Wednesday, September 30, 2015

How to Make Affogato, Italian Espresso-based Dessert

       Last night, I finally uploaded my new video, How to Make Affogato, on my YouTube channel. An affogato is a traditional Italian espresso-based dessert and is very easy to make.

       Enjoy!



■Ingredients

2 scoops of vanilla ice cream
30 cc of espresso

【for garnish】
chocolate shavings





       My entries related to coffee can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/coffee


      This is my entries related to my favorite recipes.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/recipes


       These are my entries you might like.

■Japanese Drip Coffee Bags - UCC & KEY COFFEE

■How to Make Caramel Macchiato

■How to Make a Frappuccino Less Watery
 
How To Make Espresso Ice Cube Latte

How to Make Thai Iced Coffee - Oliang, Cafe Yen

Trader Joe's Pour-Over Coffee Brewer Review

Two Ways to Make Coffee Granita

How to Make Café de Olla - Mexican Coffee

How to Brew Coffee with Bodum Pour Over Coffee Maker 

How to Make Starbucks Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha Latte

How to Make Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte 

How To Make Salted Caramel Mocha Latte

How to Make Salted Caramel Mocha Frappuccino 

How to Make Affogato, Italian Espresso-based Dessert

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Latte

How to Turn Mason Jars into A Coffee Grinder and Compact Blender

How to Make Nutella Frappuccino

How to Make Iced Caramel Macchiato




Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Space Needle - Traveling Seattle, Day 3 - 2/5

      After visiting EMP Museum, my husband and I went to Space Needle, which is a very popular landmark in Seattle.
Space Needle

       As I expected, it was very crowded there. That's why we decided not to go to the observation deck. I thought that it was more beautiful looking outside. :)  We just purchased a souvenir for ourselves at the gift shop in Space Needle.
Space Needle

Space Needle

      By the way, Space Needle we looked from Kerry Park previous night was also very beautiful.
The Space Needle at Night as Seen from Kerry Park


The Top of the Space Needle at Night as Seen from Kerry Park


        Then, we headed toward Chihuly Garden and Glass, which is located next to Space Needle. I'll write about it next time.


Space Needle
400 Broad St 
Seattle, WA 98109


        My entries related to my traveling in Seattle can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Seattle


Monday, September 28, 2015

Blood Moon, A Total Lunar Eclipse on September 27, 2015

        As I mentioned in my yesterday's entry, my husband and I saw a total lunar eclipse and took some pictures last night. The moon was totally eclipsed around 7:40 p.m. He used his camera, Canon EOS SL1. Taking picture of the blood moon was not easy, but I thought that he did really good job! I will share our photos with you. :))  By the way, the original photos were too large, so I resized photos to minimum in order not to run out of memory on my blog.
A Total Lunar Eclipse on September 27, 2015

A Total Lunar Eclipse on September 27, 2015

A Total Lunar Eclipse on September 27, 2015

A Total Lunar Eclipse on September 27, 2015

A Total Lunar Eclipse on September 27, 2015

A Total Lunar Eclipse on September 27, 2015

A Total Lunar Eclipse on September 27, 2015

A Total Lunar Eclipse on September 27, 2015

      I uploaded this YouTube video which we recorded last night.



      We used these Canon camera and lens for for the blood moon photos and videos.

                    


       My previous entry about a total lunar eclipse can be seen here. (Blood Moon : 4/4/2015)

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Blood Moon, A Total Lunar Eclipse

      Tonight, my husband and I went to outside and saw a total lunar eclipse. We took some pictures with his camera, Canon EOS SL1. I'm going to share one of them with you tonight. I will share more of photos next time. :)
Total Lunar Eclipse, 27/09/2015

      I uploaded this YouTube video which we recorded that day.


      We used these Canon camera and lens for for the blood moon photos and videos.
                    


       My previous entry about a total lunar eclipse can be seen here. (Blood Moon : 4/4/2015)

Saturday, September 26, 2015

25-Cent Brewed Coffee at Whole Foods! Love Fest

      I found that a cup of small brewed coffee was on sale for 25 cents at Whole Foods through September 29. As I often mentioned in my entries, my husband and I love Whole Foods Allegro Coffee. We sometimes purchase freshly roasted Allegro coffee beans at Whole Foods bulk section. If you are looking for very fresh roasted coffee beans, you can find ones at Whole Foods. Their coffee is the best! :))
25-Cent Brewed Coffee at Whole Foods
 
      Today, we went to Whole Foods and tried their 25 cents brewed coffee!
25-Cent Brewed Coffee at Whole Foods

      There were four different kinds of coffee we could choose from. We finally chose their Blue Nile Blend, medium roast, coffee. There was the huge mug next to the coffee pots. We inserted a coin into the mug. The coffee was so aromatic and good! :))
25-Cent Brewed Coffee at Whole Foods


       My entries related to Whole Foods can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Whole%20Foods

      My entries related to coffee can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/coffee



Friday, September 25, 2015

EMP Museum - Traveling Seattle, Day 3 - 1/5

     My husband and I traveled Seattle during Memorial Day weekend. On the last day of our travel there, we went to Downtown Seattle to visit EMP Museum, Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass. We parked at a street parking lot, which was free during holidays fortunately. :)

      First, we went to this very colorful building, EMP Museum, which is formerly known as Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame (EMP|SFM). We bought the tickets for $25 per person at the entrance.

EMP Museum

EMP Museum

      There was the massive screen there. It was obviously the biggest screen I've ever seen in my life! 
EMP Museum

EMP Museum
       Jimi Hendrix was the only musician I had known already. 
EMP Museum

       Even though I am not good at music and don't know how to play a guitar at all, I enjoyed watching this interesting sculpture of a great number of guitars.
EMP Museum

EMP Museum

EMP Museum

EMP Museum

EMP Museum

       The movie prop and costume exhibit of Terminator was pretty cool.
EMP Museum

EMP Museum

EMP Museum

EMP Museum

EMP Museum

EMP Museum
     If you are a big fan of rock and roll music and science fictions, this museum is the must go to place in Seattle for you. However, since I don't know much about music and am not a big fan of science fiction movies, I was only able to enjoy very small parts there, so I thought that the admission fee was too pricey for me.

     Then, we headed toward Space Needle.

EMP Museum
325 5th Ave 
N Seattle, WA 98109


        My entries related to my traveling in Seattle can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Seattle

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Josh Woodward - Knock

       A week ago, I uploaded my new video, How to Make Pumpkin Spice Latte. I used Knock, one of Josh Woodward's songs, as background music in this video.



     I really love this song and have watched his music video with lyrics many times. :)) I would like to figure out some vocabularies in this song to improve my English skills.


Music - "Knock" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/Knock


Josh Woodward - Knock

Lyrics

On a streetcar in Tacoma, on a Sunday in July
You’re kicking off your sandals, as you stare up at the sky
I look at you and fumble, for the perfect thing to say
But my nerves get in the way

I've cherished you for ages, but my words were locked in cages
So afraid that you just saw me as a friend
Now I want to set them free, my fingers clenching to the key
But I am frozen once again

Oh the mystery
I'm so afraid of what could be 
If a door is closed, should I suppose it's locked?     
Or should I suck it up and knock?

You look at me with patient eyes, and flash a little smile
My heart is jumping from my chest, and filling up the aisle
I've done the calculations, and I've studied all the signs
And I've read between the lines

But what if I'm mistaken, what if all of that was taken 
Out of context, and I blow it all apart
Would I baffle and confuse you, would I break it all and lose you
At the end before we ever got to start?

[Chorus]

So many summers, in a time so long ago
We were kids and nothing mattered in the sunshine on the coast
I never would have planned it, but the feeling still expanded into more
Than just a friend that I adore

Oh, the mystery
So afraid of what could be 
If a door is closed, should I suppose it's locked? 
Or should I suck it up and knock
So afraid that you will walk
But for my conscience's sake, I have to take a shot
I'm gonna suck it up and… 




    This is my entries related to my favorite songs.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/songs



   Today's Vocabularies

streetcar : noun : 路面電車

fumble 【 fʌ́mbl 】: verb : しくじる

in the way : 道を塞いで、邪魔をして

cherish 【 tʃériʃ 】 : verb : ~を大事にする、胸にしまっておく

suck it up : phrasal verb : 〔困難なこと・嫌なことに対して〕愚痴を言わない[言わずに努力する]

baffle 【 bǽfl 】: verb : (人)を途方に暮れさせる、困惑させる

for conscience sake : 気休めに、良心に恥じない為に

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Kerry Park - Traveling Seattle, Day 2 - 9/9

       After visiting Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room, my husband and I went to Kerry Park to enjoy the view of Downtown Seattle skyline.

      We arrived there right before the sunset. There was no parking lot, and it was pretty hard to find a parking space on the street in the middle of Memorial Day weekend. Luckily, we were finally able to park on the street in the right front of the park. When I got out of our car, I immediately noticed it was very very cold there. I took my blanket which I just bought at Boeing factory that day. I hadn't expected that the blanket would be so handy at the park when I bought it. If I hadn't had the blanket in our car, I would have gotten a cold after that.




        After sunset, it got more and more crowd at this park. Many people were taking pictures of the skyline.
The view of Downtown Seattle Skyline from Kerry Park

      Despite the chillness, the view of Downtown Seattle skyline from Kerry Park was breathtaking! It's no wonder that this small park is one of the most popular sightseeing places in Seattle.
The view of Downtown Seattle Skyline from Kerry Park

      I was glad that my husband bought the new camera, Canon EOS SL1, this year. It was really worth the investment of our money. We were able to take the best pictures of beautiful Downtown Seattle Skyline!
The view of Downtown Seattle Skyline from Kerry Park

The view of Downtown Seattle Skyline from Kerry Park

The view of Downtown Seattle Skyline from Kerry Park

      By the way, these photos below were taken with my camera, Canon PowerShot SX50 HS.
The view of Downtown Seattle Skyline from Kerry Park

The view of Downtown Seattle Skyline from Kerry Park
        I really like my camera because of its 50X optical zoom. :)
Space Needle

Space Needle

Space Needle


Kerry Park
211 W Highland Dr 
Seattle, WA 98119


        My entries related to my traveling in Seattle can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Seattle


Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Fun App "My Talking Pet" - YouTuber Chihuahua Gin

      A few weeks ago, I found the funniest and cutest YouTube channel, Chihuahua Gin. The adorable chihuahua with a Kansai accent, whose name is Gin, is talking in his videos. If you understand Japanese, you will love these videos! :))






     I wondered how these talking pet videos were made, and I found that there is app, My Talking Pet, to create fun talking pet photos! If you have a pet or have photos of animals, you really should check it out.




Monday, September 21, 2015

A Clover Reserve Starbucks - Starbucks Reserve Hawaii Ka'u

       Yesterday, my husband and I went to Starbucks and found that they started releasing some new Reserve coffee. Because I received a Starbucks free reward this month, I decided to try Starbucks Reserve Hawaii Ka'u this time. It was 100% Ka'u coffee, which is small-lot coffee produced on the Big Island, Hawaii. Because of the rarity, Starbucks Reserve Hawaii Ka'u is pretty expensive. They sell a pack of 8.8 oz Reserve Hawaii Ka'u coffee beans for $29.50. We really love Hawaii and traveled the Big Island in January this year, so we couldn't miss out on this Hawaiian coffee. Starbucks rare coffee will run out quickly. That's why we really wanted to try it before it's gone.

      I ordered this iced Reserve Hawaii Ka'u. The coffee aroma was so good, and it had pure coffee taste. This coffee reminded me of the black lava rocks and blue sky of the Big Island. I always love coffee brewed with Clover coffee maker, which is the best coffee brewing method I believe. :))
Starbucks Reserve Hawaii Ka'u

Starbucks Reserve Hawaii Ka'u

Starbucks Reserve Hawaii Ka'u
      This picture of a sea turtle looks like a sea lion to me. :))
Starbucks Reserve Hawaii Ka'u





         My entries related to coffee can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/coffee

         My Starbucks entries can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Starbucks

         This is my entries related to our Starbucks collections.
 http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Starbucks%20mugs






Sunday, September 20, 2015

Making the Easiest No-Carve Halloween Pumpkins

      As I mentioned in my previous entry, I bought some small pumpkins yesterday. Today, I finally made the easiest no-carve Halloween pumpkins!

      This is my YouTube video, How to Make  the Easiest No-Carve Halloween Pumpkins.




      My entries related to Halloween can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Halloween

Saturday, September 19, 2015

It's Halloween Season! I Have Already Gotten Small Halloween Pumpkins This Year!

      It's Halloween Season! Halloween is one of my favorite events of a year, and I have enjoyed making Halloween Jack-o'-lantern every year since 2011. Today, my husband and I went to our local Trader Joe's and found that they finally started selling Halloween pumpkins! Because fresh intact pumpkins last for months, we decided to purchase ones for Halloween well in advance this year. The pumpkin prices of this year at Trader Joe's were as reasonable as ones in previous year. :))

    However, I couldn't find perfect shape ones for Big Tom Pumpkins at Trader Joe's today, so I will look for ones next week.
Big Tom Pumpkins

      We got some small pumpkins today. :)
Sugar Pie Pumpkins

Jack Be Little Pumpkins

Autumn Wings Pumpkin

Tiger Pumpkins

Baby Boo Pumpkins

     We ended up purchasing these three pumpkins, the autumn wings pumpkin and two jack be little pumpkins. These were 69 cents each. :)
2015 Halloween Pumpkins - Autumn Wings Pumpkin and Two Jack Be Little Pumpkins

      I will make no-carve Halloween pumpkins just like I did last year. By the way this is my YouTube video, How to Make the Easiest No-Carve Halloween Pumpkins. It's super easy to make! 



      This is my YouTube video which recorded while I was looking for pumpkins for Halloween last year.




      My entries related to Halloween can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Halloween