Incipio MacBook Pro 15in Feather Ultralight Hard Shell Case

I was looking for a case for my MacBook Pro lately and found a cute pink (magenta) one by Incipio!



This pink color is just the pink I love, so I bought it without question. It was pretty pricey, so I hope I get what I want.

Actually, I was in between the transparent Protective Sleeve for MacBook (by ELECOM) which is much cheaper, but I went for the pink one since the color raises my spirits while working.



BTW, I have many pink stuffs on my desk just because of that reason.



What keeps your spirits up at your desk?!

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Starbucks Logo Change

On April 1st, 2011, Starbucks Coffee Japan made a change to their logo!

I completely forgot about it but realized on the weekend when I had a coffee there!



Did the logo change in your country already?

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Happy 36th!!!

Now my darling is 36 years old. I met him when he was 28. Time flies!!!

Since 4/4 was a weekday, I couldn't prepare much for his birthday but some cakes! I simply wanted to let him blow out the candles on his birthday so I bought them on my way home :)



Yes! He was happy like a child ;)



I'm reducing the image size since he's wearing his pajamas. LoL

Of course, we ate the cakes in the morning because we are not young enough to eat sweets before bedtime ;P

How do you celebrate your loved one's birthday?

BTW, it was my 800th post since I started this blog. WOW!!!

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E Ku'u Lei Onaona @ You Tube

E Ku'u Lei Onaona means "my fragrant lei". Lei is likened to the loved one. It's again a Hawaiian love song.

As usual, I posted it on my YouTube account. This time, I used my NEW HD video camera! I hope you enjoy!!!

I will only share this video with my blog buddies who keep in touch with me on a regular basis or Tipness club members who took this "hula hula" class. Please subscribe to my YouTube channel and send me a message. I will add you as my friend to share the video.

※Tipness（ティップネス）のHULA HULAで習ったE Ku'u Lei Onaona（エ・クウ・レイ・オナオナ）の振り付けをビデオに記録♪シンガーでクムフラ（古典フラの継承者）Sandii（サンディー）さんのアロハセラピーな楽曲です。見たい方は私のチャンネルに登録してリクエストメッセージを下さい☆

Mahalo :)

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My Accomplishments

Time flies! One quarter of the year has passed already!!!

Again, I will list my accomplishments last month and one that was not yet listed for Feb.

On 2/10, my Yurine Clam Chowder Soup received the award for excellence at Hokkaido Asahibeer's contest. Yurine is potato-like vegetable shaped like flower petals. Of course you can use diced potatoes instead ;) Those potato kinds keep the soup warm a little longer.

On 3/8, my Fresh Strawberries and Collagen Gummi Chocolate received the multi posting award. Did I post too many recipes?! LoL Anyways, I used a heart shaped ice maker which I bought at Daiso.

On 3/8, my Montblanc-Like Egg Salad appeared on the KRAFT's recipe card! It was also broadcast on CookTV last month. HERE, you can view the movie! I made this few years ago to make fun of my hun because he doesn't like sweet stuff! I served it for a dinner and I still remember his uncomfortable face! Ha-ha ;)

On 3/10, my Mayo Curry Stir-Fried Diced Potatoes was published in a food magazine called Lettuce Club (3/25 issue). I also added diced sausage that makes the dish rich and appetizing.

On 3/14 my Spring Vegetables and Shredded Steamed Chicken Okazu Salad appeared on Uny's recipe card of March! I call it Okazu salad because it goes good with white rice, too ;)

Last month, I couldn't apply for any contests after all... since it was quite a move after the quake. Hopefully, I will start applying for them from this month!

I'll do my best!!!

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My Decision

After the quake, my mind is made up.

I worked at my current workplace for about 7 years, but now I am leaving there to start what I believe is good for me and possibly for Japan.

I gave the notice last month, so I am officially leaving in the end of May.

It's not my April Fool's joke, btw. LoL

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Lipton Limone C

This 500ml bottled Lipton Limone C (lemon tea) contains a day's worth of vitamin C (100mg), and surprisingly, it is ZERO calorie! Amazing, huh?!

It's a quite refreshing, sweet and sour lemon tea, that I have bought it for 3 times this week. LoL

I know 100mg is not enough for girls, but better than nothing! I hope it will be available overseas someday soon ;)

What kind of drinks are you into recently?

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One Lovely Blog Award

I have been awarded the "One Lovely Blog Award" by grub of grub-town! Thanks!!!

She's an arts student in Melbourne, studying Japanese, too. She snaps very natural, soft, and relaxing photographs which makes me think she's a mature lady. hehe. I love her homey feel presentations!



To accept the award, there are certain rules:
1. Posting a link back to the person that gave you the award.
2. Share 7 random things about yourself.
3. Award 15 blogs.
4. Drop them a note and tell them about it.

7 random things I like to do:
- Cooking (Of course!)
- Shopping (Relieves my stress!)
- Coffee time (With my darling.)
- Eating out (I love to try creative Japanese foods at smoke-free izakaya.)
- Blogging
- Traveling (NY)
- Karaoke!!! (I wish I could have more time for it. I can sing for more than 3 hours! hehe)

I will pass this award to my good friends whom I met on the Net ;) - I'm not gonna drop a note because I know some are busy.
- Jon at As I See Japan...from L.A.
- Fran at Fran-Japani
- ReBekha at Genki Gaijin Girl
- Nazarina at Giddy Gastronome
- josephinechoo at Jose's Diary
- anGeLine at Journey of Angel's Life
- Jo at Literally In The Moment
- Merce at Love to Eat
- theda_bara at Maudlin
- Cathy at My Food Adventures
- Kym at p a t i k y m
- suki at suki pooki
- Jessica at Tales from a Tokyo Kitchen
- Tsu Lin + + at tsulin + +
- Mica

I am glad to become friends with you all!!!
Let's keep in touch ;)

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Ikanago no Kugini 2011

I am posting this every year! LoL

Ikanago no Kugini is my favorite tsukudani (food boiled in soy sauce) made with Ikanago (sand eel/sand lance). I really can't stop myself eating it with white rice! Yummy :P



Ikanago no Kugini is a famous Tsukudani in Hyogo prefecture. My grandma, who lives there cooks a few kilograms of "Ikanago no Kugini" every year for us in Tokyo.

It is usually cooked and eaten around the end of February or early March, when the fish is about an inch long. After its season, Ikanago goes deep in the sea where is cooler. Then it goes under the sand and aestivate.

Do you have any favorite food that has been passed down in your family for generations?!

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Our New Favorite Places

As you might know, my darling and I (actually I...) love to have a steady routine because I don't get bored of doing the same things :P Of course, I add some new things but not necessarily frequent. LoL

What we found near our new home is a jog spot! It's a 10 minutes run to get there. My dream to run along the river on the weekends came true :D



Near the station, we found many bento shops. One day, we tried okowa (sticky rice with vegetables or beans) bento, which you can select 3 different okowa from many!



Also, we found a sushi restaurant called Magurobito near station! Yay!!! As there are always long lines of people in front of the restaurant, their sushi was pretty good!!! We've already been there twice ;)



What we couldn't find is a cafe (my recipe thinking workplace LoL)... maybe I should better use our new dining table at home instead, which will hopefully arrive in April. Anyways, most cafes and restaurants are freezing cold due to the power saving (since the earthquake), so better to stay at home at the present day :(

Do you have any favorite place?
How often do you go there?



We are still having down-jacket weather in Tokyo...
I hope spring comes soon!!!

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竹生島神社 (Chikubushima Shrine)

竹生島神社 (Chikubushima Shrine) is one of the shrines located in 竹生島 (Chikubushima Island) on 琵琶湖 (Lake Biwa). Four gods are enshrined: 市杵島比売命 (ichikisimahimenomikoto) - god for traffic safety and good luck, 宇賀福神 (ugafukujin) - god for prosperous business and good harvest, 浅井比売命 (asaihinuminokoto), and 龍神 (ryujin). Those names are hard to read out for native Japanese, too...

Since no one lives on the island, it is believed to be a power spot where gods live!

My hula dancing buddy has just been there and gave me a cute charm against bad luck: 厄除身代り御守 (七色人形). I don't usually take a photo of my charms, but this was a souvenir kind (not that official), so I will show you how it looks :)

The seven primary colors used are said to protect us from evil and bring us good luck!

As I wrote before, 2011 is my grand climacteric year (大厄年).

I believe I already had many changes... but for more to come from now... thanks a lot!!!

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Japan Quake Map

Japan Quake Map is pretty scary.



If you select "Friday 11/03/11" and wait till after 14PM, you will see how severe the 9.0 magnitude 2011 Tōhoku earthquake was and how frequently we have aftershocks...

Since 3/11, we had 738 quakes in Japan!!!

I heard on the news that the aftershocks may continue at least for a year... Many people are now getting "quakesick", which you feel like shaking all the time, and so do I...

Hope we all get well soon!!!

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Work Desk

My dream was to have my own kitchen.

Of course, my darling has a dream to have his own work desk at home!!!

I hope I can get one for his birthday on 4/4 ;)



We are almost ready to proceed with our own projects.

Good luck to us!!!

P.S.
I will reply to the comments today! Thanks for your care!!!

*Renovation Updates*
- Completed
- 7th Week
- 6th Week
- 5th Week
- 4th Week
- 2nd and 3rd Week
- 1st Week
- The Start Date

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What "We" or "I" Can Do Now...

What we can do now is to save on electricity (because we lack electricity due to the nuclear power plant disaster) or stop stocking up on foods and supplies (many people do this on fears of the next disaster so the things come up short when someone is in need). Needless to say, we Japanese are working even harder to restore everything sooner.

Meanwhile, as Jon quotes the BBC News, the recent 9.0 earthquake in Miyagi may have slightly increased the chances for a large earthquake in the Tokyo area which is right in the middle of the plates that now believed to play a significant role in shaping seismic activity. How scary... I hope it may not happen anytime soon...



Facing the reality, many people may now think "time is money".

If I am not too late, I am ready to start what I can do now.

I pray for Japan, of course.

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