Macaron Making: Finally a success!

They looked so lovely I didn’t wanna eat them.

First snow (was hailing actually…) yesterday! Was stuck on the traffic for 45 mins on the way home from Metrotown! Anyway, I’m just happy we are getting a white Christmas. So after a shopping spree yesterday, May and I decided to make some Macarons to break our diets. I’ve done it twice before, and didn’t get them right both times… sad. But this time, with the lemon curd filling recipe from my cousin and the shell recipe from May’s sister- it was a great success (some were cracked but at least a good portion was lookin’ good!). Will try to increase the hit rate to over 90% next time though!

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Buck A Shuck @ The Fish Shack

Buck-A-Shuck!!

Before going for a show in Downtown on Sunday night, we went to The Fish Shack on Granville St. for an early supper. They have the Buck-A-Shuck deal (oysters for $1 each) from opening till 5pm daily, so we arrived at 4 and ordered 3 dozens of oysters for ourselves… and those were just the appetizers!

Stanley Park Bright Nights

Bright Lights @ Stanley Park

Finals are over, so are my gloomy days! Christmas is really my favourite time of a year- no school, no work, no stress. Instead, there’re good food, good deals, and good mood everywhere. Went to Stanley Park’s Bright Nights for the first time ever on the rainy Saturday night to brighten up our night. It was really a spur of the moment thing… We were gonna go shopping in downtown, and we thought it wouldn’t be raining (weather forecast let us down once again).

Has it really been 3 months?

Finally, the first time that I can really say caffeine works on me. I can’t sleep, even though it’s almost 4am! Might as well give up on sleeping tonight.

I know I’m really swamped with schoolwork… but to be honest, I’d rather force myself to sleep than to face reality, or be productive. Then I remember this blog… When did I last post?

Been back to Vancouver for just about 3 months, and all those recent memories from Japan are already tugged in a backlog… Back to being a Vancouver student with no life. I really want to find a weekend to sort through my photos, pick several of my favorites to print, and write some more posts about Japan (you know, to fill in the 3-month gap) … but I guess that would have to wait until this term is over.

It’s quite amazing how much has happened within these few months… and I’m back to being my old self, running after deadlines, sleeping late (or really early in the morning- it’s like I’ve never fixed my jet-lag). Really miss the good ol’ days of working and living in Japan… having regular sleep, regular fun, and regular diet! Yes- It was unbelievable how much weight I have gained in such a short time- I was really shocked, and at one point I though my dad damaged the scale by weighing his luggage…   Thinking back, I deserved every pound of it though… It all happened after coming back from the cruise to Alaska. I really have no self control with All-You-Can-Eats, and I seriously ate at least 5 meals a day throughout the trip. And being on a cruise ship, exercising would make me sea sick (haha, what an excuse)… So the weight just piled up and I notice I keep eating more and more lately. So I’m thinking…. I really should diet, this time for real (I think my weight gives me enough motivation to stick with it this time).

A classmate said he had lost over 30 pounds in 3 months.. best thing is it didn’t bounce back! He said he had turned into a “fat burning machine” since then lol

My goal is also 30 pounds – but I know I can’t be exercising twice a day like he did… so I guess I would take it slowly. My “soft” deadline is by Feb 2013 (if the world doesn’t end), and the “hard” deadline is by graduation! (BTW, had my grad photos taken they I was glad I could hide under the gown =P )

From now on,

• I will eat breakfast (preferably oatmeal)
• I will exercise at least 30 mins a day
• I will not snack
• I will drink more water
• I will reduce my sugar intake
• I will stop eating when 60% full
• I will not eat every two hours at least two hours before bed
• I will not buy any clothes until I make it!!! <- I hope I don’t regret this… as X’mas is coming T_T But I guess it’s good for wallet as well.

Fighting~~~!!!

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Staring at the computer screen in the dark makes me kinda sleepy… yay!

Recently.

Some guy put this sunflower thingy by the office’s window, praying for the rain to stop.

Have not posted anything for a while. Posts are piling up, but I don’t have time to write them, or even upload photos. With slightly more than 2 months left in Japan, I’ve been working late and travelling my butt off. I guess those travel posts will have to wait until I get back to Canada. June is the typhoon season, so it’s been raining on and off for quite a while now. Trains were even delayed or stopped several days ago. Another Typhoon hit last Friday, and on my way to work, I saw this guy’s umbrella got ripped by the strong wind… so he just pulled the remains over himself and used it as raincoat lol My situation wasn’t much better either, pants were soaked… and I was wearing a pair of converse (dunno why I always wear the wrong shoes on the wrong days).

Tonight’s Dinner: Spanish Egg Tortilla

This meal took the longest preparation time to date XD

Love how the sky is still bright when I leave work. It just feels like I have more time on hand… I loaded up my fridge with food last Friday after a grocery shopping spree, so it’s time to treat myself for a better meal. After dinner, I played with my new “toy” for a while and youtubed for a bit…. I love chill evenings like this.

Dinner Disasters and etc.

Failed attempt (visually) to make Omu-rice last week. Eggs got burnt, even the ❤ looked ugly =(

This post is just a photolog of some of my disastersdinners last week. Plus I said I would try out Natto Miso Risotto. So read on to find out what it tastes like.

Eclipse, Skytree and Risotto

People dressed in funky Skytree Costumes (Photo courtesy of DailyMail.co.uk)

Yesterday, everybody was talking about the Solar Eclipse. Today, the talking point became the Tokyo Skytree, now the world’s tallest broadcasting tower. Obviously, I couldn’t go because of work. But I probably wouldn’t go up on a weekend either…

Foreigner’s life in Japan – Part III: What it’s REALLY like

Walking in the streets of Japan, I am just another Japanese in the eyes of locals.

I still haven’t fully experienced what it’s like being a REAL foreigner here (I mean, a visible one… Because of my Asian background, Japanese people think I’m Japanese.. until I speak of course). So Azam (the only Canadian student at my workplace besides me) has always complained about being treated differently, though he is fluent in Japanese… He is taking the N1 Language test this year.

Time is running out…

It just feels like the train is about to depart, and I haven’t purchased my ticket. Actually- worse, not even done packing my belongings yet.

On the first day that I arrived at Japan, I installed an app on my phone called “Days Since”- it is, obviously, a day counter and reminds me (whenever I look at my homescreen), the number of days I’ve been here.

And today, it’s time to celebrate the 110th day Anniversary. Don’t ask me why not celebrate the 100th instead… I did not even realize it. The point is- I only have about 3 months left… how do I live the rest of my life (in Japan) to the fullest? Now, if I’m the protagonist in some Korean drama, I should be writing my wishlist (already did)with teary eyes as the background plays the saddest song ever.