Mood:  celebratory

Today, I hanged around Kobe area all day long.  It was a little adventure.

I went out by Lupo, to have lunch at Kobe-ya.  After eating a plate of lunch, I drove to Shin-Nishinomiya harbour to see the yachts and the stores.

Then I headed to Oji zoo! I hadn't visited there for like...7 or 8 yrs.

There were no many changes and it was a real nice zoo as it was.

I saw lots of interesting figures and moves of animals. I liked the way the bear looks at something, the elephant's nods, penguin's curiousity, and the amazing speed the seal swims!!!

I had lots of fun there.

Later, I drove to Kurakuen to visit my faaaavorite shop, named "d" aka "daisuki". This store has a very very nice series of plates, bowls, cups, or every other table sets.  It also has many of such nice linen clothes, so I bought one beige linen with blue stripes. I really like it. :)

I can't wait to buy table sets for my new life after marriage....with somebody...in this world....haha

 Then, I went to Nature Spa Takarazuka to bathe myself. The same hotsprings as Arima onsen were there.  I could rest my body enough...

After that, I went to Sannomiya (yeah, I played too much) and had sushi for dinner, then went to see the famous Luminarie.

It was very beautiful... although they're just small lights gathered, it has some mystical atmosphere. Every time I go there, I remember of the earthquake in 1995, when thousands of ppl lost their lives, and I feel so sorry for them who cannot see these beautiful tiny sparkles.

There were not too many people since it was a weekday maybe.

It was a full event day!....but I guess I was too active.

Gotta go to bed. nighty-nite!

Mood:  happy

Today I went to Kobe and had tasty Okonomiyaki. :)

Later, I walked all through MINT and bought very nice bath salt of belgamot and rosemary. Can't wait to use them!

At tower records I bought a CD of Alicia Keys. It's pretty good. :)

I headed to Cafe Nescafe and had a hot cup of latte and a chocolate chiffon cake together. What a yummy time of night...

Mood:  not sure

 This is a very hot bowl of udon that I ate in Nagahama, Shiga pref.

Its soup was very very thick, almost like "ankake" udon.

We got really warmed up by this. :)

It's the season of onabe

I like kamonabe the best but haven't had a chance to eat since my dad doesn't like it much.  weird...

Mood:  bright

I went to Itami city museum to see the exhibition "animals + (plus)".

It was hilarious! http://www.fujitv.co.jp/events/art-net/go/440.html

When I visited there a few wks ago, I happened to see the sculptor.

He was really cool. He had some atmosphere by himself.

His works were really brilliant.  The colors, shapes, and atmospheres are all nice, and all those stuff are very nicely harmonized and producing very mystical, yet friendly air.

I reaffirmed the interesting shapes of animals.

Pls check it if interested!

Mood:  caffeinated

I went to Osaka today and saw the city beautifully decorated with pretty christmas illuminations.

 It's still November and a bit too soon for christmas, but seems like there are no other special events to celebrate after Halloween.

 On the way home, I bought a CD, "Uta-jikara" of Chikuzen Sato.

It's pretty nice so far.

 Oh yes, I've got an early christmas present several days ago.

My father's friend, who owns a Herman teddybear retailing right in Japan, gave me a single lens reflex camera that I've wanted to have!

 I have a job to translate the semi-annual newsletters of Herman teddybear. http://www.hermann-teddy.jp/

I had a chance to meet him and talk about pictures, cameras, etc.

He likes cameras and always buys the newest ones, so he gave one that he doesn't use anymore.

Yet, it's still new, Nikon D40X!

I was thinking about buying Nikon D80, so it's one rank under but still really really nice.

As it came without a lens, I gotta buy one.

My Nikon FM is also truly nice but digital single reflex would work as hard and well with me!

Mood:  chillin'

It was kinda chilly today, wasn't it?

I went for a walk to Kwansei Gakuin Uni., about 15mins walk from home.

Some trees had beautiflly colored leaves, but seemed like it was a bit early for the kouyou-season.

 This is Kodaiji, Kyoto in summer. It'll be nice with red and yellow trees soon.

Mood:  hug me

Hi. I can't recall when was the last time I wrote here two days in a row...

Wonder how long it'll last. ?!

 My today was all full of work.  I could finish one specification though!! *applaude*

I feel like travelling somewhere....somewhere surrounded by great nature and where I can rest my soul...

Actually, I'm planning to go to Shoudo-shima in Setonaikai.

It's the island famous for olives, soy sauce, seafood, etc.  I need to lay myself in the warmy hotspring...hmmm, can't wait.

Mood:  flirty

I wonder, if there still are some people who visit here..
whatever, I'd just like to write about my recent life after about half a year of silence.

I haven't had any major changes, but I added footprints on the new light house.
I visited Ogishima in Kagawa, where the famous Ogishima light house stands.
It's such an old one built of stones in Meiji era and has a very classical and beautiful appearance.

See, it's lovely, izn't it? 

A few days ago, I hanged around Kobe by myself.
I used to do this a lot when I was in university...no matter how many years pass, Kobe remains lovely to me.

I bought some pretty clothes for the new born baby of my friend's, and entered Quatre Saisons nearby, where by wallet released a lot of content..
Instead, I got a pretty band of dried lavender flowers, cute linen scalf and handkerchief, and a warm charcoal alpaka sweater.

My major purpose to go to Caffarel (chocolate shop) had to be postponed due to the shoes I wore that day...which were killing me.

Yesterday I went to Umeda to have massage to fix my back and make my lymphatic glad flow better.
The massage over my back was really good, but the lymphatic massage was, oh my gosh, a lot of pain.
Seems my body isn't so good, she said, is very cold and easily chilled.
I should take a longer bath everyday. hmm.

On the way home, I dropped by at Yodobashi Camera to check out the cameras and camera bags.
I'm looking for a good single lens relfex camera, probably of Nikon or Sony.
Now I'm using Nikon FM, that is a manual single lens camera, but I need a digital one to practice more.

The bags of the store were all so...not-cute..
I guess some designer should think about female customers as well.

At home on the internet, I found a very cute camera bag made by the collaboration of Nikon and Porter.
It's very cute but looks heavy to carry...hmm...
I never thought it this difficult to find a nice camera bag.

Oki, I guess I wrote too much.
Bye for now!

Mood:  spacey

Hey all.

You dun wanna hear my apology so many times but let me say sorry for not showing up here for long.

It's already summer!! I prefer heat to cold weather but I hate mosquitoes!!

What is worse is that mosquitoes love me...

Once I step out of my house, they rush toward me to eat my blood...I really hate them. Seems like they love me far more than other people. Weird...

I can't hide this too much charm.  I can't help it, u know. hehe

 About a week ago I went to Fushimi-Momoyama in Kyoto. I have my Honseki-chi there since my grandparents used to live there.

I went for the first time since I last visited there more than 20yrs ago.  It was a fantastic place. I never realized that as I was little.

 I visited Terada-ya that is famous for the battel of Shinsengumi.

It was a very nice inn, though I couldn't go inside since it was closed on that day.

Yesterday my family gathered at the restaurant in Ashiya, Bellini where we sometimes go for special occasions.

This time our grandma came and we all had tasty Italian and enjoyed talking.

It was cloudy with a little bit of rain, but a nice day. :)