Happy Halloween!!!

Happy Halloween!!! This year I decided to be a neko (cat) for Halloween. I actually just wanted an excuse to wear my cat ears headband, lol. (=^.^=) 

Also at work we had a pumpkin decoration contest where we were split into teams to decorate a pumpkin and we put it up at the front lobby of the school for students to vote for the best decorated pumpkin and my team actually won! =D 

We made Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas! I have actually never seen the movie. I think I should watch it tonight to celebrate our victory. XD I drew her face and my team members help painted her and did her hair. We even made a movie poster to add for the background. 

Other pumpkins made by other teams. The Drake one was really nice and artistic. It actually won 2nd place! 

How are you celebrating Halloween? Are you dressing up as anything this year? 

Review: Hotel Sunroute Chiba

Time to review another hotel in Japan. This time I am reviewing a hotel that I have stayed at in Chiba for 2 days. The location is super convenient and easy to find. It is located right above from the Chiba JR station and there are many food places nearby and convenience stores like Lawson and Family Mart. 

The front lobby area to check in is really nice and spacious! 

Review: TSUJIRI in Toronto

Tsujiri, the all-matcha menu cafe bakery opened its first shop in downtown Toronto on Dundas Street West near Bay. The shop sells everything matcha flavour from lattes to soft serve ice cream to macarons and cakes. The shop which is originated from Kyoto Japan has a history of 156 years! All drinks and desserts are made with products imported from Japan. During the summer there was always a long lineup outside of the shop with customers lining up to buy ice cream. Until today there is still a line of customers everyday.  

The shop is actually quite small with very few tables and seats to sit. You'd be lucky if you are able get a seat. I only got to sit at table once out of all the times that I have been to the shop.

Their menu does change up quite often and there are a variety of drinks and desserts to choose from such as lattes, teas, floats, sundaes with soft served ice cream and some pastries like roll cakes and macarons and cookies. 

The Tsujiri Sundae is served with red bean paste on genmai at the bottom and matcha ice cream with shiratama and chestnut and a sakura flower cookie on top.

Tsujiri Shiratama sundae with red bean paste and mochi balls and matcha ice cream on top. Also available in mix or vanilla flavour. 

Tsujiri float in matcha flavour. It's basically a blended ice drink with matcha ice cream served on top.

Overall review: I would highly recommend this place if you love matcha. As a matcha lover myself, I can see myself coming back to the shop often as they do change their menu quite often. I'd love to try the lattes and some of the pastry baked goods. 

Official website: http://tsujiri-global.com/

SANKO Japanese Foods & Gifts Shop in Toronto

I wanted to do a short post on a Japanese foods and gifts shop located in downtown Toronto called SANKO on Queen Street West. I actually recorded a video of this shop awhile back last year for a video contest to win a trip to Japan. Unfortunately I didn't win the contest but I thought it'd be fun to share and talk about it on my blog anyway. There has been so many new Japanese restaurants and shops opening in Toronto lately, especially in the downtown area that it has turned into a little Japan town. UNIQLO has just opened in Eaton Centre on Friday September 30th and I wanted to go and record a video tour there but there was soooo many people lining up to go inside the store. I'm going to wait a bit until it dies down before I go there to shop around. 

Anyway, SANKO has been around in Toronto for quite some time now so it's not new. It has been opened since 1968 and the shop is owned by a lovely Japanese old man by the name of William Mizuno. At the shop you can find everything from Japanese snacks, food, tea pots, home appliances and even magazines that are imported from Japan. The price is a little expensive but that's probably because they need to cover the import fees to have the items sold here. However, they do have some quite unique and cool stuff that you won't be able to find anywhere else here in Toronto. 

SANKO Official website: http://toronto-sanko.com/