to bond with his own nephew :)

Friday was the last day of my internship (bittersweet, but more on that later...) and I immediately went home to pack for our weekend road trip. We hit the road later that evening and arrived tired at Dai's sister's doorstep at 2am.

We mostly did just normal, low-key things like go to the farmer's market, hit up the gluten-free bakery we love, check out a coffee shop, go to the biggest Whole Foods we have ever seen, eat lunch at Porto's (a local fave!), go to the beach for a swim, take Marly to the dog park, and make a Costco run. Dai and I also had dinner with two of his childhood friends who live in LA, so that was pretty special too!

The one thing I was not too fond of was how HOT it was alllllll weekend. A major heat wave swept the Bay Area this past weekend, but I was not expecting it to be so grossly hot and humid LA since the weather leading up to that weekend had looked pretty moderate. Anyway, Marly was not the biggest fan haha. Any chance he got, he would just lay on his side, preferably on the bed in front of the two tiny fans I was using to desperately try to make sleeping not so uncomfortable (no AC!!).

One night while we were there, Dai and I went to the beach to catch the sunset. We sat in the sand together, watching the waves roll in and be sucked back out to sea, and talked about life as it is right now. Honestly, it was simple and it was wonderful. I feel so lucky to have this man by my side as I face all that life has to offer.

I had no idea that seeing him with a stroller would be so attractive ;) Oh man, talk about baby fever! Don't worry, I will resist for several more years haha.

While we were there, Dai took me to this cute little nursery that he had seen during his last solo trip to visit his sister. He saw succulents and knew I would obviously love it (I mean, have you seen my Instagram??) I got to do a bit of browsing (read: giddily taking photos with my iPhone) and picked a new pot to plant the succulents I recently got from the farmer's market while I was visiting my family in San Diego last month. I also got a new little succulent friend because I just couldn't resist and they were super reasonably priced!

And of course I had to include the neighbor's cute pack of dogs that I met. They just happily chill out here in the front yard and greet everyone that goes by. I love it.

We were prepared for the worst holiday traffic heading back home, but we got lucky and didn't hit any traffic at all! We had already accepted our fate of traffic and that was the only part of this trip that we weren't looking forward to. I guess we were being rewarded for our spontaneity!

This was the perfect little weekend trip and has made me want to say yes to more adventures because why not?

How was your holiday weekend?