A few things I’ve got my eye on in Seattle and beyond thanks to Instagram Stories

Doesn’t it feel like we have the whole world at our fingertips lately?  I so love Instagram and the community it creates.  Last week I was at Costco and I saw an awesome-looking snack from Nature Valley and I wasn’t sure if I should buy it.  I asked about it in my Instagram Stories and a bunch of people chimed in so now I know I need to try it next time I go.  (Have you tried the granola cups too?  What did you think?)

The way Instagram Stories creates a window into the world beyond where we live is amazing. I love how even though I’m in Seattle, I was able to watch the opening of LEGO House in Copenhagen. I want to go to Copenhagen again to see this amazing LEGO nirvana.  I’ve been following its progress over the last little while and I can’t believe it’s finally finished.  One of the most exciting things I saw from the opening was the “Mosaic Maker” at the Lego House gift store.  I’m not sure I understand how it works but it takes your picture and turns it into instructions for a LEGO mosaic you can actually make and tells you the pieces you need to complete it.

I also heard about a customizable Kit Kat box you can make in a rail station in Kyoto Japan.  I’m waiting to see where people tag it on Instagram so I can put it on my Google Maps for the next time I visit.  This “Travel Memories Kit Kat” station lets you customize your own Kit Kat gift box and it just seems like such a cool souvenir.  Kit Kat is so popular in Japan and I love that there are so many more flavors there than we have in America.  I heard they even recently made a Tokyo Banana flavor and if you haven’t tried Tokyo Banana and you love bananas like I do, this is your perfect souvenir!  On our trips to Japan we’ve really enjoyed making our own Tomica cars and making our own Cup Noodle Souvenirs.  Now I really want to find the Kit Kat Souvenir maker!

I have also been seeing a Bear Naked Granola that you can customize a lot recently and I’m tempted to make this for our family Christmas presents. Has anyone tried this granola yet and what did you think?  We’re fans of yogurt and granola for breakfast so this is really intriguing.  Do you like consumable gifts?

We are also still getting over Halloween-we dressed up as a Super Mario Kart family for Halloween this year and I’m glad the guys still let me do family costumes. My hubby and boys are now really into a game we got for their Nintendo Switch called Mario Odyssey. I haven’t had a chance to play it yet because I’m still working on Super Mario Kart which was the first game we started playing as a family. I’m really thankful that Nintendo games are becoming popular again because I love that they’re ‘cute’ enough for me but still fun enough that my 9 year old guys love them.  And I remember playing Mario Kart as a kid so it’s cool being able to play it now with my kids. (Even though it’s now ‘retro’.)

And I know we have a whole bunch of November left but I also know if I blink it will be time to start opening our advent calendars.  A dear friend just sent me one that was on my Advent Calendar list and I’m so excited to try a new tea everyday.  I also bought myself a makeup one from lookfantastic that I’m really excited about too.  There’s still time to get them in time for December if you buy them now.  (Is anyone else getting advent calendars for themselves?)

I love this time of year!!!

(PS. Are you on Instagram and love it too?  I’d love to hear about it!)

Terumi

Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys.  She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live.  She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)