Happy Valentine's Day!

Well, Happy belated Valentine's Day LOL

How did your Vday went? I hope everyone, whether you're in a relationship or rocking single (like I am) had a lovely day!

My Vday was simply spent appreciating me time and scribbling on some Chinese New Year cards I got from Typo while burning Peony scented candle which I just bought from H&M. I'm addicted to this scent nau (ღˇ◡ˇ)~❤

Also, indulged in these awesome Hakodate's Mel Cheese from Isetan's current food fair. Re-sharing though I posted on my Instagram already because it's so worth sharing LOL

And for lunch, I sorta treated myself to this amazing Wasabi-marinated scallops which I also bought from the fair (Ate it with rice and other dishes).

Do not judge them by their plain appearance, they're so very yummy I'm hooked!

Also get to sample some others like the marinated seaweed and oysters which is equally good *wipe drool* Last time I had oyster, I swore I wouldn't touch another because it tasted like the sea wth. Making exceptions this time.

Contemplated if I should stock up on them but then I remembered we have a crappy refrigerator here... ( ; Д ; )

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Later that day, while still grieving over my little 'loss', I found love again wth. Window shopped and I found a super nice army green cardigan blazer. It was the last piece on the shelf in my size and IMO gives off the casual, a bit Korean-stye vibe when worn unbutton. Will share with you what it looks like on my Instagram since I'm planning to wear it soon!

~♥~

And oh yesss, CNY's is just in a few days' time _ THIS Thursday_ and I'm so-o excited!  I'll be heading back home for a couple of days to celebrate. It has been a while since I get to spend time with my parents and have good ol' home cook food. All the CNY cookies too weeee ☆*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

Alritey, will be blogging again soon but need to pack a lil' bit some more before I sleep so gotta say chao for nau~

Summer 2014 in Japan: Yoyogi Park & Meiji Shrine

Greetings~!

Finally, catching up with blogging about Japan again. Past weeks have been about charging up, reading all the books I've procrastinating on and feeding my obsession for instagram LOL

Just a month ago I was in Japan and I'm missing being there already!

It was summer, so the perfect time for enjoying the sight of blooming hydrangaes. I love these cute pompom flowers! Initially, I wanted to visit Hakusan Jinja which is famed for accommodating thousands of hydrangaes bushes but my already-cramped schedule wouldn't allow it..

Still, I didn't know you can find them in Yoyogi Park as much as they're a regular sight in Japan. Not as many but still take lotsa photos hahaha

More hydrangaes~~

This one was taken with my Samsung S5, can you believe how clear is it?! *Impressed*

Went to Yoyogi really early in the morning and had my simple breakie there which I bought from Lawson.

Largest dorayaki I've ever had and had to skip lunch afterwards because I was so full WTH

Cream bun which is equally as fluffy and sweet as the dorayaki. This is the first time I'm glad I actually had bitter coffee to go with the buns ( =a= ;)あますぎる！

After a short stroll around Yoyogi, I headed to Meiji Shrine, my now favorite place in Tokyo! I don't know how to put it in words but it gives me a feeling of tranquility which I appreciate.

The torii gate leading to the shrine, so huge!

Then barrels of sakes lined together on the way towards the shrine.

Went to pray and then explore the shrine area. At one corner, dozens of ema boards a.k.a. wishing boards decorates the booth. I bought one too for 500yen besides an omamori from the nearby booth.

Someone's got a very bold wish. Saw that and I was like, "Ohkayyy...".

When I showed my omamori to my colleague, she displayed her own collection kept inside her handbag. Apparently she collects LOTS of them. I read about omamori online so I was really curious and asked "Wouldn't the deities fight among themselves??" and my friends went huh? ( =.=;) Not sure if its just me reading too much..

My first omamori~

Witness this wedding procession in the shrine area and the groom's a gaijin! Silently pray they have a blissful marriage and at the same time wishing the same would happen for the couple whose been very welcoming as to let me stay with them when I was in Japan (Ov≤)-☆

Just before I left, I went to check out Kiyomisa Well, one of Tokyo's "power spot". There's a history behind the well and the shrine, for that check Google. I'm too lazy to narrate them here.

This is Kiyomisa well~ The water's amazingly crystal clear and when I showed my sis she initially thought it was a dried up well ( =v=; ) Touched it and refreshingly cold!

I sort of believe the whole wish-granting power thingy and have the photos as the wallpaper on my phone hahaha

A teahouse along the journey.

By the time I left, I've have bags of omiyages from teas to keychains and Hello Kitty dolls (=v=)v

Oh, and the drip coffee's from Nagoya. I found a shop which sells coffee beans and lotsa coffee brands. Coffee haven indeed!!

Those small kimono print containers contain green tea and they've got a really distinctive taste to it (O▽O)b

The little pink packets are sakura tea. Yes, SAKURA TEA!!

Didn't need to think twice to add them into my shopping basket LOL. The prettiest tea I've ever seen! Other photos are on my Instagram here and here.

Since we're on the topic of omiyage, just sharing the rest I've got the entire trip from Japan~

That's all for now~!

Summer 2014 in Japan: My Freshest Memories of Tsukiji Market

... is eating nigiri sushi at Tsukiji Market. Don't mind my lame pun LOL

This is Tsukiji Market, well a part of it.

I didn't make many food plans except wanting to eat fresh sushi at Tsukiji, dining at (any) Izakaya and eating ramen at Ichiran Ramen.

The rest of the meals for the 4 days? I was living off ice creams and drinking tons of soft drinks including two bottles of Calpis, good stuff (*´∀｀*)

Then dinner at Ichiran Ramen in Shibuya didn't quite work out though... I entered the building hoping to get to Ichiran Ramen which was supposedly be at the 8th floor but there was only up to 7th floor button option in the elevator? Might have been in the wrong building fml.

Anyway, this is the sushi shop I went~

Camwhoring

Taking photos while waiting for my sushi to arrive.

Someone tell me what is this? Is it uni? Yes, dear younger self. It is uni.

Tadaaa~~

My nigiri sushi set, served on banana leafヽ( ⌒o⌒ﾉ)~♪

More sushi added onto my 'plate' while I was eating happily.

The one on the far left is herring roe/kazunoko which my least favorite among them because it was so hard to chew...

Oh, the roe! I think it because they're so fresh that's why they tasted so different from the one I have here in Malaysia. This I can have more, so good!

Probably the best-est (pardon my English) part and my favorite now_ANAGO!ヽ(；▽；)ノ Had always though unagi is the best until I popped this one into my mouth. Okla, I still love you, unagi.

~ ♥ ~

When I told Danny and Naoko (friends whom I was staying with) that I was going to Tsukiji, they say this tamago is a must-try so I did.

So yummy I bought one packet of ebi flavored tamago to share with them( ⌒o⌒) ❤

We had it for dinner together~~

Our dinner which was prepared by Naoko in less than 5 minutes, I kid you not. Instant rice cooked in the microwave, topped with ready-to-eat baby anchovies and raw egg and we got one awesome don already #impressed

I was like, instant rice packets?! and Naoko went, do you want to take one back as souvenir? Sua pak kau me wth. The only instant rice I know you can buy here is nasi impit. Still need to boil to cook them so instant rice packets win.

And the egg!! Very bouncy and creamy I super love I can eat one everyday.

Side was also ready-packed mixed sashimi, vege and sauce.

Last food photo for today, the breakfast Naoko made for us on the day I arrived at Tokyo~ Got to try Japan hamburger (hidden underneath the egg lol). And yesss, egg again yayy (*°▽°*)v

Gochisousama deshita!