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It’s finally spring over here in Tokyo. Cherry blossom season, with all the socializing, tree-gazing and picnicking that it entails, has come and gone in a blur and there are outdoor events galore to bask in the warm weather. The last three months in Japan have been wonderful, so much so that since moving back to my hometown, I’ve fallen behind on my correspondence with beloved pen pals. It’s time to get writing!

My go-to stationery for writing letters are Midori’s Iyo-style seasonal letter sets. Iyo is an old province of Japan’s Ehime prefecture and the letter sets are made with beautiful washi paper that are smooth to the touch and easy to write on. Midori releases new floral designs each season. The spring sets I own feature bright pink water lilies and delicate morning glories. The minimalist designs with the blooms and leaves on separate pages remind me of ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement. I like to think that my grandmother, an elegant lady who was an expert in the art of ikebana and an avid letter-writer, would agree that coordinating the stationery I use with the seasons adds a special touch to my letters.

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OK, so he's not exactly a newbie. Clayton joined the team as our mighty illustrator (with added DJ responsibilities) this past fall. Admittedly, we feared he would regret leaving California’s sun and surf. But nine months later, after the worst winter ever, three flats (on his bike), and our calendar/holiday/spring release, Clayton has earned his east coast stripes! So what is it about his new home city that has enchanted him so? We asked Clayton to let us in on his Boston favorites to find inspiration, refuel, get around, and just enjoy. Read on!

Can't Get Enough Of ...

THE SEASONS: Where I live in California, it never snows. However, winter here proved to be a grand adventure. Others may disagree. The spring? Worth the wait. Autumn? Breathtaking! Summer? I may have a different story. I don’t do well with humidity.

ARCHITECTURE: You name it, I probably like it—if and only if it was built any time before 1910. Whether colonial or victorian, Bostonians takes humble pride in the restoration of buildings. The buildings never seem overly extravagant, but rather purposeful and beautifully crafted.

SIGNAGE: A giant old scaffolded letter or word juxtaposed against a crisp blue or dark black sky really makes me want to stop in awe—that or be tempted to climb it.

First, Let's Talk Caffeine Fix ... 

DIESEL CAFE: By far, my favorite place to work. Eclectic industrial vibe with a bike rack out front. Also no internet which works well for me—forces me to not get distracted.

PEET'S (Harvard Square): Best Chai Latte around. Also, just over the Charles from my apartment.

TRIANGLE COFFEE: Always carries Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Sunset Black Tea ... and happens to be located where I rock climb.

Eating On The Go, and Possible Celeb Sightings ... 

NEWTOWNE GRILLE: Friends/How I Met Your Mother/Seinfeld spot. Seriously, my friends and I sit in the same booth almost every time. Great pizza affordably priced, homemade root beer, beer, and jukebox. Need I say more? ... Oh ya, thanks Jen for this divvy introduction!

BARTLEY'S: Beyonce Burger? With jalapeños and pepper jack? Yes, please! Oh and yes, it is true. B.J. Novak has eaten there. Cash only.

FALAFEL CORNER: Praise the Lord for something in Cambridge/Somerville open past 12:00am! I work late on occasion. Can you say late night Lamb Schwarma?

I Love Me A Good Cocktail ...

BEAT HOTEL: Three words: Hippie Jazz Chic. Very eclectic. Live music. Good mixed drinks. A very bright and social bar. I met a group of Spaniards last time I was there. The group included Helena Bonham Carter and Nate Ruess Spanish doppelgangers.

RUSSELL HOUSE TAVERN: Love me a dark classy tavern of a bar. The kicker? Free matches! Not just any matches. The most beautiful box of matches you’ve ever seen: balsa wood, black sulfur, and a beautiful black and white image of the old house on the front.

SILVERTONE: Provides the second most beautiful box of free matches. Also, STEAK TIPS! The closest thing, my friend Jen says, us West Coasters will ever get to Tri-Tip while here on the East Coast.

See The Sights or Get Outta Town ...

BUNKER HILL MONUMENT: Historical. Large grassy nulls. Ample dog watching. Pure bliss.

ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM: Four story courtyard open garden. Mismatched and funkily curated artwork. Home of stolen Rembrandt paintings. Who done it? My vote: Pierce Brosnon. It happened in the 90’s (Thomas Crown Affair anyone?). Only joking of course.

VERMONT: Eat your heart out Kate Winslet’s character in The Holiday. Quaint. Cozy. And bohemian without being toooo bohemian. Vermont + Cottage + Emma + Jen + Clayton = ample supply of shenanigans and good food.

Getting From Point A to Point B ...

HARRY CONNICK JR. (MY BIKE): My main mode of transportation. Sunny days, pot holes, collisions, snow, black ice, and near misses. We’ve been through a lot my friend. We’ve been through a lot.

THE T: Best way to get around when good ole Harry is temporarily out of commission. May be cleanest subway ever. And thanks for the Charlie card, Alex! Super handy.

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A few months ago, I said my bittersweet goodbyes to the Smudge Ink crew and left Boston to start a new job in Tokyo (narrowly escaping the Snowpocalypse!). While I miss gluten-free Treat Days, DJ Clayton’s sweet playlists, and the sound of the presses cranking away, it is pretty great to be back in the city where I grew up.

I’ve been a stationery aficionado my whole life and Itoya is my go-to store for beautiful stationery. Itoya has branches throughout Tokyo and sells art, office and school supplies from all over the world. There is always something adorable, colorful and unique to covet and I never walk out empty-handed. Over the weekend, I visited Itoya’s five-story flagship store in Ginza, one of Tokyo’s most popular shopping districts. Not surprisingly, the store was jam-packed with people looking for spring-themed greeting cards, stickers, and notebooks. Here are my Top Five Favorite Finds:

Animal-shaped paper clips. Every time I see these, I’m tempted to start an entire zoo of paper clips. Who wouldn’t want to jazz up their essays or reports with a whimsical crocodile or elephant paper clip?

Erasers shaped like macarons. They look delicious and they’re tiny, which makes them even more delightful.

Washi tape. So many colors, patterns and sizes. I use my collection of washi tape for decorating plain notebooks and pens, creating borders and adding accents to collages, and marking my umbrellas so I know which clear, plastic, and otherwise nondescript umbrella is mine.

Mini envelopes. These little guys are about the length of my thumb and just big enough to write a succinct salutation.

Stationery sets made to look like tea bags. As a dedicated tea drinker and letter writer, I was thrilled to find these letter sets that combine two of my favorite hobbies. I immediately bought a couple sets and wrote messages to my fellow tea-loving friends.

I’m excited to explore more cool stationery shops and write about stationery culture and history in Japan for the blog. Stay tuned!

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Writing about my wedding has been something I have been meaning to do on the blog for some time now. I was reminded of this when I came across these photos from our very first trip to Santa Fe. John and I were married there last fall. It’s funny how it came to be. We had put off any sort of wedding planning for as long as possible and then in a freak out moment we set our sights for New Mexico, a place we had never seen and about which we knew very little.

I knew it was a good sign when we began to talk about the wedding so excitedly as we drove from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. The desert surroundings and small town feel really spoke to use, and suddenly we began seeing all of the possibilities. Then we tried our first huevos rancheros at a local diner and the location for our destination wedding was set. In the coming posts, I’ll share more about our wedding and what I loved and learned along the way. I thought it only proper to do introductions first. Say hello to Santa Fe!

Photography by Sabrina Garber

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