I write something on my blog to improve my English skill.
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Last weekend, my husband and I went to our local Starbucks
and found this new California mug, Starbucks Been There Series Across
The Globe Collection. Because we have been collecting Starbucks You Are Here Mugs
since 2013, we were very surprised that Starbucks has finally released
new city mug series. That means that Starbucks You Are Here Collection
is finally discontinued! (A Starbucks cashier told us so too.) We were
expecting that that day would come sooner or later, but I felt that it
was all of sudden. Anyway, we were able to get 30 Starbucks You Are Here
mugs so far, and our last one was a Japan mug
(I'll write about it in my future entry.)! :) We thought that it's a
pretty good way to finish our Starbucks You Are Here collection journey.
By the way, most Starbucks branches located in the U.S. are still
selling Starbucks You Are Here Collection mugs while supplies last.
California poppy is the state flower. Grape is one of the largest California agricultural products, and California is one of the largest wine producers.
Last week, I cooked naporitan (ナポリタン), one of popular Japanese pasta dishes. When I was a child, naporitan was one of my favorite school meals. It was mostly creamy ketchup taste and so good. If you love traditional Italian pasta, you probably cannot believe making pasta dish with "ketchup," but it's actually so delicious. I hope that you will try it someday. ;) When you go to yoshoku (洋食) restaurants in Japan, you can perhaps find naporitan in their menu.
Anyway, today, I'm going to share how to cook naporitan with you.
Ingredients (for 5 servings)
1 lb (454g) of spaghetti pasta
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon of grated garlic
1 onion (sliced)
1/2 lb (about 200g) of bacon (chopped) *You can also use sausages instead of bacon.
1 green bell pepper (thinly sliced)
1 1/2 cups (350cc) of ketchup
2 teaspoons of sugar
2 oz (60cc) of whipping cream
1/2 cup of hot water (You can use boiling water which you cooked spaghetti in.)
Parmesan cheese (optional)
1. Cook the spaghetti in boiling water with salt and oil according to the package.
2. Heat oil in a pan over high heat and saute garlic, onion and bacon.
3. When onion become translucent, add bell pepper, ketchup, sugar and whipping cream, and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add cooked spaghetti and hot water. Stir-fry them for 3 minutes. Season with salt according to your taste.
5. Serve and enjoy. Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese if you like it.
My husband and I traveled Japan during this New Year's holidays. As I mentioned in my previous entry, we went to Senso-ji (浅草寺), an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Tokyo. Then, we decided to go to Tokyo Skytree. On our way to Tokyo Skytree, we found that there was Mini Stop convenience store.
When we lived in Japan, we loved Mini Stop's soft serve. That's why we decided to purchase one. :)
Mini Stop Belgian Chocolate Soft Serve
We ordered Belgian Chocolate Soft Serve (ベルギーチョコソフト), which was limited-time soft serve. It tasted so good! :))) By the way, it was 220 yen.
Mini Stop Belgian Chocolate Soft Serve
If you would like to have Mini Stop Soft Serve, you can order one at cashier. In Tokyo, many convenience stores have hired immigrants these years, so I believe that most of them are bilingual or trilingual. Convenience stores' cashiers in Tokyo might be able to speak English a little (Most Japanese people don't speak English.), but if you wan to order soft serve in Japanese at Mini Stop, you can say, "Soft cream wo kudasai. (ソフトクリームをください。)" Soft serve is called "soft cream" in Japanese. Then, the cashier will ask you about flavors. Now, there are two flavors, vanilla and Strawberry, you can choose from. You can tell the cashier, "Vanilla (バニラ)," or "Strawberry (ストロベリー)."
Mini Stop Convenience Store Vanilla Soft Serve
Strawberry one is limited-time soft serve. It is made of Amao strawberries. Amao is one of famous breeds of strawberries produced in Fukuoka prefecture.
Yesterday, my mother-in-law e-mailed me and sent these photos
from Japan. She said cherry blossoms had started blooming in Japan this
year!
Cherry Blossoms in 2018 (photo from my mother-in-law)
2018 (photo from my mother-in-law)
If you have ever been in Japan during spring, you might know how much Japanese people love cherry blossoms, which are called sakura (桜, さくら) in Japanese. :) If someone asks me, "When is the best season to travel to Japan?", I will definitely say, "It's spring." Spring is the season when sakura starts blooming, and you can see sakuras everywhere in Japan. Sakura blooms and falls gracefully in a short period of time (It's usually less than two weeks) in spring.
2014
When I visited Japan during sakura blooming season in 2014, I enjoyed seeing that sakura petals were falling from trees. Beautiful
pink petals were flying in sky like butterflies, and the ground
underneath sakura trees looked as if it were a gorgeous pink carpet.
2014
I wish I were in Japan now.
2014
2014
This is the video I recorded in Fukuoka, Japan in spring in 2014.
As I mentioned in my previous entry, Top 10 Japanese Beauty Products Loved by Foreign Tourists in Japan, Obagi Vitamin C Serum is one of the most popular Japanese beauty products for foreign tourists visiting Japan. This beauty serum is also popular for Japanese women. :)
Rohto Obagi Vitamin C Serum C10 (ロート オバジ C10 セラム)
Beauty Serum
Obagi C10 (Obagi C5 is less expensive and C20 is more expensive.)
4000 yen for 12 ml
7000 yen for 26 ml
Can be purchased at drugstores in Japan
Obagi Vitamin C Serum is popular beauty serum from Rohto (ロート), which is a Japanese company makes eye drops, skincare products and so on. Obagi Vitamin C Serum has won many beauty awards in Japan. Many Japanese people review that it minimizes skin pores and evens skin tone. Especially, it works for acne scars and enlarged facial pores in aging.
There are three kinds of Obagi Vitamin C Serum,
C5, C10 and C20. According to their official website, if you have dry and sensitive skin, it probably irritates your skin, but it should be relieved soon and no problem. (However, if it gives you rashes, stop using it and see a dermatologist.) If you have sensitive skin, try C5 first. C10 and C20
work better but might be too strong for some people. When you apply
Obagi C serum for your first time, try to use a tiny amount of it.
・Obagi C5 is beauty serum with 5% Vitamin C for smoother skin.
・Obagi C10 is beauty serum with 10% Vitamin C for smoother and poreless skin.
If you have acne scar discoloration, it might work for you.
・Obagi C20 is beauty serum with 20% Vitamin C for smoother, brighter and poreless skin. If you have acne scar discoloration, it might work for you.
・Grape Fruit Scent (Some people review that it smells like vitamin, which is not pleasant smell. )
・Color : from transparence to yellow
・Apply twice a day
・Take 3 to 4 drops of Obagi serum in your palm hand and apply it entire your facial skin.
・Apply after keshosui (Japanese moisturizer / Tonning water). Then, apply nyueki (Japanese moisturizer).
This is the official Obagi video, How to Apply Obagi C Serum.
I'm really interested in this serum, and I would like to purchase one when I visit Japan next time. :) You can purchase Obagi C Serum at many drugstores in Japan.
If you are in Japan now and are interested in this serum, you can get free samples of Obagi products by purchasing Maquia May 2018 Issue, which is a Japanese beauty magazine. Maquia May Issue was just released on March 23. (I wish I were in Japan now!) You can purchase this magazine for 680 yen at convenience stores and bookstores in Japan.
Maquia Magazine May 2018 Issue
Maquia May 2018 Issue includes samples of Obagi C10 Serum, Obagi Powder Wash, Obagi C Multi Protect UV Emulsion, Est the Lotion and a makeup brush.
My husband and I traveled Japan during this New Year's holidays. As I mentioned in my previous entry, we enjoyed traditional Japanese sweets on our way to Senso-ji in Asakusa, Tokyo.
Nakamise Shopping Street
There were so many people walking toward Senso-ji (浅草寺), an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa. Yet, I guessed that it's less crowded than the following days because it was December 30, which was a few days before New Year's Day. Visiting a shrine, temple, on New Year's days is called hatsumode (初詣) in Japanese. It's told that nearly three million people visit Senso-ji on January 1st through January 3rd.
Nakamise Shopping Street
Senso-ji
Senso-ji 2-3-1 Asakusa Taito Tokyo, Japan
Senso-ji
Jokoro (常香炉), a huge incense burner, at Senso-ji
People were bathing smoke coming from Jokoro (常香炉), a huge incense burner. People try to purify themselves by bathing smoke. Some people wish that they could recover from illness or could get rid of pain. Some people wish that they could be smarter to pass an important exam by covering their heads with smoke.
Jokoro (常香炉), a huge incense burner, at Senso-ji
Hondo of Senso-ji
Then, we walked toward hondo (本堂) of Senso-ji. Hondo means a main building of a temple and shrine.
Hondo of Senso-ji
Saisen Box at Hondo of Sensoji
People throw coins in a saisen box (賽銭箱) and wish something there.
Tokinokane (時の鐘), Bell of Time
This is Tokinokane (時の鐘), Bell of Time, located in Asakusa. A priest of the temple tolls this bell at 6 a.m. every morning. In addition, at midnight on December 31 through January 1, the bell is rung 108 times. It's called joya no kane (除夜の鐘).
Tokinokane (時の鐘), Bell of Time
Komainu (狛犬)
These statues are Komainu (狛犬), which are also called lion dogs in English. They are guarding the entrance of a temple or shrine.
Komainu and Toki No Kane in Asakusa
Paper Lantern
These were paper lanterns which are called chochin (提灯, ちょうちん) in Japanese.
I uploaded this video on my YouTube channel. :)
Then, we decided to go to Tokyo Skytree because we could see it from Asakusa. :) On our way to Tokyo Skytree, we stopped by Mini Stop Convenience store. I'll write about it next time. :)
