Travel: A glipse of Japan - Part II

My London trip has come to an end so it is a time to continue with my Japan story so can catch up with timing and switch to my European adventures.

The second part of my Japan unexpected meeting took us to Kyoto - an ancient Japan's capital a city full of UNESCO heritage objects. Indeed it is an amazing city even more beautiful than I have imagined from the movies and books. 

Couple dressed in kimonos at Kyoto

(One of my all time favorite books is Memoirs of a Geisha which gave me a small preview of a life of a geisha back in 30ies, strolling down the narrow streets heading to a fancy dinner party and life back in than in general). Actually Kyoto is still an active geisha district where, if you are lucky, can see a real geisha heading for a dinner appointment).

On our free time we started our sightseeing (2 hours) tour with old part of the town and than heading to temples and shrines.

Travel: A Glimpse of Japan - Part I

It's been over a week that I have been back from Japan but the impressions are still live and vivid like it was just yesterday.

Welcome to Japan

This trip came as pretty big surprise to me as it was kind a last minute announcement from my company to join our company's bi-annual Expo in Tokyo (Sanrio Inhouse Expo)  and an offsite meeting in Kyoto.. So you can imagine HOW excited I was. Like a little girl before Christmas or Kevin from Home Alone.
What a thrill was to go to see the land where Hello Kitty was born with my own eyes and to see Tokyo with my own eyes. I must say it is even more colorful, crazy, hectic and advanced than I could ever imagine. but the same time so safe, so clean and organized.
The flight was long and tiring and didn't even manage to close my eyes for more than an hour therefore arrived at my destination pretty destroyed, but after hotel check in, quick shower and outfit change I was ready to hit the city. With which I mean I was ready to go for first meetings and Store check.

Hotel Check in and checking myself out before hitting the town

In late afternoon and after all the blinding city lights, colors, people I started to get pretty tired and sleepy but still could resist and continued my store check cheerfully.

Tights and stocking paradise is in Tokyo

 The ones who knows me are aware of my passion of cute, colorful, trendy and fun socks, tights and stockings I have in my collection so you can only imagine my thrill seeing all these lines of socks in department stores - ahhh a Paradise.

socks paradise as well

 The same for the socks. So colorful, fun, cute and playful. just you want them all and want to make your feet happy and show off.
Of course as a culture where the shoes comes off at the house doors right before entering a nice pair of socks is an nice idea for a conversation starter.

Luckily dinner was scheduled pretty early as we were kind a starving after the long trip and working all afternoon.

Traditional style Japanese restaurant

We were taken to a quite but trendy street right near of Shibuya (the district where we had our hotel) where we could have a nice peace of mind and enjoy our traditional Japanese dinner.

After a delicious dinner we were heading back to our hotel - Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel. On our way we had a glimpse of an Japanese socialising after work and side walk bars.

Traditional Japanese bar at Shibuya

Even if I felt like walking dead and sleep walking the curiosity to see the view from our hotels 40th floor was stronger than me. 

..and I was right - the view was definitely worth seeing. Pity that couldn't manage to sit down at their famous restaurant on 40th floor as it was too late but still managed to catch a glimpse from above.

view to Tokyo from above in the night

Tokyo at night from above

My room was at 23rd floor and I can say that my view was not bad at all.

The next day we were off and running to our in-house Expo, meetings and some more meetings.

Sanrio Expo 2014

A nice review of the Expo you can also find here.

Blending in

I tried to blend in in the Expo as a mannequin but unsuccessfully but turns out I shouldn't move and stop smiling to make it more believable.

rice triangles

 Even when travelling I am trying to stick to my diet therefore for lunch I looked up for a healthy food store and got myself a nice rice triangle and salmon with seaweed to get my daily protein and good carbs. and in top of that managed to save money + ate clean. Really proud of myself.

Salmon with seaweed

 Luckily half of the food packaging is transparent and I was able to spot and choose things without finding someone who would translate it for me as in Japan is pretty tough to find someone speaking good English.

 Before dinner we had two hours free to see near district so we went to near Yoyogi park.

Yoyogi park selfy

Yoyogi park

 already getting closer to the entrance in the park we instantly felt the serenity and silence that isolated all the sounds from the street and the city and made you feel like you are in other dimension - more calm and peaceful.
Heading to the shrine we found a wall of Sake barrels from typical brewers as an exhibition and reminder for keeping alive Japanese traditions.

Sake Barrels

Sake barrels

 Coming closer to our destination we stopped at a place where you can purify your soul with a clear water by washing hands and drinking a sip of the clean and running water.

purifying water

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The place for me was something amazing, relaxing and just so great. we were even lucky with the lovely afternoon sun that shined above us making everything even more magical.

Meiji Shrine

 I kept on having feeling and imagining how it was centuries ago when people really lived there, worked and prayed there. something that makes you travel back in time and put yourself in their shoes.

wall of prayers

 For a good fortune and getting hopes come true there are a wall of prayers where everyone could put their own good thought or prayer to get it fulfilled.

Even if I would have loved to stay there for hours and get my mind relaxing I knew the time is thick but Tokyo is so big, so tried to managed as much as possible and headed to near Harajyuku shopping street where you can see various styles, colors and cos-play costumes. eat and shop till you drop.

Harajyuku Takeshita street art

Takeshita street 

Cos-play Costumes

As two days before there were a grand opening of a Sunday Jam X Mister Man cafe than we headed also there to see it for ourselves and have a quick rest with a cup of coffee to share our impressions.

Sunday Jam in Harajyuku street

Sunday Jam X Mister Bump pancakes offer

wouldn't be nice to have a breakfast there with nice pancakes on this lovely organized plate? if heading to Tokyo make sure you stop by there and than tell me how it was as i did not manage to try anything but a nice cup of coffee from Mr.man mug. Which you can buy also there.Neat!

Little Miss Sunshine table

You can not not love the interior - so playful, colorful and fun!

And this, my friends are end of first part of my trip. Stay tuned and Kyoto part will follow up - even more colorful and beautiful..

Workout: The color run in pictures

It's been a while since I participated in The Color Run here in Milan, but the feelings are still fresh and so are the pictures!

Before the race

And I feel like I have to share them with the world as it was a great experience!

Workout: Are you ready to run those colorful 5km this Saturday?

Oh happy day! today going to get my race pack for Saturday's The Color Run 5km!

The Color Run Milano - sold out

It will be a super-big event as it is completely sold out! so it means just one thing - there will be more than 10K participants! the more the merrier!

Workout: tips getting back in shape after summer holidays

It is already end of summer and it means just one thing - the summer holidays are over and it is time to get back to everyday routines and it is time to get back on a new workout and  fitness schedule, with new goals, aims and challenges!

After a long vacation in South of Italy I will have to catch up with quite a lot of things, especially at fitness and healthy lifestyle level. (I have been working on a new, exciting project and soon will be ready to reviled also to the world - so stay tuned! ) 

I can bet I am not the only one to get back on track so here are some tips to get out of that post-vacation depression and get back in shape.

*Set a reachable goal

The best thing that motivates is setting a clear and obtainable goal. Like loosing 2kg (gained in summer vacations) till winter holiday. (One of my goals too - get in shape for next holiday! so can do that together! )

It can also be a goal to get able to run 5km marathon and participate in The Color Run (the worlds funnest and colorful 5km ). I am going to participate on 6th of September here in Milan! who is in with me?

It also can be a detox or teatox cure to loose weight, clear skin and boost immune system. 

and so on and on, it can be several, important that they are attainable and realistic.

Whatever you choose stick to the plan, track your progress and make a deadline, therefore you will be more motivated and inspired by your own results to keep going.

Set a Goal

My last year gym motivational post before the Color Run!

Travel: Exploring Calabria from East to West and inbetween

Hello from South of Italy!

Benvenuti al Sud (Welcome to South) - a restaurant in Castrovillari, Calabria

I finally managed to escape the city and head South - to Calabria where I will be spending another week (one is already done) trying to catch up with sleep, get tanned and stay in shape. However, it has been really difficult as the cuisine is just divine and you wan't to try everything and the constant heat is not letting you to work out either... not even mentioning that all gym's has been closed down already.

7 Fast and healthy lunch recipes for busy people

I have always liked to cook, bake and experiment but when it comes to lunch it is pretty difficult to prepare a masterpiece during working week especially for a busy working girls always on a run.
In order to stick to eating healthy and swap away those boring supermarket salads for a home made meal  to make your lunch meals diverse but the same time healthy.
So here comes my one week in a pictures of different meals for lunch breaks.

Monday - Simmental and Bulgur+Quinoa salad

Bulgur Guinoa and Simmental (canned meat) 

I really love Simmental (Italian brand for meat in gelatin). low fat and rich with protein. (No wonder they sponsor Italian National Football team as they are supporting athletes).
in their homepage they have several, nice recipes. (unfortunately only in Italian).
Kcal - 221, Protein 16g, fat - 3, Carbs - 32