fun at the yankees game

My first Yankees game! 

It was a great time and the stadium is beautiful. It's too bad it was so chilly out- brrr! 

I look forward to attending more baseball games in the summer. 

Let's go Yankees!

Let me introduce you to the best friend anyone could have in this office...

MY HEATER! 

I wouldn't be able to survive this winter without my heater! Lately the office has really been on the cooler side, especially with the temperatures fluctuating between 20 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

I got this as a gift from my dad for Christmas and it's been the most handy gift so far :) 

YUM! - Double lunch with GOGO Curry!

Last week I was unable to cook and bring lunch in as usual.

First of all, it was the coldest week we've had this winter and I was too exhausted from trying to keep warm to even thinking about cooking anything to bring for lunch. So when Mayu said that she was going to have curry for lunch, I jumped at the opportunity to order also.

Two days in a row I decided to get Chicken Curry from GOGOCurry. It was AMAZING!

Now I will let you know that the only type of curry that I really love is Japanese curry but, even that can be a bit too spicy for me. This curry was JUST right, it had a lovely sweetness to it and I couldn't stop eating.

Everything about this was awesome, including the cheese that sat between the chicken cutlet and the rice.

DELICIOUS!

I will definitely be ordering from GOGO Curry again soon. 

Skincare---exfoliation revisited!

One of my favorite parts of my beauty and hair care routines is exfoliation.

I love exfoliating because it removes all of the dead skin and makes me feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and not to mention, softer and smoother. Now that we are approaching the worst of the cold, winter brisk air, it's just about time for me to give a rundown of my absolute favorite exfoliation products.




1. Sara Happ The Lip Scrub

I got The Lip Scrub in the COCOA scent (although I should say flavor because I am always so tempted to eat it, it smells so wonderful). I have been using it on and off for just about one year and I am always super happy with the results. I have always been someone who has suffered from dry chapped lips in the wintertime.

2. LaLicious Sugar Scrubs

I spoke about these before but I have to come back and say that I LOVE the newest fragrance of LaLicious that I have. Last year they ran a promotion for a free body scrub to whoever was on their mailing list and made a purchase qualifying for a birthday gift. Guess what it was??? Birthday cake scented sugar scrub--- delicious!

Two different sides.

Lately something about my hair has really been starting to bother me.

One side is significantly longer than the other. And not in the fun and stylish way that Rihanna had her hair cut a few years ago...

Remember this? 

I have heard for years that this is a normal thing but, after noticing for a while that the right side of my hair was longer than the other- I wanted some answers.

I have tried so many things!

• Nurturing the shorter side of my hair (applying more deep conditioner for longer, treating the hair on this side of my head like silk to prevent breakage) 
• 
  
• Sleeping on the longer side-- hey, I figure maybe sleeping on the left side has contributed to the growth being stunted somehow
• 
  
• Cutting my hair to totally even out the sides -- only to see it continue to grow in uneven!   

AND MORE! I have done so much to try and get my hair looking even on both sides but I have just come to the conclusion that maybe it just isn't meant to be. 

How would you tackle this problem? 

Found a new favorite oil! GRAPESEED OIL.

Okay so I have come to say that I have found a new favorite oil--- GRAPESEED OIL.

I have been looking for an oil for my hair for so long. I have previously posted about my success in using both castor oil and coconut oil. Recently, I found a woman with beautiful non-relaxed hair on Youtube and in just about all the videos I watched, she was raving about grapeseed oil.

I have tried it a few times and it's been working quite well at keeping my hair feeling nice and moisturized. And it's funny because oils usually make your hair feel dry after a few days but not this one, it soaks right into my hair.

Love it!


What are your favorite oils?

Today's Lunch!

This was my lunch today!

I went out to lunch with the CEO of Armada Style and a colleague and we got to eat delicious steak.

This is a shot of me testing out my camera before all of the steak and potatoes disappeared!

The steak came with a light but, flavorful onion sauce. So much better than A-1 sauce!

My Speech to Students in Japan.

I am back in Japan once again!

Yes, everyone. This time I came to do a very important task. In Japan, there is something that happens every year for many college students called SHUSHOKU KATSUDOU. This is when students make the decision on where they will be starting (and usually finishing) their careers.

Armada-Style Japan (like most other companies here) holds a few seminars a year, during which students listen to the CEO speak, get to participate in a Q&A with current employees, and get to learn about what kind of lifestyle they;d have working at the company.

I spoke about the challenges that we face in the New York City office.

I think it went really really well! The students seemed to understand me which was super important because my speech was ALL IN JAPANESE!

Thanks so much to Mayu for helping me practice over and over--- it really paid off.

Participating in this event was certainly a highlight and something I'd love to do again.

Thanksgiving Hair --- Straightening my natural hair success!

I usually reserve doing drastic things to my hair for the holidays. I know it sounds strange but, around this time last year is also when I cut my hair into layers because I was tired of looking like COUSIN IT. Of course, it's just hair right? So it will grow back....

Well, my hair is still sort of in layers since that time but I am proud to announce that I have finally discovered even more neat things about my hair in the past few months than I ever have.

In this post I'd like to share with you some of the things I've learned about my hair, as well as document the regimen I will be using from now on when I straighten my hair.

Products Used: 

e-CURE Treatment M-3.2
e-CURE Treatment P-3.2
S-Series Shampoo
Aussie Moist Conditioner

Chi Silk Infusion

Wide Tooth Comb
Jilbere Straightening Comb
Paddle Brush


Gold N Hot Hooded Dryer
Babyliss Pro Nano Titanium Blow Dryer (w concentrator nozzle)
Croc Infrared 2 Inch Flat Iron



First, I applied M-3.2 to my dry hair and scalp and made sure that it was dripping wet. I then applied a mixture of M-3.2 and Shampoo (I no longer use the shampoo mix bottle but use a foam pump or an applicator bottle).

I massaged this into my hair until it became a rich (and grapefruit smelling) foam. Placing a plastic cap on, I sat under the dryer for a good 45 minutes. I wanted to make sure that my hair was as completely moisturized as possible before heat styling. I have learned from so many of my past experiences that the more moisturizer my hair is, the straighter and sleeker I can get it to look and the longer it STAYS straight.

Anyway, after I was done under the dryer, I sprayed my hair lightly with P-3.2 and made sure that I massaged it into my hair, especially onto my ends before going ahead and rinsing. I rinsed, making sure that my scalp was absolutely as clean as possible and then went ahead and applied Aussie Moist, leaving it on my hair for about 15 minutes (until I finished showering). After rinsing I noticed that my hair had minimal frizz and  my curls were so defined. I will attribute that to the level of moisture that I had in my hair after the intensive conditioning of the e-CURE Treatment.

Next I sectioned my hair off, and used a paddle brush, working my way up from the bottom of my hair to the top, and went through, removing any shed hairs and tangles from my strands. I applied a drop of Chi Silk Infusion and then pulled this first small section of my hair taut, and moved my blowdryer up and down using the concentator nozzle. I found the small section, the high heat, and the detangling session really helped to get my hair quite straight with the blowdryer.

I repeated this until my entire head was blowdried and then proceeded to flat iron. I used even smaller sections this time and went through the blowdried section with my straightening comb. This helped me to ensure that my hair was really separated into strands and ready to be flat ironed. I was able to flat iron my hair and it came out SO smooth and SO shiny. I also took the time out to dust any straggly ends and any single strand knots (which are so much easier to see on straight hair).


I assume that I will be straightening my hair every 2-3 weeks this winter because it helps me retain length. I am really determined to continue growing my hair out and hope that I will get the waist length hair that I've been hoping for by next winter. I am confident that e-CURE will continue to be a staple in my hair journey, as it replenishes my hair with much needed moisture and helps keep my hair looking shiny, healthy, and beautiful.


Wish me luck!

yay for macrons!

This morning Carla brought us a yummy treat for Thanksgiving!
This was my first time trying macarons.
I honestly did not think that I would  like them because at first glance, they appear to have a crunchy shell.

But...

they were AMAZINGLY delicious and so very chewy! The flavors that I got a chance to taste were dark chocolate and pumpkin. Both were very rich but fun treats before the holidays.

Just a few more days until my Japanese exam.

 

Only 3 weeks left and we are at the final countdown before my Japanese Language Proficiency exam. This has been one of the hurdles in my language learning and we are fast approaching the deadline! 

My exam is on December 2nd and I am really nervous about it. I have been studying for a really long time and much harder than I have in the past (though there is always room for improvement). 

The main issue that I think I should focus on over the next 10 days or so will be grammar. 

As we say in Japanese--- GANBARIMASU! 

Photos of my Nikujaga.

Finally I was able to find the photos of  my nikujaga from the other night. 

What do you think?

Making Japanese comfort food at home.

When I studied abroad in Japan, one of my favorite foods that I ate at my host family's home was NIKUJAGA. 

This very traditional meats and potatoes dish is named for exactly what is in the pot. In Japanese NIKU means meat and JAGA (which is short for JAGAIMON). I love this because as many Japanese foods it has a soy sauce base and is both a little bit sweet and a little bit savory. 

When I made mine I used yukon gold potatoes, yellow onion,  baby carrots, and sukiyaki meat from the local Japanese market. It was amazingly good and I plan on making it one more time... in fact, I may make it again this week! Traditionally, I have read that NIKUJAGA is supposed to be served with white rice so next time I will try it that way (ive just been eating it alone!)

I plan on making many more stops to the Japanese market to stock up on Sukiyaki meat in the near future!

my favorite things at Yankee Candle!

The winter weather has been dumped upon us here in New York City. Just as we have been trying to get back to normal life around here after Hurricane Sandy, we were hit with a Nor'Easter storm that has left us with a lot of snow and slush in the streets.

Whenever winter hits, I always think of one of my favorite hobbies. Maybe I am a nerd for doing this but, I am an avid collector of Yankee Candles. Well, my collection isn't HUGE but, I will say that I love Yankee Candle and I look forward to smelling their new fragrances whenever they come out with a new set. 

Last year one of the sets that really impressed me was the "My Favorite Things" line of candles. 

This line is based on the song "My Favorite Things" from the classic film, "The Sound of Music".

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittensBright copper kettles and warm woolen mittensBrown paper packages tied up with stringsThese are a few of my favorite things

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudelsDoorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodlesWild geese that fly with the moon on their wingsThese are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashesSnowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashesSilver white winters that melt into springsThese are a few of my favorite things..."
Yankee Candle has brought us lots of candles with fun new scents, inspired by this song. Last year, I walked away with just the Crisp Apple Streudel candle but, this winter I am going to try a couple more. I cannot wait to try the following: 
Whiskers on Kittens
Brown Paper Packages 
and yep, Schnitzel With Noodles

Vintage goods.

I bought this agenda in Tokyo! 

I have been looking for a new agenda for some time now and it just so happened that I found this beautiful, vintage-style planner. 

I will be using this on my next trip to Japan....

Trader Joe's Brie and Asparagus- woohoo!

I love this frozen meal by Trader Joe's. Some days I'm totally stumped as to what to get for lunch. 

So... I choose this! 

Shells with Brie & Asparagus

My Steamed Cheesecake... gone too soon.

Normally when I post about food, I post about delicious food that I've had the pleasure of eating. 

Today however, I am posting a sad story about the last snack that I have leftover from my trip to Japan. 

This is Hokkaido Steamed Cheesecake and it has always been one of my favorite convenience store snacks. I saved this once and hope to have it for a nice snack over the weekend.... 

Only to see that the expiration date has already passed.

Oh well :(

This was my weekend. Studying.

Most of my weekend was taken over by studying for the Japanese Language Proficiency exam. But yet somehow, I know it is still is not enough. I still have 5 weeks left. It is a really big goal of mine to try and pass this exam but, as others who study Japanese know, it is never just that simple. It's actually really hard to try and get all of this information down and ingrained into my mind. 

Ganbarimasu! 

Back from Japan.

I had a great time at the Japan office and visiting the Armada facilities there.


I would have to say that I also had very great meals there, with friendly fellow colleagues.

One of the best experiences was going to the factory to see how our products were manufactured.
It is always very important in business to be able to know the process from which the products have been created.


I wrote a really informative article about this to be featured in the November issue of the e-CURE Newsletter. I encourage you all to look out for that in the mail in about 2 weeks.

I have arrived! My Visit to Armada JAPAN

During the second week of October I am here at the Japan office. I will tell you about my experience over the next few issues of the e-CURE News but here are a few photos to peak your interest!