Today’s shared story comes from Traci Penrod. After 17 years in the pharmaceutical industry Traci decided that her career just didn’t tap into her creative side enough. She enjoyed scrapbooking so much that in October of 2011, she decided to take a leap of faith and start her own company.
do what you love Page 49 of 81
Kyoto cafes 9 – Cafe Sarasa
Housed in an old bath house in the north of the Nishijin textile district, Cafe Sarasa oozes character. The old wash taps remain on the walls, which still bear glossy mosaics from a time when they would be splashed daily.
Late Summer blooms
The Imperial Palace gardeners have brilliantly designed the garden so there is always something in bloom. These late summer flowers made me smile as I took a final stroll through the grounds…
The way of writing
The Japanese word for brush calligraphy – shodo – literally means ‘the way of writing’, which I think perfectly captures the essence of it.
Enter the geisha
When I went to the kimono design studio to work on my noren curtain (more on that soon), I was not expecting to have a geisha come in for a spot of shopping…
Ohara
Although we have just left Japan, I still have a lot of adventures to share with you here on the blog so I will continue to share these over the next few weeks, starting with Ohara…
Kyoto cafes part 8 – Sagano-yu
Do you ever go into a particular cafe and feel all the tension leaving your shoulders as you give a sigh of happy comfort? That is how I feel when I go into Sagano-yu cafe in Arashiyama, a beautifully restored old Japanese bath house which is now a cafe and shop.
Thank you Japan
It has been amazing. There are so many people and places to thank for making it such a special experience. Here are just a few of them.
Japan: The price we paid, the memories we made
Any bold move, big change or great adventure requires a sacrifice of some kind. This is true in business, life and travel. It’s simple economics – every choice you make has an opportunity cost. Every dollar you spend on a plane ticket is a dollar you can’t spend somewhere else. And the bigger the challenge, the greater the risk… but of course the bigger the reward can be.
Today I found myself sat pondering what we have missed by taking a leap, packing up and moving to Japan for six months.
Shops like this…
When I look back on my time in Kyoto, one of my fond memories will be of time spent wandering around the cities many tiny shops. There is something very special about the way in which Japanese people lay out their spaces, present products, and create an experience for guests (which is what you feel like, rather than a customer).
I am talking about shops like this one – Pao is a clothing and ‘zakka’ accessories/stationery/lovely things store run by the vivacious Junko.
I visited her on the day of a blue moon, and after we had chatted a while about papermaking and all sorts, she reminded me to look up to the night sky for luck and happiness that evening…
