Healthy Living in Singapore

OSAKA/ TOKYO AUTUMN ITINERARY 2014: DAY 4 (PART II)- What we ate + Best Korean BBQ in Osaka!

Didn’t want to ruin the Nara deer park pics with photos of our dinner because both Nara Deer Park and our dinner deserve their own posts! So here’s what we ate on day 4 (continued) and in my humble opinion, the BEST Korean BBQ in Osaka (disclaimer: I’ve only tried one other HAHAHA)

On the way back from Nara, we stopped by this store selling pork cutlets at the Nara train station and it was SO GOOD. I didn’t take a picture of it because it was GONE SO FAST. I don’t even know the name of the place but it’s a pork cutlet store near the entrance of the Nara station.

Anyway, we make our way back to Namba and because this morning’s Unagi don was SO good, we had MASSIVE cravings for good quality Unagi don so we went in search of a dedicated store selling Unagi. I mean, if a random store sells great unagi, a dedicated store specialising in nothing BUT Unagi must be out of this world right?!

Prices are pretty steep but we really wanted good quality unagi!

Ungai Tamgo! Decent but not crazy wow.

The ultimate unagi set with tempura and other sides! The soup was really good!

Surprisingly, this unagi set wasn’t as good as the humble simple little one we ate that morning from a random store πŸ™ I mean it was good but it was … kinda on par with the simple one from that morning. πŸ™ (I think my standards are too high in Japan haha) Perhaps it was just an off day for that store that day? We would never know but I left feeling like that money was kinda wasted πŸ™

Anyway, we decide to go drown our sorrows in PABLO cheesecake which in my opinion, is also highly overrated. Or maybe it’s just impossible to appreciate a whole quarter of cheesecake each. Hahah. The cheese biscuits were not bad though!

We wander around Dontonburi Shopping District trying to find something appealing (read: hot and filing) to eat for dinner and stumbled upon this crowded little shop with bright red air vents!

Friend is obviously very happy. Haha.

Anyway! The food here is amazing! It’s so good we actually went back TWICE in our 5 days in Osaka! I’ll let the pictures do the talking in a bit but the beef here is of such high quality and the kimchi… it’s my favourite in the world! Watered down bland versions sold in foodcourts in Singapore, I’m looking at you >:( The kimchi here is lovingly coated with the red pepper paste and tastes fantastic on its own or grilled!

Kimchi was so good we ordered another bowl of it!

I know I said I don’t want to go back to Osaka and would prefer to stay in Kyoto but if anything were to draw me back, it’ll be this store!
STAMP OF APPROVAL x 10000000 times indeed! πŸ˜€

Osaka/ Tokyo Itinerary Autumn 2014

Another reason for my hiatus was that I was away in Osaka and Tokyo for a week!

I know lots of you guys are planning a trip there as well so hopefully these pictures and suggested itineraries will help in putting your trip together! I also brought back a couple of maps and suggested walks/ guides from the Tourist Bureau in Osaka/ Tokyo which I’ll make available at the end of the entire post on Japan (I’ll be publishing a post a day!)! If you can’t wait till then, just email me and I’ll be happy to scan/ photocopy and email/ mail you the maps and guides!

Here’s an overview of my trip:

Day 1: Flight from Changi Airport to Osaka
Day 2: Osaka Castle and the surrounding area
Day 3: Day trip to Arashiyama Monkey Park + Bamboo groves (Highly recommended!)
Day 4: Day trip to Nara Deer Park (Highly recommended!)
Day 5: Instant Ramen Museum & Osaka Aquarium (no pictures coz I ran out of batt haha)
Day 6: Flight to Tokyo
Day 7: Asakusa + Kappabashi! (Highly recommended if you are crazy over kitchenware like I am!) + Tokyo Sky tree
Day 8: Roppongi (Joel Robuchon)
Day 9: Omotesando + Healthy food/ Cafe in Tokyo!
Day 10: Flight back to Singapore

As you can see, we did more of the ‘touristy’ things in Osaka and in Tokyo we basically just chilled, ATE and wandered which made up for a perfect holiday. Seriously, we ate so much, out of 700+ pictures we took, I think 600+ were food photos. Can’t wait to share though! And can’t wait to share my budget + reset meal plan once I came back as well. Really enjoyed for one week and came back to Singapore to EAT GRASS. Haha! NO REGRETS though! Although I think if I ever do go back to Japan, I’ll skip Osaka entirely and spend a week in Kyoto. Kyoto is gorgeous and beautiful and I’m totally bummed I didn’t spend more time there.

xx

p.s if you are looking for more inspiration for your Japan trip, click the here to read last year’s trips to Japan! Hope it helps! πŸ˜€

See you tmr! <3

Tokyo Autumn Trip 2013: Shibuya + Shopping Haul

Last day in Tokyo! T.T

No pictures coz I spent the whole day in Loft and Tokyu Hands. Happiness!!!

This is how my poor boyfriend looked like at the end of the night HAHAHA

This may be totally out of point but I REALLY REALLY wanted to buy this totally impractical label maker. IT PRINTS ON RIBBONS! How cool is that?! And comes in the prettiest of pastel pink.


I didn’t buy it though and 1 year later, I’m STILL thinking about it.
Man, my list of things I want to get in Tokyo is every growing. Oh by
the way, if you guys want anything (SMALL!) from Tokyo (I’ll be going in
Nov), drop me an email or comment. I really wouldn’t mind getting it
for you if it’s convenient. Maybe I’ll buy some little stuff (my
favourite sporks maybe?) and do a giveaway with them or something then
you can share my Japan joy as well! Haha

My current list is just growing and growing meh. I am dying to buy the Coharu Washi Tape Printer but it’s so impractical. Do you guys have the same problem? I always have such long shopping lists before I go somewhere but when I get there, I just can’t bring myself to spend on the stuff. Haha.

Ending off the night with Freshness Burger.


I love the nuggets! And they have spam burger! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the onion rings!

At Narita airport the next day, my boyfriend was using MY cat to chat up pretty retail staff at the airport. Haha, okay no, not really. D takes pains to make sure I always feel like his one and only so I mustn’t joke about such things. Hehheh. In actual fact,  he was wheeling my cat around while I was looking at duty free and all the sales assistants were gushing over the cat and saying it was so kawaii. He did look very pleased though. Like people fawning over his son! -.-

Airport food is surprisingly good. Only at Narita Aiport (and Hongkong Airport!). Haha.

and here’s some of the stuff I bought from the trip! I bought heaps of chocolate, snacks and other souvenirs as well but no pictures because they are gifts!

Muji mini segmented lunchbox | Corn scraper (doesn’t really work πŸ™ | Seaweed stamp punchers! |
Furry Cony pouch that my boyfriend insisted we get hurhur |
THE BEST FOLDABLE SPORK IN THE WORLD | Organizer stickers from Loft & Tokyu Hands | Rice Molds | Onigiri case ( I use it to put granola HAHA |
Apple slicer ( Either I don’t know how to use it properly or it doesn’t work) |
SUPER DUPER CHEAP SHU UEMURA eyelash curler | Zojirushi thermal bottle (less than $30) | Laneige water sleeping pack from Changi Airport’s duty free

Geez, you guys made it through all that garble. Well done!

And that sums up my Tokyo Autumn Trip in 2013! Tokyo Autumn 2014, here we go! πŸ˜€

Till next time,

xx

Tokyo Autumn Trip 2013: Tsukiji | Garden Walks

We were supposed to all go to Tsukiji Fish Market today. Unfortunately, a friend was feeling unwell so d and I left to just take a stroll and wander.

 
 I don’t know how Japanese bakeries do it but their breads are always so soft and amazing. My favourite is their chocolate chip bread which is this amazing chocolate bread with SQUARES of chocolate in them. Don’t eat it on the spot after buying it though. Bring it home and toast it a little. The bread gets warm and slightly crispy and the squares of chocolate transform into these little pieces of gooey melty heaven. Mhmm. 
  
Another favourite place of mine in Tokyo is Ootoya Restaurant. I’ve tried it’s outlets in Singapore and it’s TOTALLY not the same. For one, the Singapore branches don’t sell my favourite dessert (picture top right) which is basically FRIED Hokkaido milk bread with matcha ice cream. It sounds terrible like that (think:oily and gross) but it isn’t! The breadsticks are crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy inside and not greasy at all . I also ordered a salad although we were just looking for dessert coz as healthy as Japanese food is made out to be, that was my first (and only) bowl of greens I had in my 9 days there. Haha
We decided to stroll down the street near Marunouchi Station which is kinda like Singapore’s Shenton Way- lots of government/parliament buildings etc and it was lovely to be able to be tourists and meander slowly, admiring the turn of the autumn colours whilst all these Important People in Black Suits hurried down the train and walked Very Fast to their office before 9am.

Tokyo is full of zen gardens and the weather is great for walking and admiring. It was nice to just leave the hustle and bustle of sightseeing and just wander with a loved talking about everything and nothing at all πŸ™‚

We headed for Tsukiji next because d had never been there and I was excited to show him but it turned out to be not much because everyone was out in full force (and the inner markets were all closed and cleaning up already) and we ended up having really sucky sushi because  I refused to wait 3 hours for sushi at the more ‘famous’ places. WE ARE IN TOKYO!! There is AMAZING sushi EVERYWHERE!

I honestly think that out of 254357353459 stalls in Tsukiji where you can have sushi possibly only 1 or 2 would have not-so-nice sushi. And as luck would have it, we had not very nice sushi. Hur. I’ve been to Tsukiji 4 times now and each time, none of the sushi places have ever served me anything less than fresh and spectacular. I’m not sure if it was a one off incident but the sushi tasted like the kind you can buy at the supermarket. Rice was cold and hard and the fish was rubbery and not fresh at all πŸ™ It was a total bummer because I was really looking to The Best Sushi Ever at Tsukiji! On a brighter notes, the miso soup was super yummy and presentation was not bad, haha.

Hello crab with with long legs. You don’t look very meaty.

Lucky Tsukiji is filled with more than just sushi! If you go, do take the time to wander and try the beef bowls, the oden and lots of little stalls selling interesting things. I really like tamagoyaki so I always eat this when I am there πŸ™‚

I know of friends who went to Tsukiji super excited to eat sushi there and after touring the markets, couldn’t bring themselves to eat anymore fish. So if you are squeamish, you might want to head straight for sushi first! The next time I go, I will probably revisit the ones that are not bad or I might, just might be totally Singaporean and go queue for Sushi Daiwa. MAYBE πŸ˜‰

Till next time,

xx

Tokyo Autumn Trip 2013: What to eat in Tokyo: L’atelier de Joel Robuchon in Roppongi

Hahahha! Is it bad that I’m simultaneously planning my next Osaka/ Tokyo trip whilst still blogging about a previous trip?

Anyway! If you are searching for a relatively inexpensive way to treat yourself at a Michelin starred restaurant in Tokyo, I highly recommend L’atelier de Joel Robuchon! If you want to live on the fly cheaply, always always go for lunch sets at high end restaurants. Eat a country’s snack/ street food for dinner! You get to enjoy the intimate atmosphere of a classy restaurant without the intimidating ‘rich people’ atmosphere (haha, omg- sorry I’m just so cheapo) and the bustling, exciting atmosphere of a country’s night market! And your wallet wouldn’t cry! Win-win I say!

Prices range from as low as Y1950 (24SGD! For a 2 Michelin starred meal & service!) to Y15,500 (186SGD) for their full degustation lunch. For more information on prices and menus, you can check it out here

Pictures!
 

We chose to sit at the bar so we could see all the action in the kitchen and the patissier was so serious and focused on making dessert! She was so precise – it was quite thrilling to watch! I really don’t think it matters what job you do. HOW you do it can elevate even the most menial jobs to an art. Maybe after this I’ll go sweep the floor and elevate it to art. Hurhur

I chose the Menu du Jour which basic price is Y6500 and D got the L’unique for Y1890. Another tip for high end eating on a budget is if you go with people, try out more stuff from their menu by combining expensive and inexpensive meal sets and splitting the cost after!

First up:

so complimentary appetizers-

The BREAD BASKET. Since I am vegsmoothiebunny, I feel the need to tell you that bread baskets are unnecessary since you know, just plain flour and not very nutritious. However, if you go to Joel Rubonchon and miss out on the buttery brioche bread- you are CHEATING YOUR SOUL. Hahahah #justsayin’. I think I had 3 πŸ˜€

Le Saumon Fume- smoke salmon served with mushrooms marine and shiso flower buds. Isn’t the presentation just so pretty?

Le Bar- sea bass served with seaweed butter gratin & capers coulis

Les Legumes-Seasonal vegetables served on a thin toast with chorizo and tomato

And up next… La bavette de boeuf- wagyu beef served with JR’s famous mashed potatoes (they were really, really good!) for an additional Y1260. The beef is just out of this world. Sometimes I still dream about it back in sg. Hahaha

Pre dessert-

and desserts to finish the meal off-

The meal came up to be around SGD80+ which is a total steal in terms of service and food. The staff are friendly as well and so talented! On my previous visit, there was a french service staff who spoke French, English, Japanese and Mandarin!

Definitely check the place out if you are in Tokyo!

L’atelier de Joel Robuchon
2F Hillside, Roppongi Hills, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032
Lunch: Weekdays 11:30 to 14:30 (last order)
Weekends and national holidays 11:30 to 15:00 (last order)
Dinner: 18:00 to 21:30 (last order)
Phone: 03-5772-7507

See you soon!

xx

Tokyo Autumn Trip 2013: 1 day Hakone- Mt Fuji Trip

This was what we woke up to on the day of our Mt Fuji Tour! Thank God for clear blue skies and gorgeous rays of light!

We were really so blessed- even the tour guide on the trip said that such a day was rare in autumn and we were really lucky!

I did check on the weather forecast for that particular week before booking the tour but I didn’t expect it to be so gorgeous either! πŸ˜€

We joined a 1 day Mt- Fuji Hakone Tour and booked it from here. I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend going on this tour if you are in Tokyo in autumn because the scenery is just AMAZING. 
Our itinerary included a bus trip to Mt fuji- lunch, a boat cruise on Lake Ashi, a cable car ride to Mt. Komagatake in Hakone and then the shinkansen back to Tokyo. Talk about trying out different transport modes all in one day!
The tour starts at 9:00am from the bus terminal but the company does do a pickup from your hotel too so be sure to enquire if you don’t stay near the station. 
We were at the bus station early so…

#shamelessselfies. haha.

Let the adventures begin!!

The bus ride to Mt Fuji!

and the multiple coloured leaves at the Mt Fuji visitor centre. T.T
Typing this, I can still feel the cold breeze and the feeling of enchantment standing there jsut surrounded by all the amazing colours and greenery!

I WAS SO HAPPY!!! And we were only at the visitor centre -.-

This is the back of Mt Fuji:

The view. The Sun. The Colours. You know what I really liked about the place? I really liked that there were many Japanese there and they were all really happy to immerse in the beauty of nature as well and I learnt from them that they visit the place every year because they say it’s important to constantly feel inspired in life. Constantly inspired. Wow. I think I’ll make that my life motto or something. Haha.

Next up was lunch…

 
Next up! The boat cruise!
 
The boat passes by gorgeous islands with such beautiful colors! My pictures don’t do the place justice at all!

It was also INSANELY cold on the boat ride.

 
and on to the Hakone Ropeway ride up Mount Komagatake! 

 

Look at the view on the way up!

 
 

The view from the top: 

Dusk was beginning to set and the place just transformed before our very eyes!

Then it was back down the ropeway and back to Tokyo via shinkansen! It was my first time taking the shinkansen so I was quite excited πŸ™‚


Was TOTALLY STARVING when we got back to Tokyo so we immediately hit the underground malls (kinda like our citilink mall) for food!

Red bean pancake/ Curry Tonkatsu/Omu rice/ Hamburg steak!

And that concludes the one day tour! πŸ˜€

Shopping Haul from Tokyu Hands/ Loft/ 3 Coins

Hello!

Today’s my last post for my Japan Spring 2014 Trip log. I’ll share last year’s autumn’s one soon but that will have to wait a bit. I have so many exciting recipes I want to try and share too! Can’t wait to carve out some time to hit the kitchen! Also, I’ve been trying to increase my running mileage a little at a time in preparation for my very first 10k at this coming #sundown run but my knees have been really unhappy at the impact! Does anyone have any suggestions? I can walk 10k (speed 7.5 on the treadmill) but I can’t run it. GRRR. Take care of your health and body everyone! It’s very frustrating when it can’t do what you want it to do!

Anyway- here’s my very very mini personal haul from Tokyo this time. Actually just plenty of (fake) washi tape. Haha.

First up- my divided bento box from the same series as my lunch jar cover! I didn’t buy the soup jar as it was pretty but impractical- too small! So I bought the cover on my last trip. This time I saw a matching divided box so I bought it as well! I really wanted the usagi series of lacquered bento boxes but they were totally out of stock so I guess I’ll proabbly order them online or wait patiently till I get back to Japan again.

In case you don’t know what I’m talking about- here is a screenshot from the lunchbox video I uploaded some time back

See, matchy matchy πŸ™‚

Then on to more washi tapeeeeee. I bought EIGHT sets of everything here as gifts for my #washiobsessed friends as well. πŸ™‚

Russian doll washi tape! So cute! And only SGD 1.20 from Daiso!

These Japanese themed washi tape were slight more expensive at 300+ yen from Loft.

Ballerina themed bookmarks πŸ™‚
 

THIS. is something I buy each time I am in Tokyo. Pastel pink correction tape (the tape is the standard white. It’s just the outside that is pastel pink). They don’t have this colour in Singapore AT ALL.  I always get it when I’m there. I work with very naughty children and they always break my stationery πŸ™ Now I have another set as back up πŸ™‚

Lots and lots and lots of planner stickers. Aren’t the animals at the back just the cutest? You stick them around important dates and the date shows through their bellies πŸ™‚

Little mayo holders for my bento lunchbox πŸ™‚

My one and only beauty purchase from The Land of Cosmetics. HAHAH. I use the lighter moisturizer (seen in the middle) after washing my face in the morning if I’m headed for the gym and going to perspire a lot) and the richer one (on the far right) for night time. I don’t use toner or lotion or serums. Maybe I should but I don’t know where to start. :/
 

A garlic grinder!!!! From Donki. This was not cheap. About $10sgd. I haven’t had the chance to use it yet and am mildly suspicious it’s gimmicky and of no use but I couldn’t resist buying it. I HATE chopping garlic but LOVE eating it! πŸ™‚

Sakura thememed Washi tape to commemorate this spring trip!

Line washi tape! Haha. So cute! I use this to decorate letters to my boyfriend or stick it around my desk and it reminds me of him πŸ™‚

Random stationery. And before I end off… here is my current washi tape box about to be filled to the brim with my new purchases πŸ™‚

Off I go to craft and scrapbook! πŸ™‚

Happy week ahead lovelies!

Japan March 2014- 1/2 day in Tokyo: Tokyu Hands, Loft, Don Quijote (Donki)

HOLA!!!!

Today my parents and younger brother left for the airport at 7am. My flight was at 4pm so I had 7am- 12pm to shop for whatever I wanted to Tokyo!

If you don’t know me, I am a huge stationery fanatic. Leave me in a clothing store with my life savings and I will walk out with exactly the same amount as I had initially but give me 20 min in a stationery/ homeware super store and BAM! I will probably emerge slightly bedraggled, carrying a small plastic bag of expensive but useless things ( I LOVE STICKERS!! and coloured pens! and containers! and cooking spatulas!)

No photos from my camera today- all iphone snaps only in their raw unedited glory- as I was a GIRL ON A MISSION. Only 4 hours to hit my favourite stationary/ homeware stores in Tokyo!! LET’S GO!!

Well, not so fast.

A Girl On A Mission has got to eat.

 
Back to simple nutritious eating!  I never worry about what I eat on holidays. If it’s not as nutritious as I’d like it too be or too imbalanced (i.e a meal is too high refined carb vs. it’s protein/ good fat ratios, then I’ll just sample it and limit it to that. I really believe health is in not being obsessive. You need to be aware yes, but obsessively calorie counting and worrying is really not healthy so please don’t do that!
FIRST STOP- Don Quijote! Otherwise known as Donki! This is a 24h 6 level superstore found throughout Japan with all the cosmetics and everything your heart could possibly desire at (usually) cheaper prices! I was here to pick up lots of cosmetics for my girlfriends -.- Every time I tell them I’m headed for Japan my whatsapp will be bombarded with requests to buy all sorts of Japanese beauty products. You really have to give them credit– even when they don’t stay in Japan, they have their finger right on the pulse of whatever is trending or in fashion! I had to request for pictures as well because I’d never heard of any of them HAHA. 
Anyway, on a sidenote- every time I go to Japan I feel a bit embarrassed that I don’t wear make up :/ It’s like the girl in front of me is so polite and professional and obviously put in a lot of effort that morning to doll up just to serve me at a store counter and I looked like I just rolled out of bed and appeared at the store. (Not true, I brushed my teeth haha). I’m not against make up or anything. I believe in being au natural and feeling confident in who you are but I also see nothing wrong in putting in some effort to present your best face forward, literally. If anything, I’m really impressed with people who have the skills and really make the effort. It just all seems so professional. The Japanese just have a way of inspiring people to put in a little more effort whether it’s in packaging or make up or service or anything. I SHOULD DO IT TOO.
Meh. It’ll take me a really long time for my make up skills to match up to theirs. If ever. Maybe I should look out for a self help book. Hehheh.

Okay, enough of the random soliloquy.

Random snaps of donki!

All the beauty massage products you could ever dream of. There’s a massage roller for your double chin, your legs, your arms, your pit fats, even to slim your fingers! -.-

Do you like LINE? I’m in love with Brown and Cony. I just think the way brown is constantly meh is so funny. And of course, I love white rabbits so Cony with her expressive bubbly-ness, I really identify with πŸ™‚

Donki sells everything. From Halloween costumes to Prada bags and everything in between. This is their thermal jar section. SERIOUSLY I really regret not informing all my blog readers that I was going to Japan (It was a last minute decision- I literally booked the ticket and flew in 2 days)so I could help you guys buy and encourage you to pack food to work!  Really good thermal containers in Japan are abundant and can be found at really reasonable prices Zojirushi which is the Rolls Royce of food jars cost only $25 in Tokyo compared to $80 at Takashimaya in Singapore!

I love wooden bowls/ spoons/ forks etc *happy sigh

300 yen is about $3.60. For a double tiered bento box. Made in Japan. Yes. Didn’t buy because I’ll never be able to bring such a large box to work.

I did buy this though! And when I returned to Singapore, I filled with with wholemeal pasta, pasta sauce, topped with mozzarella and baked it in the oven. OOEY GOOEY GOODNESS!

The cosmetics section- not many pictures sorry because I was frowning over each packaging trying to use my limited Japanese to figure out if it was toner/ lotion/ make up remover I was holding. These are just things they never ever teach you in class. Ikoma, are you reading this? Haha.

Just before I left I saw this- Kale powder! In sachet form! How interesting!
_________________________________________________________________________________

Next up!! LOFT at Shibuya!!

(insert many many hearts here)

I LOVE THIS STORE.
If you are a stationery/ planner junkie or you are #washiobsessed- YOU MUST VISIT THIS STORE. It’s 7 levels of pure heaven.

Are you a scheduler/ planner junkie? Because I am. I love taking out my scheduler and filling it with stickers and decorating it. When I was younger I used to be unhealthily obsessed- I would plan my day RIGHT DOWN TO THE MINUTE. I would plan what to study, when to study, who to meet, what to do. I love lists! I love paper and pen! No digital gadget can ever compare! If I had to be somewhere I’d never been before, I’d ask my dad to take the bus with me and use a stop watch to time how long it took from my door to the door of the place I was supposed to be at. So if it took 1 hour and 3 min, I would schedule 1 hour and 3 min to get there the next day + 5 min in case of jam and + another 5 min because it’s always respectful to wait for people instead. Now with google maps and bus apps it’s much easier but I realise a lot of people don’t really care about being punctual πŸ™ Punctuality is respect guys! You wouldn’t be late if you are meeting the prime minister right? Why is meeting anybody else, any less?

But I realised as well that I never had to say anything to any of my friends. They are a beautiful bunch and they try very hard when they meet me and forgive me when I slip up as well. Like healthy eating and living better, we are looking at effort, not perfection πŸ™‚

Sakura themed letter pads!

This was really cute! Are you forgetful? write what you need to do and loop this round your wrist! They are paper bracelets!

Liz Lisa stationery!

So smart! Corkboard hooks!

WASHI TAPE. Be still, my beating heart.

Coharu Printer!!! Do you guys know what is this? It’s a printer that prints on washi tape!! I was so tempted to buy this but it’s 5355 yen! I couldn’t resist in the end and ordered it off rakuten though- it’s only 3000+ yen there! It retails for double the price in Singapore! If you want to get your hands on it RIGHT NOW, you can also go to Stationery Superworld at Suntec City. It’s on discount now at $75+, usual price $99. The tapes are insane though. The printer only uses coharu tape and it retails in Singapore for $8.50 for ONE. It’s only 357 yen in Tokyo which works out to about $4.

The BENTO SECTION. *heavy breathing* HAHA.

Half a floor dedicated to just bento sets and accessories!

Toiletries/ Cosmetics/ Kitchenware section:

The vitamix is my dream blender. I always tell my boyfriend I don’t want him to propose with a diamond ring but with a vitamix! He can propose with a coke tab for all I care- I rather spend the money on kitchen appliances HAHA.

________________________________________________________________________________
Alright! That’s all for LOFT! I’ll share with you guys what I bought in my next entry. On to TOKYU HANDS!!!!! Shibuya is my favourite place to shop in Tokyo because it’s only a 15 min straight bus ride from my brother’s house in Roppongi and it has all my favourite stores in one place. Tokyu Hands is located just down the road from LOFT so it’s really accesible!

Another multi level superstore-

 

Nice to know after huffing and puffing up 5 flights of stairs I only burned 10 calories. Haha.

Super cool hi-lighter tape!

Colour pencils that can be ERASED. The future of colour pencils is here.

My favourite. This holds 5 different colours in one set. It’s about $12 for a full set in Singapore. And only $6 in Japan

Sakura themed washi tape! How could I say no!?

This is the soup jar that I use- I highly recommend it! The sticker on the pink one says “stock is limited”!

Ahhhh. Happy πŸ™‚ Lots of stationery and cook/ homeware πŸ™‚

___________________________________________________________________________________

And off to the last store! 3 coins is in the middle of Tokyu Hands and Loft. EVERYTHING in this store is 300 yen- hence the name 3 coins!

 

Pretty ice packs for packing salads to work!

Ran out of time so had to hot-hoove it back to the apartment to grab lunch and catch my bus to the airport!!!

Did you know that public buses in Japan have free wifi?

Stopped by at Roppongi Hills basement to grab lunch- I love the multitude of healthy lunch options Japan has! I really think that it’s not about going up in arms and saying Singapore shouldn’t sell unhealthy food but it’s about offering people options to make their own choices. I really dream of being a caifan stall seller. Haha. Imagine finding green smoothies in a hawker centre!

One of my favourite lunch options at Roppongi is this place called Dexee Deli. It’s really simple to order from them (it’s a bit like ordering caifan). For today, I ordered a ‘regular’ set which comes with one ‘main’ and 2 sides. From the poster below you can see that there are other options available.

If you can’t decide what you want, there are pre packed brown rice options for those on the go too. I checked all of them out and they were all really nutritionally balanced- Good job Japan! πŸ™‚

Here’s my lunch!-

Brown rice with a tofu pattie, mixed mushroom, potato salad and a side salad! Everything tasted so fresh and amazing and most importantly, not oily/ salty!

If you follow me on instagram, you would know I have a deep love for sporks πŸ™‚

 
Was in a hurry so I only ate half and ‘dabao-ed’ the other half in a container to eat onboard the flight. I REALLY DISLIKE airline food (it’s doesn’t taste like food at all!) so I normally bring my own food even on full service flights. I’ve since learnt that bringing broccoli/ tuna onboard is a mean thing to do because nobody likes the smell of broccoli/ tuna except me. Haha. I normally try to bring sandwiches or food that have no smell at all. Do you bring your own food onboard? What do you normally bring? 
Alright! So that’s all from me today! I’ll show you what I bought tmr in my last entry for this spring trip to Japan! In the meantime, here’s a pretty printed matcha cookie to tide you till then πŸ™‚
Lots of love πŸ™‚

Japan March 2014: Road Trip from Kyoto back to Tokyo + Sakura in Nagoya!

We took a slow 9 hour drive back to Tokyo today with lots of pit stops.

I am still in awe of Japan’s Service Areas. They are just gorgeous, have the best amenities and the view is to die for.

Otsu Service area is off the Meishin Expressway. (this sentence means nothing to me because my elder brother and dad did all the driving on the way back so I don’t know anything at all about the route we took. I just sat at the back munching on food and annoying my younger brother singing to myself. Haha)

The service area is on a hill so it overlooks all these gorgeous scenery. (pity about the buildings). I love that it was cold and windy!

They have this heart shaped structure there is honor of it being ‘Yumi Katsuri Lover’s Sanctuary’. To be honest I don’t know the story behind this but the brass plaque can be found most places around Japan that is uhm.. “romantic” and good for phototaking. Like Tokyo towers, pretty gardens etc.

Great view while you dine!

Food buying at the food court is via a vending machine as usual And in true Japanese style, each one tells you the calorie count. The servings are very big so one order can be up to 800 -1000+ calories. Didn’t feel like 1000+ calories though. I ate the whole thing and still had room for more gyoza. Maybe it was the cold or the the fact that sitting all day in the car doing nothing but eating raises your metabolism. Haha.

I am in love with gyozas. If I could, I would eat it everyday. With popiah. And green tea. And melted mozzarella cheese. And coconut ice cream. And bananas. And mangoes. And durian.

…

I sense a stomach ache in the making. Haha.

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After lunch we took a 10 min detour to Nagoya to see the first of the spring blossoms!!!!

SO SO PRETTY!!! It was the very first time I saw a sakura lined street and wow! The colour is just out of this world. It was a perfectly sunny, cool day as well and I really love that lots of people were just walking and admiring the sakuras. It just makes the whole place so happy when people stop in their tracks to admire the beauty around them πŸ™‚
 

There was even a random rose bush. Just casually growing, minding it’s own business… next to a convenience store. Like- I’m a GORGEOUS rose bush in full bloom guys, no big deal, it’s cool. Haha.

Blush pink is my favourite colour


It made the whole street look so ethereal.

I took a gazillion more photos of course but here are just a few for you to enjoy πŸ™‚ They were really really pretty πŸ™‚ So blessed to have had the chance to view them πŸ™‚
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Back in the car and lots of views of Mt Fuji. πŸ™‚ It was such a privilege to watch it in the setting sun.

Traffic was starting to build up in the evening so we decided to detour off at Gotemba Premium Outlets to check it out and wait out the traffic.We spent only 40 min there though! Haha. There were all your usual high end brands and lots of Japanese brands mixed in like Lowrys farm outlet stores etc but I’m not a clothes fanatic by nature so clothing stores don’t really excite me. I love pretty things and like admiring pretty textures and designs but a village full of clothes, shoes and bags just doesn’t send me into the same excited tizzy as a trip to a stationary store (pictures of some of my favourite stores in Japan soon!) or… home organizations- type stores. I could spend all day looking at containers and marveling over nifty kitchen tools. (YES. I am aunty and PROUD OF IT. Haha)

Here you go, 2 obligatory photos of some clothes, shoes and bags. Haha.

Gotemba Premium Outlet does have outlets for Franc Franc as well if you are interested (where I spent most of the 40min) and the prices for the clothes for their Japanese clothing store brands do seem really reasonable!

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Then on to dinner at another service area.

I LOVE CHIRASHI DON. I can eat it everyday. With gyoza. And popiah. And green tea…

(does this sound familiar? HAHA)

More ice cream to end off the night before finally reaching Tokyo and crashing into bed. πŸ™‚ What do they put in Japanese ice creams? Why is the texture so smooth and amazing?! They are still on the overly sweet side for me though so I can’t eat the whole thing by myself but the first mouthful is always insanely good. YUM!

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Last part of my trip tomorrow! My parents and younger brother went back to Singapore 8 hours earlier than I did so I had 1/2 a day in Tokyo all by myself. I went to my 3 MUST VISIT stores in Tokyo. Haha. Can you guess which stores? Pictures tmr! Till then, take care lovelies πŸ™‚

Japan March 2014: 1 Day in Kyoto- Places to Eat: Kyoto Hyoto “Dashi- Shabu” & traditional Kyoto style sushi at Izuju

First up! Hyoto for shabu shabu!

The pictures from their website are so pretty- mine totally don’t do the place or the staff service at all!
Here are screen shots from their website


Private seating is available for every dining group so it was a very cozy dining experience!

Do you love Japanese spring onions? I LOVE THEM. (so much that I finished this entire container and asked for another :/)

Blurry picture because I eagerly snapped this with my iPhone before stuffing it into my mouth πŸ™‚ Look at all the gorgeous Japanese spring onions πŸ™‚

Look at the gorgeous beef. It was melt in the mouth tender.

Aside from the set, we ordered a plate of roast beef salad to try as well- really good! Just that it was cold. I was almost tempted to dip it into the piping hot soup. Hehheh.

YUZU sauce. Another of my favourites!

And that concludes my shabu shabu meal. I love shabu shabu meals because they are so well balanced, yoummy and light. Makes me really happy! πŸ™‚ This was a great shabus shabu place because of the service and ambience. Food wise, I think most Japanese places serve really good food so they are they are almost the same in that aspect but this place, they bow when you enter and actually kneel when you leave– not sure about you, but I’m not used to such ‘service!’ Haha!

Hyoto Kyoto Shabu Shabu

252-4, Kugikakushicho, karasuma-iru,
bukkoji-tori, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, 600-8423

Phone: 075-342-2338

Opening Hours.
Lunch 11:30-14:00
Dinner 17:00-23:00 (L.O 22:00)

3 min walk from Hankyu Kyoto Line Karasuma Station
1 min walk from Kyoto municipal subway Karasuma Line Shijo Station Exit 6

* No Parking provided  (although there are plenty of public carparks around the place)

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Next up was Izuju- home of traditional style pickled mackeral sushi!

I would really recommend stopping at Izuju just to sample wht traditional kyoto sushi tastes like because it’s really different from the normal sushi. Kyoto is landlocked with limited access to the sea so traditionally, they preserve their supply of fish by salting and pickling it before turning it into ‘sushi’.

Can’t remember how much this cost but it was pretty substantial for a family of four. Izuju is famous for their inari as well πŸ™‚

THIS was really the star of the entire dish. You remove the hard kelp around it and eat just the slightly glutinous rice with the preserved mackerel. It’s mildly salted so it’s not taste bud assaulting and the fish is tender and flavourful. Very good!

If I may be totally honest, the rest were just meh. Maybe I just wasn’t hungry anymore.

This was their winter style don which is SO PRETTY!!! It’s shredded egg and seafood on a bed of rice and the egg was done so well-just light shredded and fluffy. They have smaller orders of the subazushi (preserved mackerel) and inari for about Y1500 so you can order that if you don’t feel up to a massive selection πŸ™‚

You can read more about the place here : http://kyotofoodie.com/izuju-best-kyoto-style-sushi/


GION Izuju
η₯‡εœ’いγ₯重
δ½ζ‰€οΌšδΊ¬ιƒ½εΊœδΊ¬ιƒ½εΈ‚ζ±ε±±εŒΊη₯‡εœ’η”ΊεŒ—ε΄οΌ’οΌ™οΌ’βˆ’οΌ‘
ι›»θ©±οΌšοΌοΌ—οΌ•βˆ’οΌ•οΌ–οΌ‘βˆ’οΌοΌοΌ‘οΌ™
How to Get There
By bus: Take 100 or 206 from Kyoto Station and alight at Gion bus stop.
By train: Alight at Gion Shijo Station (Keihan Line), or Kawaramachi Station (Hankyu Line)

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Before my phone batt died, we saw a couple of ‘geishas’ posing for photos on the streets. Lots of people were jostling for a photo! I doubt they were ‘real’ geishas though as most of them don’t like to be pictured and are very private. Still, it was fun to check out their costume and watch them πŸ™‚

We leave Kyoto and head back to Japan the day after and stopped by Nagoya to see sakura lined streets!!! Will share the pictures tomorrow! xx