Friday, March 31, 2017

La Jolla Cove - Sunset Walks

       Last weekend, my husband and I went to La Jolla Cove in San Diego to see beautiful wild flowers and animals. We arrived there just in time for sunset. Right after getting off our car, we were able to enjoy watching the sun setting on a skyline. We started walking along the coastline of La Jolla.


       Beautiful sea lavenders were in full bloom there.


     I found the adorable seal swimming around La Jolla Children’s Pool.

        It was getting dark after sunset. It was gradually difficult to see wild animals, but I was able to see many seals lying on beach.

     It was seal and sea lion pupping season, so I was able to see some adorable pups there.





       The photo above looks very bright, but it was actually very dark with the naked eyes, and we were barely able to see cormorants, black birds, sitting and sleeping on the cliff. He took the photo with his Canon digital single-lens reflex camera, Canon EOS Rebel SL1 with telephoto zoom lens, Canon EF-S 18-55 mm. He didn't use any flush light while taking photos, but this photo turned out incredibly bright. Indeed, we didn't know that there were such a great number of cormorants until we saw the photo! I am really impressed at his Canon SLR Camera. :)





      We were pretty surprised that we didn't see any brown pelican which always sitting on the cliff around La Jolla Cove when we had visited there before.




      While we were walking along the coastline of La Jolla, it finally became completely dark. I saw a man walking very fast in front of us and watching his smartphone were playing Pokemon Go because his smartphone was very bright in dark. When he suddenly stopped on the road, I thought he probably found a Pokemon monster. :)  We have been to La Jolla many times so far, but it was our first time to walk at night. We really enjoyed walking and taking photos that day. :)


       My entries related to La Jolla can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/La%20Jolla%20Beach

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

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



Thursday, March 30, 2017

Naotaro Moriyama, Japanese Singer-Songwriter

    Spring is the best season to travel in Japan because you can see beautiful sakuras, cherry blossoms, every where in Japan. When the spring has come, I often listen to Sakura (さくら), a song by Naotaro Moriyama (森山直太朗). The song was released in Japan in 2003, and since then it has been chosen as a Japanese choral music by many schools. I heard that cherry blossoms has finally started blooming in Japan this week. :)

Sakura - Naotaro Moriyama


     Last night, I thought that I should purchase his music album because I love many of his songs. I found that in this video, Naotaro Moriyama shows how he had made his music album, Ougon No Kokoro (黄金の心), from scratch. :) According to his video, he had made the albums with very unique ways in a traditional Japanese house. :)


        However, this album, Ougon No Kokoro, doesn't include Sakura, so I would like to purchase another his album, Daikessakusen (大傑作選), which has many of his best songs such as Sakura (さくら) and Itoshi Kimie (愛し君へ).


     Daikessakusen (大傑作選) also includes this song, Dokomokashikomo Chushajo (どこもかしこも駐車場), which means parking lots are everywhere. The lyrics are very simple, but after watching his music video, I thought the song tells a lot. 




      These are my entries you might like.

■Best Sakura Songs in Japan

■Japanese Spring Flowers

■Spring Is the Best Season to Travel in Japan - Seeing Sakura, Cherry Blossoms

■Top 10 Most Popular Japanese Foods
 
■Top 10 Products You Should Buy at Japanese Supermarkets (for Beginners!)

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

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






Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Japan and US - Starbucks 2017 Cherry Blossom Collection

Cherry Blossoms in Japan 4/1/2014
       Spring is the season when sakuras, cherry blossoms, start blooming in Japan. When I lived in Japan, I loved walking under cherry blossoms in full bloom every spring. I believe that most Japanese people look forward to cherry blossom season every year. :)

        Starbucks Japan releases Cherry Blossom Collection such as sakura cards and drinkwears every year, and Starbucks sakura goods are always incredibly popular in Japan.

       This year, they released Starbucks Japan 2017 Cherry Blossom Collections last month.
 Starbucks Japan 2017 Cherry Blossom Collection
Starbucks Japan 2017 Cherry Blossom Collection (2/15/2017 ~)

Starbucks Japan 2017 Cherry Blossom Collection (3/1/2017 ~)

        Starbucks Japan also releases Cherry Blossom Cream Frappuccino and Cherry Blossom Cream Latte every spring. 
Starbucks Japan 2017 Cherry Blossom Frappuccino and Latte







Starbucks US 2017 Cherry Blossom Collection 
       Yesterday, I found that Starbucks US started selling so many products of Starbucks 2017 Cherry Blossom Collection online! I think this is the biggest Starbucks US Cherry Blossom Collection I've ever seen! I'm going to share what Starbucks US sells this spring with you. :)    

1. Cherry Blossom Mugs
Cherry Blossom Pink Mug 12 fl oz

Cherry Blossom Blue Mug 14 fl oz

Cherry Blossom Mint Mug 16 fl oz

Cherry Blossom Mug with Wooden Coaster 12 fl oz



2. Cherry Blossom Double Wall Travelers
Cherry Blossom Pink Double Wall Traveler  12 fl oz

Cherry Blossom Blue Double Wall Travler 12 fl oz



3. Cherry Blossom Stainless Steel Tumblers
Cherry Blossom Stainless Steel Tumbler - Blue 16 fl oz

Cherry Blossom Stainless Steel Tumbler 16 fl oz

Cherry Blossom Stainless Steel Tumbler - Purple 16 fl oz



4. Cherry Blossom Acrylic Tumblers
Floating Cherry Blossom Acrylic Tumbler 12 fl oz

Cherry Blossom Acrylic Tumbler - Blue Gradient 16 fl oz



5. Cherry Blossom Cold Cups
Cherry Blossom Stainless Steel Cold Cup - Pink 16 fl oz

Abstract Cherry Blossom Acrylic Cold Cup 16 fl oz



6. Cherry Blossom Tote Bag, Notebook and Water Bottle
Cherry Blossom Out and About Set



     These are my entries you might like.
■Spring Is the Best Season to Travel in Japan - Seeing Sakura, Cherry Blossoms

■Starbucks Cold Brew Float

■Limited Edition Lilly Pulitzer + Starbucks S’well Water Bottles

■Starbucks 2017 Valentine's Day Products

■The Year of The Rooster - New Starbucks Lunar New Year 2017 Collection

■Starbucks Los Angeles Double Wall Traveler (2016)

■Starbucks California Double Wall Traveler (2016)

■Starbucks 2016 Anniversary Collection

■Starbucks 2015 Anniversary Collection

■Starbucks Hawaii - Traveling the Big Island, Hawaii - Day 2-2/6

■What They Sell at Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room - Traveling Seattle, Day 2 - 5/9

■The Original Starbucks - Traveling Seattle, Day 1-6/7 


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

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


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

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


       This is my YouTube channel.
Ringo's Coffee Channel
     


Tuesday, March 28, 2017

3 Best Japanese Sunscreen Products to Try This Summer

      As I mentioned in my previous entry, Top 5 Japanese Sunscreen Products, I believe that sun protection is very important to delay the skin aging process.
      When I lived in Japan, my coworker who had very beautiful skin looked like early 20s, but her actual age was late 30s at that time. I asked her how she could keep her skin looked so younger. She told me that the most important tip to slow aging is wearing sunscreen all year round. Even it's a cloudy day or during winter, you still need to apply sunscreen on your face to protect yourself against UV damage. Yet, during spring and summer months UV rays are stronger. Why don't we check out the best Japanese sunscreen products before summer comes?

     Today, I'm going to share with you three best Japanese sunscreen products which were chosen based on Japanese women's reviews of 2016 by @ cosme, a huge Japanese cosmetic review site. :) All three products listed below can be purchased at drugstores in Japan.

  


No.1 Biore Sarasara Uv Aqua Rich Waterly Essence Sunscreen 50g Spf50+ Pa+++ from Kao
50g  800 yen
Biore Sarasara Uv Aqua Rich Waterly Essence Sunscreen 50g Spf50+ Pa+++
      Biore Sarasara UV Aqua Rich Waterly Essence Sunscreen has been selected the best sunscreen award by @cosme many times for many years. This sunscreen is also highly rated on Amazon US. If you love Japanese beauty products, I think you might have heard of it before. Sarasara (さらさら) means smooth or dry in Japanese, so unlike typical sunscreen, your skin doesn't feel greasy with this sunscreen. 

      Last month, Biore released Biore Sarasara sunscreen with the beautiful blue ombré packaging. Perhaps, you can still find the previous version of light blue packaging (the photo above) at drugstore in Japan while supplies last. This blue ombré packaging is the latest one and has extra water resistance.
Biore Sarasara Uv Aqua Rich Waterly Essence Sunscreen 50g Spf50+ Pa++++





No. 2  Anessa Perfect Sunscreen Aqua Booster SPF 50+ Pa++++ from Shiseido
25ml 1500yen
60ml 3000yen
Shiseido Anessa Perfect Sunscreen Aqua Booster SPF 50+ Pa+++
     Anessa Perfect Sunscreen Aqua Booster was selected as the second best sunscreen award of 2016 by @cosme. Anessa is a high-end sunscreen brand of Shiseido, so it's pretty expensive. If you go to beach or pool in summer but don't want to get a tan, I recommend you to try Shiseido Anessa. You will never get a tan with wearing Anessa. When I lived in Japan, I tried many Japanese sunscreen products, and I found that Anessa sunscreen was one of products which truly protect your skin against UV damage. 


     According to Shiseido, the world's first sun care technology "WetForce", Shiseido's innovative and proprietary technology, takes sun care technology to the next level. After it comes into contact with sweat or water, the layer of sunscreen on the skin becomes more evenly spread to give a better UV protection.







No. 3 Cosme Decorte Sun Shelter AG SPF 50+ Pa++++ from Kose
35g 3000yen
Cosme Decorte Sun Shelter AG SPF 50+ Pa++++
       Cosme Decorte Sun Shelter AG Sunscreen was selected as the third best sunscreen award of 2016 by @cosme. Cosme Decorte is a high-end brand of Kose. This sunscreen was first released in 2013 and has so many positive reviews on @cosme. This is not waterproof sunscreen, so it is not perfect for swimming. However, it is light texture and very gentle to your skin with high SPF. Many people review that you never get a sun tan, and it moisturizes your skin very well. If you have dry skin but want to wear high SPF sunscreen, this might be perfect for you.     




     My entries related to Best Japanese Beauty Products can be seen here.

     These are also my entries you might like.
Top 3 Japanese Powder Sunscreens  

Top 5 Japanese Sunscreen Products

7 Best Japanese Beauty Products 2016 Hall of Fame 

Top 5 Life-Changing Japanese Beauty Products  

Top 5 Most Popular Japanese Charcoal Soap

Popular Japanese Facial Cleansing Products - What I Want to Buy in Japan

5 Best Japanese Facial Lotion (Toner), Kesyou-sui

The Most Popular Facial Sheet Masks in Japan

4 Reasons Why I Love Kose Softymo Cleansing Oil

10 Best Japanese Beauty Products on Amazon Japan, You Can Also Purchase Them at Drugstores in Japan

12 Best Affordable Japanese Beauty Products

Best Japanese Beauty Products of 2015

Top 3 Most Popular Japanese Eyelash Curlers

The Best Japanese Shampoo & Conditioner

5 Best Japanese Deep Conditioning Hair Masks

Review : Shiseido Tsubaki Damage Care Hair Water - It's the Best Japanese Hair Care Product!

The Best Japanese Hair Dryer, Panasonic Nano Care Hair Dryer

Top 3 Daiso Beauty Products




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

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

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

Monday, March 27, 2017

How to Cook Soboro Don, Japanese Scrambled Meat And Egg Bowl

        Yesterday, I purchased ground beef at Sprouts because All-Natural 85% Extra-Lean Ground Beef was on sale for $2.97 there. :) That's why I decided to make soboro don for dinner last night. Soboro is a Japanese cooking method that scrambled ingredients such as meat and eggs. In order to make soboro don, you can use any kinds of ground meat such as beef, chicken and pork. You can also use tofu as a substitute for meat if you are a vegetarian. Making soboro don is very simple and easy. Anyway, I'm going to share how to cook soboro don with you.

Ingredients (6 Servings)

6 eggs (beaten)
Nip of Salt and Pepper
2 lb of Ground Beef
2 Tablespoon of Sugar
3 Tablespoon of Mirin
6 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoon of Sake
4 Servings of Cooked Rice

   


1. Mix beaten egg, salt and pepper. Heat oil in a pan over high heat, and pour the egg into the pan. Stir with chopsticks well during cooking. Take out scrambled egg from the pan.

2. Heat oil in a pan over high heat. Put ground beef in a pan. Stir with chopsticks well during cooking. When beef was cooked, add sugar, mirin, soy sauce and sake. Simmer until moisture has evaporated.


3. Serve steamed rice in a bowl. Top with scrambled egg and scrambled beef.

4. Enjoy!

    My entries related to Japan can be seen here.

    My entries related to cooking can be seen here.

    My entries related to my favorite recipes can be seen here.

    My entries related to foods my husband cooked can be seen here.

    My entries related to Japanese instant ramen can be seen here.

    My entries related to Japanese noodles can be seen here.

    My entries related to Japan Haul can be seen here.
 

    My entries related to Best Japanese Beauty Products can be seen here.



       These are my entries you might like.

■Top 10 Most Popular Japanese Foods

■My Top 15 Must Eat Foods in Japan - My Favorite Japanese Foods

■How to Make Tamago Kake Gohan - Raw Egg on Rice

■Top 10 Products You Should Buy at Japanese Supermarkets (for Beginners!)

■8 Interesting Japanese Kitchen Gadgets!

■My Top 10 Favorite Japanese Snacks

■My Top 10 Favorite Japanese Sweets


■How to Make Japanese Deep Fried Chicken, Kara-Age

■How to Cook Japanese Curry

■Top 5 Most Popular Japanese Curry Sauce Mix

■How to Cook Miso Soup

■How to Make Tamagoyaki, Japanese Omelette

■Top 10 Products You Should Buy at Daiso 


Sunday, March 26, 2017

Carlsbad Premium Outlets Haul

      Yesterday, my husband and I went to Carlsbad Premium Outlets. It's been over a year since we went shopping there last time. Last month, I purchased a lot of articles of clothing online, so I didn't think I need more clothing. We just wanted to stop by this outlets mall for an hour or so on our way to La Jolla but really enjoyed window-shopping there. :) I found all Coach products were a really great deal. Most large Coach wallets were on sale for $65, but I didn't purchase any there because I still love my Kate Spade large black wallet, Primrose Hill Nisha. :) There was a long line to enter Kate Spade store, so we passed the store this time. Crate & Barrel was still selling some Christmas decors, but they didn't catch my eye.
Carlsbad Premium Outlets
      Finally, I purchased this beige bag, Black Rivet Rebecca Side Zip Expandable Faux-Leather Tote w/ Front Pocket at Wilsons Leather. This was originally $80 but was on sale for $19.99. This beige color is very neutral, so I think this will fit any my clothing. :)
Black Rivet Rebecca Side Zip Expandable Faux-Leather Tote w/ Front Pocket

Black Rivet Rebecca Side Zip Expandable Faux-Leather Tote w/ Front Pocket
      He purchased a new flat cap at Wilson Leather as well. After enjoying shopping there, we headed toward La Jolla Cove. I'll write about it next time.

Carlsbad Premium Outlets
5620 Paseo Del Norte 
Carlsbad, CA 92008


      My entries related to Premium Outlets Hauls can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Premium%20Outlets%20Hauls

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

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