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Jess Esa

Jess is the creator and editor of Books and Bao. They're passionate about the world, its literature, food, culture, and people. She enjoys sharing her travel tips with others and capturing those perfect moments.

Korean snacks are some of the most famous snacks in the world. Always with a sense of fun and eye-catching packaging, there’s so much to explore. Not to mention, unique flavours that you just won’t find in any other country. I have tried to include some of the most popular and best Korean snacks with …

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Is there anything better than a bookish gift? So many of us grew up as bookworms: living in fantasy worlds, escaping reality through the pages of our books, and much of that was because the real world just doesn’t measure up. But these days, we have thousands of creative bookworms out there bringing to life …

Read More about 22 Unique Literary Gifts for Book Lovers & Writers (2023)

Treat yourself to one of these Japanese cookbooks and learn how to cook your favourites from ramen and sushi to delicious Japanese comfort food dishes. With Japanese cuisine being one of the most renowned, beautiful, and respected cuisines in the world, it’s easy to feel intimidated when attempting it yourself. Japanese cooking often looks impossible …

Read More about 13 Japanese Cookbooks 2023 (for Inspiring Home Cooking)

Bath is one of the oldest cities in the UK. But, unlike many other ancient cities, it almost completely retains that unique historical beauty. A Bath day trip is enough to see this beauty for yourself, given Bath’s compact size and the fact that every street — long and narrow — is spilling over with …

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When we think about tattoo art, and especially the history of tattoo art, we often think of traditional American tattoo art (the likes of Sailor Jerry and the classic old school nautical art of the early 20th century). We might also think about Japanese tattoo art. But tattoo artists in South Korea represent some of …

Read More about 13 Incredible Tattoo Artists In South Korea (2023)

Still standing two hundred years after Horace Walpole’s death, the gothic castle that the wildly eccentric author originally converted from two cottages stands to welcome guests to this day, thanks to a huge restoration project which took it from disrepair to its former glory. A pastiche of Walpole’s absurd imagination and the gothic places he …

Read More about A Gothic Day Trip to Strawberry Hill: Home of Horace Walpole

A visit to Chawton in Alton, Hampshire is a perfect day out for Jane Austen fans. Chawton offers everything from a Jane Austen trail to follow, her own home, and an Austen themed tea-room, to the magnificent Chawton Estate owned by Austen’s brother (frequented by Austen herself often). Chawton is also a stone’s throw from …

Read More about A Day Trip to Jane Austen’s House (& Chawton House)

Escape to this beautiful stately home and gardens within an hour of London for a change of scenery, a taste of regency Britain, and a tour of some incredible architecture. As well as being of the finest Jacobean homes in England, Audley End is also one of the most popular stately homes to visit in …

Read More about A Perfect Day Trip to Audley End Estate and GardensĀ 

Tokyo, more than a city, is a metropolis; an overwhelming landscape that’s home to the world’s finest cuisine, quirkiest districts, kindest people and most ambitious art and architecture. It’s a city that inspires visitors to be adventurous and to discover its strangest secrets; it’s also a city that cannot be conquered, which makes it all …

Read More about 21 Unique Things to Do in Tokyo (2023)