It’s difficult to take a photo of Moon.
According to the news, Moon should look like this.
This is my best shot.
Earth shadows Moon to eclipse.
Month: January 2018
Cooking @ Home
I love to dine out with friends; but I cannot dine at a restaurant alone.
When I’m lazy to cook, I buy take out dinner.
Well, it’s not healthy and some are not welcomed such as rice or other carbohydrates.
Nowadays I cook at home.
Unfortunately, most of time, dishes that I cook are not photogenic enough to be posted and these are not my own recipe; I search from internet, mostly from COOKPAD.
I cooked Oyakodon (Family Rice Bowl: Chicken, Egg and Rice) tonight.
I made a minor modification by using chicken tenderloin and with brown rice.
I try to make it healthier.
2.8 million recipes are introduced at COOKPAD.
Nail for Meeting
I have meetings to attend this week.
At the meeting, we usually exchange business cards and I want my nails to look sweet.
I use these stickers on old rose pink.
And of course, I use these base coat and top coat as well.
Girls’ Night Out @ Dancing Crab, Shinjuku
We had a New Year Gathering at the Dancing Crab, Shinjuku.
At this restaurant, we eat bare hands.
Staffs dance every thirty mins to entertain us.
We eat, we drink and we shout! hahaha
My New Customs
About a month ago, I consulted how to lose weight with my physical therapist.
He advised me to cycle for 20 minutes 2 – 3 times in a week.
Before exercising or starting a day/waking up, I was advised to take amino acid to recover from muscle fatigue quickly or prevent from any muscle fatigue.
I searched for the product and started taking Ajinomoto’s Amino Vital Pro which contains 3600 mg of amino acid.
I regularly take one sachet in the morning and before exercise; sometimes even in the evening because I can take as many as three sachets in a day.
It is recommended to take amino acid because our body cannot produce it; we need to obtain it from food.
After exercise, I was advised to take a lot of protein.
The quickest way to obtain protein is by drinking a protein drink.
Again, I searched for it; then start taking Meiji’s SAVAS Whey Protein 100.
This is my first protein to try and image of protein wasn’t good then.
I picked Meiji brand because Meiji is a major confectionery manufacturer in Japan and good in making chocolates.
This SAVAS Whey Protein 100 is a chocolate flavor.
When I start going to gym regularly for 20 mins bicycle ride, I became very hungry, and I mean, VERY hungry.
I was scared about my huge appetite which I couldn’t control at that time.
Well, I found out about a week later that I need to make a protein drink with three scopes of protein powder.
Since a scope is big, I thought it requires only one scope to make a protein drink.
Actually, I was making a watery protein drink then.
Now I don’t mind to replace my breakfast with a protein drink and I am fine with it.
Today, I finished my first pack of protein.
There are some days that I had a difficulty to control the appetite, but now I’m doing better.
I bought a new package: Meiji’s SAVAS Soy Protein with a yogurt flavor.
According to the package, it states “Weight Down” and “for Losing Weight”.
It also contains Garcinia, a popular weight-loss supplement.
It supposed to help me controlling my appetite and prevent from making fat – sound absolutely great!
I hope I would experience these effects.
Hi, Mr. Snow Man!
I left my room earlier this morning, anticipating delay of train and icy road that might require small steps to walk carefully.
Surprisingly, there aren’t many people on the train; I expected a train to be packed with people rushing to the office.
My office is located at the edge of Ginza, busy commercial area; therefore, people are busy clearing sidewalks.
I could walk safely around 8:30 am, though I diverted to avoid any stairs.
By the time I reached office, I felt like I’ve accomplished a task already.
When I looked out my office window…I found him.
Somebody made a Snow Man!
He made me smile and warmed my heart.
At lunch time, I looked out looking for him…he’s gone.
When I left office, the sidewalks are cleared.
Well, I should plan to leave early tomorrow morning again to watch out for ice which might be created under the shade and night.
It’s like a survival game in Tokyo. hahaha
I returned to home early so that I had time to do my nail.
I use nail sticker to design French Nail.
Snow in Tokyo
According to the weather forecast, it forecasted starting snow around 3 pm today.
When I looked out around 3 pm, it was still raining.
I was budgeting for a project so I wanted to finish it before I go.
Everybody left at 5 pm sharp.
I looked out at 5:30 pm…then I lost a word…
I don’t mind snow, but it’s uncomfortable walking on the icy road with office attire.
It takes time to reach home.
We need to walk carefully (again, the road is slippery: icy snow on the asphalt) and public transportation delays.
I use subway, underground, for commuting so theoretically, I should not get affected by snow.
But, I was stacked in a subway on the way back because public transportation in Tokyo is vulnerable to snow.
There are many train operators in the Greater Tokyo Area.
To enhance the usage of line, suburb lines are connected to the Tokyo Metropolitan Subway.
Line is getting longer and longer.
At the end of my subway line, it connects to another line on the ground.
Subway operates behind schedule: it increases people waiting on the platform by taking space for passengers to get off from a train.
Train operators (not only one operator, but many) stop subways to control crowd on the platform.
All subways park at the nearest station till crowd get controlled, making subway to operate behind the schedule…
I plan to leave home early tomorrow morning, anticipating delay of subway and the icy road condition to walk carefully and slowly.
I’m thankful.
I’m at home and in the warm bed.
Oyasuminasai (Good Night)
Furniture Hunting with Mom
My parents plan to move to a new condo.
Mom is looking for new furniture and so as I.
We plan to go for furniture hunting today; that’s why Mom spent night at my place last night.
I excused myself to go to gym and quickly got ready to go out.
Of course, before we go for a good exercise, we went to get a nice brunch at my favorite Italian Restaurant: Il Ritrovo, Roppongi Hills.
This restaurant is famous for pizza.
The chef won the pizza contest in Italy.
Food is delicious; price is reasonable; staffs are nice.
I highly recommend this restaurant if you are looking for an Italian.
We took enough fuel, then went to IDC Otsuka (International Design Center Otsuka) Ariake Show Room, Ariake, Tokyo.
Otsuka Kagu Ltd. is the first furniture retailer implementing direct import of furniture from overseas.
Yes, this company had an issue with furniture industrial people by breaking the Japanese tradition of multi-layered distribution system in Japan.
This is my favorite furniture store because I can find about 50,000 items in 75,000 sqm.
I can compare many styles, concepts and brands at once.
Yes, it is a good exercise because I walk back and forth to compare furniture.
Yes, this shop ables to see the actual products.
Mom found a dining table and chair set and lace.
I’m considering a bed and light.
We plan to visit few more shops.
I love furniture hunting!
Healthy Saturday
I woke up and went to gym for cycling.
Recently, I added a new routine: taking a bath after morning exercise.
It’s refreshing.
Then cooked a healthy brunch.
After brunch, I went to hair salon.
I had good time chatting with my favorite beautician: she is funny, sweet and good (skillful).
After finishing my hair, time to go for body therapy.
I asked for an advice how to further improve my health.
He encourages me to continue going to gym for cycling (warming up).
I don’t need to work out hard because objectives are enhancing blood circulation and increasing metabolism.
Instead of increasing volume of exercise, he advises me to control my appetite.
Yes, I love to eat and drink…this is my weakness.
It’s dinner time; I cooked simple dinner.
Then Mom who was in town today arrived my apartment.
We had Gluhwein (I made it with Gluhwein bouquet (spice bouquet)) together with a Gluhwein cup that I bought in Germany when we visited Christmas Markets in 2006.
Cheers!
Friday Night Nail
I bought nail stickers in Korea years ago.
Korea is cosmetics heaven so I simply picked up various cosmetics without checking its price.
It is Friday night.
I designed my nails aggressively tonight with these.
sonokotchi 