Daydreaming about Travel
By Co-founder Jedd Rose
With travel being such a huge part of that we do here at Topo, and a regular part of our normal lives, the past year had us dreaming about all those locations we were able to experience before the pandemic. Now that the hope of travel seems more of a possibility in the near future, we're starting to reminisce about past trips and are antsy to experience all those amazing things in far off places again.
One way to do that, while waiting to travel in person, is to create a virtual travel night: Pick a location in the world and recreate that experience, at least in part, right at home. One of our favorite areas to visit is the Nakameguro area of Tokyo, known primarily for its incredible riverside spring cherry blossom viewing, but also a great area for visiting anytime of year. It is within walking distance of all the great retail locations and famous icons in Shibuya, but also has an amazing set of great brand stores, parks, and running paths next to the river. In order to get a little of that travel itch scratched, we have a bit of a formula to have a faux international experience at home. We like to put on a show, cook a meal and virtually experience travel by exploring spots on the map.
Japan travel from home
What to watch:
Find a movie or a show from your destination that you can roll in the background while cooking. One of the easiest spots for Japan travel shows is NHK. This episode is a perfect example of Japanese craft applied to outdoor culture:
Fishing Crazy: Tokyo's Underwater Darling
What to cook:
Get a cookbook that is on-theme and learn some new recipes from your location. This book from Ivan Orkin and Chris Ying is great, due to its "Gaijin" theme which basically takes novice Americans into the world of Japanese cuisine.
Gaijin Cookbook
Virtual visit:
Walk the area with Google street view. Being able to transport yourself right back to the place you have been or want to go is a great way to relive those experiences or find new ones anywhere in the world.
Favorite retail store
Walk the area with Google
Check out some of our favorite travel gear and accessories while planning for your next trip. Safe travels!