Staycation at the Muji Hotel in Ginza

Confession: I’m not paid by any sponsors. I’m too small. That said, there are certain brands that I enjoy and have found to be rather delightful here in Japan. One such is Mujirushi Ryohin, or Muji, as it is more popularly known. It sells all manner of goods: clothing, food, furniture, housewares, scented oils, and […]

Ryokan: Traditional Japanese Inn

On our trip to Nagano over the winter, we decided to stay in a traditional Japanese inn, or ryokan, for our lodging. We stayed at Matsuya Ryokan in Nagano, a mere minute walk from the huge Zenkoji Temple and a 20-minute walk from Nagano station. I had been told it would be a very unique […]

Renaissance Hotel

This post is part of a series on my favorite spots in Phoenix. To read the other posts, follow these links: Swansong (Best places in Arizona), UnderTow, Barber Parlor, Phoenix Breweries, Changing Hands / First Draft Book Bar, Bonus Round, Camelback and Central. I love to travel, and part of that experience is learning to […]

Beignets

The one menu item that I hear about more than jambalaya, gumbo, po boys, or any other food from New Orleans is the beignet. It could be because I know many people with some serious sweet tooths, but I had this item as a high priority to consume on my trip. There were two places […]

Hotel Congress

I was finally able to visit the downtown portion of Tucson, despite it only being a short two-hour drive away. While down there, it was my privilege to stay in the historic Hotel Congress, truly a centerpiece of Arizona history.

Best Nine of 2016

A big thing to do on Instagram is the top nine most-liked pictures from the year (you can follow me @ajgarnica). Since the new year is here, I thought I’d do a retrospective and examine my top nine photos and explain them a little more in detail.