Welcome to SimplySam.co!
Hey, I’m Sam! I’m a Taiwanese American living in Long Beach with my dog Maddie. This blog is focused on travel, wellness, and dogs.
Everything I Carry In My Le Gianni Bag From Léo et Violette
Léo et Violette is a mid-range luxury French brand with timeless designs. I was in the market for something within the $500 price range to use as a daily bag. I found this brand after asking Reddit for some recommendations, and here’s my short review of Le Gianni after carrying it around every day for…
6 Essentials I Always Bring On Flights
Once I put my carry-on luggage in the overhead bin, I’m not touching it again until landing. So I keep a decently sized personal item (see post here for my review on the Cotopaxi Allpa 28L) that can store extra stuff plus these 6 essentials I never fly without. Lactaid! This is a fairly new…
My favorite items to buy in Taiwan
Useful period underwear I’m not talking about the ones you can order the US that soak up period blood. Personally, I don’t find that hygienic. But I wear these period underwear only at night on my heaviest days, just in case. Along with super long pads, I’ve minimized any accidents on the sheets for the…
A Review of All Sender One Climbing Locations!
Updated April 2024 Sender One is one of the best indoor climbing gyms in Southern California. The first location was founded in 2011, and they’ve gradually expanded all over SoCal since. I’ll be writing up a quick review of each location, similar to my post on all the Hangar 18 locations. Please note that I…
I Visited All Eleven Hangar 18 Climbing Locations – Here’s a Quick Review of Each One!
I will spare you a long-winded story about how I got into climbing and jump right into a review of each location I’ve been to. Please note that I (5’3″ female) climb mostly V3-V4s – I can do most V3s, some of the easier V4s, and only a small handful of the easiest V5s. For…
Cotopaxi Allpa 28L Review – The Best Personal Item For Traveling!
If you’re struggling to find the personal item that works for you and your travels, look no further – I’m here to advocate for Cotopaxi’s Allpa 28L backpack. I had a layover in Atlanta’s international airport without my usual carry-on. Normally I bring along my Lo & Sons weekender duffel as my personal item but…
How I Packed For a 6 Day Hawaiian Trip With Just a Personal Item
Cheap flights to Hawaii mean spontaneous bookings and no carry-ons via United Airline’s Basic Economy ticket restrictions. My parents and I each took a personal item to Oahu and I will show how I was able to pack for a 6 day trip with my Cotopaxi Allpa 28L backpack. All of our bags fit into…
9 Hawaiian Highlights in Oahu
Oahu is the 3rd and most recent Hawaiian island I’ve visited. I did a bunch of research before my trip, and came up with these 9 highlights that you must visit and check out next time you’re there! Tantalus Lookout Located at Puu Ualakaa State Park, you’ll get clear views of Honolulu and Diamond Head…
Dog-Friendly Arizona Road Trip!
I love road trips with my parents because it means my dog Maddie gets to tag along and I don’t need to drive! Our itinerary is pretty specific to certain areas, but you can definitely consider pieces of our trip to add to your own. We did a 5 night, 6 days trip from LA…
How I Retrained My Housetrained Dog to Pee on Fake Grass
Housetraining a puppy is hard work. But what about retraining an older dog (mine is 7 y.o.) to go on fake grass you’ve set up indoors or on your balcony? I’d say it can be harder, but it’s doable! Here’s what I did to train my girl to pee on a patch of fake grass…