Pingle's Harvest Festival Apple Picking at Pingle's Farm Market

Minji and Daniel randomly invited me to go apple picking this weekend. I don't recall going apple picking after the age of 10, so I agreed to go in the spirit of fall, and we drove about an hour outside of Toronto to go to Pingle's Farm Market:

Pingle's Harvest Festival

Pingle's Harvest Festival

Pingle's Harvest Festival

Pingle's Harvest Festival

Apple trees at Pingle's Farm Market

Apple trees at Pingle's Farm Market

Apple trees at Pingle's Farm Market

Apple trees at Pingle's Farm Market

Apple picking haul!

House-Made Butter Tarts (Maple Walnut + Pecan) and Bumbleberry Blast Jam from Pingle's Farm Market

We picked ten pounds of apples (I got two each of Ambrosia, Honey Crisp, Empire, and Cortland varieties and had to stop myself from getting more because I live by myself and cannot eat that many more apples before they start to rot), indulged in apple cider and apple cider doughnuts from the cafe stall (I didn't take photos because we scarfed them down before I could even remember to, but you'll just have to trust me when I say THESE WERE DELICIOUS), and stopped by the market to get some house-made goodies to take home: a box of butter tarts (Minji and I split the pecan and maple walnut varieties) and a jar of bumbleberry jam. My only regret is not trying more pastries from the bakery because we were on our way to lunch and didn't want to get full. But conclusion: APPLE PICKING IS AWESOME. I think I will officially make this a new fall tradition. 

Pingle's Farm Market

1805 Taunton Rd.

Hampton, ON L0B 1J0

(905) 725-6089

Tokyo 2024 Travel Log: Day 4 — Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival at Ueno Park

So, we went to Ueno Park in the evening 'cause the Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival started and the park is illuminated after sundown and the view is supposed to be pretty damn spectacular.

Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival
Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival
Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival
Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival

Except we just saw hundreds and hundreds of barren trees because apparently the sakura are blooming late this year in Tokyo. But we did find two trees that started blooming and, hey, at least the lanterns are pretty!

Ueno Park

Uenokoen, Taito City

Tokyo, Japan 〒110-0007

+81-3-3828-5644

Osaka 2024 Travel Log: Day 5 — Walking Around Osaka Castle

We walked an hour from Namba to Osaka Castle and got there just as the queue to go in closed for the day (can you tell I didn't do any research before going?), so we quite literally walked around the main building:

Osaka Castle — Main Tower (South Side)

Osaka Castle — South Outer Moat

Osaka Castle — Main Tower (South Side)

Osaka Castle — Inner Moat (West Side)

Osaka Castle — Main Tower (Northwest Corner)

Osaka Castle — Inner Moat (Northwest Side)

Osaka Castle — Main Tower (North Side)

But you can be damn sure I took photos of the exterior from as many sides as I could. (And the moats. 'Cause who doesn't love a good moat?)

Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle Park

1-1 Osakajo

Chuo Ward

Osaka, Japan 〒540-0002

Hong Kong 2024 Travel Log: Day 2 — Walking Through Kowloon Park

Okay, so my mom and I decided to just take a stroll through the Jordan neighbourhood after breakfast because nothing was open yet and somehow ended up walking into Kowloon Park and guess what we found?

Flamingos!

FLAMINGOS!

FLAMINGO FEEDING TIME

Flamingo habitat

Aviary waterfall

Hibiscus flowers

Hibiscus flower

More hibiscus flowers

A massive fountain

Another massive fountain

Among other things, FLAMINGOS! FLAMINGGOOOOOOSSSS! Dozens and dozens of them just hanging out IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS MASSIVE URBAN CITY. WHY DOES NO ONE TALK ABOUT THE FLAMINGOS?

Kowloon Park

Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

Hong Kong

New York City 2023 Travel Log: Sunset Cityscapes

A view of Midtown Manhattan at sunset
A view of Midtown Manhattan at sunset
A view of Midtown Manhattan at sunset
A view of Midtown Manhattan after sunset

My brother's new apartment has some incredible views and it would've been churlish not to take some photos, you know?

Tokyo 2023 Travel Log: Day 5 — Exploring TeamLab Planets TOKYO

We took the train back to Osaka from Kyoto and we were so tired by then that we just had a quick conbini dinner (e.g. cup ramen, a sandwich, and an onigiri), showered, and went straight to bed because we had to take the Shinkansen back to Tokyo early in the morning. Why the rush? Because we had to get back to Tokyo in time for TeamLab Planets TOKYO.

The Infinite Crystal Universe
The Infinite Crystal Universe
The Infinite Crystal Universe
The Infinite Crystal Universe
Drawing on the Water Surface Created by the Dance of Koi and People - Infinity
Drawing on the Water Surface Created by the Dance of Koi and People - Infinity
Drawing on the Water Surface Created by the Dance of Koi and People - Infinity
Matter is Void - Fire
Expanding Three-Dimensional Existence in Transforming Space - Free Floating, Flattening 3 Colors and 9 Blurred Colors
Expanding Three-Dimensional Existence in Transforming Space - Free Floating, Flattening 3 Colors and 9 Blurred Colors
Expanding Three-Dimensional Existence in Transforming Space - Free Floating, Flattening 3 Colors and 9 Blurred Colors
Floating Flower Garden: Flowers and I are of the Same Root, the Garden and I are One
Floating Flower Garden: Flowers and I are of the Same Root, the Garden and I are One
Floating Flower Garden: Flowers and I are of the Same Root, the Garden and I are One
Floating Flower Garden: Flowers and I are of the Same Root, the Garden and I are One

It's one of the most unique museum experiences I've ever had. You're barefoot the entire time (they provide lockers for you to put your belongings in), and you use your whole body to immerse yourself in the artwork spaces — through an uphill water stream, a maze of colour-changing LED light strings, a massive pool of knee-deep water, a sea of body-swallowing sandbags, a chamber of massive rubber helium balloons, a ceiling of projected falling flower petals, and moving orchid walls. 

Is it overrated? A little bit. Is it totally worth going? Absolutely.

TeamLab Planets TOKYO

6 Chome-1-16 

Toyosu, Koto City

Tokyo, Japan 〒135-0061