TGI Friday's Japan

Yes, there are TGI Friday's in Japan. Our neighbor S. told us we should give their margaritas a try whenever we're too lazy to trek all the way to Junkadelic Nakameguro. And so we went, especially since the place is right outside of the Yokohama station. It was a perfectly convenient stop for snacks and drinks after our long afternoon-early evening stroll.

And of course hubby got the English menu while I got the Japanese one. It happens every time, and the moment the waiter/waitress leaves, we'd swap menus ^.^ 

Cosmo Clock 21, Minato Mirai, Yokohama, Kanagawa

Cosmo Clock 21 is the giant ferris wheel and the main attraction of the amusement park Cosmo World in Minato Mirai. After almost 2 years of living here, we finally decided we ought to take a ride on it ^.^

Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, Yokohama, Kanagawa

One of the places we strolled by was the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse (横浜赤レンガ倉庫 Yokohama Akarenga Sōko). There are 2 buildings, one was built in 1911, and the other 1913. Both buildings are still standing with their exteriors unchanged, though their interiors have been converted into yet another mall with shops and restaurants. We didn't go inside, only walked through to the water front in the back. Watch the video I took in front of the warehouse. 

This is the larger of the 2 buildings, Building #2 I believe.

Birthday Week, Minato Mirai, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Part II

The next day had much much better weather, so we went out in the afternoon on a long walk to the Minato Mirai area for the scenic views. Right before the foot bridge hubby spotted a cart selling candied apples. They had 2 sizes, the regular apples and the mini apples they call "hime ringo," or "princess apples" ^.^ How cute is that?

Birthday Week Part I

It rained on my bday, so we waited until the rain stops before heading out to Dessert Kingdom again because I was craving sweet ^.^ And I have my nifty rain boots!

NYX Ultra Pearl Mania Loose Pearl Eye Shadow Part III

I think I struck gold with this third and last batch of NYX Ultra Pearl Mania Loose Pearl Eye Shadows! I mean, several of these last ones are both intensely metallic and intensely pigmented! Also, these metallic ones did not dull either! They're basically the loose powder rival of the Majolica Majorca Shadow Customizes, only at a fraction of the price in addition to being readily available! You should definitely give some of these a try! And if I ever get around to it, I think I might press them to keep them from spilling. Such a waste!

Left picture taken in natural light without flash.

***Right picture from NYX Cosmetics.

Junkadelic!

Junka...whuhh?!? 

That was my reaction when my neighbor S. texted me about her favorite Mexican joint in Nakameguro (they have 2 other locations in Shibuya and Akasaka too, but Nakameguro is closest to us). Mind you, I don't doubt S., not even for a second. The gal's from LA and she knows her food, at least way better than we do. The last time we picked a random place and crossed our fingers, it didn't work out too well. Whereas S. swears by Junkadelic. She told me when she first found the place, she and her friends went at least once a week until they got poor from all the frozen margaritas!

So we went with S. and her friends on a week night over Golden Week, and we had such a spectacular meal two weeks later hubby and I went back, this time bringing different neighbors, D. and his wife M. D. is hubby's colleague, but since they moved into the same building as ours a year ago we haven't had a chance to sit down and have dinner. It just so happened that hubby ran into M. on his way to Tokyo and she mentioned she was craving Mexican food. Yup, that was that. And oh, remember to reserve your judgement for the food, not the restaurant's exterior. In my experience, the best food is almost always at hole-the-wall places anyway. That's really how it should be!

Hubby, D. and M. in front of Junkadelic Nakameguro.

NYX Ultra Pearl Mania Loose Pearl Eye Shadow Part II

With this second batch of NYX Ultra Pearl Mania Loose Pearl Eye Shadows, I'm going to have to revise my previous comments a bit. I said in my last post that the metallic finishes dull after a while, ending up being only semi-metallic after half an hour or so. Apparently that does not happen with all the metallic shades! While swatching I encountered 2 shades, LP17 Yellow Gold and LP18 Orange, both with metallic finish that did not dull at all! They are also super pigmented!

Left picture taken in natural light without flash.

***Right picture from NYX Cosmetics.

Maquillage Eye Color Part II

There have been 2 releases of Maquillage single eye shadow refills, the Eye Color, and the Eye Color N, which I will get to later. Packaging wise, I much prefer the Eye Colors because they come in quality and sturdy clear sliding cases. But unfortunately, they have been discontinued, replaced by the Eye Color N's, which come in much crappier soft plastic "holders," because Shiseido really really wants you to buy the separately sold compact even though it can only hold 3 (or was it 2?) shadow refills at a time. Will I bite? Not a chance. I will probably end up getting a large compact to fit them all in by alphabetical order :P

The Eye Color range had many colors and I managed to collect 31 of them. I will post 10 at a time until I go through them all, then I will start with the Eye Color N's, which I have been hunting down since living in Japan. Most of the pictures below were taken indoor with flash with only a few taken in natural light without flash. I will note either way.

NYX Ultra Pearl Mania Loose Pearl Eye Shadow

One of my first foray into loose powder eye shadows are these NYX Ultra Peal Mania Loose Pearl Eye Shadows. I actually started collecting these way before Aube Loose & Line Eyes (liner is okay, but otherwise utter crap), Kate Loose Eye Shadow (more like a loose sparkling top wash), as well as Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Luminous and Sparkling Shadows (actually decent!). In fact, the only loose colors I own before these NYX ones are the True Colors Original Loose Powder Mineral Makeup (these are lovely and I still have them, believe it or not)! 

NYX Ultra Pearl Mania Loose Pearl Eye Shadow. Of all pictures in this post, some are taken indoor with flash and others in natural light without flash. I will note accordingly. The picture below was taken in natural light without flash.

Kate Metallic Eyes Limited Edition

So I went back and got the Kate Metallic Eyes Limited Editions despite being on the fence about them. The color scheme for BR-1 Gold Brown Variation and BR-2 Pink Brown Variation look too similar to the Lavshuca Star Decoration Eyes Limited Edition Sets. Then again, I figured I love the Lavshuca palettes and since those colors work so well for me, I shouldn't mind having more ^.^

BR-1 Gold Brown Variation and BR-2 Pink Brown Variation. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Cafe Leon

This past weekend was our wedding anniversary, and so we went out and had a little fun in Ishikawa-cho. We didn't plan the night but sort of just walked around until we found something that suited our fancy. We first stumbled onto an really stuffy Italian place with mostly older diners in fancy sports coats. When we were told the place was having an opera party with a set menu, we moved on. 

Then we found ourselves a Spanish bar that served some of the best escargot in pesto sauce we've ever had. But of course it was a bar and it served mostly snacks and small dishes, so to get some real dinner we went to a pizzeria afterwards. The place pleasantly surprised us with an actual brick oven and some really authentic pies like the ones we had in the Italian food haven that is New Jersey!

The play room ^.^

But of course, the main attraction of the night was this Cafe Leon, a kitty cafe ^.^ Hubby is a cat lover. I like cats too, although it takes me much much longer to warm up to any animal, really, since I didn't grow up with any pets in the house. The kitty cafe concept is pretty easy, you come in, pay an hourly sitting fee, order a drink, and play with cats, or dogs, rabbits, what have you. In fact, next door to Cafe Leon is a sister shop, a rabbit cafe! xD

Seikarou Sichuan Cuisine Part II

A couple of weekends ago, hubby and I went back to Chukagai to resupply our non-Japanese cooking ingredients and decided to visit Seikarou Sichuan Cuisine 精華楼 for lunch. It turned out more like linner, plus leftover for brunch the next day LOL! We just couldn't help ourselves ^.^  

Majolica Majorca Shadow Customize Part III

Last of the Majolica Majorca Shadow Customizes! I'm still trying to decide what I should post next, so vote in the poll on the right there if you haven't! ^.^

Most pictures were taken indoor with flash, but I will note otherwise. These 2 were taken in natural light without flash.

Majolica Majorca Shadow Customize Part II

More Majolica Majorca Shadow Customizes ^.^ Another unique aspect about this particular line of eye shadow is that there are several greens that are so very vivid. You don't see this very often among Japanese eye shadows at all! Oh, and get ready for the metallics, because here they come!

Most pictures were taken indoor with flash, but I will note otherwise. These 2 were taken in natural light without flash.

Coffret D'Or Eye Color Part II

Here are the rest of the Coffret D'Or Eye Colors! If I have time, I'll go back and swatch all my T'estimo Color Eyes too. I've used and swatched 26 of them so far, but I have more I haven't touched ^.^

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Majolica Majorca Shadow Customize

Another untouched part of my stash that I will start swatching, the Majolica Majorca Shadow Customize. I've been collecting these for a few years now, since I was introduced to the brand via the MJ Spices and the Cheek Customizes. There have been many colors released and then discontinued, making way for new ones. Obviously, I missed a bunch of them, but I do like the colors I have, and I adore their packaging. Not exactly easy to store, but very cute, like little pull-out drawers ^.^ I have 25 of these, so I'm only posting swatches for 10 for now. Others to follow.

Most of the pictures were taken indoor with flash, but I will note otherwise. These 2 were taken in natural light without flash.

Coffret D'Or Eye Color

Happy May!

I don't go out much these days, so instead of stalking drugstores for new items I started swatching my untouched stash. I have tons of stuff I bought since moving here that I haven't gotten to, one of which is these Coffret D'Or Eye Colors. I wasn't going to get these, but having seen them every time I visit the drugstores, and that's a lot of times, I gave in to the temptation and picked them up, just to see how they compare with my beloved T'estimo Color Eyes. 

There are only 16 colors available, and although these were released a couple of years ago, Coffret D'Or never came out with any new color since. This post contains the first half of the colors, and part 2 is to follow.

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.