Bye-Bye Kuidaore Taro

Hi! This morning, I saw on TV that Osaka's famous restaurant Cui-daore has closed on July 8th!
Cui-daore was a massive eight-story restaurant with a different Osaka cuisine on each floor. Actually, Kuidaore Taro (a mechanical drum-playing clown - he has a younger brother called Kuidaore Jiro, which looks the same) in front of Cui-daore is even more famous! It is kind of a landmark of Osaka!
In 2006, when we visited my boyfriend's home, we stopped by at Osaka for sightseeing and took a picture in front of it ;)

Speaking of Osaka, it is very famous for Takoyaki!
Takoyaki is a popular Japanese dumpling made of batter, diced octopus, tempura scraps (tenkasu), pickled ginger, konnyaku, and green onion, topped with okonomiyaki sauce, green laver (aonori), mayonnaise, and katsuobushi (fish shavings).
There are many street vendors selling Takoyaki around Dotonbori area, so it is hard to tell which one is good! They all say Japan's best!

Also, there is a Haagen-Dazs shop in Dotonbori where you can eat Takoyaki shaped ice cream puffs! Those come in 6 different flavors, which is pretty cool!!!



Someday, I want to visit Osaka again.

You know what!? I fell from stairs this morning :(
Hope it won't bruise.

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I Love NY

Hello! I'm back!

Our great time in NY passed by like a flash.
I left for NY on 6/29 and came back to Japan on 7/6.
I can't believe I've been there and now I'm back in Japan... I wish I could go back :(

When we arrived at Newark airport, there was a thunderstorm, but when we got out from the airport, it stopped! Since then till the last day, we didn't need an umbrella. Thanks for the great weather!

In NY, I saw my friends, went to jazz cafe (met a Japanese drummer in the band), traveled around New York with the Hop-on Hop-off buses and the Duck Tour (my boyfriend's request), went to movies (we saw Hancock on the day it was released!), went shopping, had delicious food, etc... I needed more time!

I think I don't have time to write them all in detail, so I will make an album soon! We took a lot of pictures, but don't expect too much. Actually, most pics were worse than I thought! I think I need a good camera, or is it because of my skill...?!

7/7 is Tanabata in Japan. We write wishes on strips of paper called "tanzaku" and hang them on bamboo. I wished to visit NY again, the next year! I didn't write on the "tanzaku" though...

Okay, I gotta go now.
I have a lot to do.
See you again ;)

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Watermelon Recipes

Hi! Weather here is unstable. We expected to have rainy days this week, so I carried my umbrella with me every day, but didn't rain! Anyway, the temperature went down, so we had bearable weather. That was good. Please don't rain on Sunday!!!

Anyway, every summer, watermelon recipe contest by the farmer in Tottori prefecture (Kurayoshi city) is organized at Cookpad. The grand prize is 100,000yen, so it is pretty competitive. I never won the highest, but luckily I'm receiving a prize every year. Flying by the seat of my pants, I was not thinking of submitting my recipe this year because I don't think I'm having a chance to receive a prize again. However, last Friday, I won free samples of watermelons. Sounds like I have to create something! And I did! On Sunday, I made 4 new watermelon recipes.

Talking about watermelon, it is very good for your health!
It helps to beat the summer heat! Sugar (fructose and glucose) of watermelon gives you a power to your tired body. Also, it purifies your body. It eliminates toxins from your body and has antioxidant properties!

I will link to some of my fun watermelon recipes!
Sorry, all are written in Japanese. Please enjoy looking at those pictures :)

- Watermelon Chocolate
- Watermelon Tiramisu
- Watermelon Cookies
- Watermelon Kabobs
- Watermelon Sushi
- Watermelon Minced Meat Rice Bowl
- Watermelon Pizza
- Watermelon Chirashizushi
- Vinegared Watermelon
- Watermelon Salad
- Watermelon Sangria
- Stir-Fried Watermelon

Okay! I'm leaving for NY in a few days, so will come back after 7/8!
Please enjoy browsing my recipes till then ;)

Oh my god! I just heard that the fuel surcharge for the plane will increase (+$140) from July again! I think we were right to leave in June!!!

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