little projects in style

harry met sally - love stories

2012-03-22T09:21:00.000+09:00

i was already all mush this morning but when i spotted this over at a blog about love and knew that i had to share with y'all.

aren't they all so adorable?

when i first met my daniel, "at that moment i knew. i knew the way you know about a good melon."

... and maybe one day we'd turn into one of these cute old couples that finish each others sentences and lovingly gaze into each others eyes calling each other "baby" and "cupcakes"!!

eats :: taco rice at home

2012-03-21T08:08:00.004+09:00

i had a few taco shells from a recent mexican party we had at home. i cant bear to throw out food (blame my thrifty asian genes) so i devised a plan to use the shells up for lunch!

okinawan takoraisu!!!

in japan, taco rice is very popular. you'd think its mexican but it originates from okinawa. here's what you need for this yummy dish::

(1) serve of ground beef

(1) serve of steamed rice

taco seasoning or for the purist...

bed of lettuce

shredded cheese

handful of cherry tomatos

bit of corn

leftover taco shells (or taco chips)

kalamata olives (optional)

guacamole, salsa, sour cream (optional)

instructions::

fry up the ground beef with seasoning. i added some fresh garlic and onions too to spice things up a little. and serve it on a bed of everything else.. its so fast to prep the longest step was steaming the rice!

the juicy cherry tomatoes with the sweetness of the corn, the salted and spicy taco ground and crunchy tacos on the fresh lettuce was perfection... exactly what i needed for lunch!! i felt like i was eating one big salad but the rice kept me going all day till dinner!!

hope you enjoy it too!

a little surprise bridal shower

2012-03-20T08:54:00.000+09:00

a few months ago, i received a facebook message from a stranger inviting me to a surprise bridal shower for my friend, jen. i was soooo excited but it was torture keeping a secret for so long! it killed me! i tried my darnest to not make references to anything vaguely wedding related (and you know how difficult that is for me) but apparently i sleep texted her to say "i know something you don't! heehee!"

*major face palm*

the day rolled by and ta-dah!!

we had a little afternoon party in japan while her friends back home had an evening soiree, connected on skype! we even had coordinated party food!

little wedding touches

her pals mailed little tiaras for all of us to wear and omg!! so many awesome and thoughtful gifts!! and we had a lovely time partying, chatting on skype and giggling for hours!!

{from jen's facebook}

aren't weddings are awesome like this? they bring people together in such sweet situations.

im sure everyone will look back in time to come and remember this completely random weekend afternoon filled with yummy grub, champagne and love!

craft :: granny stripe blanket

2012-03-19T08:56:00.001+09:00

guess what, guys?

i did it!! my first crochet blanket is done!

its cosy and musashi thinks its his! but im done!!! *jiggley dances around the home* i'd totally invite y'all to touch it cos its sooooooo soft.. but you'd have to take my word for it! :)

but i have a dirty little secret...

i started out hoping to make a queen size blanket. but it got soooo massive and heavy, i changed my plans and made it for a single sized bed instead.

since i announced the start of this project, a few of my blog readers and friends have also started on this same blanket! im so glad to inspire you & you can do it!!! i'd love to see your end result!!

thanks for cheering me on, loves.

this must be one of my biggest (and longest) projects!! and the husband is so tired of seeing me lug my blanket everywhere. i can only imagine how sexy it is to sleep with a crochet granny! but

now, i can now i can add "double crochet in my sleep" to my list of talents.. :)

crafts:: sew happy.... not.

2012-03-16T09:10:00.000+09:00

today i have not so fabulous news to share...

{gifted by thebokeeffect}

my sewing machine met with an unfortunately thread and bobbin case accident, which lead to an early death. im still mourning her sudden death as i had projects lined up for spring
so im a little bummed.

a new machine is not too pricey but we were thinking to invest in a better machine preferably in english so i can understand the functions and also take care of it better.
so i guess i'd have to be patient and wait it out...

the worst thing is, when i'm not able/allowed to do something, i kinda wanna do it even more!
like my md advised to cut down on certain dairy products (to aid my arthritis), i've never been a huge fan of dairy but after he mentioned that, all i wanna do is eat cheese and guzzle milk all day!

*roll eyes*

do you get that a lot?

happy white day!! :)

2012-03-15T08:11:00.000+09:00

after our little valentines day celebrations, came white day. if you're not familiar, white day in japan is for men who received gifts a month ago from ladies to return gifts. guess what? up to 10 times of the value they were gifted!! so in return for handmade sweets, men get jewellery or nice bags!! and all the stores in town carry "white day suggestions". i can imagine how intimidating it is for men! :)

but since we celebrate most things the foreign way, i didn't think we were white daying so imagine my delight when daniel presented me with flowers, champagne & my favorite chocolates...

and

just to up the ante, musashi gave me...

my very own silly girl book!!

ive been giggling at this little girl, who is wildy famous, for ages.

we once went into a bookstore asking about this book. and even with daniel's japanese the store assistant had no clue. so i was left with no choice but to make that face on the book cover and instantly made sense to him!

she is so popular in japan she is printed on bags and has badges and a tonne of memorabilia!

she really has the funniest faces!!

the book really made me laugh all morning..

thank you, lovies!!

p.s. muu muu, well done! out-played your papi!!!

shopping in costco japan - yoyomarket

2012-03-14T08:19:00.005+09:00

i look forward to our costco visits each time because they remind me sooo much of "not-japan"! i know it sounds terrible when i say it like that! i appreciate japan for the many things that it is. but man! i've missed shopping in proper supermarkets in english with familiar brand and products!

we usually piggy-back on jen's shopping trips. but our visits are few and far between because it requires quite a bit of driving, time and car rental. so imagine my excitement when i found yoyomarket.

i love martinelli's pure apple juice.

the glass bottles are super cute!

i made my first purchase a few months ago and was impressed! jason maitland, ceo of yoyomarket, was super sweet and prompt. so i thought i'd push my luck this time and ask for specific items in store... crunchy green grapes.

guess what!? he found them and had my entire purchase at my doorstep within 24 hours!

is that crazy or what!?

the husband is over the moon with his carton of coke and lay's classic potato chips in extra large bags. it sounds really silly to be excited about simple things like this but in japan, you buy coca cola by the can!! so having a whole carton at home is such a treat!!

our little one got his treat of baby carrots!!

we're happy campers!!

online shopping... whooo! :)

beauty :: matomage hair styling stick

2012-03-13T08:01:00.002+09:00

im often inspired by youtube videos and beauty bloggers to doll up a little more. but every time i get the right make up on, im usually VERY late (it takes time!!) or the pictures don't turn our as cute as bangbangsheshoots and pinkfishtart.

so that's my disclaimer. these pictures are very terrible.

(and the husband will be calling in a few minutes to say "seriously? did you see how blur/yellow/badly taken they are?")

but i really wanna share this new find with y'all!

sporting my regular messy (ie lazy) side bun...

but check out that nest of fly-aways perched on my head!! the bane of my existence!!

i found this with ellie last week in a japanese drugstore, recommended by her girlfriend.

its super cute and compact. there is a green version that is stronger but who picks green over pink?

roll it on like a gluestick!!

all smooth up top!

but messy at the back! (yayy!)

i love it!! its teeny tiny, packs in your make up kits and great for baby hair at the nape of your neck too! it doesn't feel too heavy or glossy and has no scent!! you can get it in most japanese drugstores for about 400 yen ( 4 USD) i wish i found this earlier so i didn't have to deal with years of gel-hard ballet head!!

by the way, did i tell you i have a few hundred of these shots of my bathroom?

and now the bigger question is...

how in the world do i get rid of my triple eye bags!? i've been sleeping a tonne and use my eye cream super duper regularly. help, anyone?

cherry blossoms in tokyo

2012-03-12T09:05:00.000+09:00

excuse while i dream ahead! the weather has been torturous. its no longer full on winter. and ever so frequently, it would give be a hint of hope that its finally spring and proceed to snow on me. such a tease!!

muu says "picnic season = more distracted people eating at closer proximity!"

one thing im really looking forward to this spring is cherry blossoms - the classic japanese celebration of packing a lush picnic basket and chilling out under dreamy blush pinkness. i can't wait.

here is a little sakura guide for tokyo::

1. yoyogi park :: its extremely popular with large groups and can get quite busy on weekends. but the hustle and bustle of merrymakers is part of the fun. last year, we found ourselves so close to our neighbours we were literally on their laps! :) but all in good fun.

2. chidorigafuchi :: in kitanomaru park in the NW corner of the royal palace. we missed out this one last year and its apparantly one of the most dramatic sakura displays in town!

3. chinzan-so :: if you're in town too early for the blossoms, head here as they have 19 different varieties so the chances of you catching something in bloom is higher. a few years ago, we found ourselves in the same predicament as tourist and found ONE single tree in bloom in ueno park! i was crazy happy!! :)

4. rikugien :: this one is a landscaped japanese garden with illumination in the evenings.

5. meguro river :: this river is lined with 830 somei yoshino trees and illuminated by lanterns in the evening. its so stunning for a post dinner stroll.

6. ichigaya - yotsuya :: lining the outer moat of the imperial palace, this strip is very popular with younger groups (hence a little rowdier) but its round the corner from home so we frequently visited this spot last year.

7. aoyama cemetary :: its a weird one to share. but this is our secret hideout. we love this one as its around the corner from daniel's work place, hence a great place for lunch and its so serene, quiet and beautiful. i don't find it spooky at all and actually really peaceful. i highly recommend this one for non-squeamish cherry blossomers!

happy monday, loves...

the husband :: fashion makeover

2012-03-09T07:48:00.010+09:00

after this post featuring the husband's everyday staple, he agreed to have a wardrobe overhaul. there might or might not have been alcohol involved in this decision but that's not the point...

so the perimeters were set, with his fashion consultants (myself, jen from ohmyomiyage and her uber fashionable husband) in tow, he would go shopping around town. the goal is to build his casual chic wardrobe from scratch with the budget of 500,000 yen (~ $5000).

we've been out once and are very pleased with the progress!

it has been sooo much fun so far!! and he protests a lot less when our friends are around. hopefully he'd love his new wardrobe enough to model it when its complete. but one of the key essentials ::

the man bag

he's thinking more of a briefcase & satchel for his biking days..

{ mr porter }

but im thinking more of a slouchy nice leather bag...

(that can double up as a weekender for me...)

what do you think??

& any other recommendation for chic man bags?

a healthy lunch

2012-03-08T08:58:00.000+09:00

im usually so busy i forget about lunch until its too late.

so i find myself eating leftovers or instant mee really often.

today, i had some leftover broccoli and came across this super duper easy gordon ramsey recipe.

it was as easy as it sounds.. i obviously can't follow a recipe for nuts so i threw in some leeks and carrots to give it more punch.

im not a fan of goat cheese, as recommended, so i covered the base of my mug with shredded cheese. the hot soup melted it immediately and it helped thicken the soup really nicely. then topped it with extra virgin olive oil and a generous sprinkle of parmesan.

served with a side of japanese mochi bread

and a fruit salad for dessert!

p.s. and yes... i drink my soups in a mug

so i can work on the computer while lunching!

lusts:: shoe mint

2012-03-07T09:45:00.002+09:00

am i the only one that had a crush on rachel bilson in the OC??

she was my style inspiration before blair from gossip girl.

and i thought i'd gotten over that girlie crush till i spotted her latest fashion debut, the shoemint, which also shows off her recent shoe designs in collaboration with steve madden. the concept is kinda cute and i wish they shipped to where i live...

but till then, this behind-the-scene video would have to suffice...

isn't the dress she's wearing awesomely cute?

on a separate note, today is a beaauutiful day! its finally not raining and i just found out im going to be an aunt! im soo happy and thrilled for my girlfriend! oooo im just bursting with love!

at home:: pizza party

2012-03-06T08:38:00.000+09:00

do you love pizza?!

im such a huge fan of pizza its my favorite food (after hot dogs & cotton candy!!) we were up in the moutains last week with our pals when jen suggested a casual pizza party. but if you don't know by now, nothing is casual with jen...

we had more toppings than pizza hut...

im a prosciutto, asparagus, tomato, mozerella & olives kinda gal...

there was a little goofing around...

and there was heated debate if six pizzas were enough for us.

no way, right? but daniel thought otherwise...

we made our pizzas in the cast iron fireplace.

it was crisped perfectly with a lovely wood fire smell...

sooooooo delicious...

the best hawaiian i've ever tasted!!

guess what? daniel was right! we were STUFFED!!

but oh so yummy im craving it right this second!

how can we make perfect pizzas at home?

letters from doggie :: twenty - eight

2012-03-05T08:41:00.002+09:00

hi guys!

久しぶり! long time no see! what have you been up to? i've been chilling out at home with auntie andrea & uncle tilden. they've just gone home today so im getting mami to type this entry for me.

auntie andrea came to tokyo to run the marathon! so mami made all of us cheerleading outfits...

&REA spells andrea!! (gettit?)

p.s. do you like muumuu's outfit?

mami used to be a cheerleader (and obviously more keen than the boys)

see my little fist pump?

my uncle tilden who hangs out with me!

papi flexing his muscles

he was very sore he wasn't running.

bring it on!

sigh.. how did i get myself involved with these crazies!!

p.s. if you'd like to read about how she beat her p.b., its here!

and in case you didn't know, that's "personal best" in sport-speak.

*smug face*

poll :: which side of the bed do you sleep on?

2012-03-02T08:55:00.032+09:00

as the husband is away on business, i invited my little friend to sleep in bed with me. he is a good snuggle bunny but has no concept of personal space. i wake up and he's curled up on my face. next moment, i have a fluffball right up my crotch. a little too close for comfort... but i love him still! :)

here's hoping the husband doesn't check on this blog... otherwise im so going to receive an angry phone call very soon!

which got me thinking...

which side of the bed do you always sleep on?

if i get first picks, im always on the side against the wall (as a child, i had a history of rolling out of bed) but daniel consciously picks the side closer to the door. i asked him once 'why?'. and his theory is if anyone breaks into the house, he can jump up and protect us! isn't that sweet?

so darlings....

which side do you sleep?

{cosy beds via this is glamorous}

review for nikon d700

2012-03-01T08:49:00.000+09:00

it has been a while since our last askdaniel.com guest post. and we've received such lovely emails & requests from the last round, i've asked him to make a bi-weekly appearance to share a few tips on photography and stuff he is good at. but he has been so swamped with work. in fact just this morning, he left for a business trip to europe, back in time for the weekend but.. things are a little blue in the house.

we did, however, find a little surprise in my inbox!

so here you go!

***

Hi everyone!

I have a confession to make... as much as I love my Olympus E-P3, for a lot of the photos I take (and end up on this blog from time to time!), I still use my trusty Nikon D700.

It is a big and heavy digital SLR camera, but it has a "full frame" sensor which can take very clean and detailed photos in a variety of settings. I use a range of lenses - one of my favourites is my 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. It is also a big lens, but it is super sharp and gives a really nice perspective for portraits.

I took this camera and lens on a trip out to see the snow monkeys at Jigokudani Monkey Park up in Nagano Prefecture when my parents came to visit. Zhing was recovering from an extreme snowboarding injury, and there were no dogs allowed - so it was just me, my folks and a few new furry friends.

I hope they weren't too offended by me taking photos of them while bathing in the natural hot springs...

Others were more resourceful, and discovered that pipes carrying the hot spring water to a nearby ryoukan (Japanese inn) could keep them warm without having to get wet at all!!

While it's no fun to carry, one of the other benefits of a long zoom lens like the 70-200mm is that you don't have to get too close to your subject, which is handy when the leader of the pack starts staring you down...

All of the monkey photos were taken at this lens' widest aperture of f/2.8, which allows more light into the camera sensor and helps to isolate the subject and blur the background.

Thanks for reading!! Next time round I'm thinking to go through a couple of the little editing techniques I use to touch up our images. As usual, any queries or requests are very welcome!

***

come back soon, hon!

crafts:: une petite bebe booties

2012-02-29T08:30:00.000+09:00

yikes! i don't know how to say booties in french! :)

but what i lack in language skills, i make up in crafting skills..

oh la la! :)

and guess what? i learnt it from this youtube video!

im making it for my friend's unborn child, chloe.

(not quite sure if her parents are on board with the name, but i like it.)

the chinese have a saying that good shoes take you to beautiful places.

so, im making little chloe three little handmade pieces to start her shoe collection on the right foot. :)

but i already know she's gonna be one blessed girlie!

i can't wait to shower her with love!!

glossybox japan :: my feb box is here!!

2012-02-28T08:51:00.003+09:00

i was sooo thrilled to receive my box this month! i daresay this is one of the best days of my month! :) i've been waiting for days and right on time, the lovely postman dropped it at my door step!! this box is more awesome than the last!!

all the goodies glammed up and pretty!

institut esthederm white system day and night creams in travel size

miss pucci perfume..

i spritz a little on muu pet bed and he smells lovely now! :)

terracuore cleansing milk

sparkley nail polish! it's my favorite!

its such a pretty shade...

the most awesome part - shiseido white lucent set.

its bigger than travel size... let's call it a mini size... but the packaging is so luxurious! it came in a cute little pouch with a tonne of details of each product. im going to travel with it this summer to LA and hawaii!

if you're keen to sign up for glossybox japan but don't read japanese like me, here is a useful how-to guide in english by jen.

wonder what's in store next month!!

shoe lusts :: palate cleanser

2012-02-27T08:06:00.000+09:00

the neon fad has been very enticing but i've not been able to figure out how to wear it.

until i met this baby.

oh love.

{neiman marcus}

tokyo marathon.. we are ready!

2012-02-24T08:47:00.001+09:00

our friends from thebokeeffect, are flying in to race in the tokyo marathon.

its still freeeezing cold in japan and for the life of me, i can't fathom why people run!

but that prolly explains why im the chubbiest of us all.

the husband is hatching a grand plan to run halfway with her.

i can't be sure. but me and muu would prolly just stay on the side and hold poms!

but either way, we're ready! bring it on!

*does a super high side kick*

things i love :: fresh flowers

2012-02-23T08:57:00.002+09:00

my house is decorated with these beautiful tulips. aren't they stunning?

i love the gradated shades of pink and the wispy delicate edges!

but it came with a super cute story...

i giggle a little when i see these cheeky tulips.

so. my husband navigates through florists like julia child in the kitchen. he has a very systematic approach to flower shopping and knows the florists around his office like the back of his front. usually checks out the options on bike, hunts down my favorite flowers and if nothing is jumping out at him, he will pick the freshest ones... but never gets me a pre-made bouquet with fillers, plastic or tacky ribbons.

(im a flower snob..)

so this day, he did his due dilligence and picked his florist. when he got off his bike, he noticed a japanese dude shuffling awkwardly around the store. but the husband did his thing, had the flowers wrapped up in paper and twine and was back on his bike in a matter of seconds. then at the corner of his eye, he saw the other dude sheepishly picking up the same tulips!!! which totally made the husband's day!

isn't that such a goofy story?!

four years ago on this day, we started dating.

and i keep saying this but it has been the best years of my life.

im so so grateful for daniel.

have a wonderful day on us, guys!

thoughts :: dinner parties & plus ones

2012-02-22T08:11:00.000+09:00

just the other day, the husband made an acute and funny observation. as our friends start to find loves in their lives, our parties changed from just our friends to become them + partners.

{pictures from oh happy day}

and instead of eating out, we start inviting people over to our homes, serve up some fancy drinks, light the candles and having grown-up dinner parties!! like when did that happen, huh?

we still catch up over girlie lunches, manicures and meet "just the girls" squished into a sushi joint but when did that become the exception? it used to be the norm!

but finding new friends when you're older just became more complex that way! its not good enough if you click with a person individually. your partner has to get along with their partner and the whole group has to bond in a nice way! and the friends we fit well with, we find ourselves seeing them a lot more and having a lot more to discuss.

you start thinking of each other when you see things in stores, you take turns to fight over the cheque, you choose cuisines you know they'd appreciate, you think about how the evening went after it ends and you wanna hang out but don't want to overwhelm them too much. (ie calling them on the phone all the time... not cool)

you're right!! its almost like dating all over again!!

i thought that after finding the love of my life, i wont have to deal with the nerves and uncertainty of courtship again! but here we are again! just for the records, im eternally grateful that my girlies are married to lovely men who hang out (and go for massages!) when we're out shopping.

so darlings, i'd love to hear what you think!!

do you click well with your friends partners?

does this happen to you too?

crafts:: doggie sweater

2012-02-21T08:30:00.002+09:00

since im knee-deep in my blankie project, i really shouldn't be starting new things. and in case you were wondering, when i say knee deep, its a literal description! i mean knee-length! *bawl* soooo much more to go!!

but i couldn't resist making him a little something...

a subtle grey sweater with pink stripes!

snuck in a bow-tie

hey muumuu beans! :)

been a while since i connected with the crafting world, hopefully this will change!
posting this at my favorite craft parties!

video :: LED snowboarder

2012-02-20T08:28:00.012+09:00

im coming off the snowslopes this weekend completely rejuvenated and thrilled. getting away from the city on the weekend does magic to you. im here to rub off some of my post-weekend excitement with you....

remember this stunning ballet video? the same people came up with this totally rad video from the slopes of tignes in the rhône-alpes region of south-eastern france.

Jacob Sutton’s L.E.D. Surfer on Nowness.com.

isn't inspiring how he carves through the powder so beautifully. there is so much strength in control. and i love how serene and calm the whole video is. (p.s. an absolute departure from how i feel when im clipped in..)

yet so much more to look forward to!

have a lovely monday, sugarplums!

our date to sato

2012-02-17T08:42:00.002+09:00

on the weekend, the husband had this top secret plan to take me out to dinner as part of our valentines day celebrations... but since we pretty much dine out most of the time, i was curious what this place was!

it involved quite a trek out into the suburbs! about a half hour bike ride from home and in the freezing cold, i was such a pain in the behind. i kept whinging and suggesting to have macdonalds instead!

but it was totally worth the extra effort!!

the restaurant was a chain family restaurant called sato. the "dennys" of japanese food and only found in more residential areas... we first had it when we visited the family in nagoya and i've fallen in love with now!! despite everyone's fervent protests, i want to eat there every time we visit!!!

this restaurant reminds me of family and home and all that lovely cosy mush that comes with it. and i always order the same meal i had the first visit - the unagi set!

but you eat it in THREE ways!

as a rice bowl on its down, with yummy condients and pickled eggplant and last, with a light broth and wasabi in ochazuke style!! i lovvvveeeeeeeeee playing with my food!!!

this was me all night!! :) i was sooooooo over the moon.

the company was vastly different from the stylish punksters we see in town. they are mostly older folks, less dressy or young families with babies in tow. it was funny to see such a huge demographic difference even tho we were not that far away from shinjuku!

i wore my chrissy present from beverly..

(thanks babe!! love it!)

for dessert, silken tofu with matcha and red beans.

with this amazing soft mochi skin on top!

but in all i had such a good time!!

oh! need i mention i went all ga-ga over the supermarkets in the burbs, parking spaces and how huge the stores and houses were! daniel was very amused cos i sounded really deprived even though we live right smack in the middle of a concrete jungle.

ain't that the problem, mister?! :)
p.s. best date ever!