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California Wines celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Judgment of Paris and its Golden State of Mind

As someone who enjoys wine, I’m always excited whenever I get the opportunity to attend a wine tasting event.
Every bottle tells a different story, from the vineyard where the grapes were grown to the people behind the winemaking process. 
What I love most about wine tasting is that there is always something new to discover. 
Sometimes it's a wine region I've never explored before, and other times it's a grape variety or flavor profile that completely surprises me.
Over the years, I've learned that wine is much more than just a drink. 
It's a reflection of culture, history, craftsmanship, and passion. 
That's why I was particularly excited to attend an event celebrating one of the most important moments in modern wine history, the 50th anniversary of the legendary Judgment of Paris.


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2 Weeks in the UK @ Bicester Village, Historic Oxford & Our Gloucester Airbnb

Hey guys! Welcome back to my UK road trip blog!
I started jotting down this journey last week, mainly so I can keep everything here and look back on it in the future, like a little time capsule of this trip.
If you haven’t read the London part of my UK trip yet, you can catch up HERE.  
 I shared everything from our arrival in London, how we planned our city days, plus some really useful tips on renting a car in the UK and one accommodation that I genuinely think was worth every penny.
And today’s post is where the real road trip begins.
After a few days in London, we finally picked up our rental car and officially started our journey.
It honestly felt a little surreal at first, going from taking the Tube everywhere to suddenly sitting in the driver’s seat, adjusting to driving on the opposite side, and trying to get used to roundabouts that seem to come out of nowhere.
Everything felt new again in the best way.
London was amazing, but this was a different kind of excitement, more freedom, more spontaneity, and a lot more “let’s just see where the road takes us.”
There was also this quiet moment right before we left the city, like a small mental shift.
No fixed train schedules, no rushing to catch lines, just us, the car, and a map full of places we wanted to slowly explore.
And just like that, the road trip officially started. 
So without sharing too much at once, let’s get into day one of the journey now…

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2 Weeks in the UK @ First Stop in LONDON

It’s been a year since our 2-week family trip to the UK, but I still find myself going back to those memories from time to time.
Just the other day, I was scrolling through my phone photo album and suddenly came across our UK pictures again. It brought back so many memories at once, I guess I really miss that time.
I know this post is long overdue, but I still want to jot it down here, especially because this was one of those rare trips where I got to travel with my family for an extended period.
Nothing rushed, nothing overly planned, just days spent together in a completely different country, sharing small moments that feel even more precious as time passes.
So I’m writing this not just to document the places we went, but to keep a little archive of how it felt, to travel with them, laugh with them, get tired together, and simply be together away from our usual routines.
The kind of memories that don’t always stand out in the moment, but somehow stay with you quietly afterward.
Hopefully one day, I can look back and remember it all again, just as clearly.
We started from London, then went on a road trip through Oxford, the Cotswolds, Bath, York, Leeds, Windermere, and all the way up to Scotland.
It was a 2-week journey that slowly unfolded with every stop, each place carrying its own mood and pace.
There’s honestly so much I want to share; from how we managed accommodation for the seven of us, to the long drives in between cities, and even the little challenges we faced along the way that made the trip feel more real and memorable.
I’ll be slowly sharing each part of the journey here, hope you’ll stay for the rest of it.


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Kyushu Road Trip Part 2: Exploring Yufuin and Best Ryokan Stays at Ryokan Yufuin Sansuikan

In Part 1 of my Kyushu road trip, I shared about our first arrival in Fukuoka, where we spent two relaxing days exploring the city.
From wandering around Kawabata and discovering hidden food spots, visiting beautiful temples like Tōchō-ji and Kushida Shrine, to enjoying the night view near Fukuoka Tower, it was a really nice and easy start to the trip.
We then picked up our rental car and officially started our road trip across Kyushu.
Our first stop was the famous onsen town of Beppu, where we explored several of the unique hot springs, including Umi Jigoku, Oniishi Bozu Jigoku, and Kamado Jigoku.
We also ended the day with the beautiful panoramic view from Yukemuri Observation Deck, watching steam rise across the entire city as the sun slowly set.
After a full day exploring Beppu, it was finally time to continue our road trip deeper into Kyushu.
Our next destination was Yufuin, a place we had been really looking forward to visiting.
It was highly recommended by our friends, who are very familiar with Japan and travel here almost every year.
In fact, Fukuoka was already their third time visiting, so we trusted their recommendations quite a lot.
They told us that Yufuin has a completely different atmosphere compared to the bigger cities, much quieter, surrounded by mountains, and known for its relaxing countryside charm.
After hearing so many good things about it, we were honestly very excited to finally see it for ourselves.
We arrived in Yufuin quite late at night after having dinner in Beppu.
The drive from Beppu to Yufuin goes through mountain roads, and along the journey it was very dark, which honestly felt a little scary for us at times.
Some parts of the road were also quite narrow, so we had to drive extra carefully.
Because of that, I would definitely recommend starting the journey earlier in the day if you’re planning to drive to Yufuin.
The drive itself is actually beautiful, but it would probably be much nicer, and less nerve-wracking if you could enjoy the mountain scenery during daylight instead of navigating the roads in the dark. 


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Kyushu Road Trip Part 1: From Fukuoka City Vibes to Beppu Hot Springs

Hey guys! Welcome back to my travel blog.
It’s been a while since my last travel post, I think the previous one was back in August. Time really flies! So this time, I’m excited to finally share something a little special: my first ever trip to Japan.
Yes, you read that right....my first trip.
Many people were actually quite surprised when they found out I had never been to Japan before. Considering I’ve traveled to quite a number of countries over the years, Japan somehow just never made it onto my itinerary.
But I guess good things are worth the wait, because I finally made it there in December 2025.
For this trip, I traveled with my girlfriend, Stella.
When we were planning the itinerary, we both agreed on one thing: we didn’t want a rushed, city-hopping type of trip. Instead, we were craving something slower and more relaxing, a place where we could just drive, enjoy the scenery, and end the year on a peaceful note.
That’s how we decided on Fukuoka.
Compared to the more popular cities like Tokyo or Osaka, Fukuoka felt like the perfect balance.
It has the convenience of a city, but at the same time, it’s surrounded by beautiful countryside, coastal drives, and quiet towns that are perfect for a road trip.
Exactly the kind of vibe we were looking for.
Our plan was simple, rent a car, take things slow, explore the outskirts, and hopefully experience a different side of Japan that’s a little more calm and local.
No packed schedules, no rushing from one attraction to another, just enjoying the journey along the way.
And honestly, it turned out to be one of the most relaxing trips I’ve had in a long time.
So in this blog, I’ll be sharing our Fukuoka road trip itinerary, some beautiful countryside spots, food we tried, and a few memorable moments along the way.
If you’re someone who prefers slow travel and scenic drives instead of busy city crowds, this trip might just give you some ideas for your next Japan adventure.


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