Moment

This picture comes to you with out cropping, filters, pre-meditation or anything else there is an app for. Just a moment captured as I drove down the street on the way to see Tom Petty. 

That is all. 

100% Natural, 

Kate

P.S. Tom Petty and crew. This one has been edited and cropped.

Weekend Update

highlights included...

1-my favorite little hike behind Trump Golf Course with a few of my favorite roommates. 

2-succulent shopping. trying for a little yard makeover while respecting this severe CA drought.

3-homemade pizza. 

4-Sunday day was spent watching Lauren kicking volleyball butt at a Santa Monica beach tourney. 

5-Sunday night was spent signing our hearts out to all the Beatle's classics, at Hollywood Bowl's 50th anniversary tribute. such a special show. 

-1-

-2-

-3-

-4-

-5-

hope your weekends were also full of  lots of sun and good friends!

xo, 

kate

The Color Run #Happiest5k

A few days ago I acted as a field trip leader for about 20 of our international students who signed up to experience the The Color Run. I got up early Saturday morning to head to work and make sure these students had water and bananas, and that we all made it to the bus on time for the trek to Dodger Stadium. The run has always seemed fun, but the entire trip wasn't exactly how I wanted to spend my entire Saturday. 

Made me think of this video. Take a listen. I dare you to try not to dance.

Through the storm and out with a smile.

love that lady behind me!

Color Dusted, 

Kate

Words

My mind is all over the map (literally) as of late. 

This came as a welcomed reminder... 

xoxo,
Kate

Right Now

I have six weeks left in Japan. Five in my apartment. Four at school.

Whoa.

In an effort to capture the moment, like I did back here,
I'm listing a few fun facts about my day to day life...

-Summers in Japan suck.

-The Co-op has the best flowers.

-The Tobu store now sells tortillas!

-I absolutely adore Miyu in class 1-3.

-My friend at Starbucks' name is Yuki.

-Love the light that pours into my room in the morning. 

-I've weened myself off Facebook and on to The Guardian.

-I love that the teachers I'm close with call me Keito-chan.

-Since my arrival, I'm proud to say, I have never worn a scrunchy. 

-I have worn my grey wind breaker every day since I purchased it.

-Pasta with veggies has been my go to meal for the past few weeks.

-The crossing guard I chat with every morning is going to Turkey next week.

-Jessica comes to visit this weekend and I'm over the moon excited for her arrival!

-My favorite word in the Japanese language is sasuga.

-My least favorite word is Irasshaimase. More the way it's screeched as a welcome to every establishment than the word itself. 

-My purse can rest on the back of my chair in a restaurant without any concern it will get stolen.

-8 tracks in constantly playing in my apartment and I have compiled an excellent list of tunes for my summer playlist.

-Without thinking, I will join the crosswalks as they make their 'pew pew' noise signally to visually impaired people that it is time to cross. 
-I quite enjoy flipping my name plate to white to show my attendance when I walk into school. I enjoy it even more when I flip it to red to show that I'm leaving. :)

-I love running around our shaded little lake, pausing to look at the turtles and getting a nod of approval from another runner in the park.

-I love it even more when I go running on Saturday mornings and the group of eight, 70 year old men sipping their canned coffee and chatting, cheer me on as I circle the lake and run the stairs. They may be my biggest fans. 

-Takahashi in class 1-6 learned the word 'poo' and while the child is terrible at English, he can form perfect, complete, sentences with the word 'poo'. I will poo. This morning I went poo. Do you poo? Yesterday, he shared with me that 'pee' and 'homeless' have been added to his growing list of 'vocabulary words not taught in textbook.'

Here and Now, 

Kate

Simple Pleasures

Last weekend was the first time this year that included happy hour drinks outside, followed by a long leisurely dinner with Sayaka and a shared bottle of wine. Over dinner, I looked at all our food and drink and my good company, and I smiled. 

"This is one of my most favorite things in life," I said. 

"Drinking?!"

"Nooo. Well...yes, but no. Long dinners with good food and a bottle of wine. Love."

Which led to a fun discussion of a few of our most fave things in life. 

Here is what I came up with...

pancake breakfasts
live music

eating outside

a great quote

exploring a new city, ipod plugged in

a new coat of nail polish

buying a plane ticket

a new bathing suit

a cool photograph

going back to bed when you realize you're awake before your alarm

the moment you receive your scoop of ice cream from the man behind the counter

coming back from a run

crawling into bed when it's raining

fresh flowers

a nice candle

a new episode of new girl

checking off something on my todo list

early morning latte with any foam design

an act of kindness

snuggling

wet hair

finishing a book

getting anything in the mail

late night frozen yogurt runs

anything beach related

an empty email inbox

tan lines

Would love to hear what little things in life make you smile!

xoxo, 

Kate

[The Latest]

Must Read: Gary Winogrand's Photos...The Guardian.

Google Search: David Karp.

Tune: Strawberry Swing By Coldplay. 

Accomplishment: A mini workout before school. 
Obsessions: Heads Up! App.

Weekend Update

Highlights included...

[1] A blueberry pancake Saturday morning with Kim.

[2] Date night with the stunning Sayaka. 

Drinks at G Stand and dinner across the street at Pizzeria Mateo. 

Pizzeria Mateo comes highly recommended if you're looking for good Italian food in Tokyo.

[3] My awesome sand dollar from a day out at Kujukuri beach.

[4] A little fish drying farm we passed on our way home from the ocean.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

Hope you all had a great one as well!

xoxo,
Kate

Sayonara Summer

Over night, the weather has turned from sweating to sweatshirt wearing weather. And I am not quite ready to let summer go. Last week Debs and I made an impromptu trip to the beach. We spent the day playing in the waves and writing in the sand. I was looking at these pictures last night and realized how much they so accurately define where I am in my life right now. 

20-something. 

living abroad. 

hangin with my best friend in Japan. 

silly.

carefree. 

rainbow witnessing.

beach lover. 

I am not quite sure what my next move will be, 

but I hope this 20-something girl always stay with me.  

Sayonara Summer, 

Kate

[The Latest]

Must Read: Calif. Chef Who Cooked Wife's Body Found Guilty of Murder...from USA Today. 

Google Search: Tanbo Art.  

Tune: Save Tonight By Eagle Eye Cherry.

Accomplishment: Powering through a large part of my TEFL course yesterday.

Obsessions: Soy Milk Bath mix.

School's Out For Summer

The last day of school today means closing ceremonies, fancy bento lunches, and big smiles all around.

During the ceremony, all three grades stood to sing a song, and all three sounded fabulous.
I took a video of the 3rd graders (14-15 year olds), mostly because they are my favorite class.  They were little first years when I started, so we have been at the school for the same amount of time. They sang a cappella, and did a great job!

You can see a tidbit of them singing here.
It`s so worth the watch!!!

I love that class.

A word from a few students.

A few words from the Principal.

A song from each grade.

Lunch.

Bring on friends from the states, sangria, alarm-less mornings, new exotic countries, tan lines, ocean dips, summer tunes, bright colors, sandals and tank tops.

Bring on new memories.

Bring on summaaaa.

Relaxin Ready,

Kate

[The Latest]

Summer Moments

Over the past few days, the temperature has skyrocketed and I have found myself consuming water and ice cream at an impressive rate. The bike ride to and from school is draining, not to mention sweaty. When I come home from school I immediately strip off my work wear and hop into my bathing suit, grabbing a book and a water on my way to the patio. As I laid out yesterday,  in my bathing suit brace yourself Japan I was reminded of all the reasons I love summer. The cool breeze, the way ice cream tastes a thousand times better, vibrant flowers, neon nail polish and summer sunsets.

Summer Lovin,
Kate

[The Latest]

Must Read: Inactivity `killing as many as smoking`...from the NY Times.

Google Search: The Killing Fields. 

Tune: Happy Pills By Norah Jones.

Accomplishment: A well made dinner last night.

Obsessions: Almond soy milk.