View allArtist SpotlightConventionsCosplayCosplay TutorialsCostume AnalysesEntertainmentFaithFictionJapanLife and NewsMake Up ReviewsNew LiteratureOtherPhotographyTravelWriting Insights

Travels: Amazing Milky Way Sweets in Ikebukuro

Recently I appeared as a guest writer on the Japan Living and Lifestyle blog run by the lovely Urano family. What did I write on? Well of course, one of my favorite places on earth: Ikebukuro (池袋)! More specifically though, I discussed some of my favorite places to get great sweets and treats in and around the Sunshine Street and City areas. So in addition to that article, today, I’m sharing here a little more on my favorite place in Ikebukuro for sweet things: Milky Way!

Read more

Cosplay: Anna X Kristoff Photoshoot “My True North”

Very excited to bring you all a new set of photos from one of my latest photoshoots! Right before the COVID lockdown happened, I was able to do this shoot with one of my longtime friends Tim Goodell or ogfrogturtler (on IG). To do this, we landed on doing a shoot as Anna and Kristoff from Disney’s “Frozen”. And of course, it had to be an Anna X Kristoff shoot! So I braided my hair (yes, it’s my real hair) and he threw on a wig, and we trekked up to the mountains of Arendelle!

Read more

Travels: My First Night in Japan. No Really.

I’ve retold this story many a time for friends and family alike, but I’ve never written about it here, which feels like a glaring flaw on this blog. This is because, as it was my first experience in Japan, I would say that even though it wasn’t when I moved to Japan, it is certainly important enough to document (at least in my mind anyway). So what happened? How did I get there anyway? And what made it my first night so memorable? To tell the whole story, we have to start back in 2012.

Read more

A Kabuki Experience: The Significant Reunion (Part 1)

My first time going to a Kabuki (歌舞伎) show and the significant reunion was in 2015. I stood in a striped black and white shirt and a black vest finished with a black skirt in the Ginza (銀座) district in Tokyo (東京) in front of the theater, Kabuki-za (歌舞伎座), holding onto the strap of my purse and my phone waiting nervously, hoping I’d be easy to spot. My eyes darted around, trying to find someone I knew in a sea of faces.

Read more