Did
Yes I know it’s already December, but since I was out of town in November this post got a bit delayed. But without further ado, here are all the things I did and bought in November:
I started the month with a 29 hour trip to Las Vegas for a friend’s milestone birthday. The last time I was in Vegas was 2016 so it’s been quite a bit, and boy have a lot of things changed (and yet also stayed the same). Currently Vegas is getting ready for the F1 race so there’s a ton of construction and traffic, which made getting around hard. There’s of course new restaurants and places to visit (Resorts World and The Sphere—both of which I didn’t have the time to see). But the casinos and shops elsewhere feels pretty much the same. I’m not much of a gambler, so I shopped instead (see my little bag browsing spree here). We also went to XS (the club) for one night and boy am I old. I still had fun with my friends but I’d be perfectly okay not seeing the inside of a club again for the rest of my life 😂. Oh and by the way last month’s elder millennial club outfit picks from the RealReal were a success (and if you’re curious it was this and this— I wore one to dinner and one to the club)!
The best Korean BBQ of my life
And the reason for the late recap: we went to South Korea (our first time) and Japan (to see family). It was an epic international trip, Emi’s first and our first trip to Asia in over 10 years (yikes do those years go by quick). If you’ve been following along in my stories you’ve seen the numerous and amazing kid cafes we went to in Seoul and all the shopping and eating in Tokyo (highlights reel of Seoul here and of Tokyo here). There’s just too many things to talk about to fit into this recap post so I’ll be doing a rundown of some tips for traveling in Seoul and Tokyo (for those who haven’t been before or go very infrequently), along with a promised style/bag recap, in a of couple weeks.
Updated my Quince Sweater review (with the merino wool half zip) and my Mate the Label review.
And lastly, I want to say thank you to all those who purchased from Linjer through my affiliate links on my Linjer Review. I was blown away with how many purchases were made during the Linjer sale and I really appreciate those who took the time to click through my link(s) before their purchase. It made a sizeable difference in my affiliate revenue (until Linjer decided to reduce my commission to 0% because they’re moving funds to TikTok and social marketing 🙄). But more than anything I’m grateful for those who choose to purchase through my links and support the blog!
Bought
Madewell Harlow Pant: I actually got these back in October but didn’t wear them a whole lot since there were still some days with 90 degree temps in October. But I wore them a couple times and I’m still trying to figure out the best way to style these baggy trousers.
Everlane Felted Merino Wool Half Zip: I also got this in October during their Friends and Family sale and I’ve already reviewed it here in my one 2023 Everlane Review.
Quince Baby Alpaca-Wool Waffle Stitch Polo Sweater and Australian Merino Wool Cable Sweater Vest: Trying out a couple more Quince sweaters and my first sweater vest since the early 90’s lol. Will of course update my Quince sweater review with these two additions once I wear them more often.
Loewe Mini Hammock Hobo Bag: This was my purchase form Vegas after browsing both Loewe and Celine. I’ve already worn it around Tokyo and loooove it. It holds a lot more than expected and after using my Loewe Puzzle for the last couple of months, being able to open the bag up wide and easily get things in and out was a refreshing change lol. Full review to come soonish.
Loewe Jacquard Bag Strap: I also got this in Vegas and it was the original reason I went into Loewe. I thought a wider canvas strap would be nice for my Loewe Puzzle but since they didn’t have it in black with silver hardware to match the bag, I decided to mix the leather colors and match the hardware by getting a tan leather strap with silver hardware. After trying it out a couple times, I decided to put the strap with my tan mini hammock (thus matching the leather colors but not the hardware). I like that combo a lot more since the mini hammock bag’s strap is quite thin and the thick strap was a lot more comfortable to wear while traveling. I think the puzzle strap is fine the way it is and I probably won’t get a black canvas strap for the Puzzle anymore.
Loewe x Suna Fujita Penguin Dice bag: When I went to Loewe Casa in Omotesando (which was just full of tourists by the way), I impulse purchased the special holiday penguin Dice bag. I originally wanted the penguin cardcase but of course they didn’t have it. And even though I was tempted by the holiday versions of the mini Puzzle bags, I couldn’t pull the trigger. Instead I went for the Dice bag with the penguins. And yes I know this bag fits even less, but I just love the design (with different leathers used for the penguins and diver). And with the conversion rate and tax-free price I was able to get it for about $160 below retail. We’ll see how much I use this bag or whether it becomes a fond souvenir from this trip. I also went to the Loewe Casa location for their holiday pop-up cookie shop. And even though I couldn’t get a tin of cookies (sadly all sold out), I got a cute cookie for Emi and an exorbitant box of chocolates.
The Row Medium N/S Park Tote in black from a secondhand shop in Ginza, Tokyo: I was able to go shopping child-free on our second-to-last day in Tokyo and that is when I spotted this black medium Park Tote from The Row. It was love at first touch—I knew I was going to definitely get a Park Tote in medium. But I wasn’t sure to get this one from Japan since the corners are a bit worn (you can only see it up close). But thanks to all those who voted “get it” in my Insta poll, I went back the next day (my last day in Japan) and got it. And I’m so glad I did. I loooove this bag. True, this bucket bag needs an organizer or else it becomes a bottomless pit. However, the leather feels on par with my Hermes Lindy bag and I would liken it to Hermes quality but without the price tag (and hardware). I can see why The Row fans are die hard fans. I might be turning into one myself after this bag…
Merit Beauty Black Friday purchase: This was my only online Black Friday purchase. I usually shop their Black Friday Sale (the only time they have a discount), to restock on their mascara. This year I decided to try their complexion stick and bronzer. I’ll of course do a review once I’ve fully test driven the products.