As many of you may remember, earlier this summer I hopped down to Barbados for a few days with my guy. It was a bit of an impromptu trip for the two of us, as neither of us had been to that part of the Caribbean before and I loved the idea of relaxing and disconnecting for a bit, with very little itinerary mapped out before hand aside from lots of beach time and catching up on Patti Smith’s Just Kids.

Admittedly, I’ve been meaning to share these photos for quite some time now, but as always, the summer got the best of me (seriously, where has the time gone?!). So when Celebrity Cruises approached me about sharing some of my favorite Caribbean spots (if you recall, I went on one of my favorite cruises ever with them last year through the Caribbean), it felt quite apropos to share today for a number of reasons. First, it's hard not to fall in love with Barbados — the people, the colors, the music and the beaches — and with some of my busiest months fast approaching (hello Q4 retail season!), I’m already plotting my return visit (and it just so happens to be a port of call for Celebrity).

And secondly, with the string of hurricanes that have affected the region, which depends largely on tourism, I’d like to applaud Celebrity’s swift relief efforts to the impacted islands. Many affected ports of call have since reopened helping those regions return to a state of normalcy -- and in my opinion, there's really no better way to experience several different islands' distinct culture and personality on one trip than with a Celebrity cruise this winter.

While I’ll be diving into our Barbados specific itinerary later this week, I wanted to highlight one of my favorite aspects of cruising with Celebrity and it namely comes down to their focus on inspirational travel — a huge focus for me when I’m looking to experience a region and culture. I think it’s easy to make assumptions about cruises (I’ll admit, I was guilty of some of them, too), and it’s this perception that everything can feel too packaged and expected. That you’ll spend far too much time on the boat and not enough time actually experiencing with locals.  What I love about Celebrity is that they make not only the journey as unique and luxurious as possible (hello Michelin-starred chefs on board!), but they put the emphasis on the destination, so you’re not simply hopping on and off the boat, but actually immersing yourself in the local flavor and culture. One of my favorite experiences with them last year was when we explored a local fish and farmer’s market with one of their chefs on board as he stocked up for our dinner that evening, chatting with vendors, and many times, the farmers themselves. It made my dinner that evening that much more special, after shaking hands with the man who actually caught my filleted fish.

As far as booking is concerned, perhaps you’re like me and get overwhelmed when it comes to planning out all the moving pieces (flights, transfers etc.), but Celebrity makes it incredibly seamless with their Flights by Celebrity offer, a complete, end to end booking process, allowing you to choose your preferred airline, collect points, and have real-time updates and accommodations in the event any of your travel details change (flight cancellations etc.).

So, while we’re in this state of travel daydreaming, where would you head to tomorrow? Personally, I’m tempted by this Ultimate Caribbean cruise, stopping off at St. Johns, Antigua, Bridgetown (lots of photos from Bridgetown below!) and St. Lucia (another favorite of mine in the Caribbean). I may just need a new bathing suit and a spray tan before I go. Who's with me?

This post was in collaboration with Celebrity Cruises. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!

Photos by Ty Johnson

Ah, the last leg of our Scotland Diaries is here and I have to say, it's quite bittersweet! While the trip itself was quite short, Alisha and I packed in as much as possible, waking up early each day and driving back to our hotel pretty late each night. It was worth it though. Hands down, probably one of my favorite trips to date, with some of my favorite photos to show from it.

For the very last part of our journey, we trekked over to Glasgow, which, much like Edinburgh, is an architecture nerd's biggest dream. We only had less than 24 hours in town, so we made use of a hop on/hop off bus (sometimes they're just the perfect way to see a city and cover a lot of ground in a day)! I've noted our albeit brief itinerary below. Enjoy!

And, in case you're just joining now, be sure to check out Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of my Scotland Diaries series.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO:

The University of Glasgow: If you caught my Edinburgh guide, you know I'm a bit obsessed with Harry Potter. So let it suffice to say, the University of Glasgow was at the top of our must-visit list while in town because of it's uncanny resemblance to Hogwarts. Unfortunately, by the time Alisha and I made it there, they had already stopped admitting tours through the buildings itself, but we did manage to roam the grounds. The amazing column hallway you see here is part of their Cloisters and it's breathtaking.

Glasgow Cathedral: In addition to really old schools, I'm a sucker for really old churches (this one dates back to 1136!). The stained glass. The artwork. The acoustics! Usually, if I have the time, I'll sit in a back pew and close my eyes for about 20 minutes. It's amazing what you can hear and absorb in a space like that, and Glasgow Cathedral is no different.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum: If you have the time, definitely dedicate a good portion of the day to roam around Kelvingrove. The grounds are beautiful and it houses over 22 different themed installations, ranging from natural history to arms and armor. Of note, they have Salvador Dali's "Christ of Saint John of the Cross" on display and that alone is worth the visit.

WHERE TO EAT:

The Drugstore Social: This was likely one of our most indulgent meals of the trip, likely because we had stayed up SUPER late the night before trekking back from the Isle of Skye and it was officially our last night in Scotland. And Drugstore Social was the perfect ending note! We happened to pop in on a night when they had a live jazz trio performing (always a plus!) and we snagged pretty everything that looked yummy off the menu (which is to say, we ordered a hodgepodge of everything). We both loved the smoked trout flatbread and the wild garlic gnocchi. It's situated in the West End, which Alisha and I both agreed is the neighborhood we'd live in, if we moved to Glasgow tomorrow.

OUTFIT DETAILS: Who What Wear trench coat (sold out, similar style here) // French Connection dress (old, but similar style here) // Chloe bag // Celine sunglasses // Aldo boots

WHERE TO STAY:

Dakota Deluxe Hotel: The minute Alisha and I walked into the Dakota, we were pretty smitten! In comparison to the Principal in Edinburgh, the Dakota is a very modern take on Scottish heritage -- the decor is rich and dark in nature (think lots of dark leather, deep mahogany walls) and the art work has a personality and flair all it's own. It felt like a chic, modern take on a rustic library.

Photos by Alisha Siebel

Huge thanks to the Visit Scotland Tourism Board for inviting us on such a lovely trip and to WOW Airlines for helping us hop across the pond! 

And the Scotland Diaries continue, this time all the way up to the Isle of Skye, the largest and most northern island of the major islands of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Of course, after our trek through the sweeping Highlands, we were anxious to see what beauty awaited us up north -- promises of mountains, dramatic seaside cliffs and picturesque fishing villages dancing in our head all the while, as we continued up the winding road before hopping on a ferry that would ultimately drop us off on shore.

The entire day, it had threatened to rain on us. And by threaten, I mean the sky kept turning a deeper and deeper gray, with the smell of rain just on the tip of our noses, as if the sky would open up at any moment and start to cry. We managed to escape any rain drops for a good portion of the day, until we stopped off for our first shoot location on the Isle, the massive mound of marigold yellow flowers you see here. I quickly changed in the backseat of our Mercedes, excited at the prospect of capturing this yellow we had spied sprinkling the green scenery every once and a while. (Side note: if anyone knows the name of this flower, please do share!) White gown and all, Alisha and I crossed the highway carefully (looking right first, of course!), I took my spot, fixing my hair just so, until...drip, drip, drip....a light drizzle started. Naturally, wearing a white dress in the rain (a white dress you've borrowed no less), standing with a photographer who's holding a very expensive piece of equipment in her hands, you start to panic a little in a sudden downpour. And, well, you freeze. Do you run back to the car? Do you hold out for a moment in hopes it stops? Do you start to imagine how much her lens costs, in the event you need to replace it?

I ran through these scenarios, contemplating each, until Alisha (in true Alisha fashion) laughed and quickly put a plastic rain bag designed to protect cameras from these crazy situations over her Canon and kept snapping. If it wasn't going to stop her, it wasn't going to stop me! I could feel my hair getting drenched, with my makeup undoubtedly running down my face and yet, I didn't care. Something about this felt fitting for a photo homage to Scotland. Raw and wild and unruly. And I honestly, wouldn't have it any other way. (Especially the last photo in this series, in the red dress!)

These again, are some of my favorite shoots to date -- I hope you enjoy them! And in case you're just joining my Scotland Diaries now, you can catch Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

OUTFIT DETAILS: Sachin + Babi white long sleeve gown (now on sale!) // Sachin + Babi white short sleeve gown (now on sale!) // Sachin + Babi red gown (not available yet, but here's another favorite!) // Hunter boots

Photos by Alisha Siegel

Huge thanks to the Visit Scotland Tourism Board for inviting us on such a lovely trip! More from Scotland coming this week!

An excerpt from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by none other than J.K. Rowling:

"He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella.

The brick he had touched quivered – it wriggled – in the middle, a small hole appeared – it grew wider and wider – a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway on to a cobbled street which twisted and turned out of sight.

‘Welcome,' said Hagrid, ‘to Diagon Alley.'

He grinned at Harry's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Harry looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall."

Confession: I thought of this exact scene with my beloved Harry as he first discovers Diagon Alley many times while wandering around Edinburgh. And for good reason, too -- one that I think we can all relate to. That feeling of stumbling upon a place and seeing it with new eyes. Eyes that are ready to see and marvel and twinkle from the promise of magic around every possible corner. Eyes that are ready to take in the believable and the unbelievable, and embrace both. Eyes that don't want to miss a single detail.

Of course, it certainly doesn't hurt that J.K. Rowling was inspired by many particular spots in Edinburgh itself (as she wrote much of the series right there in town!) and you can definitely feel it while you're walking around. The stores. The winding streets. The lonely castle up on the hill. The brilliantly regal-looking school that's just missing a Quidditch field.

As someone who grew up devouring Harry Potter books, I felt like I was walking around in a dreamy daze most of the time -- half-wishing for a bit of magic to pop up, because that's the only way I can think to describe Scotland. Simply put: It's magic. One part folk lore. One part fairy tale. One part epic, sweeping adventure. And Alisha and I certainly hit the ground running once we arrived. While our trip wasn't quite long enough (it never is, is it?), I have so many photos to share with you this week! Up first, I have this mini guide to Edinburgh, our first stop along the way.

HOPPING OVER THE POND:

First things first, when it came time to sort out our flight situations, I was excited to partner with WOW Airlines as I had been hearing a lot about them lately. They're an Icelandic-based airline, with many of their flight itineraries (like the one we booked), stopping over in Reykjavik. Our original hope was to spend a day or two in Iceland before continuing on to Edinburgh, but alas, we had to trim our trip by a few days (darn, adult responsibilities!). This is where a private jet like Jettly would have come in handy too if WOW hadn't been available for us. If you get the chance, I highly recommend you set up a similar route, with a few days to spare in Iceland. The flight over was quick and easy, extremely reasonably priced and it's the perfect way to pack two trips into one essentially! Huge thanks are in order to the folks over at WOW Airlines for having Alisha and I on board!

WHAT TO SEE AND DO:

Alisha and I really only had one full day in Edinburgh and man, we certainly packed in everything we could! We were going to stay in the InterContinental Edinburgh since it looked amazing, but as I mentioned before, we, unfortunately, had to cut our trip short. We still had a great time though! Here's a rundown of what we saw. The biggest takeaway here is to walk as much as you can! Old Edinburgh is really so charming and you hear bagpipes on pretty much every corner.

Edinburgh Castle: You know you're in a really old town when all roads wind up toward the castle, which is very much the case here in Edinburgh. The Edinburgh Castle is beyond stunning, situated on a hill, overlooking the city (it's a breathtaking view!). If you're a sucker for history, castles and backstabbing kings and queens, then make your way up here. The architecture and view won't disappoint.

National Museum of Scotland: If you can, dedicate a few hours to get lost here and check out the Scottish History and Archeology collection. It's an evergreen exhibit and houses everything from Neolithic carvings to Mary, Queen of Scots' jewelry!

Royal Mile: I'm a sucker for beautiful architecture so when we started walking along the Royal Mile on our way up to the castle, I was delighted at every turn. It's essentially a succession of streets that comprise much of Old Town Edinburgh -- and it's exactly like stepping back in time. Cobblestones as far as they eye can see, curious shops tucked away and hidden gardens just beyond your reach.

Covet and Thistle Street: Covet is the perfect example of a boutique that I love discovering while traveling -- chock full of new-to-me jewelry and accessory designers, that make it hard to walk away with just ONE item. If you venture out here, the shopping on Thistle Street is top-notch.

Greyfriar's Kirkyard: A beautiful heritage graveyard (yes, I find graveyards beautiful), and the resting place of many prominent Scottish historical figures. Also, yes, it's the exact graveyard that inspired Tom Riddle's graveyard, so much so, that there is actually a grave for a real life aristocrat Thomas Riddel Esq. Die-hard Harry Potter fans apparently come on Halloween to pay homage (and some even duel over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's grave).

George Heriot's School: You guessed it. Another Harry Potter spot. Sorry, not sorry! But once you start approaching this school, Harry Potter fan or not, it's hard not to get the chills (or in my case, it's hard NOT to hear the Harry Potter theme song in your head). The school is a spitting image of Hogwarts -- turreted towers, spiral staircases and Rowling even mimicked the four house model off of Heriot's current set up. This begs the question: do they also have a Sorting Hat?!

Victoria Street: Situated on the Royal Mile, you NEED to visit Victoria Street. Why? Because this is Diagon Alley my friends. The street itself is curved and it winds a bit -- all cobblestone, and riddled with little bookstores, curiosity shops and yes, even a tricks and jokes store (Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, anyone?). I basically had to keep pinching myself -- I was beyond giddy and probably embarrassed Alisha by how much I really wanted to find Ollivanders Wand Shop.

Glenfinnan Viaduct: Technically, this isn't in Edinburgh -- it's about a 4 hour drive away from the city center and it's the first photo you see in this post here. Look familiar? Yep, I'm obsessed. It's the iconic bridge that the Hogwarts Express always crosses en route to the school. Again, you can cue the theme song in my head now...

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK:

Cannonball: For our first day in town, we popped in here for lunch and a much needed glass of whisky (when in Rome, or in this case, Scotland, right?). I'm a big whisky gal and an even bigger fan of whisky bars. They always manage to evoke that amazing feeling of walking into someone's intimate library, where there just happens to be a crackling fireplace and an oversized broken in leather chair with your name on it. Cannonball has all those things and more. Be sure to pop in if you can! It's conveniently located right at the base of the final hill trek to the castle.

The Printing Press Bar & Kitchen: So good, we went here twice! First for dinner and then on Sunday, for none other than a Sunday Roast. I've never experienced a full Sunday Roast before but had heard tons about it from my friends who grew up or lived in London at some point and I gotta say -- I love the concept! It's like a mini Thanksgiving meal that you indulge in every Sunday with friends and family. What''s not to love? And Printing Press? Well, it's located in the Principal, so you can imagine it hit all the amazing design details we had already come to love about the hotel. Let's just say, if I lived here in town, I would beg my guy to take me here for many a date night.

The Elephant House and Spoon: Confession time again.We didn't get to stop into either cafe (the lines were too long and we were on a tight time schedule), but as you've probably already guessed, both served as refuge to a former penniless J.K. Rowling when she was writing the series. It's a fun, quick visit, if you're a nerd like me and perhaps looking to absorb some of Rowling's creative energy.

OUTFIT DETAILS: St.Roche sweater (from last season, but similar style on sale here) // Frame jeans // Isabel Marant boots (old, but similar style on sale here) // Alexander McQueen leather jacket // Sachin + Babi dress (now on sale!) // Self Portrait heels // Celine sunglasses // Chloe bag // Who What Wear trench // French Connection sweater dress // Aldo ankle boots

WHERE TO STAY:

The Principal Edinburgh: For our few nights in town, we got cozy at The Principal, situated right on George Street (a major thoroughfare) and a stone's throw from great restaurants and Old Town itself. Rich with history and riddled with all the Scottish decor accents you could ask for, including oak, marble, leather, tartan, plaid and numerous parlors full of brooding Scottish landscape paintings -- Alisha and I immediately fell in love. It's the perfect balance of history and luxury -- a sweet spot in my opinion! Plus, you're greeted by some kilt-sporting men at the front desk, which is always a win, win in my book!

Photos by Alisha Siegel

Huge thanks to the Visit Scotland tourism board for inviting us on such a lovely trip! Stay tuned for more Scotland posts this week!

Greetings from Barbados! As I'm writing this post, I'm sitting out on our balcony overlooking the Caribbean, listening to the waves crash ashore. Sometimes I forget how much I love being next to the ocean but when I am here, I just can't seem to get enough salt water in my hair and sun to kiss my skin. I'll be out here for the week, unplugging a bit, but I wanted to share a few of the key pieces I packed first for this little island getaway. A lot of these pieces (like this suit!) would be perfect for our long holiday weekend right around the corner so happy shopping!

Here we are! The last leg of our two-week trip through Japan, and it was actually the most spontaneous part of the ordeal. Originally, Heather and I had planned to split our time mainly between Tokyo and Kyoto, with a short stopover at Miyajima and Hiroshima to visit the Peace Park. But after reading through multiple Japan trip guides, I randomly stumbled upon a few lists that recommended the small island of Naoshima, known primarily for their modern art museums, architecture and public art installations scattered around the island. As we were sitting in our small hotel room in Tokyo on that first day, fresh off the plane, Heather and I agreed to skip Miyajima (which I still hope to make it back to someday) and book Naoshima ASAP.

And man, I'm so glad we did.

First off, it's a good train trek from Kyoto, so make sure you budget sufficient travel time (heads up, you'll be taking multiple trains and a ferry ultimately to make it to the island). That said, it was arguably, one of our favorite spots of the trip, so if you have the chance to go, I highly recommending squeezing it into your itinerary. We only had about a day and a half to enjoy the island itself, so we really hit the ground running once we arrived.

Secondly, I've also included a few photos of Hiroshima here as well, which is a must-see if you're visiting Japan, even if you can only fit in a day there. The Peace Park is utterly beautiful, in a very humbling way. We happened to go right at sunrise, which I think made the visit that much more special, as the park was quiet, almost deserted, with just the birds overhead reminding us we weren't alone. I get chills still just thinking about it.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO:

For a bit of context, the island is small and easily explored via the shuttle that runs through town or via bike (which are available to rent at most hotels/hostels). The beaches and coastline of Naoshima reminded me a lot of Northern California, specifically parts of Marin. Rocky in some areas, patched with wild flowers until opening up to white sandy beaches, with plenty of little alcoves and bays to make the ocean feel a bit more wild, with waves crashing down below you.

We stayed at the Benesse Art House, the Park property, which like all the Benesse properties, blends the idea of an art museum with a hotel, allowing guests to really immerse themselves in the culture of the island. Admittedly, I'm about to date myself right now, but for anyone who played the computer game Myst as a child, you'll understand my next reference. Walking around the island feels a bit like you're back on that remote island from the game -- wandering around alone, solving puzzles as you go, occasionally stumbling upon random sculptures and oddly placed buildings. It was eerie and mesmerizing at the same time and after we started walking around Naoshima, I remember mentioning this déjà vu feeling I was having to Heather -- it was like I had been here on this island before. Part of me hopes, who ever designed that game, had Naoshima in mind. They just had to.

Much of the island is set up for discovery sake. There are plenty of well designated art museums, many of them Benesse properties, and plenty that you practically stumble upon as you're walking or biking the island (so keep your eyes peeled!). Tip: Many of the homes and buildings in town have art elements to them -- so pay attention to murals (some are very subtle), landscaping and even what they might have displayed in their windows or yards. Japan has a very rich history where art is concerned. From traditional paintings dating back to the past to modern forms of art like anime and manga, there is something for everyone in Japan. Anime and manga are so popular here that you can even find adult versions on websites like cartoonporno.xxx. Who would have thought?

Benesse House: The Benesse lineup is comprised of four buildings scattering the south side of the island: the Museum, Oval, Park and Beach. Each property offers it's own unique art installations, with rooms that are just as niche and individual. We hopped to the Museum first but make sure you grab a property map of all the Benesse installations -- there are at least 20 that sit in and around the surrounding area, so yep, it feels a bit like a scavenger hunt! The most notable, of course, are the brightly colored pumpkin sculptures you see above, created by artist Yayoi Kusama.

Art House Project: We spent much of our full day in town doing this, as there are seven different houses scattered around the island that are part of this. What I love most about this particular project is how unexpected it all feels. The installations are built inside seemingly normal single-family-dwelling homes, but once you walk inside, you're transported immediately into another world. Our favorites were Haisha (which is where you can see the two-story Statue of Liberty) by Otake Shinro and Minamidera by James Turrell (incredible light installation!).

I Love Yu: The way they describe this gallery is a "way for you to experience art with your body" as part of the experience is actually taking a bath in this modern take on a traditional Japanese public bath house. Unfortunately for us, neither of us could partake during our visit, for timing reasons if you catch my drift, but the outside of the gallery is well-worth the visit! Mosaics and intricate tile work cover the building in an almost scrapbook-like fashion.

Lee Ufan Museum: Featuring the works of Korean artist Lee Ufan, this museum has a variety of his stone and rock sculpture work, in addition to some of his earlier paintings. The architecture, like most of the other buildings on the island, is designed by Ando Tadao, which is arguably as much of the exhibit as the artwork, so make sure to pay attention to the nuances here!

Chichu Museum: This was actually the first museum we explored once we got into town and I think, it arguably got Heather and I really excited for everything else in store for us on the island. Much like the rest of the Benesse properties, the architecture here is just as much on display (Ando for the win, again!), and Chichu in particular was where I experienced by biggest Myst moment of the trip. The building itself is stunning, set literally into a hillside, with walls seemingly cutting in and out of earth. They currently have an exhibit for Monet paintings (with a matching water lily garden outside the property) and a James Turrell light installation.

Ando Museum: Of course, after walking around the island, you start to realize just how ubiquitous Ando's work is (to the point you literally start pointing out all the Ando walls, which are very distinct in design). We decided to needed to pay homage to his work, so we hopped over to the Ando Museum after we wrapped up the Art House Project. He has a pretty prolific portfolio and the museum does a great job with building models and design anecdotes direct from Ando about his different projects.

WHERE TO STAY:

Benesse House: As I mentioned earlier, we stayed at the Park property of the Benesse House, which is directly down the hill from the Museum. Granted, it's on the pricier side as far as available accommodations on the island go, but we were definitely happy to splurge on our one night here. As you can imagine, the property itself is stunning, again designed by Ando, with numerous artist sculptures scattered around the grounds and an intimate gallery inside. Our room overlooked the ocean and we were never found lacking for beautiful walls to take photos in front of (the teal wall with crystal squares was a favorite of ours, clearly!). The hotel offers a free shuttle service around the island, which made it incredibly easy to get around. If you can, try to snag a room at one of the Benesse buildings -- it's definitely worth it!

WHERE TO EAT & DRINK

Admittedly, I may not be able to help much in this area, as we were only in town for a day and a half (so most of our meals were at our hotel, which was delicious!). If you can though, pop into any of the museum cafes for a light little snack and grab some green tea soft serve ice cream while you're out and about in town.

Photos of me by Heather Clark

Wow! It's June! Two questions: First, how the hell did that happen so quickly? And secondly, are you guys cool to forgive me for my very delayed guide to Kyoto? There are so many top places to visit in Kyoto!!

I suppose this is where I should insert some sort of explanation for the tardiness. In all honesty, I thought I had started off strong with my Tokyo guide back at the beginning of May. Admittedly, life got a bit in the way (as it always does), not to mention a few other trips, none of which I'm complaining about -- but it has been weighing on my mind a lot lately. I want to make sure I'm prioritizing these trips in a timely manner for you guys, so they can be as fresh and as relevant as possible! When it comes to Kyoto in particular, I wanted to knock this one out of the park for a few reasons, but namely, Kyoto was my favorite stop of the trip. From the people, to the food, from the numerous temples to the adorable neighborhoods, I could easily see myself living there in a heartbeat, if I wasn't fussed about learning a whole new language, of course.

So without further adieu, let's dive right into Kyoto, shall we? Also, if you're just joining now, make sure to check out my post about Tokyo, where I also included a few pointers you'll need to know before heading to Japan.

WHAT TO DO/SEE (for cherry blossom recommendations, keep scrolling!):

Fushimi Inari-Taisha: Raise your hand if this is one of the first spots you think of when visiting Kyoto. (Raises hand.) Yep, I think it's pretty fair to say this temple (which boasts walkways covered by over 10,000 orange torii gates), gets a lot of foot traffic (pun intended). Is it worth it? 10,000 over, YES. Again, pun intended. Just a heads up, you'll have to be patient to get a photo that's relatively empty of people. Heather and I waited (in the rain, mind you), for over 20 minutes at a time just to get a clearing. This is most certainly a 'must-see' for anyone thinking of going on any japan tours!

Kinkaku-ji (The Golden Temple): Aside from Fushimi, The Golden Temple was among my favorite temples of the trip. Why? Well, I think you all know by now, I'm a sucker for gold. And the entire roof of this temple, fittingly enough, is covered in gold leafing. It's surrounded by a stunning lake, which makes for some beautiful reflection shots.

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove: This is going to be an awfully embarrassing comparison to make, but I think it's spot on. Does anyone remember the movie Fern Gully when they were little? Granted, we're talking about a bamboo forest here, not a rainforest as the movie depicts, but there's something about walking through this forest that makes you feel like you're lost in another world.

Kiyomizu Dera: Unfortunately, this temple was under construction while we were in town and will be undergoing renovations until March 2020. You can still visit, but much of it is under scaffolding, making photos a bit less than ideal. The grounds and surrounding gardens seem worth the visit, although we eventually decided to skip in order to head to Nara Park.

Nara Park: Speaking of Nara, I have to say, this was such a highlight for me. Literally, my cheeks hurt that entire day from smiling too much. Granted, we had a bit of a snafu en route (Heather had a really scary allergic reaction at a ramen shop), but once that crisis was averted (and she safely made it back to Kyoto to take refuge at the St. Regis Hotel), I made my way straight to the park that is said to be covered with deer. And let me tell you, there are deer everywhere. They're extremely friendly and not afraid of people in the slightest. Of course, if you happen to pick up a few deer snacks (they sell them in the park), you'll make some furry friends quite quickly and they can get a bit aggressive, if you tease them. (So don't tease them!). Maybe they will have some great deer feeders to keep deers happy. If you want to learn more about deer feeders get more information from sites like feedthegame.com. So if you spot deer feeders you might be able to buy some snacks to add to the feeders. This is a great idea if you want to feed them but you prefer to see them from a distance. I personally like to get up and close though. If you happened to catch my Instagram Stories that day, you know how giddy I was. I was basically chatting with each deer I passed, half tempted to take one home with me like ol' Audrey here. What do you think Elvis would say? 🙂

Geisha spotting: Sigh. What I wouldn't have given to have a geisha spotting during the trip! I guess I can't say I was surprised though. Every article I read said geisha spottings are rare and you have to be quick and in just the right spot at the right times to maybe catch one of them on their way to meet clients for the evening. This write up was extremely helpful though. My two cents: hang out in Gion on Hanami-koji-dori around dusk/early evening, on a weekend if you can swing it. And if all else fails, you'll end up seeing some adorable mother/daughter duos dressed up in their kimonos.

Nishiki Market: A long, open air market with so many different kinds of vendors. We didn't have time to properly shop through here but it seemed like a fascinating collection of food and artisan work.

Shopping in Gion: As you've probably guessed by now, Gion was one of our favorite neighborhoods and the shopping had a lot to do with that. If you can, give yourself a day or half day to just stroll around and window shop. You'll see everything from fan shops to kimono shops, from ceramic stores to tea houses.

WHERE TO EAT & DRINK:

Heikichi Takasegawa: This was the perfect dinner to kick off our stay in Kyoto. Situated in Pontocho Alley (which I describe below in the cherry blossom section). Very traditional Japanese restaurant and cuisine -- we took off our shoes at the door (I noticed we did this far more often in Kyoto than Tokyo) and sat cross legged on the floor (SUPER comfortable -- I'm kinda into dining this way now!). They're known for their green onion dish, which Heather and I agreed, was one of our favorites. Go early, if you can, it gets quite crowded. Rest assured, it appeared to be a lot of locals joining for dinner that evening, which is always a relief!

Bar Cordon Noir: If you're a whiskey gal like me, you'll appreciate all the Japanese whiskey at your disposal around Kyoto. We popped into Bar Cordon Noir after our dinner at Heikichi and it was perfect night cap for a rainy, drizzly day. I highly recommend Hibiki whiskey -- extremely smooth and surprisingly light, in a refreshing way!

% Arabica Higashiyama: You didn't think I'd leave coffee off this list, did you? One glance at this coffee shop and you'll understand the hype. Clean, modern and very Scandinavian in aesthetic, we stopped by here several times to refuel on caffeine (the iced lattes were delicious)

RAMEN everywhere: So I have a confession. We may or may not have gotten addicted to ramen at this point of the trip. Seriously. I can't tell you how many times we looked at each other, when planning our next dinner move, and we secretly were hoping the other would just cave and say, "Ramen, again?" Good news is, ramen places are pretty ubiquitous, so they're easy to find. And most are excellent.

Tea ceremony: Perhaps a bit touristy, I actually really loved taking an official tea ceremony class. They walked us through the steps, traditions and even had us make (and whip!) our own green tea. We went to a tea house in the Gion district (the name of which is escaping me, so I'm bugging Heather at the moment to see if she can remember, stay tuned!).

Green tea soft serve ice cream: I mean, who can say no to green tea flavored anything, let alone, ICE CREAM? Not this girl. The vendors are pretty common and you'll usually find a bunch of them near popular temples.

Kura Kaiten Sushi (conveyer belt sushi): I'll be the first to admit, I had my reservations about this. Something about seeing my sushi pass me by on a little plate didn't exactly scream FRESH to me. But after seeing crowds of people head to this spot after leaving Kinkaku-ji, we figured it was worth a shot. And I'm so glad we did. First off, to set expectations, it's run very much like a fast food joint. Think In N' Out line and number system. Next, that sushi isn't on the conveyer belt for very long. We literally could peek inside the kitchen to see each piece being made before it was set out on the belt -- seconds later, it was grabbed by a hungry customer. We got in the spirit of it and decided we had to move faster if we wanted to eat. We cleared at least 20 little places between the two of us!

Tempura Endo: Arguably, one of our fancier meals of the trip, it also was one of our more adventurous ones as well. We're talking heads and eyes and tails and fins and some things we couldn't translate no matter how hard we tried via our Google Translate app. But! It was delicious and fun. I think Anthony Bourdain would be proud of us.

WHERE TO STAY:

Japaning Hotel OXA: This hotel was our home base the entire time we were in Kyoto. It's conveniently located (most major subway lines and bus lines were nearby) and there were at least 3 different ramen spots within 2 minutes walk in any direction. Plus, it was more of an apartment set up situation, which was a nice change from our tiny little room in Tokyo.

WHERE TO SEE CHERRY BLOSSOMS:

Philosopher's Walk: Hands down, this was my favorite cherry blossom spot of the trip. Tucked away in a more residential part of town, Philosopher's Walk is a winding riverside path, canopied by cherry blossoms on either side of the river. It's a bit of a trek outside of the city center (tip: we took the bus everywhere and it was surprisingly our preferred method!) but once you get there, you'll immediately understand why it's my favorite spot. Charming. Quaint. Quiet. Peaceful. And don't get me started on all the adorable mothers and grandmothers in their traditional kimonos casually walking to work. Plus, there's a decent amount of pottery and ceramic studios along the walk, perfect for unique souvenirs.

Pontocho: This alleyway runs parallel to the Kamo-Gawa River between Sanjo and Shijo. We actually walked along it on our first night in Kyoto as we were heading to dinner, only to have it start to really rain on us while we were en route. Luckily, we both had umbrellas with us, so we were able to really enjoy just how cinematic everything looked. Isn't it funny how rain can really do that too, in certain situations? Each scene around us felt like a stolen moment from a movie. Couples huddled under their umbrellas, stopping every once and while to appreciate the cherry blossoms overhead. Late night dinner patrons enjoying the last of their sake before saying goodbye. If you can, try to walk around this area at dusk or early evening -- I snapped some of my favorite photos of the trip in this spot and I credit that to just how beautiful the fading light looked in this area.

Stay tuned -- Naoshima and Hiroshima recaps are coming soon!

Photos of me by Heather Clark

There's something about having the comforts of home when you're traveling, right? Something that makes you instantly feel zen, centered and a little less like you've just stepped out of a plane full of recycled air.

This summer, I'm hopping around. A lot. Japan was earlier this spring, followed by Scotland and I'm currently writing this post in Sydney, Australia. And while I wouldn't have it any other way, I do appreciate when I can have a slice of home with me while on the road. At this point, I've put together a mini arsenal of luxuries that make a long day of travel and sight seeing a bit more relaxing -- my favorite tea to enjoy before heading to bed, a mini bottle of lavender to drip onto my pillowcase to help me fall asleep at night, a nightly routine of writing in my journal and then, of course, there's my hair care products. Of course, being on the road takes a massive toll on my hair. Between the long flights, changing climates, consistent heat styling and then the inconsistency of hotel shampoos and conditioners, it can be a lot for someone with already dry, somewhat damaged hair.

As some of you may know, I've partnered up with L'Oréal to try out their Ever Crème line, which has been a godsend during my travels the past few months. I've been packing their Deep Nourish lineup, including the mask which I'll use the night after my long flight getting into town, and it's made all the difference in making me feel like myself again. Coupled with the fact I'm also training for the New York Marathon, which means I'm now stepping up my running and cross training routines, my hair needs the extra TLC, now more than ever. All of the Ever Crème line line is sulfate-free, which until recently, I hadn't realized are common amongst shampoos and pretty much the kiss of death for anyone with fragile hair like mine (they're aggressive cleansers that can cause hair to become brittle over time). Yikes. No thank you.

As for the benefits? I've already seen vast improvements in my overall hair health. I experience far less split ends, my hair feels stronger and more durable and the shine is coming back (a novelty for someone like me whose hair is typically dry and can teeter on the brink of feeling like straw). And of course, there's the added luxury of taking an extra long bath in an extra large hotel room bath tub, so you can let that hair mask soak in. Glass of wine is optional, but highly encouraged.

How about you guys? What little comforts of home do you always travel with? And what does your hair care routine look like while you're on the road? Best news is, you can easily pick it up at any local drug store while traveling, like Rite Aide, CVS, Duane Reade etc.

This  post was in collaboration with L'Oréal. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!

Photos by Nora Varcho

A few years back, my good friend Heather and I were chatting about dream trips -- places in the world we had been dying to see. At the time, she and I had just gotten back from Turkey and loved every minute of being immersed in a culture so unlike our own -- so much so, that we were craving something crazier and even further away for our next international trip together. That's when the idea of Japan was planted, particularly for Sakura, the annual cherry blossom festival in early spring. Admittedly, at that moment, it felt like a pipe dream -- a lovely idea to think about but so far out of reach. Fast forward a few years later, and with both us living in New York and in desperate need of a cultural getaway, we decided it was time to finally pull the trigger. We're not getting any younger, right?

After having spent 2 weeks in Japan, I can definitively say this was one of my favourite trips. Ever. The country. The people. The balance of city and nature. The food. God, the food. The culture. It was a dizzyingly intoxicating trip -- with so many firsts, lots of laughs and many moments where I just couldn't believe I was actually there.

Granted, this was my very first trip to anywhere in Asia, so to say I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with the planning process is an understatement. But luckily, we both had so many close friends (and you dear, readers!) to help us out along the way. So without further adieu, here's a step by step guide to Tokyo, the first leg of our trip.

BEFORE YOU GO...

Let's get a little housekeeping out of the way first, shall we? If you're planning a trip to Japan yourself soon, make sure you're aware of these things first.

Japan Railway Passes: Generally speaking, navigating Japan via the subway and rail system is pretty easy, as long as you have Google Maps handy (more on wifi later) and you're comfortable asking train attendants for help when you need it (every train attendant we chatted with, while their English was minimal, was extremely helpful, to the point they'd write out instructions for us). Since we were planning on heading from Tokyo to Kyoto and a few spots in between, we were told by many folks to go ahead with a Japan Rail Pass, the easiest and fastest way to get around the country. Make sure you purchase your train pass a few weeks before hand, as they take a while to ship.

Pocket wifi: I cannot stress this one enough. You will need pocket wifi and luckily, you can arrange this before you even land in Japan. Wifi devices are pretty ubiquitous (as in a lot of hotels will offer them) but I recommend booking yours in advance online and picking it up at the airport once you arrive. We flew into Narita Airport and found our pocket wifi booth at the post office located inside the airport itself. Within 5 minutes of opening it up, we had pretty fast, decent wifi connection from the very start of the trip. Just make sure to charge it each night as the batteries will wear out fast. Your phone bill will thank me later.

Don't be overwhelmed if you don't know the language: Granted, this one took me a while to get over, as I generally don't like traveling to a new country if I'm not extremely comfortable with more than a handful of phrases. But Japanese. Whew! What a beautiful but difficult to pronounce language! In general though, there's a good deal of English on most signs (especially in Tokyo) and as long as you make an effort with a few phrases (like "arigato" for thank you and "konichiwa" for hello), you'll be fine. By the end of the trip, I may have also been a bit bow happy, as everyone bows to each other out of respect.

Google Translate will be your best friend: If there was ever a time in my life that should have been an ad for a Google product, this was it. We used Google Translate pretty much every day, at every meal (you can literally take a photo of written text and highlight which portions you want translated!), and there may have even been a moment where I had to run into a pharmacy with "anti-histamine" translated for the pharmacist. Download it before you go.

WHAT TO DO/SEE (for cherry blossom recommendations, scroll down):

Harajuku: Perhaps the most obvious of spots, we swung by this district on our first day in town. The shops and the crowds are definitely worth a visit, but if you can, make sure to swing by on a weekend. Since we didn't have any weekend days in Tokyo, we missed out of a lot of the students who typically make up the Harajuku fashionable crowd.

Imperial Palace: Home to the Imperial Family, the Imperial Palace is supposed to be stunning for cherry blossom sightings. However, learn from our mistake and don't go on a Friday (when the grounds happen to be closed). Also, if you can manage it, book a tour group in advance for better access to certain parts of the palace.

Mori Art Museum: Stunning contemporary art museum in the Roppongi district. We swung by here on the same day we visited the Google office (they're in the same building and Heather happens to work there). The views up top are incredible and we managed to see the N.S. Harsha exhibit.

Hedgehog Cafe: Granted, this was more at my request than Heather's, but if there's one thing folks in Tokyo love, it's a good kitschy cafe. The minute I heard there were actual cafes with hedgehogs you could hold, I was sold. Just a heads up though, lines can be long and we eventually had to give up. There are plenty of other niche cafes to choose from though, including maid cafes (like Schatzkiste, the one we went to) and cat cafes, where you can literally hang out with, yep, you guessed it, cats.

Pet shops: While we're on the subject of cute, random animals, pop into a pet shop if you can. You'll see the likes of owls, monkeys and yes, more hedgehogs. One of my friends back home has a pet hedgehog. I was really surprised when she told me that she feeds it cat food. It seems unusual but it does make sense, as hedgehogs need protein in their diets to help them stay healthy! If you've got a pet hedgehog of your own, or want to tempt some into your garden, then you might want to consider purchasing some cat food. There's a list of the best ones here to make sure your prickly friends are happy. So cute!

Nakameguro: Whenever I travel somewhere new, I love picking out the area that I would most likely live in if I lived in that city. Nakameguro is that area for me. The cafes, the boutiques, the restaurants and the apartments. All darling. A good friend of Heather's had recommended we check out the vintage shop J'Antiques in Nakameguro and I'm so glad we did. There's a pair of Yves Saint Laurent flats there that are still haunting me to this day. It's like What Goes Comes Around, but with a Japanese curation flair.

Shopping in Ginza: While we're on the subject of shopping, hop over to Ginza for your luxury designer fix. We didn't necessarily find anything to splurge on but I loved seeing the mothers and daughters in matching Gucci outfits. Like full on matching Gucci track suits. I'm not kidding.

Kabuki theater: After heading to the fish market (more on that later) super early in the morning, we hopped over to Kabuki-Za, a traditional Kabuki theater (where yep, all actors are men, including female roles). The theater itself was stunning to see and they even offer affordable translation devices so you can follow along (much like you would during the opera).

Robot Show: If there's one thing you cannot miss when in Tokyo, it's the Robot Show. Trust me. It's the most delightfully weird thing you'll ever sign up for and I would do it again in a heart beat. And that's all I'll say about that.

Photo booth arcade: OK, so there's a bit of theme here: Tokyo is a bustling, urban, sprawling city that really loves delightfully weird experiences. Case in point: photo booth arcades. While we didn't get a chance to try one out, I highly recommend you make time for it! It's like a Snapchat filter dream on steroids. It really made me want to get photo booth hire Coventry for my wedding. Photo booths are so much fun and they create memories for life!

Tsukiji Fish Market: We originally tried making it here around 2am, which is the when the line forms for the tuna auction each day. Alas, jet lag had a different idea for us so we just rolled in around 8am to the main fish market instead. There are a lot of vendors to see here, down lots of alleyways, so make sure you give yourself ample time to just explore! And try sushi for breakfast from one of the many father/son duos you'll undoubtedly pass along the way.

Mario Kart: Again, we didn't get a chance to try this, but it sure was fun to see folks out on the street doing it! It's just as you might have guessed. You essentially rent go-karts to drive around Tokyo, dressed as characters from Mario Kart. If I were to go back, I'd be Toad.

Itoya: Picture this: 9 floors of all stationary goodies. Think pretty paper. Pens. Origami figures. I picked up a lot of postcards here but could have easily spent hours here just wandering around.

Tsutaya: Absolutely loved this book store. Apparently it's a chain, but it's a great source for indie Japanese magazines.

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK:

Ichiran: Well, we came. We saw. We ate TONS of ramen. Interestingly enough, we thought we would spend most of our meals drooling over sushi, but ramen ended up being our guilty pleasure and the fact the VERY first ramen place we went to happened to be AMAZING, we went multiple times. They're also open 24/7 (perfect after a long night at the Robot Show or hopping around Golden Gai) and you get to order everything from a vending machine.

Tatsunoya: This was a close favorite of ours, too when it comes to the ramen game. We hopped in for a casual lunch and were excited to see they even have a location in Brooklyn.

Golden Gai district: A must-see for a night out in downtown Tokyo, Shinjuku. It's a grid of alleyways, filled with tiny, niche bars, each one with a different theme, like an Alcatraz-themed one or a leopard themed one. They're all pretty small, roughly about 5 seats per bar, but the idea is to hop around for the evening, trying a few. Speaking of which, going down any commercial alley at night is quite a sight. Normally they are coated in neon signs from outside these bars and restaurants, and it does look quite dazzling.

ANA Intercontinental Hotel: This came highly recommended by a fellow New Yorker, now living in Tokyo himself (thanks Duke!) who said we needed to stop by here for a boozy, late teppanyaki lunch.

Park Hyatt Hotel for the New York Bar: If you're like me and are obsessed with the movie "Lost in Translation" then the New York Bar is probably already high on your Tokyo to-do list. We stopped here on our third night in town when we were craving a bit of home -- and the New York Bar hits all the right notes of the Big Apple. Strong Manhattans, a jazz trio playing while you overlook all of Tokyo and a mean steak.

Gonpachi aka the Kill Bill restaurant: Alright, here's another movie favorite and while we didn't actually get to stop here, we were dying to see it! Apparently, it's not the actual restaurant made infamous by the scene with the Crazy 88s, but it inspired it!

Yakumo Saryo: This was a special lunch reservation for us as we saved it for Heather's birthday! It's a bit outside the city, so be prepared for a longer cab or subway ride, but the decor and the service is incredible. Modern and traditional fusion, lots of courses and apparently, you need to be invited back for an actual dinner there, which of course, sold Heather.

Kushimura: This was another recommendation from our new friend Duke (don't you just love making friends on trips in hotel bars?!). Kushimura is a great dinner option if you're craving traditional yakitori. My favorite? The grilled pepper stuffed with cheese!

WHERE TO STAY:

APA Hotel in Shinjuku: This was our home away form home for the first three nights in Tokyo and I'm actually really glad we stayed in the Shinjuku area. It made getting around the city much easier (all the main central subway lines are nearby) and heading back home at the end of the night was always fun because you can get swept up in the downtown madness of it all. The hotel rooms themselves are pretty small, as you might have suspected, but in all honesty, we spent very little downtime at the hotel.

Just a quick note: If you can, try to reserve most of your dinner reservations yourselves either via email or phone before arriving in town. We originally planned on having the hotel concierge help us with this, but apparently this isn't very common in Japan.

Westin: We stayed here for our last night in town and it was by far, the biggest room we had the entire trip. It was a nice way to indulge for the evening (apparently the spa here is supposed to be incredible!) before our long flight the following day.

WHERE TO SEE CHERRY BLOSSOMS

Shinjuki Gyoen: We had heard amazing things about the cherry blossoms in Shinjuku Gyoen, so we made a beeline here for our first full day in town. At that point, the blossoms hadn't hit their peak bloom, so there were quite a few trees still budding, but we didn't mind at all. Since it's a large public park, just be careful, you are going to be standing around in crowds, but don't worry, there are plenty of small pathways to cut away from the main group and snap your own cherry blossoms.

Nakameguro river walk: As if I needed another reason to love this area, but seriously, if the river walk in Nakameguro doesn't win you over with all it's quaint charm and tree lined river path, then I don't know what will. Some of our best photo opps came from this area, especially on a bridge with the traditional lanterns hung over head. The blossoms were approaching full bloom at this point, too. If you can manage it, get here really early in the morning before the crowds arrive to snap your own photos.

Stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow: my guide to Kyoto!

Photos of me by Heather Clark