This wonderfully obnoxiously pink cafe called Razzleberry (yeah they play that music inside too, haha) is the only place that I’ve found in Tokyo to serve tart frozen yogurt.  As if they Barbie decor weren’t enough, the sizes come in “cute”, “sexy”, and “glamourous” instead of S, M, and L, and all the toppings are named after jewels (!!!!) like rubies for raspberries and emerald for kiwis.  There are a nice variety of toppings by the way, mostly fruits, some cereals, and mochi.  It’s such a ridiculous place– I love it!  Haha.

Bali has many different beaches, each with a very different atmosphere.  Some have white sand, some have black sand.  Some are famous as places where you can do water sports, others are famous for dolphin-watching.  We went to Dreamland Beach- an aptly named lesser-known beach that is gorgeous, and less crowded, and apparently perfect for surfing (i.e. quite large waves).  We tried bodyboarding, but mostly for me this meant getting swept under and getting salt water up my nose.  We brought my grandma’s mangoes to eat at the beach– the best idea ever.  Afterwards, we had a lunch of Bali’s specialty foods at Warung Made, a famous Bali restaurant.  Novi took the task of finding good food very seriously– having a book for each town specifically for that purpose.  Every single meal was delicious.

more pictures from indonesia to sort through.  but in the meantime, this is what i wear when i’m lazy– mens’ tshirts (or in this case, little boys’) and jeans.

- i broke my only headband, and since i’m picky about headbands, i have started to use this grey, uh, shoestring as a headband.  tied headbands hardly ever stay on, but, since it’s a shoestring it stays tied all day.

- i love this shirt.  it’s so comfy.  i bought it used.  i bet it belonged to a chubby pizza-loving little boy.

- it is popsicle weather.  i bribe myself with popsicles to finish sections of code, or clean my room, or take out my garbage.  my favorite popsicles are shirokuma– milk based with red bean, pineapple, and orange bits.

- donuts!  from a bakery in semarang.  i have far too many food photos, and so from now on i’ll put up a matching food picture with clothing pictures because, why not.

- happy tanabata!

I love little touches of red.  Lips, shoes, mini strawberries.

The best breakfast I’ve had in a while: buckwheat pancakes, last strawberries of the season, unsweetened hand-whipped whipped cream, banana-honey milkshake.

To set the mood properly: The Breeders- Off You

There was a festival going on in her hometown, so Yu invited me to her parents house to spend the weekend. Her mom was so so so sweet, and made all sorts of delicious food– haru maki (spring rolls), chicken and celery salad, inari, ebi-fry, miso soup, sandwiches, onigiri. Yu and I helped cook a little– and it made me a bit homesick. I miss cooking together to make one big meal that everyone shares. It was the best meal I’ve had in so long– Tokyo’s restaurants are delicious but there’s nothing quite like a mom’s cooking, yeah?  I ate SO MUCH.  And then we went to the festival and I ate EVEN MORE.

A few weeks ago, Yu’s mom cooked for me while I was sick, so I felt like I ought to give her a mothers day present.  Yu told me she loves flowers and sweets so I gave her orchids and Dean and Deluca macarons.  Here’s a hug for moms and all the moms that are not yours but take care of you anyway.

I’m a veggie-loving girl.  On an average day, I eat zero meat.  Not because I am against animal cruelty, dislike the taste of meat, advocate sustainable farming, or am trying to be healthier (well maybe sometimes).  Mostly because I am lazy, and non-meat proteins tend to be less effort to cook and keep.  I do like meat though.  And so even though I love Japanese food and veggies, sometimes, a girl really needs a hamburger.  Like a REAL hamburger, not McD’s or MOS burger, or hambaagu– disgusting and so full of flour!  And I never had a place to satisfy my cravings for REAL BURGERS.  Until BLACOWS, a burger joint in Ebisu that uses Kuro Wa-gyu beef.  It has the best patty that I’ve ever tasted, Tokyo or anywhere else.  And there are delicious toppings too.  Every burger is dressed with spicy ranch and tangy BBQ sauce/ketchup.  Then the menu has options for other toppings– I got mine with avocado, colby jack cheese, and bacon.  There are mushroom and fresh mozzarella left to try.  The bun and fries are pretty darn tasty too.

I’m still missing The Counter though.  Not for their patty, but for their open-minded toppings like dried cranberries and garlic aioli.  Actually, maybe more than that, I’m missing their Apple Pie Milkshake- literally an apple pie blended with ice cream and milk– crumbly bits, baked apple bits and all.  If you’re in the Bay Area, please drink one for me.