Photo-a-day 2016.07.31

Overboard on desserts

Tiramisu and Hokkaido cupcake in back are from Rain Cafe, and green tea mousse cake in front are from Kiki's Bakery, both in Seattle, WA.

While they looked very pretty and appetizing, they were a little disappointing. Tiramisu was ok but it was cake, not ladyfingers. The cupcake was dry and hard. The mousse cake was too much cake, but I liked the hints of red bean in the mousse. Might try another round of cakes at these two places, just not all at once, haha.

Photo-a-day 2016.07.30

Boardwalk at Heather Lake

Taken at Heather Lake trail on Mountain Loop Hwy

Photo-a-day 2016.07.29

Pike St. retail

Photo-a-day 2016.07.28

Clow cards

Clow Cards from the anime series Cardcaptor Sakura

I had been contemplating buying this for many years but told myself it was an unnecessary purchase and I could always buy it later. That is, until I saw it in right in front of me inside a bookstore in Japan......

Photo-a-day 2016.07.27

Light dispersion

Photo-a-day 2016.07.26

Giant parking ticket

Photo-a-day 2016.07.25

Stairways

From the 41st St. bridge over Aurora Ave in Seattle, WA

Photo-a-day 2016.07.24

Puppy snacks

Photo-a-day 2016.07.23

BLT waffle

The BLT waffle from Toast in Ballard

Photo-a-day 2016.07.22

Gudetama plush

Sanrio's lazy egg character, acquired from a claw machine while in Japan. Hooray for a successful claw machine grab! (after two misses)

If you want to know a little more about Gudetama...

Photo-a-day 2016.07.21

Puget Sound

A view of Puget Sound from the Bell Harbor Conference Center

Photo-a-day 2016.07.20

Olympic Sculpture Park

Nighttime view of the weird face and Space Needle of the Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle

Photo-a-day 2016.07.19

Tug of war

Tug of war championships during my department's annual all staff event. 

For once, it did not involve awkward forced group activities, instead let us decide which activities to participate in (which was great because I twisted my knee playing volleyball before this and would NOT have been happy to participate...)

Photo-a-day 2016.07.18

Matcha parfait

Matcha parfait from Miyabi 45th in Seattle, WA

I was looking for soba when I walked in, and to my delight I found this on the menu. Still craving Japanese desserts from my trip. Super happy to find this.

Photo-a-day 2016.07.17

Japan souvenirs

A photo of all the souvenirs and random items I acquired (for myself) overseas in Japan. Hooray for Japan!

Photo-a-day 2016.07.16

Yasukuni Shrine during Mitama festival

Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, during their Mitama festival

Photo-a-day 2016.07.15

Narisawa

Narisawa in Tokyo, Japan

I enjoyed a fancy 13 course meal with tea pairings while visiting Japan with some friends. Pictured here was one of the first dishes out, called Satoyama Scenery and Essence of the Forest. It was candied burdock roots atop charcoal bamboo and some matcha mixture, some greens, and yogurt. The wooden cylinder in the back contained oak infused water. The entire meal was delightfully delicious, colorful, and perfectly portioned so that you wouldn't feel overly full and could still enjoy each new piece of art, I mean dish, presented to you.

Photo-a-day 2016.07.14

Honey toast

Strawberry mochi milk honey toast from Honey Toast Cafe in Tokyo

After much debate as a group, we ended up getting two honey toasts, this colorful one and the plain one. Both were fantastic

Photo-a-day 2016.07.13

Dining with garden view

Garden view of the dining area of Kadensho in Kyoto

Photo-a-day 2016.07.12

Green tea parfait

Green tea parfait at Saryo Tsujiri Gion Honten (Yelp and official sites)

Had a little bit of everything, green tea whipped cream, jelly, chestnut, ice cream, agar agar, other jellies, omg I want another...

Photo-a-day 2016.07.11

Owl Cafe

Owl cafe Watawata in Nara

Omg. I miss playing with birds. These were all so cute and tame and adorable

Photo-a-day 2016.07.10

Moss temple

Moss temple in Kyoto, also known as Kokedera, also known as Saihoji. Beautiful scenery, lots and lots of overgrown moss everywhere. A wonderland for photographers...

Photo-a-day 2016.07.09

Atomic dome at Hiroshima

Photo-a-day 2016.07.08

Osaka Castle

Photo-a-day 2016.07.07

Kobe beef

Kobe beef from Wakkoqu. It was super tender and juicy, one of the best meats I've ever had. Yum.

Photo-a-day 2016.07.06

Okunoin at Koyasan

Okunoin, a wonderfully peaceful walk through centuries old tombstones lining a paved road

Photo-a-day 2016.07.05

Shukubo

Shukubo, aka temple stay, at Koya-san in the Wakayama region of Japan. 

Basically, you stay overnight at a temple and get pretty nighttime views of the temple and a peaceful evening to unwind.

Photo-a-day 2016.07.04

Yukata

I was feeling artsy whilst wearing a non-generic looking yukata (cotton Japanese-style robe) around the hotel/ryokan

Photo-a-day 2016.07.03

Kishu chomon no yu

Translates to "listening to the Kishu surf"

Outdoor onsen with view of the Pacific ocean, inside of Hotel Nakanoshima in Katsuura, Japan (Wakayama prefecture). Even though it was rather hot outside, this was refreshing and relaxing

Photo-a-day 2016.07.02

Good morning Japan

View of the Tokyo Sky Tree from my hotel room for the first night.

Time change makes photo-a-day weird, so teeeeechnically this is not taken on the 2nd, but whatever.

Photo-a-day 2016.07.01

R2D2 jet

From Vancouver (YVR) to Haneda (HND) via ANA

The little differences that made it fun:

- They had a light show and played the main theme before takeoff

- headrests had R2D2 covers

- stewardesses wore R2D2 aprons

- cups, napkins, and trays were Star Wars themed

- Darth Vader's head bucket had candy inside

- stuffed Yoda was hanging out in the snack area

- and of course, the outside was painted as seen here

It was a fun little surprise =)