Traveling Abroad? Here's The Big Three

Maybe it’s “something in the water” but traveling abroad is currently on everyone’s mind. But, before you book that hotel or request that PTO I highly recommend squaring away these things AKA: The Big 3.

FIRST: Passport.

Probably a no-brainer… but to be honest you’ll be surprised at how many people had no idea you actually need to have one of these. I blame cruise ships for this. Many cruise lines leaving the US ports will allow you to travel with just proof of a valid US birth certificate (or a valid passport).
Passports are a bit of an eyeroll to get - mainly on the approval/processing end. 
When it comes to the paperwork you MUST make sure you fill everything out correctly based on what the website states. Adult passports last 10 years and children 5 years. Renewal needs to be completed before 6 months of the expiration date indicated on your passport book. If you do let it expire (from what I’ve been told) it’s a long process to reestablish. 

You can print and fill out all the paperwork at home, take photos at a location that has a passport backdrop, take papers + photos to USPS or a government building that has a passport office, pay and wait. Your passport will arrive to your home address.

*YES, you can complete ALL of this at a USPS or government building that has a photo station. Research beforehand to see if your location will provide that. ALSO make appointments. Some locations will not see you if there isn’t an appointment on file. Link to find locations to do passport approval and fill out forms in person.

** Passport photo tip is to have on a plain color top (I wore black). The passport backdrop is white so do NOT wear white! Also keep yourself looking natural. No heavy makeup. I had my photos taken at a Walgreens. It was a $10 charge and photos were instant.

The passport approval and processing end is the longest window you’ll have to wait. Online you can see the processing estimation time frame and there is an option to expedite your paperwork. You will be asked this on your passport appointment when you pay and drop off the documents. Choose wisely. When I completed my passport in Spring 2023 the window was 6-8 weeks; I did NOT pay to expedite and arrived exactly in 6 weeks. I also had all my paperwork filled out correctly the first time. My passport appointment was at USPS and it took about 45 minutes.

If you have any other questions about passports I first recommend reading the website where you can access all the required documents. On the official website there is a huge FAQ page that I relied on. You can also reach out to me if you have questions too! I will have linked here the website to passport documents and linked here is the FAQ page for passports.SECOND: International Driver Permit.

This is a really weird one but if you plan to travel somewhere abroad and you want to rent a car - you MUST have an international drivers permit. YES, those “Tokyo race car driving around Shibuya” reels you see… You MUST have a valid international driver permit to do those. Some countries require you to have this permit on hand for renting motorbikes and scooters. International drivers permits are valid for one year and are quite easy to get. I have linked here the website AAA international driver permit !

THIRD: ENTRY VISA.
Some countries require you to have an entry visa. Some require a visitor visa. And some require nothing but proof of where you’ll be staying (hotel, Airbnb, family house, etc) and how long you’ll be staying via word of mouth. You can NOT get this visa at the Custom and Boarder office the day of. It must be approved and paid for BEFORE your trip. Please research beforehand of what your destination will require of you to have proof of. To find this out - simply google “What is required to visit ___”.
An example: My most recent UK trip I needed to have UK ETA. It’s an app I downloaded, I put in my passport info, the dates I’m visiting the UK, and paid. Then it gave a QR code to show at the Customs and Boarder desk for them to scan.
Another example: currently for Japan you do not need an entry visa. BUT you do have to fill out the Immigration and Customs Declaration form. Either you can do this by hand on the plane (flight attendants will have the forms available) or you can fill this out in advance via the Visit Japan Web. I personally, ALWAYS fill out the Visit Japan Web one month before my trip on my cellphone. This is free and it creates a QR code to show at the gate as I enter the country. It speeds up entry and is hassle free. I highly recommend!

Of course when traveling there’s other things like phone data, your luggage size, hotel bookings, what medications are legal etc. But The Big 3 mentioned above is what I believe you must have sorted and in place before you can request PTO from work.

Thanks again for reading and please follow along on my Instagram!. On my Instagram page you’ll see tips and tricks for traveling, recommendations for places I’ve been and my love of fashion plus so so much more! 

一期一会 , Britt

Why I’m actually not mad at Meg’s New Show

 

I’m a bit shocked to admit this - but ‘With Love, Meghan’ wasn’t a terrible Netflix deal… in fact, I think it was better than good; it was great.

Now let me explain - once the show first hit the play button I immediately noticed social media countless comments on the show being “unrelatable” “unattainable” and at times; “cringy”. Which had me thinking the same thing - maybe this show isn’t worth watching… I’ve never had much positive or negative things to say or feel about Meghan. In my eyes she’s always been a bit out of my league.

But I stumbled onto a IG post that was bashing the show because she filmed on a separate property and I said to myself “hey now, I wanna see why people are SO deeply bothered by this - because I actually support her using a secondary property”.

The very first episode she explained why she filmed somewhere else and I felt the property was very relatable to what her ‘brand’ is supposed to be. The house also had beautiful natural light and for many Americans, is a dream property with the greenhouse, open floor plan, and the right amount of homely touch. *She also explains in episode 1 why she used a separate property - I for one wouldn’t want her to film in her own home. Why should she give a blueprint of her interior? 

In the first episode (and all the episodes) many of the crafts, hosting, and food recipes I found to be quite attainable. In fact when Mindy King stated she hired a party host for all her kids parties, Meghan replied “I’m going to show some easy DIY tricks that even you can do”. For me, this is proof that what Meg’s doing is more attainable than what people would want to admit. From ballon arches, creating spa bath salts to give guests to use, and baking simple recipes that pack a taste but prep time is under 1 hour.

While many of the things she showcased in the show might not be the style/vibe of everybody; I think her show was more relatable than other celebrities - like the ultra glammed out Kardashians and Gwen’s insanely costly lifestyle brand Goop. 

Talking about Goop - many people claimed Meghan was copying the Goop brand and Pamala’s cooking show. I feel all 3 ladies are creating drastically different realms. The Goop blog is showcasing insanely rich shopping posts and sometimes weird cooking + health posts that only elite women would invest in. Pam’s brand is more on cooking vegan dishes and living deeply in the farmstead lifestyle. While Meghan show and brand has a touch of farmhouse meets California vibe - from the gardening but also homemaker hosting (with a glass of wine). Meghan hasn’t stated anything about an online blog or a cookbook. So in my opinion, there’s no copycat here. 

Now the comments about cringy - there was a few moments where Meg’s jokes didn’t land or stick properly or (a great example) the statement about her last name… but to me, that IS Meghan and how she is. I’m okay with that! She’s not a perfect flawless person - and I feel zodiac wise she desires to be perfect and flawless which is why at times some of her outfits, comments, or tone of voice can come across as cringy. It’s simply her trying to become the person she wants to be. As a Capricorn - I can have some of the similar traits and desires to be flawless and perfect. 

Some wins the show has is how beautiful the filming was. It was so lovely to watch. The house they used had a beautiful backdrop and natural light that made the show easy on the eyes and without a ton of editing. Her guests were fine; some was amazing and some I didn’t care for but I enjoyed seeing how she transitioned the start of the episode to the end. 

I hope season 2 is more about DIY and maybe focus on some of the things she does daily - like what she does for kids school lunches or a day in her life at home. Maybe her favorite dinner dish or decorating a table spread for summertime.

Overall, i was quite a fan of the show and plan to rewatch it again and even attempt some of the recipes she showcased. 

I hope this blog post was insightful and if you are interested in Megan‘s new brand that is coming out called “as ever “I will have a link to the actual website. She’s going to be selling. It looks like products that was featured in the first eight episodes, which I think is quite brilliant in a strategic business way. She showed us in all the episodes using the flower sprinkles and her favorite types of tea and you are now able to purchase these items and re-create the recipes. 

Below is a link to my social media & also a link to Meghan’s “As Ever” brand! 

* not affiliate links! 

** photos used in this blog post are screen grabs from the show & can be easily found in Google.

My Instagram: Britt's IG page!

Meg's Website: Shop Meg's goods

Gotokuji Temple (The Lucky Cat Temple of Tokyo)

One of my favorite places to visit in Tokyo is the Gotokuji Temple. Many people might know this as the ‘Lucky Cat Temple’ for all the beckoning cat statues. There is lots of folklore and history behind the beckoning cat aka Maneki Neko and I highly recommend reading about it - its so interesting!
To get to this Temple it’s an easy subway train ride. We left from Asakusa station and it was a $3.00 in total cost and about 50 minutes. We planned visiting here first in the morning and then hop back onto the subway line and spending the day in Shibuya.
But more about Gotokuji Temple. Instagram and TikTok has made this area quite a tourist spot when in reality its tucked away into a quiet neighborhood in a residential part of Tokyo. With that being said, if you plan to visit this shrine please be mindful of the locals and the homes around here. Its a very quiet area and to be honest, if I ever moved to Tokyo its a spot I would consider living at. There’s also a cemetery but for respect we didn’t walk into it (some people did which is fine but once again be very respectful to the graves). 

After we made our blessings we went into the shop where you can purchase a Neko. PLEASE NOTE - due to the over tourism of the area you’re only allowed to purchase one Neko. There was many signs asking people to take their Neko home with them since the Temple is flooded with statues already. We decided each time we visit Japan we will stop by here to purchase a new Neko for our home. Reading online the Neko will bring good fortune for shop keepers which is why a lot of small businesses in Japan has one of these Neko’s at the entryway of their shops. 

Below is a few photos from our visit and I highly recommend checking out my Instagram page for a video tour of what the area is like! 

If you’d want to see more about Japan we’ll be returning October/November 2024. My Instagram will feature LIVE and in the moment posts so please follow along! There’s also highlights from my previous trips. 

*Please note this is free to enter. There are many tour groups that will take you here but if you have google maps and carve out some time to learn the subway lines - you can visit here with no tour guide needed! :D

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Where to Shop (Tokyo Edition)

The big ‘it’ thing is raving about shopping in Japan and how it’s supreme over anywhere else in this world - from luxury, electronics, pre-owned luxury, and basic thrifting. Why is this? There’s a few reasons: value of the yen at the moment, the quality Japan puts into their products, and how impeccable people are when taking care of their goods.
Bryce and I went secondhand shopping and the quality and how well the items were; you’d assume the items were brand new (not used). When purchasing new items they’re almost always wrapped or boxed for protection. If you love shopping, you’ll definitely need to devote a suitcase (or two).

Below is a list of retailers/stores we highly recommend in Tokyo (I’ll create one for Osaka too)! From video games, fashion, stationary, pre-loved goods, and more! 

Electronics/Video Games:
- Bic Camera is throughout all of Japan and they had everything from Tv’s, laptops, cameras, home appliances, bikes, electronic accessories and more. When we were here Bryce grabbed up this cool switch video game that isn’t sold in the US. 

- Akihabara is known for electronics. This is also a wonderful place to grab up any used video games or electronics too. Shops like Bic Camera, Super Potato, Book-Off and more are located here. You can find new and used.

- Nagano Broadway Mandarake is also a very well known area for finding used and vintage goods along the lines of video games, books, electronics, vintage toys, and vintage home items. When we were there we seen some vintage clothing but there’s another area I recommend for vintage/thrifting fashion.

Fashion:
*Fashion in Japan is amazing but please keep in mind a lot of Japanese retailers have very limited sizing. Citizens/locals are primarily the same heights and around the same weight. There are some plus size stores that you’ll find in large shopping malls which I’ll include. Stores like Uniqlo, Abercrombie, and American Eagle will still have a larger size range too if you cant find your size in some of the boutique shops.

- Shibuya 109 is an ultra popular shopping mall where you can find many trendy Japanese retail boutiques.

- Tokyo Skytree is a shopping area that I really enjoyed. There’s a Pokemon center and Uniqlo here too. My favorite store here was Earth Music and Ecology. 

- Sunshine City Mall is where you’ll find a huge pop culture area including the Pokemon Sweets cafe and Sanrio Cafe. There’s countless shops here including a Toysrus! 

- Ginza is where I seen many luxury retailers at along with a 7 story Abercrombie & Fitch!There’s also a big shopping mall here with the Pokemon Center DX. 

Secondhand Fashion/Thrifting:
Japan has some of the best thrifting. The quality of the items are so incredible and you can find some amazing deals too. Here’s a list of the secondhand shopping districts in Tokyo. The best way to shop here is to take a few hours and just wonder around.
Luxury
-Vintage Q00, Allu and Amore Tokyo (both in Omotesando)
- Gallery Rare (Ginza)
- Brand Collect (harajuku)

Vintage Fashion (non luxury and luxury goods)
- Shimokitazawa
- Koenji
- Kichijoji
- Harajuku
- Book Off Bazaar (luxury and non-luxury goods) in Saitama 

Stationary:
Japan still heavily relies on pen and paper for a lot of their day to day which means you’ll find the best quality stationary goods here! This is my list of Stationary shops to visit but keep in mind there’s so many lovely boutiques that specialize in unique stationary goods. I highly recommend just opening google maps and search for stationary and let the app guide you!
- Daiso
- Don Quixote
- Muji
-Itoya
-Kyukyodo (in Ginza)
- LOFT at Skytree
- Tag Stationary (in Asakusa)

Random Retail/Specialty Shops:
These are random spots that we enjoyed in Tokyo and places we think you will enjoy too.

- Ghibli store in Skytree area or Tokyo Station
- Pokemon Center (these are in all the major locations and I’ll have a blog post devoted just to the different centers)
- Nintendo Store
- Kirby Store at Skytree (next to Kirby Café)
- One Piece Store at Sunshine City (where you can get your Luffy hat!)
- Sylvanian Families at Sunshine City
- Flower Miffy Cafe/Shop at Asakusa (you can build your own bouquets and they have cafe items to enjoy!)
- Miffy Style at Tokyo Station
- Gelato Pique at Skytree or Sunshine City
- Sanrio Store at Asakusa Orange Street (this store even has a popcorn machine!)
- Uniqlo flagship at Ginza
- Muji at Ginza (its like Ikea but Japanese)
-Mega Don Quixote in Shibuya or Asakusa (best place to grab up beauty goods)

 

Be on the look out for my Osaka Shopping post soon!
Also we’ll be back in Japan during the Months of October and November. I’ll create an updated list of shops and new areas we visit. Don’t for get to follow my social pages to see in the moment content of our Autumn trip!