Where Tara Went

01/09/2025

Save this for my curated list of the best vegetarian & vegan spots in México City! ✍🏼

OR comment “veggie” for my full guide sent straight to your inbox.

20/08/2025

Bite size México City itinerary 👆🏼

Comment “Mexico” for the full, in-depth city guide.

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13/08/2025

WHAT I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN BEFORE HIKING ACATENANGO 🇬🇹

It’s freezing 🥶
Hiking poles are actually very helpful 🥾
The company you go with matters — chose local 🇬🇹
Fuego is SO impressive 🌋

26/07/2025

RESPONSIBLE MÉXICO CITY GUIDE:

I loveeeeeeee Mexico City…but I’m also keenly aware that locals are struggling with an influx of digital nomads, Airbnbs, & general gentrification.

Which is why it’s important to support local businesses whenever we visit. I’m not perfect. I love visiting Here are some of my faves:

• - outside of the city center, but fantastic little café find
• - a beautiful locally-owned boutique stay
• - another locally-owned 20th century mansion turned boutique hotel
• Taquería Los Cocuyos - family run taco shop established in the 1980s (& one of Anthony Bourdain’s faves)
• Siembra Taquería - tacos with homemade masa owned by a Mexican couple
• El Venadito - a favorite for tacos in Coyoacàn
• El Jarocho - family run since the 1940s, and known for its fresh tortillas
• Jenny’s Quesadillas - so good we ate at this streetside stand multiple times
• Por Siempre Vegana Taquería - another streetside stand we frequented time and time again
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• Carla Fernandez - a boutique with clothing designs that pay homage to Luis Barragàn
• Yakampot - sustainably made women’s wear
• Ikal - a concept store that highlights Mexican creators selling ceramics, skincare, home goods
• 180 Shop - another concept store rooted in cultural storytelling

Have you visited CDMX?

04/04/2025

SNAPS FROM OSAKA, JAPAN 🇯🇵

We fell in love with Osaka, Japan. Most people use Osaka as a stopover destination in their Japan itinerary, but it’s absolutely worth more of your time.

• Yasaka Shrine (in pic 1) which is free to visit
• grab food in Dotonburi, though I also recommend an Osaka food crawl
• Cup Noodles Museum is a fun way to spend a morning, but u recommend booking in advance to beat school crowds and group tours
• Colorful Kutsuoji-temple is a must-see

Have extra time? Consider day trips to:
• Nara, famous deer park
• Kobe, the home of Kobe beef
• Hiroshima, history buffs & all American tourists should not miss

18/12/2024

🍜 KYOTO EATS (for vegetarians + vegans)👇🏼

Osaka is known as the foodie capital of Japan, but we ate well everywhere— including Kyoto! 🥟🍜🍱 Here is a full list of everywhere we ate (excluding most cafés; coffee post coming soon) while in Kyoto:

• - creative, upscale vegan versions of Japanese food (from the brains behind .planets )
• - the breakfast spread here is incredible
• - casual café dining serving traditional Japanese food made vegan, sits above a gorgeous vintage store
• - bagels with unique flavors
• .journey
• .et.cafe.fiveran - bakery selling breads, pastries, & sandwiches
• - perfectly located on the water with a gorgeous terrace
• - a mix of western and Japanese food (ate here multiple times)
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• Padma - located above a Lawson’s
• - gorgeous café selling decadent pastries on the more local side of the city
• Gorka Durbar Kyoto - delicious Indian and Nepali, because sometimes a curry just hits
• Nishiki Market - stall after stall of food, including some vegetarian options


Where to eat Kyoto | Japan travel tips | Japan travel recommendations | Kyoto best eats | Kyoto good eats | Kyoto Japan

14/11/2024

🇯🇵 KYOTO QUICK GUIDE 👇🏼

Here’s a quick introduction to Kyoto (and an excuse to share photos because I just love them).

For my full Kyoto guide, keep an eye on my blog where I’ll detail everything (& share spots I don’t on Instagram 🤫)

🚌 There is metro system, but the bus is better connnected. Both the metro & the bus accept IC Card, which is a contactless tap-and-pay card that can be topped up at any of the metro stations. The machines have an English language option.

🍽️ .et.cafe.fiveran .journey.kyoto

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⛩️ Fushimi Inari Taisha is a can’t miss addition on your Kyoto itinerary, but get there early if you’re crowd-averse. There are an additional 1600+ temples and 400 shrines throughout the city to see.

👀 Spot the monsters near Ichijo dori Street, all handmade by business owners

🌸 Flowers & foliage can be found at Kyoto Botanic Gardens (entry is 200 JPY), but don’t miss the nearby Garden of Fine Arts (entry is 100 JPY)

🎍 Ariyashima Bamboo Forest is crowded by 7AM, but it is definitely a fun morning out when paired with Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple nearby

🍵 You can book a Geisha tea ceremony experience, which I found incredible in its precision.

🍁 November has been unseasonably warm this year, but there is still a lot of foliage, so we really lucked out.

🛌 I highly recommend Smart Place Inn, a brand new hotel we stayed in near Nijo Castle. We had a 15 minute walk to Nishiki Market and were close to metro and bus services.

.us
Japan travel guide | Japan travel | Kyoto travel guide | Kyoto things to do | Kyoto where to eat

10/11/2024

QUICK GUIDE TO LILLE 📸

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25/10/2024

Lonely Planet has named Laos one of its Best in Travel for 2025, and I could not be more excited. Years spent living in Laos cemented the country into my heart, so seeing it make the ultimate travel list feels extra special.

While the high-speed train is controversial, the helpfulness of its connectivity for travelers and what it will mean for tourism across Laos is indisputable.

This is your sign to book your ticket now!

These are our picks for the 30 best places to travel in 2025.

23/10/2024

WHERE TO EAT IN LILLE 🇫🇷🤤👇🏼

At the border of Belgium, in northern France, sits Lille. Charming. Artsy. & filled with an array of food to satiate hungry wanderers.

After 4 days in Lille, we left with bellies full! Here are my favorite places we went:

☕️ - Luke still talks about his halloumi and egg breakfast bun
☕️ - a super cute find from our final morning
☕️ - barista-style coffee you won’t want to miss
☕️ .lille - idyllic setting in a flower shop
☕️ Bloom

🧁 - the upstairs seating made for great people watching
🧁 - delicious cinnamon buns
🧁 - seriously stunning interiors for decadent chocolates

🍽️ Tigermilk - a gorgeous eatery serving “tacos” and fun cocktails (and mocktails)
🍽️ - affordable frites seasoned to perfection
🍽️ Papa Raffaele - the pizza is worth the line around the block
🍽️ The Grand Scene food hall - vibey at night, great for when you can’t pick one thing

07/10/2024

Sometime around 100 BC, King Vattagamini Abhaya was forced into hiding, where he came across a deep rock overhang in Dambulla.

He claimed refuge there for 14 years before resuming his throne.

To show his gratitude, the king commissioned temples to be built in the granite caves.

TIPS FOR VISITING 👇🏼
• There are sarongs to borrow if you come without your knees or shoulders covered
• Shoes must remain off
• Visiting during the middle of the day (like most attractions in Sri Lanka) means dealing with the heat
• The temples’ resident monkeys are known for being extra mischievous, so keep your belongings close

AD | we visited Dambulla as part of the Sri Lanka Explorer tour with


Travel guide | travel tips | Sri Lanka trip | Dambulla | Sri Lanka guide