Lion Coffee Macadamia

How often do you drink flavored coffee?

I don't usually drink flavored coffee but sometimes it is nice for a change.
Few weeks ago, I had a macadamia flavored coffee at a Hawaiian restaurant in Shibuya. Sweet aroma lets you save sugar! Although I don't add sugar in my coffee normally.

It is still cold today. Sakura trees are almost in full bloom! Tree light-up is taking place from tonight to Sunday. Unfortunately, we are going to miss the light-up since we are flying to Hirado this weekend. I found that they also hold sakura events, so we will see!

Tonight, my new pau skirt gonna arrive! This time I bought it without any waver!

Have a good one ;)

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Spider Rolls @ Roppongi J (Bamboo Bar)

What kind of sushi rolls do you like?!

I love spider rolls (sushi rolls with soft shell crabs)! This is one of my favorites :p Last weekend I had it at Roppongi J (Bamboo Bar) restaurant in Roppongi Hills. Actually, my darling and I were planning to go to a Hawaiian restaurant on the same floor, but we just made a mistake and sucked into the modern bamboo lights displays. They serve creative international foods. Their huge kabob salad was delicious, too!

It is freezing cold today in Tokyo. High today is 50F (10C)! I still need my down jacket!

I have a lot to do recently. My ToDo list never ends...

Take care!!!

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Spring Squid Ink Pasta @ Mia Angela

Hi there! On Saturday I had a Squid Ink Pasta at my favorite Italian restaurant Mia Angela! It is Tagliolini with "Botan" shrimp and rape blossoms. Mmm yummy! It went great with their recommended white wine, "Soave Classico, Colbaraca". The wine was crisp and dry with a fruity pear flavor. I'm not good at wine but I love their wines ;)

I have zero sense of direction! This morning, my regular train stopped, so I took a different train and got off at a different closest station to go to work. However, I wasn't sure how to go to my workplace from that station, so I walked on feel... and that was a big mistake... After a while, I got lost and reached the regular train station. Which means I took the long way!!! Damn...

It is cold in Tokyo, waiting for sakura to blossom out! We are missing the sakura light-up this year since we are going on a trip to Kyushu (Nagasaki) on this weekend! BTW, I just realized I always do peace sign(s) when I take photo...

Busy Monday!
See you again!!!

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American-style Coupon

Last weekend, when we shopped at a supermarket called Ito Yokado (maybe for the first time in a couple of years), an American-style coupon came out from the cash register! This brings back memories in the U.S. :)

Some supermarkets have membership cards for key rings, which I guess is an idea from the U.S. as well!

Anyway, low temp but we are finally having a sunny day today!

Happy Friday :D

BTW, yesterday, I realized that blogger has changed it's editting mode... I gotta get used to it...

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Beautiful Blogger Award

Thank you for the Beautiful Blogger Award, jose! It was interesting to read more about you! I think it has been already almost 2 years since I know you online! Don't you think it's amazing?!

The rules are here. I would say anyone who stopped by and writes a blog can be awarded to this Beautiful Blogger Award :D

1. Thank the person who gave you this award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic.
4. Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award.

7 things about me:

1) I love Fuchsia Pink. I tend to buy things in this color without hesitation.
2) I don't aggressively enlarge my circle of friends, because I am not sure whether I can keep in touch with all of them or not. Am I a perfectionist?! Ha-ha!!!
3) I still keep school text books... I just can't throw them away X(
4) I run online shops at work, so on the workdays, I use Internet for more than 8 hours! Jeez!!!
5) I always shop at Shibuya 109! I seldom shop at other stores.
6) I love granola bars! I eat one per day!!!
7) I seldom work overtime. I think I do overtime once in a half year!

It is raining + cold here in Tokyo. Some sakura have just started to bloom when the weather was warm last week. I hope they bear this weather!

Today, we are finishing up the hula for this term! I will post the dance soon on You Tube :D

Bye for now!

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Addictive Mint Chocolates

Last week, I received a box of Chocolatier Erica's #1 leaf-shaped mint chocolates.

I don't really love to eat mint flavored chocolate, although I used to love to eat After Eights. Anyway, I just tried one piece, and was unexpectedly delicious!!! The light green part is mint chocolate (not sweet at all but refreshing) and the dark brown part is milk chocolate. Mmm yummy!!!

I have them on my desk at work. As you can see, I ate half of them... I can't stop picking up X(

How shall I stop gaining weight!?

Gotta brush my teeth to stop!!!

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UP IN THE AIR

On Saturday, my darling and I went to the movies.

We saw UP IN THE AIR - With a job that has him traveling around the country firing people, Ryan Bingham leads an empty life out of a suitcase, until his company does the unexpected: ground him...

The movie pictures ups and downs of our lives. From the movie, I thought what makes yourself happy is to keep the faith. The guy "Ryan" questioned his life of being lonely, after making business trips with a new recruit "Natalie". Before, he believed meeting people is a momentary amusement, but Natalie changed his mind and let him catch the lady "Alex" who he dated for few times, actually was married... If Ryan didn't take Natalie's word, he might have gone his way not chasing the lady, being happy, but now he feels lonely. What a life...

Anyway, casts were great! I loved their performances! They made me think what is important in my life and what makes me happy.

It was 3-day-holiday this weekend, but now it's over. Time flies!!! I bought fuchsia pink Arnold Palmer suitcase :D Can't wait to travel! My darling was pretty tired while I speak too much every single moment... Do you ladies understand me?! I didn't mean to speak a lot... I took his picture because he looked really tired...

I hope he is having a quiet time at work today!

Busy workday! See you again!!!

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Apple Pie @ Cafe Dor

Hi there!

Yay or Jeez! My co-worker bought me a yummy apple pie while I had to watch my weight...

The apple pie was from Cafe Dor, close to my workplace.
It uses an apple called 紅玉(kougyoku: "Jonathan" in English) from Aomori prefecture. Baked slowly for 2 days in an oven, well balanced sweet and sour filling is made. It was really delicious in a crispy pie!

Why sweets in Japan are not sweet! They are too easy to eat, which is dangerous!!!

Anyway, it's already Friday and March is almost over. Time flies!!!

Monday is a holiday, substitute holiday for the Vernal Equinox Day, yay!

Have a good weekend :D

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Fuchsia Pink Nails

I used to keep my nails very short because I cook. But too short nails sometimes dry my skin between the nails and my skin chaps, so I tried not to clip my nails that often.

Then last night, I realized my nails were very long since I was busy recently! I was going to clip them all but they were nicely long without any crack, so I colored them fuchsia pink with sparkles!

Actually, the color is too loud, so I don't like what I have done to my nails... You know those colors look bad when they start to rub off. I should have used only sparkles...

Anyway, I would say to myself just for a change!

See ya!!!

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36 Sweets Factory on the Main Street

My co-workers gave me two huge cakes as a White Day gift! The guy who purchased them told me that he bought them at the same street vendor as last year (36sticks) but there was a different store name on the box (36 SWEETS FACTORY on the MAIN STREET) plus I couldn't find the website, so I have no idea where these are from.

Anyway, they were not that sweet, so I could eat them easily, which is really dangerous!!!

I need to burn the calories!

Leaving for the gym!!!

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How to Apply False Eyelashes

I did eyelash extensions for a year, but I found them very inconvenient since it takes time to wash eye area and need to fix them (go to salon) once in 2 weeks when your lashes came off! Also, they are 100 times expensive than false eyelashes!!!

If you use Daiso's false eyelashes, it costs only a dollar! Of course, you can use them for several times until it broke!

Here I'll explain you how I apply false eyelashes! This is my way, but I hope you find it informative.

Before you start:
Daiso's eyelash adhesive stays well, so I prefer to apply them after the makeup. Be sure to turn off the air conditioner because you don't want to let the adhesive dry too much!

#1. Get your eyelashes:
I think this is the most difficult part! I bought more than 20 different kinds of eyelashes and found this Daiso #16 looks perfect on me.



#2. Cut the eyelashes:
If the lashes are wider than your eyes, cut inner eye side of the lashes. I cut in this way because my eyes look lengthwise bigger. Also, I want to space out a little bit at the inner eye side because my eyelashes tickle my face. (Please see the image of procedure #4.) Remember to test them by holding them on your eyelid and see how well they fit across your lid. Then cut a little at a time.

#3. Put eyelash adhesive:
Squeeze eyelash adhesive a little bit and lightly slide the eyelashes along it. Just a little touch will draw a perfect glue strip. Then let the adhesive become tacky (this only takes about 20 seconds).

#4. Apply false eyelashes:
Over the eyeline you drew, start applying your false eyelashes from the inner eye side, make sure you space out a little bit, press and hold the false eyelashes as close to the eyeline as possible.

To finish up, apply liquid eyeliner over both to fill any gaps between the false lashes and your natural lash line. I don't use mascara but you can use it over the false eyelashes if needed. This will bond the false lashes with yours.

When you remove, gently pull your false eyelashes off. By the end of the day, Daiso's eyelash adhesive gets loose so it won't hurt you!

To use your false eyelashes again, peel off the glue.

Practice makes perfect! You will find your own way soon!

Good luck :D

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Macaroon Chocolate

3/14 was White Day. It's the day men give gifts (used to be candies) to women in return for the chocolate they were given on Valentine's Day. I always think my darling will forget about this day (he forgets Christmas, you know...) but he gave me Grand Four's cute macaroon shaped ganache! (I once purchased macaroon rusk at this store and was really delicious.)

From left to right, passion fruit, vanilla, strawberry, bitter chocolate, and pistachio. They are really cute like jewelry with argent!

Thanks for the small size, I don't have to worry about gaining weight! Actually, I gained 5 pounds since the New Year... I think I lost weight temporarily under the psychical stress of my darling's... you know! Anyway, now I am doing super better than before, so I am steadily gaining weight! To stop getting fat I gotta enjoy them one piece a day ;)

Busy Monday! See ya!

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My Accomplishments

These are my accomplishments in February.

On 2/5, I won the bronze prize at beauty nabe recipe contest. My nabe was "Brown Rice Porridge Shabu-shabu Nabe". Four judges actually sampled the nabe and critiqued. My dad told me that in China, people commonly eat rice porridge nabe. Is that true, jose?




On 2/6, my Creamy Udon Gratin won the milk award at the milk recipe contest organized by Sankei Shinbunkaihatsu (Newspaper Developers). The prize was 2 dozens of milk cartons. Luckily, my darling loves to drink milk! Me?! I don't really like to drink milk...

On 2/24, my Valentine's day recipe "Lovely Dots Crunchy Chocolate" won a prize. I combined hina-arare (pastel colored rice puffs) with pink strawberry chocolate :D





On 2/24, I won the silver award at deco-choco (chocolate decoration) contest. It was a contest to decorate a chocolate bar. I made a 3D picture frame! My darling loved it! I still have it displayed in the hallway ;)






On 2/27, my Mango Chocolate Mousse won a special prize at Yodoran (iodine-enriched egg)'s Valentine's day contest. I just used egg yolk to make it yellow :D





It is rare, but the oyster recipe contest was canceled on 2/20. They say there weren't sufficient number of applicants.

I sometimes question myself. "What am I doing everyday!?" Now it's already mid March... Time flies in routined life!!! Maybe it is time to add or change something. What if I change my stay-at-home life, cooking...

Have a good weekend!!!

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