hello again.

For some reason, I'm having a really hard time writing this "I'm back!" entry. On LiveJournal, I never cared about how/what I wrote because the only people reading it were my closest friends. With blogger, it's a bit different because it's public.

When I was updating in Japan, I was actively trying to be a "japan blogger". I felt like I had to write a certain way and because I had my music journalism gig on the side, I felt like I had to portray the version of "miss wave" I wanted people to see.

I didn't initially think this, but the more I thought about reviving my blog the more I wanted it to feel like my early days of blogging. AKA, this is what I did today. This is what made me mad, this is what made me happy, this is what made me cry.

Earlier today, I read an old entry about my first couple days in Japan and seeing girugamesh at an instore gig. I had completely forgotten about it. Like, entirely. I mean, I know I just turned 30 in February, but I feel like I shouldn't be forgetting things that quickly.

About a month after I moved back, I made a post basically saying the same thing. That I want this blog to be more personal and less branded. Obviously, I kept that on the back burner for almost 2 years, but I feel really excited about starting up again.

It's been a gloomy rainy Sunday because of Hurricane-Tropical-Depression (whatever it is now) Nate, and I've had that same kind of excitement I felt every time I was working on a blog refresh or I starting something new. Just feels good to do something. 

And by do something, I mean something productive. I think it's a part of my personality that I feel kind of lost when I'm not doing something like this. I really had to learn how to relax since coming back to the states and I've learned well. I watch a lot of Bravo, play a lot of Sims 3, and spend way too much time on Pinterest. The only thing I've really been diligent about is exercising and eating healthy.


Despite being really frustrated and angry with our current administration, on the whole a lot of good things have happened to me over the past two years. They were some tough spots, but for me personally, the good well outweighed the bad.

I'd like to try to post some of those (mostly trips) because I really like having a blog to come and look back on them later.

But...we'll see how long it takes me to get those up, haha.


♡ jennifer

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bullshit bbq @ okutama river

#flashbackfriday to one of the last BBQ's I went to before leaving Japan. Also my first time out at Okutama River! Hosted by my friend's label, Bullshit Records, we headed out of inner city Tokyo for swimming, beautiful scenery and lots and lots of good eats :)

bullshit bbq 

It's so hard to believe that Okutama is still considered "Tokyo"! One thing that I think a lot of people don't realize about Japan isn't just how much unspoilt nature there still is, but how close it is Tokyo. According to WikiTravel, it's supposedly a 2 hour trip, but it felt a bit shorter than that to me. Then again, I love trains haha.

Before moving to Japan, BBQs were--to me--held in someone's backyard, and hotdogs, burgers, and corn-on-the-cob were pretty much standard fare. BBQs in Japan are generally held by the riverside or the beach, and feature tons and tons of delicious yakiniku. This one also featured some interesting seafood choices like giant scallops and conch shells. And by interesting I mean, I'm sure they were delicious, but I'm not that into seafood as is and they kind of terrified me, haha.

Anyway, great for a day trip out of Tokyo! You can go fishing, kayak, tube, etc and camp there if you like, as well :)

Check! 

▶ Okutama River (Tokyo)


As always, if you see this post and end up visiting (or have visited) this place, leave me a comment and tell me how you liked it!

♡ jennifer

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dustbox @ tokyo bay

Today's #musicmonday features dustbox at Tokyo Bay! A big ol' show Ri and I attended last July.


dustbox at Tokyo Bay

Waaaay back in...2012? Maybe? Ri and I met the drummer of super popular punk band dustbox at a bar in Shinjuku. We became fast friends and over the next couple years we'd have the pleasure of attending several of their shows. This one was great because, not only was it the last chance I got to see dustbox before leaving, now that I think about it I'm pretty sure it was the last show Lisa and I got to see together! Pretty big deal when you've been pretty much attached at the hip for the past three years of live-hopping :)

dustbox were awesome as usual and it was too cool to see a show down at Tokyo Bay and see the whole waterfront light up.

Check! | Bands

▶ dustbox 

Let me know if you catch them at a show sometime!

♡ jennifer

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miss wave & miss anna

#flashbackfriday to round two of hanging out with Miss Anna in Tokyo! No one can match this girl's stamina for traveling and I'm pretty sure no one can match either of us in coffee consumption. How our brains didn't short circuit this whole time is beyond me, haha.

miss wave & miss anna 2014

day 1

Our first expedition took us out to Odaiba. I have to admit, I went there once with my dad on one of his stopovers in Japan and kinda...never made it back? For some reason it was super crowded the day Anna and I went. Stopped for dinner and desert at Ku'aina (delish) and then walked around, discovered the Statue of Liberty, watched Rainbow Bridge light up, got some Pink Berry, and stumbled upon some Grecian Sculptures. All this in one place, you ask? Totally.




Check!

▶ Kua'aina (Odaiba)

135-0091 Tokyo, Minato,
Daiba, 1−7−1

 ▶ Venus Fort (Odaiba)

135-0064 Tokyo, Koto,
Aomi, 1−3−15

 day 2

When I say that it rains every time I go to Shonan,  I mean it rains every.single.fucking.time I go to Shonan. Anna and I were originally going to go only as far as Kamakura, but we ended up heading on to Enoshima instead. And after trekking up and down Enoshima in the humidity and rain, we were fully deserving of even more food by the time we got back to Tokyo. Though I was a bit disappointed my apple crumble was cold :(

Here's a much more detailed post with shiny Canon shots and place names! These are just extra photos that didn't make it into the original :)


day 3...or 4?

I honestly can't even remember now if this was day 3 or 4 or both? I'm guessing two days because there's clearly a wardrobe change here, haha. Pretty sure the first couple pictures are from Ikebukuro, my old home turf. Then off to what would become one of my favorite cafes in Shibuya, Hole Hole! Unfortunate name, but I ended up taking a bunch of people there for tomo-dates, haha. Can't beat good taco-rice! Last but not least, even more puri because, well. That's what we do.

 Place names etc below! To the best of my memory that is. Can't believe it's taken me almost a year (exactly) to update about this, haha.


Check!

▶ Tamago to Watashi (Ikebukuro)

Sunshine City Alpa 3F
3-1 Higashi-Ikebukuro
Toshima Tokyo

 ▶ BAKERs DINER (Ikebukuro)

Sunshine City Alpa B1F

3-1-1 Higashi-Ikebukuro
Toshima Tokyo

 ▶ hole hole (Shibuya)

2-10-1 Dogenzaka
Shibuya Tokyo

As always, if you see this post and end up visiting (or have visited) any of these places, leave me a comment and tell me how you liked it!

♡ jennifer

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