Milk Tea

HYSTERIC GLAMOUR X Recycle Shop

2010-11-03T22:29:00.000+09:00

Last Friday I was a naughty girl and visited the recycle shop on the way home from work...

Since I decided to go back to Ireland for Christmas I've been trying to cut out luxuries and save money.

However I have a weakness for recycle shops.

It's very trendy to find "vintage" clothes in charity shops but I never had any luck back in Europe.

Everything was either old, dowdy or - in specialist shops - very expensive.

Things are different in Japan though.

Part of the reason is that since I've been here my style has changed.

Or it might be more accurate to say that I've actually developed a sense of style...

The big difference, however, is the presence of high-quality, reasonably-priced second hand clothes.

There are countless shops who sell only "recycled" pieces and they are the best places to pick up brands on the cheap.

Last week I went to a local branch of Jumble Store, in theory to pick up some cheap skirts.

I did get one!

No brand - 900yen

Black elastic waistband is a girl's best friend right? They had a lot of other ones with different patterns but same style and same price. I might have to go back for more because this plus leggings and boots will get me through Winter!

Treasure!

Hysteric Glamour top - 5000yen

(WARNING: the link above plays LOUD music, be careful!)

This would have been AT LEAST 10,000yen if bought new. Just goes to show how lucky you can get in recycle shops. I like going into the Hysteric Glamour shop to talk to the staff but I stopped doing it because I could never afford to buy anything. With this baby on I can go in as often as I like, yay!

No brand shawl - 1000yen

Well, it might be a brand but I have no idea, haha. This is going to be a little bit hard to coordinate with most of my clothes but I just imagined myself in a reading in a little coffee shop wearing this and I couldn't resist!

Uniqlo leggings - 990yen

Ok, this is cheating. I didn't buy them in the recycle shop but they are new and they're part of the coordinate below so...

All put together minus the shawl and plus my WC BUSU cap (hiding my busu-no-makeup face, haha)

I'm going to wear this next Sunday for a club event that I have to leave early because of stupid work the next day, boooo!

I guess most of my readers favour gal brands so in case you were wondering, most recycle shops carry all the big 109 brands.

I'm seeing a lot of Liz Lisa fur coats recently for as low as 3000yen!

The big shock last week was finding a red WC "SF" top in Jumble Store.

We don't have a branch of WC in Sendai so it's super-rare.

I don't really like that print so I didn't buy it but when I walked by the same rail 5 minutes later it was gone!

You have to move fast in recycle shops, haha!

Stationary In Every Sense

2010-10-29T00:11:00.000+09:00

Cos I ain't movin' out from under these blankets!

The first snowfall has hit Sapporo and it's creeping southwards.

Here in Sendai it won't snow for another few weeks or more but it's getting very cold.

Most of my foreign friends have got their kotatsus out but I'm trying to brave it as long as possible.

I am staying inside my nest of blankets though!

So here are some pictures I should have posted last month.

So many new pretty diaries get released in Autumn and Winter that I can never resist!

Do you keep a cute diary or planner?

I find it so hard to keep them going but I have to buy one each time!

This diary is from the Disney Store and the stickers are from KiddyLand.

The pink pen in the first photo was a free gift from the Disney Store.

Clearly I spend too much money in there and they want to keep me sweet! orz

Miruku Is Dead

2010-10-22T00:35:00.000+09:00

This post is 50% joy, 50% panic...

This week I've been trying to upload a huge backlog of photos to draft posts in the hope that it would get me blogging regularly again once it was all done.

It was trundling along smoothly when Blogger sucker-punched me!

My "Picassa Web Album" (which I didn't even know I had) was full and I couldn't add more photos.

Was this the untimely end of Milk Tea?

Nooooo! /(><)\

A Google search told me that I could create a new author on the same blog and start fresh with a new photo account...so let's see!

I'm going to use this post as a test and also to show off my lovely WC stuff that came yesterday and rendered me yen-less.

The infamous Sex and WC cardigan in black

Isn't it perfection itself? It's warm, well made and a good fit for a Western gal's bust.

I think it's pretty iconic, even if is basically says "sex and toilet".

That's why we love WC right?

Next is more WC, but this time I ordered from the Shibuya 109 webstore.

I'm always a little nervous dealing with a new company.

While the shipping was a little slower than ordering from the WC webshop, I have no complaints.

Everything was packed well and they threw in the book and pink WC bag.

But the best part was...

The plastic!

I know this is a stupid thing to be excited about but I've never received something like this before!

Each item of clothing was packed in a plastic back that snaps open and shut so they're reusable.

Bound to come in handy someday, right?

Thank you 109!

Kumatan Nordic print cardigan in brown and white.

It's loose and super-thick. Hard to believe something from a gal brand is going to keep me warm!

It reminds me of woolly jumpers that I used to wear as a child.

But much, much cuter!

I'm holding out the cardi and dress in the picture (to show off the pattern) but this is another excellent fit.

Recomended for winter!

WC school knit in purple and yellow.

Who can resist this classic design?

And purple and gold are my father's hometown's colours so it also has a nostalgic feel for me.

It's not quite as thick as the brown cardi, not even close really.

It's perfect for Autumn though and would sit well over some Uniqlo Heat Tech in Winter.

I actually wore this cardi to work today.

It added a splash of colour to a dark outfit but still looked professional (somehow!)

Sorry, I have to go and meet the quarterback at my prom. We're going steady you see...

(Apologies for the lack of styling by the way. Actually....no. It was the end of a long day and I was relaxing after dinner when the packages came. I'm not dressing up just to camwhore my new clothes!)

On the same day I also received a care package from my dear family.

Snuggly warm things just in time for Winter!

One big pink fluffy dressing gown, 2 sets of warm fuzzy pajamas, one set of pink silk pajamas.

All chosen by my wonderful mother who has a fantastic eye for fashion (even if she doesn't trust herself).

I love you <3

Anyway, hopefully this new author account works.

I have so many pictures I want to show you.

Miruku is dead.

Long live Miruku!

Dr:Ci:Labo Super-Review

2010-10-03T23:03:00.000+09:00

Skin care goody bag - yay!

A while ago I posted my skin care routine.

There wasn't really anything wrong with it but it was just a lot of products jumbled together as I bought them.

So I had my eye out for a set worth investing in and, hopefully, something that would make my face less tired looking.

Plaza is a great shop, every time I go in I find a new beauty product to try.

A couple of months ago I picked up this Dr:Ci:Labo promotional pack.

6 products for 5250yen, which is very reasonable I think.

Dr:Ci:Labo is a very popular, well-respected brand in Japan and the US website gives some of the company history.

My boyfriend sniggered and said that's what his mum uses, but I think these kinds of brands are popular with so many people because they actually work.

The first step in the routine is the Super Cleansing EX.

It contains marine collagen, hyaluronan, ceramide and vitamins H, P, E, B6 and C.

It's a gel that goes on to dry skin (i.e. don't wash first with water) and heats up. It reminded me of the oil going on when getting a brow wax, actually. It spreads very easily and, after being left to sink in for a while, washes off just as easily. I found it great for general make up, like BB cream. It wasn't so strong against my KATE eye shadow but maybe that was just me being nervous with product around my eyes.

Next, Super Washing Foam EX

You only use the cleanser above if you are removing a full day's makeup, but the Super Washing Foam EX can be used morning and night for a general, thorough wash. It has the same beneficial ingredients as the gel so it's not too stressful for your skin if you use them together. Just a little bit applied to a wet face results in a big soapy lather that really gets into your pores. This gets rid of everything and is especially helpful when eyelash glue is getting in the way. It stung my eyes a little bit but left me feeling so fresh and clean that I can't complain.

Next, Aqua-In-Derm DN-Essence

Don't ask me what the name means because I haven't a clue. This is in a "push down" dispenser like shaving foam and that small novelty appealed to me before I even used it! This is another gel-type product that can be used anytime during the day. It's function is to soften your skin and make it easy for you to absorb any other products that you use. It clears away rubbish like dead skin cells and gives you a blank canvas to work with. To be honest, it seems like a bit of a luxury. I really like it and how it makes my skin feel but I never heard of this kind of product before. I wonder is it really necessary if you're on a budget?

Next, Super White 377.

Now, the last thing I really need to do it whiten my skin. I'm as pale as they come. But since this product was included in the set and I was curious, I decided to give it a go. That was two months ago though and I haven't used it since so I can't really remember what it felt like. The reason for this is that Hana warned me about the chemical peeling effects that whiteners can have. I did a bit of googling and decided that it's not something I want to put my skin through. I can definitely understand the appeal of using a whitener and Dr:Ci:Labo's one is probably as safe as you can get, but I'll leave you all to make your own decisions about that.

Next. Aqua-Collagen-Gel Enrich-Lift-EX

This is definitely my new favourite skincare product! It seems like collagen is all the rage in beauty treatments these days so I wasn't initially too excited by this. The change in my skin after 2 months of use has been incredible though. I'm 23 and I have clear skin so I didn't have a lot of problems to begin with. But the Japanese working environment really takes it's toll on you. The bags under my eyes that I had gotten used to - gone! Furthermore, my whole face seems brighter and fresher. This really is a miracle gel! The only issue with it is that it leaves my skin quite shiny after use. Although Dr:Ci:Labo say you can use it at any time of the day, I would only use it before bed.

Finally, UV Protect Spray

Ok, here's the thing. I really hate aerosols. I know they're bad for the environment, but I also hate the feel of using them. It's just a personal preference. So for that reason I'm not a fan of this product. Of course UV protection is great and it holds your makeup together in the heat but I really don't want to spray stuff on my face. There are plenty of BB creams that have UV protection so I really don't see the need for something like this.

So my final ranking based on result and importance is:

1 - Aqua-Collagen-Gel Enrich-Lift-EX

2 - Super Washing Foam EX

3 - Super Cleansing EX

4 - Aqua-In-Derm DN-Essence

5 - UV Protect Spray

6 - Super White 377

I helped my friend pick out some of these today and was shocked at how expensive they were, although Amazon is even worse. I was really lucky to find the trial bag. There are regular trial kits available though they are much smaller. A good way to try something new though. Personally I think skincare and haircare are really worth spending money on. If you agree, go for Dr:Ci:Labo!

Travels Through Tochigi

2010-10-01T00:52:00.000+09:00

If you're in the Japanese countryside then you have to try the local soba, it's the law!

At the end of August, my boyfriend and I went on a QUADRUPLE date to the Tochigi hills.

There were four couples - us, three of his high school friends and their girl friends.

Because he went to school in Saitama, I had never met his friends before so I was quite nervous.

I guess that's why I didn't take many pictures at the beginning, but it was a fairly uneventful trip to Omiya station where we met his friends.

Then we drove to Nasu, Tochigi which is where a lot of wealthy people (including one of my bf's friends) have holiday homes in the densely forested mountains.

We arrived around 1am on Saturday morning and went to bed almost immediately.

The next morning was a bit awkward and all my Japanese abandoned me.

Maybe I was just hungry though because I perked up as soon as we hit the local family-run soba house.

And we made short work of the meal.

The restaurant was almost empty so we could enjoy the traditional atmosphere.

It felt like we were in someone's home, so peaceful.

Next we went to play in a waterfall and I spotted this interesting mushroom. It was so big!

One of the other visitors to the waterfall had these cute dogs. Want!

The waterfall wasn't particularly big but it had a kind of magical atmosphere, I loved it!

Boys will be boys and started messing around on the rocks.

Yay, wet t-shirt time!

Eventually, we girls joined in and cameras were abandoned in favour of water fights!

Dinner was, naturally, a barbecue.

This is one of the typical experiences of Japanese youth, barbecuing with your friends out in the countryside.

Until someone gets drunk and knocks over food table!

And when Japanese boys get drunk, they get a bit...gay!

Well, I always think wrestling looks gay!

What could the girls do but watch?

In hindsight I wish I had taken more photos of the house because it really was beautiful.

Like a log cabin but built for rich Japanese people so it had everything you might need.

Although I was nervous about making a good impression, I really enjoyed my time there.

If you watch Japanese dramas, you often see these events where childhood friends go on roadtrips or camping.

It was really fun to do something like that, especially to a part of Japan that I had never been to before.

I can't think of a better way to end the summer!

Fashion's Night Out Tokyo 2010

2010-09-29T00:13:00.000+09:00

I look down on the real celebs, mwa ha ha haaaa!

Erm....it has been over a month since my last blog.

Things have been so crazy, especially in work.

But hopefully they'll settle down again now and hopefully I'll get paid four times as much as I already do now.

Do you hear me boss, do you???

People who make four times as much money as I do were the target audience for Fashion's Night Out Tokyo 2010.

It took place on Saturday September 11th which "randomly" coincided with my Tokyo trip with the Mister.

I like fashion but the stuff in Omotesando Hills - where the night kicked off - is generally out of my price range.

You know, fashion shows are fun but they're even more fun if you have a chance of buying things, right?

For that reason I wasn't too bothered about making it for the opening ceremony, I just wanted to enjoy the atmosphere of the night.

The entrance of Verbal nearly blew the roof off the place. Who knew that "VA-BA-RUUUU" had so many screaming fans?

I had never seen the centre so packed, although most of the the people (like me) didn't look like Omotesando Hills' regulars.

The entrance of DJs (l-r) Mademoiselle Yulia, YOON and Toko. I have to say the music was AWESOME all night long.

We arrived too late for the opening fashion show but the clothes didn't look THAT special.

I can't describe the atmosphere, I guess it was more like a concert than anything else.

Somebody....

Somebody else...

Anna Tsuchiya, looking soooo hot.

The host of the night was Tominaga Ai and her fabulous blond hair.

Quickly dismantling the stage to make the photo spot.

And I quickly ran downstairs to get in right behind the official photogs!

Gucci does Matrix

I spent all night trying to get a good shot of the adorable Haruna Ai. That's her at the front bending her neck.

Tominaga Ai and Anna Tsuchiya were nattering away. I always thought Anna Tsuchiya looked like Skeletor but she's much more lovely in person.

This dapper Western looking gent with the grey ponytail, I'm sure I spotted him at a recent fashion show in Sendai. I wonder who he is?

Yeah, right!

Some of the entertainment was so cute - children doing Michael Jackson routines!

The night turned into a bit of a pub crawl, starting with free daiquiris in Omotesando Hills.

The stairway became a mini nightclub.

Massive queue for the free alcohol!

Lovely macaron display at Jean-Paul Hevin

The party was still going on outside so we popped over to Burberry to see what was happening.

Result - more free drinks in such elegant glasses.

They also had a mini live stage outside. Burberry was my no.1 stop of the night for sure.

Next we went to Missoni and all we got was posh water, booo! The ribbons were cute though. While we were there a random "mature" Japanese" lady started talking to/at us. She was thrilled because we are an international couple and was worried because her own two sons in their mid-20s are still single. Then she gave us her contact details and invited us to tea! Madness! And suddenly the shop was full of people trying to figure out if we were famous. Ha ha, typical Tokyo!

I forget where this was, if it looks familiar let me know! The music was great anyway.

And the champagne was even better!

Followed by more free champagne, but we could hardly walk straight at this stage so don't ask me where it was!

I definitely remember that this was Camper because I'm pretty sure I can never go back there again. We were drunk and hungry and Camper had an in-house chef doing smoked ham on salty crackers. Yum! We thought we were so subtle, wandering back and forth grabbing handfuls each time we passed the table. I think we had about 7 each. There's nothing worse than trying to be "subtle" when you're drunk!

Then we wandered to LaForet Harajuku which was like some crazy circus and I began to wonder if I hadn't been spiked. But no, it was just Tokyo.

I think they were real, which is a little unpleasant.

I think it was a ploy to make us buy more fur and animal prints.

So, the shoulder on the left if mine but it's clear where my bf's interest lies *cries*

Somewhere at the top of LFH we demolished a chocolate cake.

And because I forgot to snap the popcorn we ate, I harassed the popcorn girls like this for a while. Sorry!

This really appealed to me at the time, I guess it was a rockstar kind of night.

FNO Tokyo 2010 was great because it was free.

But if the point of it was to support the fashion industry, I'm not sure how clever it was to let all the hobos like me in!

I kind of felt like Cinderella, schmoozing with Omotesando's fashion elite before returning to my 109 life.

I did appreciate all of the shop staff who never made us feel out of place though.

We were served snacks and drinks as quickly as anyone else, which was a nice touch.

I remember going to Topshop student nights where we'd get free champagne at the door.

I know it's a heavy-handed way to loosen our purse strings, but it sure is a fun way to go shopping.

I guess it goes to show that you can talk the girl out of Ireland but you can't take Ireland out of the girl!

Gilfy and Sports Gyaru

2010-08-26T01:47:00.000+09:00

The all-conquering red Gilfy bowler hat.

Seriously, when I put on this hat I feel like I can shoot fireballs from the palms of my hands.

Gilfy's Autumn/Winter collection 2010 contains some of the best stuff they've put out in a long time.

It's very Mode though and I'm not really in to that this season.

But the red bowler and the patterned cardigans were playing on my mind so on Sunday I popped in to the shop on the way to meet a friend.

I used to think that many hats in Japan didn't fit me right but now I think it's more to do with styling.

Rather than shoving your head into the hat, you place it on top of your mountain of gal-curls.

Or maybe I just have a giant head.

Anyway, I thought "what the heck" and took it to the cash register.

The staff-chan started congratulating me on my choice because it was the last one they had. Yay!

And just because it's Gilfy and a bowler doesn't mean it has to be Mode...

Hat: Gilfy

Shirt/Dickie bow set: Sally's Eponym

Suspender short pants: Recycle shop

On Monday evening, my friend had a "suspenders and hat" themed birthday party.

Unfortunately I didn't have much time in between getting home from work and going to the party so I couldn't do lashes and curls ToT

But I thought the outfit was pretty good, retro and boyish...if a little clownish!

"Costume version" - suspenders up and shirt tucked in

Anyway, the party was at a bowling alley and was a lot of fun.

I'm not very good at bowling, but I did enough so as not to embarrass myself!

My Jamaican friends had never been bowling before, they said there is no place to do it in Jamaica.

I was really surprised!

The best thing about this bowling alley was the random cosplay.

I used one of their free costumes to practice my posing technique.

I call it "Sports Gyaru":

Getting ready...

Casual pose

The Komori Jun

Ooopps...

My friend's instructions "you're enjoying a shower!"

"You're on the beach and lots of hot guys come!"

Love the wall

For top models

Learning to love camwhore

Well, that was fun ;)

Let's round off with some pimping.

If you like soft and sweet clothes like this:

Then I suggest you check out the Supreme LaLa Autumn/Winter collection which I uploaded to my Tumblr

Also, Hana at Finding Tokyo interviewed my boyfriend and I for her series on international relationships,

If you ever wondered what it's like to date a Japanese guy, now's your chance to find out!

A Promise Kept, A Promise Broken

2010-08-19T23:54:00.000+09:00

Fashion and fireworks!

There we go!

A promise kept - I'm posting coordinates.

Last Tuesday I went to a huuuuuge fireworks display at Matsushima.

I also attended last year so was familiar with the military-style preparation needed to get there.

There's just one small train that goes there and phone signal is weak even on normal days.

During festival time that makes getting there and meeting people after 6pm impossible.

So it was a quick dash home from work to get changed and head out with minimal make-up and no hair styling ToT.

I also discovered that I can't photograph myself very well.

Oh dear, look at this robot-like mess:

Top: Blouse and vest set - Rose Fan Fan

Bottom - Denim short pants - Lip Service

Robot Pose - Embarrassing

Cute set for 1000yen right?

So, promise kept, first step on the road to being a better blogger, etc.

I still don't feel comfortable posing but I think I'm beginning to notice the same stupid things I do each time.

So next time there'll be less robot!

Moving on - a promise broken!

Every time that I go to see fireworks, I always try to take photos, fail and get annoyed because I miss the fireworks themselves.

So, on Tuesday I promised myself that I would just relax and enjoy the display.

I couldn't resist though and would you believe it - they turned out great!

So if you like fireworks, please take a look.

If not, erm, tough luck :)

These were paper lanterns floating on the ocean.

Spectacular, don't you agree?

They were probably my last big fireworks of this summer so I was feeling very nostalgic.

But maybe it was just a few too many drinks!

By the way, if you have shoulder-length/Tsubasa-length hair you should really check out the new PopSister.

They have tutorials on how to do Tsubasa-styles, yay!

Also, if you look to the side of the page, I now have a Formspring.

So if you ever wanted to know how to do a robot pose, now's your chance.

I also joined Tumblr, but it's crap so far so you don't need to look at it...yet!

Milk Tea Grand Renewal!

2010-08-16T00:15:00.001+09:00

Erm...where did I leave off?

Almost a month ago I announced a 3 week hiatus so that I could spend time with my family.

I hadn't seen them since Christmas and it was their first time in Japan so things were pretty crazy.

They also met Mr Miruku's family and we had a big formal dinner together - yikes!

I made sure to take plenty of pictures and was looking forward to showing you around "my" Tokyo...

BUT

...disaster struck!

The night before my family left, my cute pink VAIO packed it in ToT

I was worried that everything was lost, but (I think) it's all recoverable.

Still, I was left with no laptop and living in Japan without internet is a killer.

So I got this little baby:

It's an Asus EeePC netbook and it's so pretty!

It's not very powerful and doesn't have a CD drive but was was cheap and will keep me going until my VAIO is well again.

Get well soon VAIO!

In the meantime, I love the tiny size of this Asus.

I want to go back to college next year and this would be perfect for essay writing in the library.

Hee hee, Engrish!

Anyway, the main thing is I'm online but I'm afraid of pushing this machine too hard.

So, today's post is just a little summary of some recent buys.

Also, I need to find my blogger groove again. It's hard to come back after such a long break!

From the 100 yen shop - pigs for my pigtails!

They had a variety of animals available but pigs are so cute...and tasty, haha!

New Vivienne Westwood bag!

This was a present from my darling mother.

Yellow tartan is not something I'd usually go for, so that's why I wanted to "challenge" it, as we say in Japan.

I've just realised now that unless you know tatami mat sizes, you have know idea how big the bag is.

Erm, it's like a shoulder tote so you could fit some A4 sized notebooks in with room to spare.

Yum yum logo, I can't resist! Viviennnnnnne!

So that was a successful purchase.

The next is.............so-so:

Miruku's First Hair Curler - dun dun DAAAHN!

Actually, I had no idea what to get.

I figured Vidal Sassoon was such a famous brand that it must be good.

I guess the marketing theory of "brand recognition" is true!

The kit.

What do you think?

Is it ok?

It seems to work nicely, but I'm having trouble using hairspray.

Well, that's a post for another day.

Incidentally, this strange head-protector came with the iron:

I was going to post a pic of me wearing it but I looked like a doughy Iron Man.

So that's not happening!

***************************

I want to start posting more outfits but I thought it might be better to introduce the items of clothing first.

So that's a project for this week.

Now I have to make my lunch for tomorrow.

The edamame are boiling and smell so good!

Well, it's good to be back guys, I missed you!

Disqus Test Post

2010-08-12T22:13:00.002+09:00

Trying a new comment system ><

Let's hope this works!

So Long, Farewell!

2010-07-18T00:50:00.001+09:00

I hate packing!

So, after 7 long months, I'm finally going to see my family again. Yay!

And I get to do it in Tokyo. Yay!

Because of that, I wont be posting any new blogs for three weeks. Noooooo!

I'll be back from Tokyo next weekend though and I hope I'll have time to comment on other blogs.

I don't think my family would be happy with me spending "their" time doing this though, haha!

Yesterday was the first day that I didn't blog since I started Milk Tea.

I wanted to wean myself off it - I generally think I should stop blogging everyday and focus on quality over quantity.

So this is a good opportunity to do it!

Anyway, some damage from the summer sales...

Lip Service short pants.

Love the detail of the floral pattern for pocket material.

Although my last post was sad about my friend leaving, at least she gave me some things to remember her by!

Uniqlo/Alice in Wonderland tights.

Forever21 sandals...finally I can try something by F21!

I also hit the Revrossa Clarity sale.

Dress that is too mini to wear without shorts!

Hoping the floral trend lasts a bit longer!

Cute heart-shaped purse.

And finally some make-up treats for my trip:

Reviews when I get back to blogging!

So, enjoy your summer everyone.

I'll still be on Twitter anyway, so don't forget about me!

Love you all *kiss kiss*

See you in three weeks!

Just Keeping Busy

2010-07-16T00:50:00.001+09:00

Mt. Fuji seen in the evening from Tokyo Tower

I guess in any country, the foreign community is always unstable.

People come and go depending on personal life and work.

Tonight I said goodbye to my best friend in Japan.

She's moving back to Singapore and I really can't believe I won't see her again.

Of course we can visit, but my partner in crime and fashion is gone.....

*sigh*

Well, she did leave me with lots of goodies, so maybe I can make a happier post tomorrow!

In order to make this post useful, I'd like to recommend Yookoso for Japanese learning.

You can sign up for grammar and vocab points to be emailed to you once a day.

It's easy to adjust to your level and not too overwhelming.

I think it's a great tool for someone studying Japanese.

I've only been using it for a week and sometimes it's hard to keep up with, but I like it.

Let me know if you use it and like it!

Japanese Design, Old and New

2010-07-15T00:50:00.001+09:00

First the New

Do you know the Japanese label Comme des Garcons?

It's really quirky and innovative - maybe what a lot of people think of when they imagine Japanese fashion.

The look is generally very dark though, so I don't wear it very much.

I love the heart-face logo anyway, I think it looks really cute on tops.

So, when I watched the Yamato Nadeshiko drama, I saw the best idea ever for pair t-shirts.

When it was Mr Miruku's birthday this month, I decided to copy that idea.

This was my packet, colour coded so I wouldn't mix them up.

I got the red print for me and the black print for him.

So cute!

I took the pictures after I gave the other one to him and we still haven't had a chance to wear them together.

When we do, I'll post some pics - hopefully we look cute together!

What do you guys think of couple items?

Sometimes I see couples wearing fully coordinated outfits - that seems like too much to me.

But maybe a t-shirt or accessory is ok?

In this case I wanted the t-shirt for myself anyway so I didn't consider it a waste of money!

As for old design, take a look at this place: Edomura

Edomura is in Tochigi-ken and my coworker suggested that I take my family there.

Seeing as how they wont have a chance to go to Kyoto or Nara, I thought this would be a good introduction to Japanese culture.

What do you think - does it look interesting?

Label Whore

2010-07-14T00:50:00.001+09:00

You know those old department stores that are too uncool to visit?

...Or maybe it's just me who's prejudiced like that!

Fujisaki was never on my list of places to go when shopping.

My image of it was: an older generation, designer brands, high prices, not cutting-edge. nice toilets.

However, it was going on a trip to said nice toilets that landed me in a big financial dangerzone, haha.

I love when your purchases are wrapped in paper - it seems so grand!

First up, this may look familiar:

I fell in love with this Vivienne Westwood scarf so I got one for me and one for the giveaway.

Next, some black Vivienne Westwood tights marked down to 840yen. So cheap!

Anna Sui tights, 525yen on sale. I hope they fit, they're so cute!

Adorable ladybird print.

And finally, the piece de resistance...

Some kind of strange toe-less sock by Vivienne Westwood. Not sure how I'm going to wear them, but they look so cool!

I love the logo so much!

So I'm worried that I'm turning into a label whore.

These are particularly cool labels though, so maybe it doesn't matter so much? ;)

The weather is so hot and humid here that I don't think I can wear any of these for another couple of months.

Then I'll try to post some pictures with them actually on.

Therefore, I kind of consider these an investment for the future and that way I don't feel so bad about spending money!

Anyway, I think I've found a wallet-friendly way to add some brand-name class to any outfit.

Of course, who makes your clothes is not the be all and end all, but who among us could resist anything by Anna Sui for 500yen?

Bring on the brands!

By the way, I'm looking for "hidden gems" in Tokyo to take my family to.

I'm well aware of all the popular, typical things to do but if anyone has any random suggestions, I'd be happy to hear!

AKB711

2010-07-13T00:50:00.001+09:00

Any AKB48 fans in the house?

Well, not me - that's for sure!

I do however, looooove their current collab with 7/11 konbinis.

Here are some of the prizes you can win.

The best thing about it is that if you spend over 700yen then you can reach into a mystery box and pull out a card.

Whatever item from 7/11 is printed on the card you get free!

Here's what I've won so far:

Corn snack - I don't know, I haven't tried it before. Gonna save it for one of those times you find that there is NO FOOD in your kitchen!

Not too bad on the calories!

Coffee mix

Usually I just drink the free coffee at work, but it might be useful at the weekend.

Twirl twirl!

Anyway, even though I said I'm not an AKB48 fan, I quite like their recent song "Ponytail and Shushu".

The chorus is catchy and it seems like a good karaoke song.

As I mentioned before, my family will be making their first trip to Japan next week.

I wonder would they enjoy an AKB48 show?

Well, I'm sure my 19 year old brother would!

It seems like one of those "only in Japan" events but I doubt my parents would be interested - unless the quality of the lives is good?

Hmm, I feel a lot of pressure. Japan is my life now and I want to show all the best aspects of it to my family.

So much to choose from though!

And The Winner Is....

2010-07-12T00:50:00.001+09:00

Click below....

According to Random.org...

The lovely Bianca of Eggrolls For Flowers!

Hooray!

In this case the early bird did not catch the worm as she was one of the last people to enter, haha.

Congratulations Bianca, I'll be in touch later.

Thanks everyone for entering.

I said I'd do another giveaway if I hit 100 followers but clearly that ship has sailed!

Thanks for all your support though, there'll be another one soon!

Tohokool: Matsushima Part Three

2010-07-11T00:50:00.002+09:00

The Bridge of Romantic Doom!

Welcome to the last part in the Tohokool - Matsushima series!

The bridge in the picture above reputedly leads to the break-up of any couple who crosses it.

I was too afraid to test the myth but we both wanted to see the island.

So, I went across first and called Mr. Miruku's phone as soon as I reached the other side. Then he came over.

Maybe it was stupid, but I didn't want to take the risk!

This was the biggest of the "little islands" go I guess local people come here for fishing.

I was wondering, if there was a zombie invasion, would you rather be on a big island that has many places to hide? Or a small island that's easier to defend?

Huuuuuge insect, back in the village.

I honestly don't think I could survive in the Japanese countryside *shudder*

View of Matsushima town from the train station.

So, that's Matsushima - one of the three most beautiful sights in Japan.

If you're in Japan this Summer and would like to visit, you should come on August 17th.

That's when the famous fireworks festival will take place this year.

I'll definitely be going this year, so I'll be sure to post some pictures!

Curly Wurly

2010-07-10T00:50:00.001+09:00

Cute but not enough...

Recently I bought this mini hair iron.

It fits in a handbag and is good for curling or straightening.

Good mini size, haha!

But it does look a bit like a....erm....naughty toy. If you know what I mean...

The week after I bought it, it was featured in SWEET magazine - yay! Ahead of the game!

So now I'm messing around with some new styles, but I think I want to do more.

So, I've been thinking about getting a perm.

But I don't know the first thing about them, so please advise me!

My hair is a little beyond shoulder length and I was thinking of soft waves rather than tight ringlets.

Kind of romantic curls like you see in magazines, right?

Can that be done by perm? Will perm survive the humid Japanese Summer?

Tsubasa's hair is quite short now, so here are some ideas, if you don't mind taking a look:

http://trendy.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/pickup/20090608/1026882/?SS=expand-digital&FD=1287919512

http://trendy.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/pickup/20090610/1026923/

Or should I invest in a proper curling iron and hairspray?

I'm not sure I want to damage my hair with chemicals....hmmm....

Opinions please!

Tohokool: Matsushima Part Two

2010-07-09T00:50:00.002+09:00

From the ocean to the island...

Ok, skipping over yesterday's mess, let's get back to Matsushima.

It seemed like many of you weren't "ocean people".

To be honest, I don't think I am either - or at least I find wooded areas more interesting.

I've lived by the beach all my life in Ireland, France and Japan but somehow trees are irresistible.

Hmm...must be my potato-loving Celtic blood, haha.

In my experience, the wooded areas in Japan and Korea are quite similar to each other, but very different to European forests. I don't know much about trees in Asia, but I suppose a lot of them are local varieties.

Matsushima bay is dotted with tiny islands to explore and I think that many of them (like the one in today's post) were burial and worship sites.

Anyway, release your inner Mori-gal and enjoy the view...

This was a small chain of three islands, connected by red bridges.

Spooky!

Watch out for the Yakult truck!

What's that beside the Buddha?

I'm not sure, but I was afraid to touch it!

Little protective rabbits?

This tunnel was pitch black, I wanted to see what would happen if I used flash!

Island fashion #1

Island fashion #2

FOTD

*sigh* Isn't it wonderful?

I thought it was so romantic, not necessarily in the "love-dovey" sense, but in a mysterious and beautiful kind of way.

Although we went on a Saturday, the small islands were almost totally empty.

I guess many tourists don't know where to find them - hooray for local knowledge!

After this island-chain, we considered going to the "biggest" small island but to get there we would have to pass the Cursed Bridge.

Local legend has it that any couple who crosses the bridge is destined to break up!

ZOMG!

What did the Miruku Couple do????

Find out...erm...sometime soon!

P.S. Thanks for all your kind words towards Mr. M! He's doing well, or at least well enough to try and convince his insurance company that tens of thousands of yen's worth of belongings were destroyed in the accident...bad boy, haha!

What's Going On?

2010-07-08T00:50:00.001+09:00

I'm baffled!

Not really a proper post today, just a snow sculpture from Sapporo.

The reasons for this are:

a) I just got home from a work nomikai/drinking party and tomorrow is NOT a holiday, so I need to sleep it off fast...

b) Blogger is being strange recently. I know a lot of people had problems with commenting on blogs yesterday and I've also had trouble uploading photos today. How annoying!

With that in mind, if you entered the giveaway, please check that your comment is still there! I'd hate for people to miss their chance because Blogger is being silly. If it's not there, feel free to comment again!

Finally, on a personal note, Mr Miruku got run over by a Yakult truck! He's in hospital now so please send your prayers and good energy to him. He's ok, his baby toe is broken but I'm so happy that nothing worse happened. And if we end up getting free Yakult it might even be worth it! Haha, seriously though - please take time today to tell someone that you love them.

Sometimes we need reminding <3

Tohokool: Matsushima Part One

2010-07-07T00:50:00.001+09:00

If you don't like seagulls, look away now.

Firstly, thank you everyone for the wonderful response to my giveaway!

I'm a little confused though. Somehow I gained more followers yesterday than people who actually entered the draw. Maybe they followed in anticipation of the next giveaway? Haha, welcome everyone anyway.

Anyway, today's post is the start of a series - Tohokool!

I live in Sendai, capital of Miyagi prefecture and the main city in the Tohoku region of Japan.

It's a really great place to be but because it's north of Tokyo and so far away from the Kansai hot spots, no one ever comes here! :(

In "Tohokool", I want to showcase some of the beautiful and interesting things that Tohoku has to offer.

I know many of you are coming to Japan this Summer/Autumn - Sendai is less than two hours away from Tokyo by train. You could do a day trip if you wanted!

Sendai happens to be home to Matsushima, one of the 3 most scenic places in Japan (according to the poet Basho).

A couple of weeks ago I took a tour-ferry around some of the islands. To be honest, I prefer exploring them by foot but we saw some stunning rock-faces and had fun feeding the seagulls that followed the boat.

I won't comment much, just sit back and enjoy :)

Local curry pan, with a piece of oyster inside.

The ship sold packets of prawn-flavoured crisps that the birds were addicted to.

Brings me back to geography class in secondary school!

Look how one rock is balanced on the other!

Enemy boat, fire at will!

Michelangelo's "The Creation of Man" (by Mr Miruku)

I was in charge of food supplies. A random American tourist gave me these out of pity!

Desperate times call for...picking up crumbs from the floor. Oh the shame...

Imagine life on one of these semi-inhabited islands, relying on the twice-daily ferry...

Back at port, the queues for the next ferry

Annoying romanisation, but a very necessary warning in this part of the world.

After the ferry trip, we went through the magic entrance to explore the first island!

So are you at all tempted yet?

If you read my blog regularly, I think I have shown you that there is lots of nice shopping etc in Sendai. However, you can say that about any big city in Japan.

So I hope you enjoyed some of the more relaxing sights of Tohoku - the best is yet to come!

5 x 10 Giveaway!

2010-07-06T00:50:00.001+09:00

Or, to give it it's full name, 5 x 10 ÷ 5 giveaway!

Sorry, I don't have 50 items - but you can have 10!

I even made a TOTALLY 100% ORIGINAL poster!

I really had fun during this photo shoot *sigh*

Anyway, take a look at all the goodies again:

This is so good, I wish I could enter!

Let's take a closer look...

Vivienne Westwood neck scarf - follow the current trend in style!

100% real, brand new Vivienne. The label is still attached so you can be sure!

Isn't the print lovely? I actually bought one for myself too!

Disneyland 2010 Easter Wonderland postcard - White Rabbit. This will never be printed again, so it's a little bit of Disney history, straight from Tokyo Disneyland.

It HAD to be Alice themed ;)

Random love-heart notebook and pen, please use it to write more blog stuff!

Roll cake strap - scented! This smells like a delicious sweet bakery. I dare you not to eat it!

The most calorie-friendly way to enjoy cake!

In case you really DO get hungry, these are White Rabbit themed chopsticks and case. Please carry them with you so you don't use disposable ones - protect the environment!

It looks like he's doing a poo but I promise he's not!

Hello Kitty collection.

Wash cloth/hand towel

Slightly punk giant lollipop

Belle deJour bath fizz. These are actually from the 100yen shop, but they're great. Read my review here.

A taste of Japan! Vending machines are everywhere in Japan and you can taste the many drinks available with these sweets.

If you close your eyes and savour the taste you can imagine you're in Tokyo (or Sendai!)

Om nom nom!

A cute kitty bag to carry your bento/books/giveaway prizes!

Talk about attention to detail!

And it can all be yours!

So where else are you going to get free Vivienne Westwood?

Here's how to enter:

1: Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect (the link is on the left hand side of this page)

2: Mention and link to the giveaway in one of your own blog posts (ONE ENTRY)

3: Mention and link to the giveaway on Twitter (ONE ENTRY)

4: So, the maximum is TWO ENTRIES, but if you want to enter just once that's fine. Please comment below with your e-mail address and links showing where you mentioned the giveaway (Blog/Twitter)

5: This is open to everyone and everyone. The deadline is 11:00PM Sunday 11th July Japan time, so you have plenty of time to enter.

Good luck! And don't worry if you don't win this one. If I hit 100 I'll do another giveaway - yay!

Summery

2010-07-05T00:50:00.002+09:00

or summary!

It's was a hot day and I spent waaay too much money on new clothes this weekend.

The sales are on though, so it's not really my fault...

I even bought some tights today and there's no way I'll be able to wear them until the weather cools down in Autumn, so it's like I was investing in my future!
That's what I keep telling myself anyway...

Here's some more stuff I bought in Tokyo the last time:

These earrings were also in the lucky bag.

The whole lucky bag haul

I stopped by Visalia in 109, a nice shop that follows the trends at a reasonable price.

The story behind this top: after forcing Mr. Miruku to buy clothes that I thought suited him, he got upset when I refused everything that he suggested for me. In an effort to appease him, I promised to by the next thing he recommended. This is what he picked - do you think he has good taste?

The shop assistant was really annoying so I spent ages examining the top until I found a tiny speck of dirt on the INSIDE. I acted so shocked and appalled that she gave me a 10% discount. Yay!

My shinkansen entertainment - PopSister on the way to Tokyo, Sweet on the way home.

Free Juicy Couture bag with Sweet, a bit crap really. At least it's big though.

Trying to style the new top with my Liz Lisa usamimi.

When I wore it the usual way, I thought it made my hair look thin, as well as hiding the lovely lace (that matched the new top). So, I tried to wear the usamimi in a headband/scarf kind of way.

Wearing it this way is a lot more convenient, especially when you're out shopping and trying on clothes...but I'm afraid people think I'm doing it "wrong"!

I also bought most of the stuff for the giveaway today, there's just one more thing I want to include, so check back soon!

P.S. Dear Tsu-chan, please stop spamming my Twitter feed! *shakes fist*

Dolly Wink By Masuwaka Tsubasa - Nail Varnish Review!

2010-07-04T00:50:00.000+09:00

Hot off the press...or...erm, the shelves, or something...

This has to be one of the first reviews for this product, right?

Maybe I'll win a Pulitzer!

Maybe..if I wasn't absolutely CRAP at nail varnish though! I mean, I've pleaded ignorance of things like false lashes before. I don't even have that excuse now.

I'm just naturally very bad at applying nail varnish.

However, when I saw the new display in the shop, I had to buy one!

Let's start with the price - 525yen. That's a very good price compared to Tsubasa's other products.

It's almost small change, an amount that you wouldn't feel guilty spending.

It IS a small jar though, I wouldn't expect it to last very long in the hands of someone who takes their nails seriously.

The shop had this free guide to the colours and styles in the range.

The packaging is, as expected, gorgeous. I took pictures with and without flash to show the full effect.

I love the diamond-esque cut of the bottle.

The colour is called turquoise, but I think it's more of a sky blue.

Now I have to apologise again.

I can't wear bright colours on my finger nails because of work.

That leaves my toes.

Toes that have been ravaged by years of kendo and circulatory problems.

View the following photos at your own risk...

Before

After one coat

After two coats

Then I panicked and tried "nail art" by blobbing on some pink crap from the 100yen shop. I don't think you can see it clearly here. Thank God.

So, what do you want from a nail varnish?

Colour - it came out very well in the pictures, so you can see how nice it is. It really pops and somehow makes me feel very cheerful!

Speed - it seemed to dry very fast, I was finished quickly.

Long lasting - don't know yet, sorry!

Even my clueless eyes could see the difference between the Dolly Wink and the 100yen product.

As I said, I'm not a nail varnish girl.

However, the cheap price, pretty colours and easy use have convinced me to buy another jar or two.

Bring on the summer sandals!

Urban Catwalk

2010-07-03T00:50:00.001+09:00

The good thing about living in a smallish city..

..is that it's easy to find the "fashion people" and make friends with them.

Sendai has an amazing underground fashion scene and so many people who make their own pieces.

Everyone seems to know everyone, so every once in a while the people from the cool hair salons hook up with the people from the hip boutiques who get in touch with the top DJs etc.

Then they call their favourite white girl, Miruku! ;)

This fashion show was held in a small nightclub and it had a really intimate feel.

The theme was something like "Fairytale Wedding" and it's very haute couture, only to be worn by the bravest of the brave!

We were all grooving to the DJs, then just sat down where ever we were to watch the fashion show, so the shots aren't great...oh well!

Starting with a dark bride.

I love the details!

The Indecisive Groom

The main event starts with Pirorin, who used to work at my salon. The girl has the most amazing fashion sense I've ever seen.

Part of the show was Kanabu (my favourite assistant stylist <3 ) arranging her hair.

Then she removed her cloak and the groom reappeared.

Another bride, lucky guy...

Finale

Then we partied until morning!

Thanks for helping me out on Twitter everyone, I'm beginning to get the hang of it now.

Also, I said I'd do a giveaway when I hit 50 followers, now I'm over 70.

I'm sorry, I'm awful. Thanks for following and I'll get cracking on the giveaway this weekend, cross my heart!

Twitter

2010-07-02T00:50:00.000+09:00

Follow the leader!

I'm now on Twitter -> @mirukut

I want to follow you, so please reply to this post with your Twitter name (and anybody else you recommend).

Twitter for iGoogle is one of the few "fun" things that can get around my work's firewall network.

Originally I thought I would just use it to practice Japanese but after tweeting my snack and tweeting to unresponsive celebrities, I got bored very fast.

So even if you don't usually comment here, I'd still like to follow you!

Help me make Twitter interesting!

P.S. The photo is from Ne-Net in Sapporo - too cute not to photograph!

P.P.S. Happy Birthday Mr Miruku! Now the grand old age of 23 but still a kid at heart <3

I Hate Tokyo

2010-07-01T00:50:00.000+09:00

...because I can't resist spending money there!

Nah, of course I love Tokyo!

Welcome to another rainy evening in Sendai.

The rain matches the mood of all the Japanese people who can't quite get over the fact that Japan didn't really deserve to progress any further in the World Cup.

Don't get me wrong, I hoped they would - but they did as well as anyone could have expected.

Now, let's all cheer for Argentina so I can win the pool organised by my co-workers!

I'm resentful of Tokyo for having so many lovely things to buy, but I'll show you them anyway.

First up, Titty & Co in Shibuya 109. Yes, that's right, a shop named after boobies.

Another case of me being to lazy to iron clothes when not absolutely necessary!

I love the fringing on the t-shirt and the studs make it kind of edgy. What do you think, Mode?

The shop was having a "Buy 2, Get Both Half Price" deal, so I got this pink and gold necklace too.

Have you ever heard of a special offer like that? I couldn't believe how lucky I was!

I also went to NADIA (Nadia Flores en el Corazon) in Harajuku.

Nice touch to staple a false rose petal to the bag <3

I bought these amazing sparkling tights. One thread was pulled loose so I got a 10% discount. Hopefully a dot of clear nail varnish will hold it together!

It makes me think of a psychadelic kimono!

I wanted to catch the glittery thread that's running through the tights, but I don't think it came out well.

I got a few more pieces that are in the wash now, so I'll post them another time.

I didn't do as much shopping as I expected though.

I'm not sure why.

I think I've got a reasonable amount of clothes for Spring/Summer (although never enough, haha!)

So, I wonder if my subconscious is telling me to do something different.

I have been considering splashing out on some cute office outfits from Cecil McBee.

Or maybe I should look ahead to Autumn/Winter collections?

Hmm...curiouser and curiouser!

Eye Spy

2010-06-30T00:50:00.001+09:00

A poor quality make-up review today!

It's not that the make-up is bad, I'm just not going to do a full report.

Don't blame me, blame the World Cup (Go Japan!)

First up, from Don Quixote:

Lash Gorgeous Wing from Majolica Majorca (Shiseido)

I chose it because of the packaging, no other reason!

Despite all the fancy designs, this is a pretty basic mascara.

Funny angle because it was hard to get the mascara to show up in the picture!

Maybe converting to false eyelashes has ruined mascara for me.

Nothing looks dramatic enough anymore.

I have tried to get used to this mascara though and although it's subtle, it has a few advantages.

Firstly, it's great for daily wear.

If you want a lightly made-up face for work or college, I think this is a good choice.

It thickens your lashes, but not to the point where you can tell it's not natural.

This characteristic gives it a second advantage - using it with false lashes.

For a while I wasn't happy using Dolly Winks. Then I realised the problem.

The thick (Number 2 set) lashes combined with my old mascara gave an over-the-top look that wasn't suitable for anything except a night out.

When I switched to this brand, it gave a softer, more realistic feel.

It's worth having a dramatic mascara in your make-up bag but I recommend this one as an alternative.

KATE Gradical Eyes, beige to green set.

Following the layering instructions gives this effect, which I think is gorgeous.

Erm, please ignore the big gap in my foundation. I had to clean off other make-up first and was lazy ><

There are lots of reviews and colour tests for this brand available online, so I'm just going to point out my personal highlight.

It's looooooooooooooooooooooong lasting.

And I mean loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong.

I've been (mostly) faithful to MAC eyeshadows all my life.

While you can't fault MAC on their colour selection, I always found the eyeshadow to wear off quickly leaving me with THAT half-moon of horror on my eyelid.

Nothing of the sort happened with KATE, I can't believe it!

I wonder is it because the first layer is kind of like a cream base?

Or is it because of my BB Cream?

Do these products act as adhesives or is KATE's formula just awesome?

Ok everyone, your homework is to buy some KATE and test for yourself.

Report back with results :)

Fortunate Fashion

2010-06-29T00:50:00.002+09:00

Lucky Bag!

I went to an amazing shop in Tokyo, with lots of marine-style clothes and retro looks.

And I've completely forgotten the name.

Doh!

I really wanted to share it with you because it's tucked away in Harajuku, kind of hard to find.

Well, I'll be back in a couple of weeks, I'll get the name then.

When I went there, I bought one of their 1050yen lucky bags.

I can't resist them....

Here's what was inside:

Mini floral scrunchie

Big heart necklace

Cute pearled earrings

Bling bling love bracelet

Incredibly gorgeous nautical phone strap

Huge shell bracelet

Mysterious bracelet thing (but it has an English coin, booo!)

(Blurred) Cherry earrings

Simple hair bobbin

Retro scrunchie

Horror-kei earrings!

My ear piercings closed up along time ago though.

I should get them re-done, but I'm afraid!

Any thoughts/advice?

I'm really pleased with everything I got though, considering the risk you take with lucky bags!

As a general update, today was 28 degrees and 90% humidity.

Those of you who dream of moving to Japan - don't do it! ><

(Hopefully I'm sweating off calories at least...)