I think there's no better way to start off a daily post than with delicious food..! And this meal truly was delicious! It was my first round of yakiniku since "the incident," and I came out unscarred and with a new addiction to Collagen Kiwi cocktails (the green drink). In spite of it's appearance, it's quite tasty. So was the rice covered in seaweed (stage left).












The restaurant is from a chain of yakiniku places called Gyuukaku 牛角. When I checked Foursquare on my phone, I think 5 to 7 other shops popped up in the immediate vicinity.

Not too hard to find.

And relatively in expensive. We got all you can eat food and drink, and for 3 people we only topped out around 95 bucks. That's really good for all you can eat and drink yakiniku..! I won't bother with writing up a separate post on this place because you could probably, quite literally, find it anywhere.




Look! More food :)
My mother-in-law bullied me (nicely) into a flu shot this past Monday. But I think as a consolation prize, she bought up bento gyuudon (beef bowl with rice), korokke (fried potato, but shaped like a meat patty), and some nikuman (meat buns) for me to take home for dinner.

I think I've mentioned how awesomely sweet moms can be. When she wants to. Or is obligated to.

Too bad I forgot to snap a photo before I ate most of it :X..





This also happened on Monday. I was working on ideas for a new tattoo, and how much I'd love to get a Tank Girl one since she's probably the reason I ended up the way I am (particularly the strange and violent part, but SHHH don't tell Shota ;D). The tattoo would be without Rebecca though, just the target, bomb and lettering. But I don't want to get it while Shota's family is there because I feel it might be somewhat insensitive to be flashing around a bomb tattoo. I'll probably save this for my return to the states. Kind of like a welcome home tat :D GOOD IDEA..! You can check out more of my art on my art tumblr is you like..! I would appreciate it *wink wink*

These arrived on Wednesday..! My jewels..!!! :D I hunted around the net for some antique-looking jewels to go with my dress. The dress itself has an antique 1920s look to it, so I wanted to keep the theme going with a old school veil and jewels. I did end up finding a nice company and their work was great, but the service was SAIYAKU (terrible)!! I wouldn't recommend them to anyone :/

The jewel looks great though :) Swarovski crystal and silver (probably painted, but it looks nice LOL).





Then this happened on Thursday..!! I got my first set of extensions. I want to do this long and wavy look (you know what for), so I went to a nearby salon in Uehonmachi. They did a fantastic job..! And the staff was a lot of fun to talk to. We even started talking about reading Naruto and One Piece back in high school :P ALSO, they offered this aroma therapy arm message while you were getting your hair done, and it was only 1,050 yen, so I couldn't refuse. And I'm really glad I got it..!

I can't wait to go back next month ;o; They were really a lot of fun... Did I mention she took the time out to mix different colors of hair to make sure it would match mine?! She was working it like it was paint. Maybe I'm just easily impressed though.. :X

Shota and I were both in a great mood (though he was a little weirded out by the hair), so we decided to head down to Bic Camera in Namba just for a pair of headphones.

It was much busier than I expected, and Shota was amazed by all the foreigners present. I think he just never notices them on the weekends because there's sooo many people. Anyway, he mentioned it every time someone walked by, but I think it's because he wanted to talk to them and ask them where they're from. He's quite curious, but also shy, so he ends up asking me instead. Like I'm supposed to know..??? *shakes head*







I had some points left over on my Bic Camera card, so I was able to get a new phone cover for my Android.

Unfortunately, after a season, most models are no longer in fashion, and that's especially true with AU/KDDI. I don't understand who is really keeping up and buying phones every season, but I wish they would stop D:

Anyway, since my phone is an oldie, covers are extremely rare and hardcovers (like what I wanted) are expensive. But thanks to my points, instead of spending 3000 yen (around 33 bucks) on a cover, I got this one for 410 yen (about 5 bucks). And it's got the Batman on it..!! I'm sure it impresses no one in Japan, but my friends back home would love it..!


We also had to stop this Western/Native American -themed shop for some oil for Shota's leather wallet.

We'd been there several times before, so we've gotten to know everyone there and usually end up chatting for a bit, but this day there was a new girl..! She was quite sweet. :)

Anyway, I saw these earrings hanging on a display, and I most literally couldn't take my eyes off them. I don't know if it's the beading on the metal part that attracted me, but they were also pretty cheap at 1,050 yen (must've been a 1050 kind of day Lol), so I picked them up too..!
Oh, the plant..! A freebie from the hair salon, part of their renewal speacial. I hope it doesn't die..! It's called a Happiness Tree. That would be back luck if it died right..??? D: Did I mention I'm bad with plants....

That's probably all for this week. Unfortunately, I'm unable to do exciting things like I wanted for Halloween this Saturday, but we're going in for several hours of karaoke on Sunday, so that kind of makes up for it :)

I don't think I'll be having anymore busy weeks like this, but I'll be back in the States in the early to mid part of November, so I'm either going to set up some stuff to post automatically while I'm gone or just make up some time when I come back. We'll see what happens..!

Til then, everyone be safe..! It's gettin' colder and that flu's gonna be comin' 'round soon! Protect yo' neck!!

★Peaces★

Oh, bonus stage..!! Because this song has been on repeat on my Zune for the past few days :D Enjoy!

Isn't that a picturesque photo?? I feel like the only text missing is "Wish You Were Here..." :)
So my two amigos and I went out to Hyogo for gift shopping (me) and baseball (them). And Aside from the small spat Shota and I had, it was fun..! This was my third or so visit to Kobe.

My last two visits to Kobe only included Sannomiya, but this time, we went to the JR Kobe Station, which was new territory for me. It had the prerequisite large underground shopping mall, and a Space Theatre (!! I still want to see what that's about), but that wasn't our destination. We were headed for MOSAIC, which is a shopping center right on the water in Kobe. It sort of resembles a villa with it's architecture, but it's mostly full of tourist shops; Kobe cookies, Sanrio and Snoopy character shops, and food..!

Food was actually the main reason Yuta brought us here.

Access:
MOSAIC Kobe Harborland
兵庫県神戸市中央区東川崎町１丁目６−１
650-0044, Japan
Tel: 078-360-1722
You can take JR, Kintetsu (if coming from Osaka, it will turn into Hanshin), or Hankyu to Sannomiya Station. From Sannomiya, you can walk for 20 minutes or take the JR to Kobe Station or take the Hankyu to Kosoku Kobe Station. For more information, and maps, you can check out the official website here.There is an English site, but the access information is mostly nonexistent.

And what kind of food could be worth the extra train fare and a walk?? A Brazilian buffet of course..! I have to admit, I've not found a Brazilian buffet in Osaka, so it was nice to try something new. AND I didn't catch some bowel-eating disease..! BONUS :D

The top photo is the view from the restaurant, which is on the third floor of MOSAIC and facing the water. The second photo is my plate of Brazilian-style grilled meat. Can you find the shinzou a.k.a. heart?? It was actually pretty good but I do feel like a bit of a cannibal (even though it was a cow). Shota ate the rest of mine. :P








After lunch, we wandered around MOSAIC because I needed to buy some presents for my bridesmaids. And of course I needed to update my Chictopia, so I snapped some photos of my outfit that day. Near the ferris wheel..!! Too bad that amusement park is just for children, I could've used a roller coaster that day..
Also, MOSAIC has no ATM, or at least none I could find. So I had to go back over to the Hankyu Department Store to use the cash machine. If you don't want to be bothered, just remember to bring some cash..!

To Koshien..!

Can you find Yuta and Shota in this pic??

After the shopping and arguing was done, we went over to Hanshin Koshien Stadium, which is another home field for the Hanshin Tigers baseball team. We were still about an hour and a half early, but it was busy with people shopping for some team goodies. Jerseys, megaphones, hats, tails, bats, balloons, towels, anything and everything really. Yuta needed a jersey too, so we were able to blend in with the locals well. :)

Access:
兵庫県西宮市甲子園町１−８２
663-8152, Japan

 You can take the JR or Kintetsu/Hanshin trains to Koshien Station. The stadium is located right next to both stations. More information on the official Koshien website. ALSO, I would highly advise that you buy your return ticket before the game. The lines are ridiculous after the game..!

Yuta didn't buy a jersey like this, but I really want one..! It reminds me of those jackets that bosozoku gang members have. They're really cute though..!

It took a minute (or twenty), but in the end he found a plain one, but they didn't have it in a medium. So he squeezed into a small, purely for the sake of the game that day. True fan right there~

Then we ran over to the nearby Daiei for some snacks. You can bring whatever food you like into the stadium, but you're not allowed to bring in cans or glass bottles (a safety measure I believe). You have to pour the contents of the can or bottle into a big paper cup before you go in. I picked up some ice cream, Yuta picked up snacks like kakipi, and Shota picked up a big can of beer. And we were set..!

There are some bosozoku in the b/g..!

We bought our tickets pretty late, so all the nice seats were taken. We ended up behind the outfield, but almost all the way at the top. The view actually wasn't bad, but it was impossible to catch any balls they tossed out into the crowd.

This game was the last game for the season, and if the Yomiuri Giants had lost their game, Hanshin would have been able to go to the championships, so it was pretty crowded. You could feel the excitement in the air :)



This was my second baseball game in Japan, but my first Hanshin game, and it was really a lot of fun..! I memorized Murton's, Aoki's, and Toritani's cheer by the end of the game, and was cheering with every play. The guys were teasing me because I was cheering more than they were :P. But I was really trying to keep myself awake... ;D

Hanshin ended up winning the game, but so did Yomiuri, so we couldn't go to the championships, but it was still a good game. I think the guys have made arrangements to go to one game a month for the next season. I don't really know how I feel about that, but I feel like I won't have much of a choice in the end. Well, if I can get a cute bosozoku Hanshin jersey, I'll be happy..! :D

★Peaces★

I wanted to just share some quick photos taken while hanging out with a friend in Namba this past Sunday. Hopefully not too much next (though sometimes I just can't help myself). You may also find some of these on tumblr too :]

<--The current billboard near Dotonbori is Kimura Kaela!! She's one of my favorite Japanese artist and I think her musical style ranges from pop to pop rock, and even a more electronica-type feel (I don't know what to label songs like Circle or Hug). I was lucky enough to see her live this past summer and despite her crazy, stinky, deranged man-fans, it was amazing..!! I'd like to see her again sometime :D



The main objective for being in Namba was shoe shopping! Our friend Yuta has been walking around in the same Converses probably for the last 3+ years, and his grandma threatened him into getting a new pair.

And me, being the shoe-freak I am, couldn't resist oggling a pair myself. I'm totally saving up for these..!! That fur is sick-nasty!♥











While we were on Shinsaibashi-suji, we hit up SPINNS, which is like a street-style and used clothing shop across from Daimaru. Sometimes they carry items from Forever 21 as well. I wasn't actually planning on shopping, but when I saw these items, I couldn't stop myself.

Japan knows how to feed my American nerdy side so good♥ Totally rocking this with the furry Nike's (when I get them).









Then we walked over to Namba Parks, where I bullied Shota into taking my photo. I used these shots for my Chictopia profile because I secretly want to be a fashionista :P I don't follow trends very well but I'm pretty committed to street-style I guess?? I have no idea~

I do love these leggings though. I call them my "Fifth Element" leggings.
Sorry, I think my geek is showing again...

fell out of continuity ;o;

After Namba Parks, we decided to head back to the apartment, drop off some bags then go up to Uehonmachi for dinner. There's a huuuuge hill from Nipponbashi to Uehonmachi though, and it's a real biotch to ride up, especially in platforms.

But I beat the boys anyway, and snapped this photo of a nearby temple while waiting.

I love temples!♥


Did I mention I'm addicted to sunsets as well?? I must have close to a hundred sunsets, but I share them all on tumblr anyway. I think they're all a little different, but because they're the same subject, there's a continuity to them. Like a series. :D














And finally, we ended up at the ABC-Mart in YUFURA in Uehonmachi, where I forced Yuta into these leopard Converses because he couldn't find silver ones. Aren't the bees-knees?! I almost convinvced him into getting them, but he backed out and just ordered a silver pair.

He'll picking them up the next time he comes to Osaka for our (yea, the three of us lol) baseball outing. We've got this weird threesome thing gong on because Yuta is girlfriend-less, though he always complains about how he wants a girlfriend. Is it really that hard to get a girlfriend?? I can't believe it~~ He's pretty charming too :P When he's not muttering or shuffling his feet...

I bet if he'd gotten the leopard pair, he'd be able to get a girlfriend. The silver sequin ones.. I'm not so sure, but we'll see. I'm gonna try to drag him out for Halloween party hunting in Namba at the end of this month..! What kind of costume can he make out of silver converses?? Any ideas??

I know this is kind of quick and sloppy, but I just wanted to share some photos that aren't really related to a shop review or specific outing. Just a really quick and simple look at hanging out..? I guess? I don't know ~3~); Was it any fun too look at?? Please let me know..! ;w;

★Peaces★

(Warning! There's a lot of face ahead :P)

I don't know if you guys know, but I have an addiction. I have to get my fix every two months, and it costs almost 100+ bucks, depending on how much I want done. I've had this addiction for many years, and I don't think I'll stop anytime soon.
I'm addicted to the "creamy crack" a.k.a. a relaxer, but in Japan, it's known as 縮毛矯正 shukumoukyousei, hair straightening.

When I first came to Japan, I came with my box of relaxer in tow, because I didn't know what would happen with my hair. Japanese hair is obviously not like African American hair, so how could they possibly know what to do with it?? I already had it in my mind, before I moved to Japan, that all Japanese salons would be against me, and I would be alone in the battle against my roots (all the other image issues that implies).

Little did I know how similar we would end up being.

Circa 2009

As you can see from this photo, my hair was/is relaxed. It had also been bleached and colored (at that time, it had been a calm shade of turquoise), so it wasn't very healthy. But it did what I wanted it to :]. By the time I had come to Japan (2010), most of the bleach was gone, and I had gone through two really bad relaxers, which only fueled my distaste for salons back home. After having my scaled burned and mauled on those occassions, I decided to rely on myself (and some help from friends :P) to relax my own hair.

Apr 2010 or so

This photo is taken not too long after my arrival in Japan. All the bleached hair is gone, and all that's left is the newly relaxed hair in my natural color. It looks pretty healthy right..? (The only photoshop is my scribbling...) So I figured to keep doing the home kit and tucked it into my case of things I brought to Japan.

But my mother-in-law had other plans for me. Shota's entire family has been going to the same salon for years (like 10+), and they had consulted with the stylists there about my hair. After a little research by the stylists, they concluded it was totally fine for me to get my hair straightened in their salon, with the same products they use on the other customers at that.

Needless to say, I didn't believe them. I had already convinced myself it wouldn't work, so why the word of a trained and practiced stylist change anything. Yes, I'm very, very stubborn. But I also aim to please, so I told my mother-in-law I'd go (and that I wouldn't like it the whole time >:-[ ).

The process is basically the same, it's only the product used that is different. Relaxer's used on African American hair burn like hell. I remember being brought to tears by the phrase "Just five minutes more." The burning is part of the chemical process that breaks down the protein structure of the hair and makes it easier to straighten. It's actually pretty dangerous if not used correctly, and can result in breakage of the hair or baldness. Relaxers have a strong chemical smell, and can only be left on their hair for a short period of time before the chemical starts to burn through the skin.

Sounds horrible doesn't it?? But, as my grandmother (who gave me my first relaxer) always says "Beauty bears pain." Isn't that a little crazy??? And I don't think they were referring to chemical burns :P.

In Japan, there are quite a few ways to go about straightening the hair. The main two are ストレートパーマ (straight perm) and 縮毛矯正 (shukumoukyousei). The former is a temporary form of straightening, where the hair will eventually return to it's original state. The latter is a semi-permamnent form of straightening. I tried to look up some info on 縮毛矯正, but it's only available in Japanese, so I was only able to breakdown a little. I think this process of straightening has to do with molecular bonding and the application of heat to maintain the straight hair.

So the short version:
American relaxer: controlled damage to the protein structure of the hair is used to straighten.
Japanese relaxer: through the use of heat and change of the molecular bonds of the hair, hair is straighten. At least that what I go from the article, any other interpretations are welcome! There article is here.

Both processes involve some damage to the hair, but from my experience, the American one is a lot more damaging with frustrating results.

So, I go to the salon, they start of examining my hair. It's at this point I see the bit of doubt in their eyes. The curls in my hair aren't so strong, but my hair is thicker than they imagined. But the stylist gives me a hearty "Ganbarimasu! (I'll do my best!)" anyway and gets started.

The entire process is about 3 hours and involves the application of the chemical, washing, drying and flat ironing, the application of another cream, another wash, then drying and you're done.

From my first go round, I was not impressed. My roots were straight, but the rest of my hair was still frizzy. I couldn't understand why because whenever I get my hair done back home, the process ends with ironing, which gives the hair the straight look. They didn't iron my hair at the end, so instead of looking straight, it was more of a frizzy look. I wanted to go home and iron it right away, but they told me not to iron it too much, and to rely on blow drying my hair to straighten it.

I thought it was pure madness. Black hair isn't straightened from a blow dry, everyone knows that. You need to blow dry and iron if you want to be straight. AND she wanted me to wash my hair everyday. That's another African American no-no. Hair is usually washed once a week, and then it usually takes 2 hours plus to get it done. Now I had to go through that everyday?? With my mouth, I said "Okay," but in my head I was thinking "Not a chance."


I got my first 縮毛矯正 in June 2010, and this photo was taken in late 2010. Up to this point, I had been getting my hair straightened every month for almost half a year, and I was finally starting to see results. It took 6 months to get results..!!! But I'll tell you why.

The American relaxer, which is reapplied anywhere from every 2 weeks, to every month (or longer, depending on the hair), the hair still needs to be straightened with an iron in order to look straight. I feel like relaxers only takes the natural curls down to a more manageable level instead of actually straightening them. The Japanese straightening style is maintained by daily wash and blow dry of the hair. This process keeps the hair straight, without the use of irons afterwards. In the photo above, you can see the frizzier parts of the hair, from the old relaxer, and the shorter straight hair from the Japanese process. Or maybe you can't, the photo isn't too good. But I think it's a good half-way point to show that even after 6 months, you probably won't see the results of 縮毛矯正.

I had also chopped off about hair of my hair because I was sick of the texture dichotomy that was being displayed on my head.



Let's fast forward another 6 months.
At this point, June 2011, I've been getting 縮毛矯正 a complete year. After I chopped my hair, I stopped getting the treatment monthly, and went to a once-every-two-months arrangement. This is my hair after washing and blow drying, no flat ironing. I had also switched to a damage control shampoo/conditioner set, and also started a conditioning routine after washing my hair. That included a heat protection cream for blow drying and curling.

I think all those factors in conjunction with 縮毛矯正, is how this hair treatment works. It takes a bit more work at home than what I used to do, but I'm pretty satisfied now. I don't have to worry about humidity or getting my hair we because it's basic form doesn't change anymore (getting caught in the rain was a nightmare back in the day..!). Instead of using a lot of oil and moisturizers or wrapping it up at night in a silk scarf to keep my hair healthy looking, my hair stays moisturized from the daily washing and conditioning, with out any oil or wrapping.

The process sounds like a lot of work, but in the end I worry less about my hair and more about other things in life. :)

Here's what my hair looked like when I went to the salon last month. The stylist that used to do my hair quit so she could start a family (props to her), but now I'm stuck with some new girls who seems afraid to really touch my hair =/. She's not trying to "put her foot" up in it, and I think it's weakening the whole process. Or in my mind, that's how it is. If I wasn't so loyal to the owner for working on my hair from the beginning, I would have started at a new salon from last month, but alas, I can't bring myself to leave. Not yet at least. Probably after next month..

Anyway, as you can see from the photos, my hair is shiny and growing. There still about a half an inch of old relaxed hair on the ends, but all the hair in the back (where the mullet is..! D: ), is new and healthy.

Well, I hope this little post about my experience with Japanese hair straightening techniques helps any other African American girls out there curious about Japan, but not sure what to do with their hair. Hair comes in all types, textures, and thicknesses so what I've had may not work for everyone else, but may work for some. Also, I'm almost certain this technique would not blend well with relaxers done in America, so if you're only planning on being in Japan for a short stay (a year or two), I wouldn't recommend it. Three or four years plus would probably worth it though. Also, there are various types of 縮毛矯正 available such as the "perfect straight" or ones for damaged hair. They also range in prices from 80 bucks to almost 200, depending on the type (and salon).

Always consult with the stylist when possible, and if you're not feeling comfortable with the hands on your hair, then don't do it ;)

And lastly, some words of wisdom about HAIR:

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know and I'll be happy to answer them if I can.

Shota is a big sports guy, but I've been putting off going to any sports games (for over 2 years!?) with him because I get really bored. I'm much better at playing sports than watching them. But finally, we got an offer we couldn't refuse, free tickets. So I had to suck it up and make the trip out to the Kyocera Dome for my first baseball game in Japan. We brought extra alcohol. ;D

The game we got the free tickets to was any Orix Buffaloes game in September, and finally made it out on a lovely autumn day this week, the end of September (that shows how long I put off going to a FREE game D:).

Kyocera Dome is home to the Orix Buffaloes team as well as Hanshin Tigers team (sort of), both of which are "Osaka" teams. Though technically, Hanshin's main field is in Hyogo and the Buffaloes also represent Kobe. Let's just say we like to share in kansai ;). If you need some directions to Kyocera Dome, you can find them in this post (which is actually about taking place next weekend in the dome).

Kyocera Dome is pretty big, I think. It's where a lot of pop group hold dome events (I went to a SMAP show here last year), and is often used for other large scale events. There's also plenty to eat, like any stadium, but expect inflated prices D':, per any stadium anywhere. The fatty in me was a little sad since they had "American Dogs" a.k.a. corn dogs and I wanted to eat a ton. I really love corn dogs :D.

Because these were freebie tickets, we could choose any seat within a specified area. I think a lot of people were probably using up their freebie because there were a lot of seats taken in our area, and lots of space elsewhere.

I feel bad for the Orix team because from what I see on TV, they aren't that weak in the Pacific League, they actually do pretty well, but they just don't have the popularity of Hanshin Tigers. This unfortunately leads to somewhat vacant stadiums, and in this case, the visiting team's fans being much louder than Orix fans.

I did try to scream a little, though it was usually at the wrong time. I kept getting caught up in the Chiba Mariner's fight song (it's so catchy!).






At the beginning of the game, they had a traditional Japanese dance performance by some young ladies from Kumamoto Prefecture. I took a video, but I was so far away, it's really hard to see them at at. I'll probably upload it anyway after checking out the data :).

I think the best part about the baseball game was hearing the old people cuss each other out. We even had an old man and woman get into it right behind us. The old man was cheering for the Mariner's, and the old woman told him to shut it. Then he told her to go home and she told him to get to a bar or something. I just like hearing them call each other "boke." :D

Overall, it was pretty good. I finished my two cans of chu-hai before the fourth inning had begun, so I started getting antsy and.. well bored. I know I'm a bad baseball (and sports) fan, but damn if Shota isn't trying to change that :P. He let me get a corn dog, then we decided to leave after the 7th inning, though he declared that was the time it was going to get really good. I was quite happy to leave that all behind and get back home to my work and soft indoor clothes :3.

I'm getting forced to another baseball game this month (October) though. Lucky me..! I need to find an English speaking friend to drag with me because being stuck at a baseball game with two Japanese dudes sounds like the antithesis of fun, plus I'll be vetoed on any idea to return home early D:. Though it is a Hanshin game, so hopefully more dancing (by me) and shouting (by them) will be involved :D.

Oh, I couldn't let the other young girls show me up either..!
Trying to keep it jazzy neo-urban rock or something. Sliding down those handrails like a pro.
Though that sounds kind of nasty when you read it out loud.
D:


Oh, and Orix Buffaloes lost, if you were wondering ;).

★Peaces★