Must Buy From Nihon - Part 2

Ok, not shampoo this time round.

Well, most of you know that I am a food lover, and how can I give Japanese Department Stores' food basement a miss when I am there. In fact, those were my motivating force when I was in tokyo last time round!

Other then $70 bucks spent on Bankaku Prawn crackers which, in my opinion, are the best prawn crackers on planet earth, I also bought others stuff. Oh, before I tell you what else I had gotten, this link actually reveals thatBankaku are being sold locally, albeit and much much MUCH higher premium. $70 can only get me 20 packs here, whereas 70 gets me 60 packs in Japan!

Now, I also got lovely pastries back. Remember Gramercy? Well, I realised that they have supposedly to-die-for cheesecakes and I decided to get mself some before leaving Tokyo. But! apparently those round whole cheesecakes are only available at 3 specific timings daily and I had to settle for these individually packed ones instead:






Well, I'm not complaining cos they are divine! They are flufy, yet unlike those so-called Japanese Cheesecakes we get here, they are not that fluffy and the cheese aroma and taste is absolutely great!

I also got magdelines from a french pattisier. Too bad I cannot afford to splurge on Perre Herme's Macarons so I got these next alternative from another brand...The magdelines I got are the original ones and they are divne too! The sweetness of honey and light airy crumbs makes my knees goes weak! Absolutely tasty!




Then of course, I got myself some alcohol. Not sake like I menetioned previously, but I also got some Umeshu (Plum wine). They are great! Sweet, and refreshing and with some soda, it's perfect for our hot weather!

this is not pretty

ok, apparently a recent survey conducted locally, and by moi's university no less, revealed that Singaporeans are afraid to lodge official complaints with bad service but we are a whiny lot who keeps procrestinating to those around us. And I am gonna join in today.

I mean, I am already complaining about ALOT of stuff but today's different ok.

I have been home for 5 days and already, I am getting bored to death. I mean, ok the hoilday was nice, no. The holiday was GREAT. But, then somehow, as with all the trips I had made over the years, whenever the plane touched down, I feel glad to be back, but yet after the first night home, I get the feeling that life can only be like that. You know? Like that. Ok, you don't really know what i'm rambling here. But what I meant to say is, I view hoilidays and anytime spent outside singapore to be carefree time, and whenever I am on home gounds, reality hits and life sucks.

I am still unsure what I want to do. Despite having thought for myself on the trip. It's like, I thought about so many things and made plans, ok, not exactly concrete plans, but still I had one. But now home, I just do not see my plans, or rather, drafted plans come kick into full force du jour. Maybe I should try getting actual work done since thigs don't fall from the skies, but it's just so disgusting on home ground.

Maybe I should just stop procrestinate and move on. Yeah, I am gonna buy myself a lottery ticket tomorrow.

Must Buy From Nihon!

On my trip to japan last week, my shampoo ran out and I decided to hedt down to the famous japanese pharmacy to stock up on it. I chanced upon this group of aunties snapping up this particular brand and I immediately decided to go have a look. Turns out they were grabbing this shampoo call "Tsubaki" by Shiseido (yeah, the beauty compan is that diversified over there...haha) and i immediately decided that I gotta try out too!

So I bought a small shampoo to try and gosh! The shampoo felt ily after I rinse my hair (cos it contained Tsubaki, aka, Camilia, oil) and just when I decided that it is way too oily, the miracle happened! Throughout the day, my hair actually do not feel oil at all! In fact, just one wash and i noticed my hair more managable and better compare to using Ascience (which I realised it's actually from Kao!). I mean Ascience leave my hair nice and all, but Tsubaki gave me that protection of nourchment ater wash and the oilyness stop after yor hair dries. Amazing!

Then I googled it up and realised that since Tsubaki was iriduced in Aug 07, it immediately shot to overtake Lux as the number 1 shampoo in Japan. And! Lux actually was No. 1 for 6 years continously! I love it so much that I bought 1 more bottle back home..haha...and the TV advert is great too! In fact sales were so encouraging that Shiseido now had introduced a luxe version of the old Red Tsubaki, the new one is white and the advert also features top Japanese ladies (which I find much gorgeous over the Korean ones anytime...haha) In fact, I realised that when they first started the they already featured 6 starlets (Yukie Nakama, Rena Tanaka, Takako Uehara , Ryoko Hirosue, Arisa Mitsuki, and Yuko Takeuchi ) , but somehow the adverts showed like a dozen Japn women all so pretty...Don't you wish you'll age like them too?

I really love the adver and the song...haha







Just when i thought they have exhausted all their resources, I chanced upon a new commercial featuring their spokespersons in kimono! How Japan can it get?!

Rewinding Japan

I had a great trip to Japan, experienced so much on this self trip and made jpurneys which further opened my eyes and tried stuff that I would never have done had I not gone.



So I'm gonna make collages of the photos and show you all my 15 day trip to the land of the rising sun.

First up, I want to share with you all the foods and snacks I had tried there:

The first meal of Tonkatsu i had in Kyoto at steal price of 790 yen! and I tries Starbucks, not just from the cafe, but also their ones sold in 7-11. And the chocolate ice cream is amazingly creamy and thick, and only 105 yen! Then I had the best and cheap lunch set of grilled beef and pork in Kyoto, and also tried traditional Japanese snacks while cherry blossom viewing along Philosopher's Path in Kyoto. Also, the bad choice of set meal too, with the goey wheat. Then I tried ramen in Osaka which is delicious! And the pudding at Kinosaki and udon in Osaka, and great non spice Mah-Po Tofu seat in Himeji and lastly, the great meal Rachel brought and treated me to in Tokyo. We went to a cool beer place where local working class have their drinking sessions after work. Truly exceptional and local!


Also, since I made it to catch the beautiful Cherry Blossoms, I am also showing these pretty flowers off:


And my favourite Japanese city, Kyoto, with its amazing temples and shrines, there're so many things and sites to visit that I want to go back again!


An I thought I better dedicate one collage entirely the this shrine off Kyoto famous for its many whirling and winding trek lined with Tori Gates:

And Osaka is next! The city is vibrant, exciting and filled with noise and excitement! and great food too!


The I went to Nara and Horyuji (where the wooden structures are the oldest in the world!)


And my first Onsen experience at Kinosaki!


I also visited castlesthere so i am showing you al the 3 i visited: Osaka, Hmeji, and Nagoya.

Another highlight was visiting Nada district in Kobe and trying sake.


Himeji was gorgeous with its castle and also, I was really glad I decided to walk the off beaten track and try Mount Shosha where Tom Cruise shot The Last Samurai.


Another highlight was Miyajima with its gorgeous tori gate, but sadly, as it was low tide, I couldn't see the breathtaking view of it 'floating'


And meeting up with a friend! Its amazing how despite us not knowing each other very well, having a fellow friend overseas always makes trips better and so much more comforting with the talks and laughter!


And Nikko with the beatiful temle; so richly decorated that it is so different from all those I had been to, and that made the trip worthwhile!

Pre flight entertainment

Here I am at Narita Airport. Waiting for my flight and has been here since 4. But the good thing bout Biz class is the lounge! And here at NW's Narita lounge, the food's great, the views great and the beer dispensing machine is oh so advanced!

1 starred michelin place!

i finally tried gourmet meal! I was thinking of getting a meal, lunch to be exact at Ginza, but since prices there are like crazy, at 2000 yen and above for sets, I decided that I shall treat myself to the 1 starred michelin place at my hotel instead.

I opted for the mid priced Menu B with appetisers and 2 desserts with main. The food was great! My...money well spent. The bill: 6,000 yen. (84 SGD)




The Dessert Menu


These cheese puffs were amazing!


This is appetiser numero uno: Baby lamb capachio; yes, it is raw like...and it tastes great!


This is appetiser numero duo: Beetroot jelly with some foam, very good too!


Then comes the soup. Onion soup that is light, fluffy, and oh so aromatic and full of flavour of the onion! Creamy but yet, it's not overly think.


The main: I can choose from 3 meats and 3 seafood, and i choosed this fish fillet cos it's a Japanese fish so i chose this over the braised beef cheeks.


Then comes mini dessert: Lemon Jelly top with sherbet and zest. The magnitude of flavours really burst in this one. The tangy zest with tinge of bitterness. Yet sherbet was amaingly refreshing and jelly was sweet. Very refreshing overall and great way to cleanse the palate after the main.







Then the grand dessert: I opted for panfried strawberries with mascarpone ice cream. Great choice!





Then, as if that's not all, i still have tea with small sweets! I choose the rose and pistachio macarons and choco coated almond and coco bitter sweet orange peel.


Now, do you think Iggys and Les Amies will be this great? Or cheap? haha...

Ginza

Today, after I checked out of my hotel at 11 and before leaving for the airport cos my flight is at 7pm, I decided to walk to the posh shopping mecca district of Ginza since it's literally besides my hotel.








You do get to see every singel posh designer brand on earth at that stree, including the Apple store. haha...the apple store even has a really cool rotation Apple icon ontop its building!


As for the rest, I'll just show the photos...Yes, LV and Loewe included! I also went into Shiseido HQ! haha...and also i saw local brand Hour Glass at Ginza too!

Even MOS has an outlet here that sells posh nosh!

Gucci, Armani, LV, Loewe, Dior, Cartier, Bulgari...blah blah blah...haha

This is the Nissan Showroom.