Shoyu Ramen

Different parts of Japan is famous of different kinds of ramen.

Hokkaido Region: Miso Ramen

Kyushu Region: Tonkotsu Ramen

Tokyo City: Shoyu Ramen

and I have no idea where shio (salt) ramen is famous in.

So, I tried Shoyu Ramen at Sapporo Ramen Miharu today. It was nice, however, I prefered the miso-tonkotsu ramen I had the other time... Anyway, I found out the secrets to making the flavoured TAMAGO they add into ramens.

Prepare the sauce. Mix shoyu, sake and mirin together and microwave the sauce for 30 seconds.

Boil eggs for 4 minutes.

Remove the eggs after 4 minutes and dunk them into ice cold water. Crack eggs in the bowl and peel the shells in the water.

Put eggs with sauce into a bag and leave it overnight in a fridge.

Rah rah rah rah ramen!

Gallery Hotel, Level 1, Sapporo Ramen Miharu

Tucked away in a corner of Singapore and in a corner of a hotel is a quaint little ramen house. During my trip to Japan, the tour guide told us that we could find relatively 'cheap' (considering this is Japanese cuisine and that the ingredients are all imported from JAPAN!) authentic Japanese ramen in the restaurant.

So I went there along with 13 others (the Japan trip convoy) to try out what is said to be one of the best ramen in Singapore. I had a steaming bowl of Miso-Tonkotsu ramen. The funny thing is that Miso ramen is famous in the Hokkaido region (all the way up North) and Tonkotsu ramen is famous in the Kyushu region (all the way down South), so combine the 2 and you get quite an interesting tasting broth. I tasted sesame oil (I could even see the seeds) in the broth along with salty miso paste. The noodles were rather tangy and springy so to speak and there was this milky feeling that you get whilst slurping the noodles down with the broth. The smell of the broth was just oishii and the spring onions tasted fresh. I liked the fact that they used the lower stem of the spring onion more as compared to the upper portion where the leaves are because the lower stem gives this crunchy texture and it gives the soup a nice fragrant smell to it. Nothing much can be said about the Tamago/egg because it wasn't runny in the centre like it is supposed to be. Overall a good bowl of ramen and I'd recommend it to those seeking for something better than the cliched ramen chain, Ajisen.

Sandalous.

"Lanvin Macrame' Embroidered Scandals"

Enough shoes, I think it is time to try on scandals. Lanvin has done it again. Another season with something to lust for. Though I was a little skeptical with next season's wear when I first saw it, I notice tiny details that stood out and make Lanvin the creative house that it is known to be. Those interested can check out the range of Lanvin products on Luisaviaroma.com or just wait for Lanvin at Hilton to open. By the way, Balenciaga has a new location at the Hilton.

image:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kR3Y9wCFiWYfPNvOVA1h-QpY8KVzEWxx4D8g8vG4BwZ7HLZA6hYUDxCNN8Muj7M8-L5tr7ScjjTuX8gDa-wn9tVfZq9ChsKLn3_hNEaPQus7qhuwiOJwUEZB3fmRo4NUFRUGRKMaGYfE/s1600-h/Picture+9.png

Hello!

Okay, ever since my return from Japan. I have crazy over Japanese food and the Japanese culture. MUJI is like wonderland for me now and I am always on the prowl for Japanese Designer labels.

In fact, I bought 2 pieces from Comme Des Garcon. What is CDG? Well, it is french for 'like boys' and the pieces are designed by Rei Kawakubo (the sensei of Junya Watanabe, a popular rather Japanese designer in Europe according to Vogue).

The Comme Des Garcon label has so many diffusion labels that labeling them would be a daunting albeit necessary task, so I'd just name a few.

Comme Des Garcon (the Japanese pronounces Garcon, Gar-soh-n, as Gar-roo-soh-n)

the mainline

PLAY CDG and BLACK CDG.

(I bought the long sleeved striped tee and the tee with a gigantic heart, the only difference is that my heart had blue eyes!)

PLAY (the famed heart) is a more accessible range. The clothes are less loud (imagine boys in skirts, yeah that is the mainline) and kinder on the wallet. It's funny how in Japan, one cannot try on the tees at the shop but one can try on other apparels. While I was in the CDG in Shinsaibashi, Osaka, there was a cube whereby PLAY was 'housed' in. I could not enter the cube and only the workers get to enter the cube. CDG is truly a quirky little brand.

BLACK is the cheapest range. It is a Guerilla shop. As the name suggests, it exists outside the mainline and is only temporal. CDG has this habit of setting up Guerilla shops that last for a couple of months to 1 year and then it closes down. BLACK will only exist for as long as this recession exists. It therefore aims to help people spend to save the economy. What an idea Rei!

image: http://thisislavie.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/comme-des-garcons-play-1.jpg

Konbanwa!

Hello! I know that my correspondence has been rather inconsistent and I can explain this.

1) Too tired from a day of traveling

2) No internet access

3) Requires me to pay

Okay, so I have the pictures from day 2 and 3 of my trip. As I am very tired, I shall not say too much today. I'll let the pictures (shyashin) tell a 1000 words.

"Nagoya Castle"

"Mount. Fuji"

"Only the best toilet you'd ever find, it cleans your behind*"

"Mizuki, my school guide"

"Samurai! Ah!!!"

"Acting cool?"

Konnichiwa!

"the clouds from the plane (A380, largest airbus)"

"Alfie at the car-park of the airport"

Hello people! I am currently blogging from a hot spring hotel next to Mount. Fuji. Yes! It is freaking Mt. Fuji! So it was a 7 hour journey from Singapore to Narita Airport (by the way, it only operates from 7am to 11pm GMT+9 because the farmers that live nearby refuse to move!) Oh yar, thanks Hannan, Edna and Nicky for sending me off and posing as my parents (except for Nicky, he was supposedly my 'wife').

So after a long ride from Narita airport, we finally arrived at the National Art Centre where we were given tickets to view the European pieces loaned to the NAC (bought some kind of Jelly about this time. the Jelly drink was in a cool packet and it tastes great. I think the brand M is like Yeo's in Singapore and Coca Cola to the world).

"Golden leaves outside NAC"

"The jelly drink!"

Had Nabe for lunch and Stuart's pot had a cockroach in it! Yucks

"mmmm Nabe"

We then proceeded to Mt Fuji! There are about 10 stations along the mountain all the way to the pinnacle! However, due to the snow, we can only reach the 4th station. But! Low and behold! We got to play with snow!!! (Those from the tropics will find this very very very very amusing, especially the mist that comes with every breath you take!)

"Station 4 of Mt. Fuji"

"Snow!"

"Elephante frolicking in the snow"

Down the mountain is the hot spring (onsen) hotel that I am currently residing in now. MMMmmm the dinner was great (great chawanmushi and all the grilled fishes that I have tried today were just perfecto!) and I'll be heading over to the ONSEN pretty soon! Yes, it is communal so I'd be looking at my friend's shlongs and them, mine. 0.0

Hours left.

"the Yen, can you believe that 1000 Yen is SGD$15"

Clothes: checked

Charger: checked

Passport: checked

Socks: checked

and the list goes on...

It is only a matter of hours till I board A380 (one of the largest Airbuses around and it is said that Singapore Airlines have 'stocked' the plane with GOOD LOOKING air stewards and air stewardesses). I can't wait to reach Japan (GMT +9, so add an hour to Singapore's time)! I can barely contain my excitement. In fact, it reminds me of the night before I flew off to Melbourne. I just would not fall asleep!

Whilst packing my bag, I realised that I needed a new duffel. So I decided to check out Bottega Veneta. My oh my! Bottega's prices are cut-throat! But, it is indisputable that they produce the most intricate leather-ware. The bags do remind me of the Malay Ketupat.

"Bottega Veneta"

"Ketupat"

images:

http://un2kmu.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/ketupat-digantung.jpg

http://images.google.com/imgresimgurl=http://www.japanorama.com/images/1000yen.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.japanorama.com/1000yen.html&usg=__1kNzbkXYGT0QqVRvCxjYE1cjYF8=&h=470&w=453&sz=87&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=B8zXmRYcm5Nc2M:&tbnh=129&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dyen%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIbjVo4qVZJE_wiW0d3L6N-X3NReLzv5DaKyFKmUFfRfS1ahRAwrk4up4w8AogSKqD0p6S9vf6LJA1P2u79wIvgTrw9a-JiXQoiL-tUVVr53vELq7twFMlS-6G5hEHHAS5oNTU38Kh64/s320/BottegaWovenTote2.jpg

I saw it!

I was scouring YouTube (the video Heaven) for some cool new songs when I stumbled upon this video. It's done by the staff of a medical centre in America (USA) to raise the awareness of BREAST CANCER.

A friend of mine also showed me this other video

during my internship. Now this is a way

cool wedding!

Marie Digby.

"Can we pull through this avalanche?"

Marie Digby

Of Irish decent and Japanese blood in her veins, Marie Digby. The girl was discovered via YouTube after she posted several videos of her singing songs with her guitar. It was her rendition of Umbrella that garnered some much attention that record labels came knocking on her door. However, her first album was a failure and much so, was the second. I do not get why people did not give her another try on her second album that has improved by leaps and bounds if you compare it to her first. I just pray that she does not get dropped by her current label. It will be rather depressing... So here is to Marie Digby, hope she pulls through this avalanche.

L is back.

LANVIN

Yes, it has disappeared from it's little corner in Wisma Atria. However, fret not, there is a new store in Hilton Hotel Shopping Gallery and this time, it is under the Club 21 umbrella of brands. That means, it is way easier for me to get the card! I am way excited about the opening. I am not sure when but I really am looking forward to the opening of Lanvin! Okay, let's turn back the clock a little and see how I stumbled upon this...

"Proof that LANVIN is and will be OPENING SOON"

You see, I was in the vicinity getting a pair of Paul Smith socks (which are by the way, very comfy and when I when to the level below (1st floor), LOW AND BEHOLD LANVIN!

"socks"

Ask Edna about how excited I am seeing LANVIN... Okay, so after getting the pair of socks, I brought Edna to meet Benjamin (JC2 Scholar... YES HE IS A SCHOLAR) and we had dinner at Xin Wang Restaurant. MMmmm mmm I had some congee and I must say, it is most palatable! After dinner, Benja went clubbing and E and I left for home (well, I went to my Granny's but that isn't very important).

At 1am, I woke up and prepared myself for my job as a volunteer providing welfare to the runners for the Standard Charted Marathon. Such as little hours in the morning to present time, the evening, was I awake (did catch a little wink here and there but hey, that doesn't count :)). I am beat and dead. Goodnight!

Fonts.

Fonts do play an important role. Have a nice font, people get drawn to reading what you have to say. Have a terrible font, your message might just fail.

I was reading my friend's blog a few minutes ago and realised that he made a mistake in naming a restaurant. Well, I don't blame him because the font the restaurant uses for their logo confuses people. The 'L' in the restaurant, Lerk Thai, looks like a 'J'. My friend hence thought it as 'Jerk Thai'. So the moral of the story is, USE A PROPER FONT.

City.

The rain pours down on the city. It washes the grit away. All the dust that has settled on the pavements drift down the drains. It washes the people away too. All the workers that scuttle above ground, all seek shelter in the complex underground passages.

I chose to defy the elements and walked under the rain without an umbrella. I looked at the weary faces of the crowd. They had the money, they have a job. They do not have a heart. As I continue to walk in the rain, those with umbrellas seemed to snicker. They were dry.

What ever happened to kindness? Are we only kind for a week and bam it's back to reality. Well, there are kindred souls roaming this Earth. On my way back from the foodcentre to the office, I stood close to a man with an umbrella hoping that his 'dryness' can magically transfer to me. It seemed that it did because he looked at me and used his umbrella to shelter the 2 of us. :)

Persona Non Grata.

I can be in a sea of people but still feel lonely.

die einsamen Tage unter der Sonne. die einsamen Nächte dauernden Kälte.

der einsam Mal unter dem Schatten der Obergrenzen der großen Einkaufszentren.

ich bin Daniel der kliene mann. einsamen... mein freudin? mein beste freudin? I can now see why 'Mein Kampf' was written. Perhaps a 'mein freundin'? Why am I sulking?