We're Sherwin, Abby, and the boys, exploring the world one trip at a time. Road trips, theme parks, and international adventures, all on video and in writing.
About two hours from our hotel, 18,000 won gets you a steep walk up from the parking lot, a yard of alpacas to feed, a white fallow deer and a stamp card that ends in a sticker pack. What the day costs and how the loop goes.
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My American Costco card scanned fine in Seocho-gu, so I spent an hour pricing a Samsung TV, a Galaxy S25 and a pack of Kirkland paper towels against home. Then I found the hot dog, which is cheaper here.
A 13 meter wall of books inside a Gangnam shopping mall, a Samsung S25 price check that did not go the way I expected, and the two things I got wrong about the library on camera.
Pot rice on the second floor in Insadong, a makgeolli I should not have shaken, and a hanok village where the residents got the city to put a curfew on the street.
Renting hanbok across the street from Gyeongbokgung, why it gets you into the palace for free, the foam on every car door in South Korea, and a morning at the largest palace in Seoul.
Landing at Incheon, riding a Hyundai Staria into Seoul, a ten-person hostel with a Seoul Tower view, and the great hunt for a trash can in Myeongdong.
A first look at Good Food Farm, a farm-restaurant near Liliw, Laguna where the food is built on carabao milk and meat, there are pools to swim in, and you can rent a hut for the night.
Kicking off our 2025 summer trip with a red-eye from Ontario to Manila on China Airlines. Airport beer, airplane food, ostrich at Mesa, and a surprise party waiting at home.
Day 4 in Tokyo ends up in Ginza, Japan's luxury shopping district where exotic cars idle outside Dior and Kasanova Vintage hides a wall of Louis Vuitton.
Morning convenience store breakfast, a pop-up toy store in Shibuya, Suica on the Tokyo subway, and afternoon tea at Tokyo Skytree Town.
Day two in Tokyo: thrifting barely-used Gucci and Louis Vuitton in Harajuku, shelves of Jordans, the ivy-covered Ralph Lauren building, and a hot-stone yakiniku lunch at Motomura.
Checking into Hotel Indigo in Shibuya, Tokyo. 15th floor room tour, the outdoor terrace, and a midnight run through Mega Don Quijote before dinner at Yoshinoya.
Second trip to Japan, this time around Thanksgiving. ANA from LAX to Haneda was nearly empty. Here's how the flight, immigration, and the first few hours actually went.
The entrance to 360 CHICAGO is trickier than it looks. Look for the Benihana. Get up to the 94th floor and the nighttime views of Chicago's skyline make the confusion completely worth it.
The convention chartered buses, reserved the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois for a private evening event, and the boys finally got their real-life Night at the Museum moment: dinosaurs, open bar, and all.
Day 2 in Chicago, Illinois: convention registration, a spontaneous Uber Share ride downtown, and a quick stop at the Rivian Space near the Magnificent Mile.
A lifelong Bulls fan finally makes it to the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, only to get blocked from the Jordan statue by DNC security. Then: The Bean, Buckingham Fountain, and Portillo's.
After 30 years away, I finally returned to Chicago, Illinois: two Delta flights from Ontario, a CrowdStrike-era layover in Salt Lake City, and late-night deep dish pizza to cap it all off.
The final day of Philippines 2024: a last visit to family in Liliw, Laguna, lighting candles at the church, Manila Airport lounge, and a Taipei layover with beef noodles and boba before the long flight home to California.
A behind-the-scenes look at sabong at a coliseum in Liliw, Laguna, Philippines: the ulutan matchup, the tari blades, and the Sunday morning crowd. No footage of actual fights.
Three days at Casa Amara in Batangas, Philippines: an all-inclusive cliffside villa with a private infinity pool overlooking the South China Sea, a vintage Land Cruiser shuttle, and a steep hike to a pebble beach.
Final hours in Tokyo, Japan: omakase sushi at Shibuya Scramble Square, a HiAce convoy to Haneda Airport, the bidding system that got us business class for $200, and a turbulent red-eye back to Manila.
Shibuya Sky observation deck with unobstructed rooftop views over Tokyo, Japan, plus lunch on the 13th floor, a solo night out in Shibuya, and spotting a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N on display.
Father's Day in Tokyo, Japan: Senso-ji at 9am, Tokyo Skytree, a life-size Gundam at Diver City, Godzilla in Shinjuku, and a Sony camera haul at Bic Camera.
Day trip from Tokyo to Mount Fuji: Chureito Pagoda with Fuji framed in maple trees, Lake Kawaguchiko, a 1,300-year-old shrine we stumbled into, two thrift stores, and a JDM car export connection.
Taking the Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Tokyo: navigating two train systems, eating ekiben at 170mph, and spending the rest of the day in Shibuya doing hotel check-in and way too much shopping.
Day trip from Nara to Kyoto covering Nara Park's free-roaming deer, the massive Todaiji Great Buddha Hall, ramen at Zundoya, the Arashiyama bamboo grove, Kinkakuji's golden reflection, Fushimi Inari, and wagyu dinner at Gyu-Kaku.
Day two in Osaka, Japan: private guided tour hitting Shitennoji Temple, Osaka Castle, Umeda Sky Building, and the Cup Noodles Museum, plus a Pringles store with flavors you can't get in the US.
Osaka, Japan day one: landing at Kansai International Airport on a man-made island, navigating right-hand-drive traffic into the city, checking into Sotetsu Grand Fresa, and walking Dotonbori at dusk.
An honest review of Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Manila: dress code drama at the Spiral buffet, room quality issues, Manila Bay views, and whether ₱10,000 a night is worth it.
Riding in my cousin's Owner Type Jeep in Liliw, Laguna: a stainless steel Willys conversion with a Toyota 4K engine, the Philippines' answer to the Cybertruck.
Full walkthrough of Avery Ridge Resort in Pansol, Calamba, Laguna: 3 floors, private pool with waterfall, and panoramic views for ₱35,000 a night.
A permit, a boat ride, a hard hat that didn't fit, and a tour through the UNESCO-listed underground river in Sabang. Day four of the family Palawan trip.
Plans changed. El Nido was six hours away and not worth it without island hopping. So we went to Port Barton, hit the Roxas fish market, found the bakery I grew up eating at, and made it to Puerto Princesa by nightfall.
EV charging on SLEX, a business class upgrade on Philippine Airlines, and reuniting with family in Caramay. Palawan is everything I remembered and more.
A night at Uncle Henry's beach resort in Roxas, Palawan: cottage tour, a blackout that didn't matter, lechon dinner with family, and a choice to put the camera down.
Walking the streets of Liliw, Laguna where I grew up: tricycle rides, family surprises, jeepneys, and what daily life actually looks like in a Philippine province.
Flying from Ontario to Manila via Taipei on China Airlines. Airport lounge drama, a 15-hour flight, the eTravel frustration, and arriving to a storm.
Our first family trip from LA to New York City. Four days of pizza, museums, iconic landmarks, and a boat tour around the Statue of Liberty.
