TOP 5 Things I learned on my trip…
1) Learn something new. Sounds simple? It is, but really travelling to a whole new country gives you ample opportunities to try something completely different. Learn something new and enhance your travelling experience. As much as i loved shopping, my feet needed a break. I took a short class on Ikebana (Japanese floral design) at the Ichiyo School of Ikebana in Nakano and learned about technique and function. Very interesting and fun!
ELENA:)
TOP 5 Things I learned on my trip:
2) If you like it, just buy it. Ok. There is this pair of knee high boots that my friend and I fell in love with. Sure they were $600 but they are so fantastic. Alas, they are suede. Rain and Suede do not mix. So i did the sensible thing and left them back in Tokyo. Wrong! Now, after emailing the designer – i have sourced out two people who could potentially buy the boots and ship them over. Sheesh. Should have just bought them when i had the chance.
ELENA:)
TOP 5 Things I learned on my trip…
3) Divide and conquer. I think that if you are travelling with a bunch of people or even just one other person, you should eventually part ways and do stuff on your own. It might not be all the time, but giving yourself a break from your travel partner might be healthy. You may end up fighting because you spend too much time together (it’s happened to me on previous trips). Think of the shopping ground you can cover!
ELENA:)
No matter how many times you visit a place – things can always change. Today we hit the area of Harajuku and realized that alot of the stores had either closed down or moved locations. I guess it was totally a sign of the Japanese economy. Kitson and TopShop have found their way to the streets of Tokyo – unfortunately both had a lame selection of goods. Of course we had to visit Marc by Marc Jacobs and I did contemplate purchasing a plaid scarf but I actually couldn’t justify the shopping purchase.
The day started by visiting a “donut shop” called Love Sweets Antique. The donuts were actually flavored ice cream. I ended up having a green tea cream puff instead. After purchasing a jacket at Laforet we had some ramen. Though I’m not a big fan of pork – I love noodles it filled us up so we could tackle Kiddy land, Anna Sui and Omotesando Hills.
Did you know prescription eyeglasses are cheap in Tokyo? Not designer brands but at the local eye glass shops you can buy fashionable frames, lenses and get an eye exam for less than $100. We checked out Zoft. I may have to purchase a pair.
We walked from Harajuku to Shibuya where we crossed at a famous crosswalk where you can cross diagonally. We had dinner at this super cheap/ super fast place called Pepper Lunch. You buy a ticket and then your beef meal cooks on a hot plate in 4 minutes or less. I got beef with rice and corn. So tasty.
After dinner we checked out one more department store where I found a Tsumori (local designer) wallet that may replace my old one. Can’t wait. Today we will be heading over to Shinjuku for more department store shopping…. i think that i need to buy another bag.
ELENA:)