Aloha Rilakkuma Collection (Hawaii Series) アロハリラックマテーマコレクション

I have really had a great summer so far but I can't believe how fast it is going by. I'm trying to cook all kinds of fun summer recipes especially with seasonal ingredients because I know fall is coming soon!

I gave my normal plush some leis to wear : )

I'm going back to school, (and probably more excited just to do office supply shopping than for school haha) are you guys going back to school too?

I saved my Rilakkuma Aloha collection videos for summertime. You can see my plush collection video here, and my stationery collection video here. I also have some decor pictures of how I'm decorating with Rilakkuma for summer on my Facebook page too.

Here's some pictures of my collection so far.

This is a picture of when I first got my normal Aloha series plush in the mail. At first I wasn't sure I would be collecting them, but once I had seen them in person I had to order them! The grass skirts are so cute.

I also got the Lawson Aloha version. I love this set so much, but it took me a while to find it at a good price. It comes with so many little details! Lawson (if you don't know) is a popular convenience store in Japan. It actually started in America...My dad used to go to Lawson when he was young and was amazed to see it when we visited Japan. Lawson often has fun collaborations with anime or Rilakkuma so they often have special Rilakkuma goods.

Kiiroitori looks so cute with his change purse sitting in the cart!

It comes with a Lawson shopping bag, cookies and coffee. Makes me want to go to the Hawaii Lawson!!

I love to put my Hawaii inspired lotions from Bath and Body works inside the cart!

I collect a lot of Rilakkuma stationery, and for this series I have all the mini memo pads. It's nice to use them in the summertime. I keep forgetting how cute the details are! 

Kiiroitori's face is adorable in this one. "It's a relaxing time in the paradise. Why don't you join us?"

I wonder why they chose pancakes to go with the Aloha series? Rilakkuma loves pancakes though.

I love this pattern so much! (I'm a big fan of shaved ice or kakigori) It says "Aloha" in the first pattern. I also like the nighttime beach pattern a lot too.

Here Rilakkuma says "Hawaii is delicious, isn't it?"

I put my two folders up on the wall near my collection. I think my folders are the Lawson version.

Surprise! I found authentic Hawaii Rilakkuma fabric on Etsy. I made some curtains!

I got a coupon book in the Hawaii pattern from a Japanese magazine a while back. It has been really handy!!

I have the big Hawaii towel and also a small hand towel. They were from my good friend Isabel!! (Usagiichigo on YouTube)

So below is how I have decorated! I use the cubby shelf from IKEA on its side. I really love it for summer!!

Thought you guys may like to see my summer decor : ) I recently posted my Hawaii Aloha Rilakkuma series collection video, so you can watch that to see more of these plushies : ) 

Thanks for reading!! Hope to continue collecting more from this series. 

♡ Best Japanese Recipe Sources! ♡

This is a continuation of my mini series about Bento! To see my other posts:

♡ Basic Bento Recipes

♡ Grocery Shopping for Bento and Japanese cooking

Recipes

It is important to have some great sources for recipes--there is nothing more disappointing than trying out a recipe that you found online and purchased all the ingredients only for it to not turn out.

I highly recommend buying or checking your local library for the Just Bento cookbook. It will slowly show you simple recipes that you can use for bento or daily cooking. It includes sections on both Asian style dishes and Western ones.

For perfecting Japanese dishes, there are several amazing YouTubers you need to watch:

Cooking with Dog: the host mom-okaasan you would dream of having

Here you will get the most conservative, traditional ways of cooking Japanese favorites. This is where you can learn how to do things exactly right. She is an amazing Japanese lady with a poodle named Francis who narrates the recipes.

Runnyrunny999: Entertaining videos with great recipes

Here you can learn the basics too. He has some adaptations in his recipes and some amazing recipes that I keep coming back to. (Forever using his Shogayaki and Kari Kari potato recipes) Absolutely hilarious and lovable personality. Even after growing in popularity you still feel like he really connects with viewers with his conversations at the end of the videos.

Ochikeron: Innovative recipes

Here you will find some basic Japanese recipes but she really tries to use ingredients that are easily available in the West. Many of her recipes as a result are adapted for this reason. Also, she likes to post new recipe trends from Japan! (She is so cute and sweet--and a new mommy, too.) Her mochi ice cream and matcha latte recipes are great. (and the mochi waffles work too!)

Namiko Chen: Covers all the basics

Has a great website at JustOneCookbook.com. She is beginning to post recipes in video which really helps supplement the online recipes. Great place to look for basic sauce recipes, making dashi stock, etc.

I think videos are the best way to learn. You see everything step by step.

BUT! The holy grail of mine for finding Japanese recipes is en.cookpad.com--now washoku guide. This website started out as cookpad.com and had all recipes in Japanese from Japanese posters. Now, they created a sister site with translated recipes, and also recipes that people from all over the world can post. (You can try to find my account on there, it's PescaMaryan of course)

You can find just about ANY Japanese recipe. You'll find the basics like how to make dashi stock, how to make miso soup, etc. And you can find crazy stuff about making your own miso or your own homemade udon noodles. (Bo tells me: "Mary, you are NOT making your own miso!" Maybe that's just a little too ambitious for me!)

This website is fantastic because you can search for ingredients you have on hand and get an idea for recipes that will use them. For example, maybe you have tons of cabbage--they'll be plenty of recipes titled "Use up all that cabbage"! Or you just bought a new ingredient--such as umeboshi--you can have a whole list of recipes to get a great idea how to use it.

I prefer to stick with the translated recipes from Cookpad. I recommend creating an account, and "favoriting" the recipes you like. You can easily create tags and search your favorites from your computer or from the mobile app. There is a section of the website that categorizes Japanese recipes, but this will not get you ALL of the translated recipes. To find and search out of this pool of recipes exclusively, click on a recipe posted by "cookpad Japan" (just search some Japanese recipe like tonkatsu, and they'll be plenty). Then click "recipes". Here you'll be able to search through all of the translated ones. Of course, you can search in the regular search bar, but sometimes you'll get recipes by random people that may not always be the most authentic.

In addition, websites such as Just Bento have some great posts on Japanese cooking and bento basics. I love the furikake recipes and all the articles Maki posts about special topics such as starting your own Japanese herb garden, or ways to use okara from soybean pulp.

I don't find Japanese recipes to be difficult--do not be intimidated to try new things, that is the best way to learn.

Mary ´◡` ♡

♡ Basic Bento Recipes

♡ Grocery Shopping for Bento and Japanese cooking

♡ Kawaii Gifts Haul & Review (Pittsburgh) (*´∀｀*) ♡

In December, my mom and I took a mini trip to Pittsburgh to shop for new furniture for my new apartment. Every time I go there, I am sure to stop at Kawaii Gifts! I wanted to make a blog post to tell you all about this awesome store (they have an online shop too). For my video, please watch here.

They are located near the Squirrel Hill part of Pittsburgh (such a cute name so that's why I remember it!). 

It's a cute street of little shops and cafes (Bo and I got some delicious gelato there once). Parking can be kind of hard if you aren't used to it. I always park a couple streets up and walk down. It may be hard to find at first, but look for a little Kawaii Gifts sign and you'll see a little window display of the latest kawaii goods!

When I first discovered it, I was so excited to see all the licensed products from Japan including San-X and Sanrio. It is so fun to shop in an actual store instead of online!

As you can see, there are shelves and shelves of stationery, bags, and plush. They have a huge wall of Rilakkuma, as well as sections for characters like Sumikko Gurashi, Kireizukin Seikatsu, Sentimental Circus, Hello Kitty, and even more hard to find characters like Banao! (Really funny Banana character that my dad is a fan of--My dad loves bananas lol)

Of course for me, I am most interested in the Rilakkuma selection. The amazing part is that they stock lots of new Rilakkuma series (they are an official partnered shop) AND have TONS of older series stockpiled. I've bought Rilakkuma 5th Anniversary notebooks and folders there.

You can see they have a variety of goodies: erasers, pencil caps, pens, notepads, and tiny plush. I easily can spend an hour here deciding what I want to buy for my collection!

Kawaii Gifts may not be the absolute cheapest way to get Rilakkuma stationery--you generally get the cheapest deal on new releases from KawaiiShopJapan.com (see my video review) OR you can sometimes get lucky on eBay. However, the prices are reasonable considering the extensive collection of older series.

Prices at Kawaii Gifts are roughly double the price it is sold in Japan. For example, my Shima Shima notebook I bought in Japan for 350 yen is $7.99 at Kawaii Gifts. On eBay you can probably buy it in the $7-$15 range. So, if you are very specific with what you want, shop around a bit. Older series may actually be a bit cheaper I have noticed because the Japanese price for older series was cheaper back then too. (For example, I bought sticker sheets for the Tamago series that were cheaper than Shima Shima sheets.) For stationery--I consider their prices reasonable!

Their Rilakkuma plush are also about double the price sold in Japan. I've seen them range from $25 to $40. For some of the older plush, like the one pictured, it is a great deal. But, for new plush I prefer to pre-order from MiraPlush when she has the pre-order discount. 

You can be assured that all the plush at Kawaii Gifts are licensed and real San-X products!

If you cannot visit in person, they have a website where you can buy online, with free shipping at $100 and a point program. They occasionally run sales, especially during the holidays.

I've also bought their grab bags at conventions before, so keep an eye out for them at cons. (They post events they are attending on their website) The two ladies who work there are very sweet. I was so happy they let me take these photos of their shop to post on my blog! ♡

For this trip, I decided to stock up on the Tamago series! I'm collecting stationery to write recipes and use in my kitchen! I also like to decorate my dining area and kitchen with Tamago themed folders too!

I got a Tamago series folder, notebook, and stickers. I bought an extra sticker set, so that I can use one in my recipe book, and have one to keep in my collection. I also got a cafe sticker set too.

My mom also discovered her new favorite kawaii character--the squirrel from Kireizukin Seikatsu. She bought me a plush of it and she got herself lots of cute stationery! We want to make a video sometime so she can share her mini collection and why she loves the character!

Here is the video I posted about my haul!

I hope you guys enjoyed this blog post. You can watch my video to see more about what I bought there. Let me know if you have any kawaii stores near you. When I travel I'd love to check them out!

Me with my Kawaii Gifts loot! They were using Hello Kitty shopping bags at the time!

Check out their website!!

Shiseido Ibuki Skincare Line Review 資生堂イブキレビュ

I love a lot of the Shiseido 'drugstore' products in Japan but I hadn't tried Shiseido's normal products. Sometimes it can be hard to know which products are good for your skin type and age, so I was happy to hear about the new Ibuki line in the US that is targeted for those in their twenties looking to prevent aging and protect their skin.

Shiseido is also usually really expensive! (At the end of this post I'll share my tips for getting the cheapest deals on their products.) Last November, they had a free gift with purchase so I decided to try out the Ibuki Skincare line!

I bought the Ready, Set, Ibuki Starter Kit from Macy's and chose the Ibuki free gift. I also had a Sephora gift card and a 20% off coupon for their VIP Party and bought the Shiseido Perfect Cleansing Oil. (You can see my haul in this video)

Shiseido product haul! 

As I said before, I was excited to try this line out because it seemed to fit my skin needs perfectly. The products promise to protect skin from environmental stressors, lock in moisture, and also aid fine lines caused by dryness. I noticed my skin texture had worsened from a combination of stress, winter weather, and laziness to pamper my skin! I had been noticing fine lines around my mouth area that would improve with Clinique Moisture Surge at night, but always returned.

The whole skincare line has a floral smell that surprised me at first. After a couple uses I really got attached to the scent! It is not too overpowering.

1. Gentle Cleanser / Purifying Cleanser

My kit included the Gentle Cleanser, and this worked perfectly for my skin. Even though I do break out and have oiliness, I use acne prescriptions so I avoid harsh cleansers. Normally I would use the Clinique mild soap or Perfect Whip for my skin. I sensed that this product can be lathered very similarly to Perfect Whip and would be great to use with the Clarisonic. You only need a very small amount of product and when washed off, there is no residue.

2. Softening Concentrate

The Softening Concentrate is supposed to provide extra moisture and enhance how the rest of the regiment works thereafter. It is different than many "step two" toners in the West because it does not require a cotton pad to strip the skin. For example, I have used Clinique for years. Their toner contains alcohol and I liked how I felt like I could remove any dead skin and further clean my skin. However, I have heard that alcohol can be harsh on skin. After removing makeup, scrubbing again with your cleanser, a harsh toner may just strip your skin of its natural moisture even more. I believe that this concentrate tries to do the exact opposite.

I simply pour some of the product on my palm and pat it on my forehead, cheeks, chin, and also the area around my mouth where I had fine lines. You can massage it until absorbed or lightly pat your skin. After using it, my skin feels refreshed.

3. ULTIMUNE Power Infusing Concentrate

I don't normally use a serum, but when I have, sometimes I experienced some irritation. This serum didn't seem to bother my skin and it felt really nice. I'm not certain if this product also helped with my fine lines from dryness.

4. Protective Moisturizer SPF 18 / Refining Moisturizer / Refining Moisturizer Enriched

I got the Refining Moisturizer in my starter kit. The Protective version only differs because it contains SPF, and the Enriched version is simply a heavier moisturizer (it can be used day or night, but many say they prefer it only for bedtime). I wouldn't have minded to get the Protective Moisturizer because I like my skin care products to have SPF--even in the winter. However, in the summertime I would probably still use a higher SPF product alongside the skincare regimen.

After applying the Softening Concentrate, my skin already feels partially 'rehydrated', if that makes sense, so I only apply a small amount of the moisturizer. It absorbs well and did not break me out or leave me feeling greasy.

4. Eye Correcting Cream

I love getting eye cream samples! Eye creams can be so expensive~so it is always a plus to get a large sample of one, because it will last a long time. This eye cream surprised me...it is a lovely pale pink color that has a little shimmer! (Once applied, no color or shimmer remains, of course.) It is just so pretty and smells nice just like the rest of the regimen.

5. Perfect Cleansing Oil

Normally, I only use this if I was wearing plenty of makeup, and I would use it first of course. I was running out of my Perfect Whip Perfect Oil (if you want to see my review, and also an in-depth explanation of how I use Oil Cleansers, you can watch here). I wanted to compare the two products--and this oil is much more expensive. I can tell it is more effective and higher quality than the Perfect Whip Perfect Oil. It removes my makeup almost completely, but of course needs to be followed with a cleanser.

Shiny but simple packaging. 

I am not sure which products specifically truly improved my fine lines and texture, but overall the regimen worked together very well. I noticed a HUGE improvement in my skin.

As for getting Shiseido products on a budget, look for their gift with purchase. I only buy when there is a free gift, and I try to stick to the minimum purchase requirement. Over time you can accumulate a lot of products, samples and travel sizes too! One of the few stores to offer discounts on high end beauty products is Sephora--twice a year they offer 15% and 20%. If you have a TJ Maxx or Marshall's you can also often find Shiseido products. My store often has them in the clearance section for $10! (Nobody knows these products where I live it seems.)

Lastly, you can also try out the Perfect Whip line or some of the other 'drugstore' lines of Shiseido products in Japan. They are cheaper but still often higher quality than a lot of American drugstore skincare products.

Are there any other Japanese skincare brands I should try or that you like? I'd love to hear.

Here is my video review if you would like to watch!

Also, you can watch my Shiseido at Sephora and Macys: Beauty Haul Video for when I first bought the products!

☆ Kawaii Purse from Japan: Samantha Thavasa Haul サマンサタバサ☆

In the US, it can be hard to find super cute purses like the ones I see in Japanese magazines. In China and Japan you can find cute designs and pastel colors easily. Many of the bags are cheap too!

So when I am looking for a new bag, I usually check Macy's or Marshall's/TJ Maxx for brands like Juicy Couture, Betsey Johnson, or Hello Kitty. (I did a Kawaii What's in My Purse & a Kawaii Purse Guide video if you are interested ^.^)

When I was in Japan, I noticed so many girls with lovely bags. I loved the shapes of the bags, the pastel colors, and the keychains! (Though I hate when my keychains fall off...)

Finally, I discovered that many of the bags were from a brand called Samantha. There is a ton of different categories of Samantha stores based on different age groups and styles (like Samantha Thavasa, Samantha Kingz, Samantha Vega, Sweets, Anniversary, Deluxe, Petit Choice, to name a few!).

I visited several of the Samantha stores--a couple at Skytree Solomachi, several in Shinjuku, and Omotesando. The bags are quite expensive so I wanted to see all different styles before I bought one. I don't have a really expensive designer bag so it really meant a lot to me to use my savings to buy a purse I would wear for a very long time! : o )

I finally found my purse at the Omotesando store! They have a lovely selection (with several floors) of purses, wallets, keychains, and JEWELRY. Next time I will go back!

The keychains displayed on the purses don't come free! Mine was around $30 o_o; but I had to get it!

It comes with a lovely bag (you choose the color!) and a soft protective bag too. Make sure you bring your passport so you can buy it tax free $$$! (When you exit the border, you show them your passport, and they remove the paper that Samantha put in. If you mailed your purchase you may need to show a post office receipt, but he didn't even ask to see my purchase.)

Korilakkuma loves my bag too! It fits so much inside! 

Someday I hope to buy a nice wallet from Samantha, but many are just as expensive as the purses! Also... I have a couple Rilakkuma wallets that I am in love with (currently using my Rainbow Rilakkuma 2010 wallet). Also, next time I would seriously consider one of their jewelry pieces. There is nothing kawaii like their designs in the US!

Unfortunately, there is no longer a Samantha store in NYC, but there is one in Hawaii. If you are looking for these bags, check ebay! I saw a lot of great deals on used ones and also plenty of new bags too.

I take my bag everywhere! It goes well with summer and winter clothes--with pastels and also darker clothes too. I love pairing it with the pink pastel coat I bought from Rakuten last winter.

Yum Yum! Breakfast at Ikea. I love my Kuma keychain! And my fuzzy keychain I call "little friend". 

Here are some links for more info:

Samantha's Japanese website--> http://www.samantha.co.jp/index.php?nomovie

Samantha's global website--> http://global.samantha.co.jp/en/

My video all about my purse!

My Tips for Asian Sheet Masks!

1. Have it hot or cold depending on the season!

In the winter, I like to warm up the sheet mask in the sink or tub so when I put it on it doesn't feel cold. In the summer you could also put it in the fridge for a bit or run under hot water if you are wanting to cool down. I heard this tip from Bubzbeauty : )

2. Use the extra product!

After opening a sheet mask, there is often lots of extra liquid in the packet. It's great for the neck and shoulders and even your legs.

3. For Massage!

After I do a sheet mask and take it off, I usually can tell it has absorbed a lot, but still a layer is on the surface. At this time I like to give myself a massage! You can check out my video for a mini demonstration using only your hands, or you can buy a massager from Amazon specially for your face. (Blog post here) Bubzbeauty also has some great tips for massaging the face. Additionally, with that extra product I mentioned, you can use it to massage any part of your body! I have back pain so it would be an added skin-bonus to get a massage with leftover product. : )

4. Miscellaneous...

For me, I try to avoid my hairline so I usually fold down the forehead part of the mask so I don't get oily. Many masks just don't fit my face quite right. If I notice it is dripping in my eyes or feels uncomfortable, I just make some tiny tears in the eye section and it is much better. It's best to do something relaxing while you wear your mask because it is hard to talk, eat or even brush your teeth (I tried).

I hope these little tips are something new! My recommendation for a brand is My Beauty Diary because it is easy to get in the US. You can find it at Asian markets and online at places like Amazon, Walmart online and a website I reviewed called Beauteque.

My video all about My Beauty Diary here!

Kapibara-san Haul: Japan Haul ｡◕ ‿ ◕｡ Character Street

If you are looking for cute or kawaii stores in Japan, you should visit Character Street! You won't be disappointed.

I was on my way to Character Street in Tokyo Station to look for the Rilakkuma Store. We had a ton of trouble finding it! But actually when I saw the Rilakkuma store it was so amazing, I figured I would save it for a while (I knew I would buy a ton of loot and Bo would have to drag it around) so I looked at the other shops nearby. 

The Kapibara-san store is adorable! I wish I would have bought a plush, but they didn't have any that *hit* me. I have to really love something to buy it. So I got a bunch of fun things! (My video here)

I first got this super cute Kapibara t-shirt! I wear it as pajamas a lot. Whenever I wear it Bo just loves the face and goes awwwww~~ :3 At this time the Rilakkuma store also had a lot of Rilakkuma shirts on clearance (I was like Rilakkuma on sale?! YES ヽ(๏∀๏ )ﾉ) So I bought maybe 3 or 4 shirts for $10 each. The Kapibara one was much more...(✖╭╮✖) *yen disappears*

Bo and I love Takoyaki, so I thought it was a great souvenir to get a Kapibara takoyaki keychain! This store and also the kuma ones have tons of different keychains as souvenirs for different parts of Japan or places. (Like I got a Harajuku crepe Rilakkuma one)

I got this thinking it was just a small towel, but I opened it up and it was huuuge. So it would be a nice table runner for summer. It hasn't found its place yet, but someday it will. I love suica so much :3

I also got this Alpaca plush and this cute DIY charm keychain. You can select the charms you want in a basket and then buy. The Rilakkuma stores have it too, so leave room if you want to get them from different stores. (I didn't know this when I bought mine).

I also got this awesome duffle bag.(Even has Kapibara shaped zippers!) It comes zipped up real small, and you can unfold it and it gets huge! I wanted it for a carry on bag, so when I travel I can bring less stuff and then expand with my purchases. (´・◡・｀;) This bag also has a little flap that you can slip through the roller bag so you can easily set it on your rolling carry on! So awesome! (I really appreciate this because I have back issues, so carrying less weight and not having a bag fall off constantly is really nice.

And as if my purchases weren't cute enough, the shopping bags are decked out with kapibara. Both big and small bags. *stuffs shopping bags in suitcase to never throw away* I keep a bag full of cute shopping bags in my closet that I just can't part with. Does anyone else do this?

The shops are also really big on gift wrapping, and they will usually ask you if its a gift. Often it is free and you get it wrapped super pretty. So say yes even if you are confused! 

I found that this store and the Rilakkuma one had prizes based on how much you spend, so be sure to look at flyers near the register to find the minimum yen amount. Then split some purchases to max freebies :3 (Don't be embarrassed you are a foreigner ^.^ You can always go and come back later on~~) The first time at the store I bought like $100 worth of stuff and then realized the freebie for spending $25. It worked out though because I shopped again a few days later and got the other version of the folder too.

Above is the picture of the two mini folder freebies! The backs have little cartoons on it. Super cute.

My video is below, if you'd like to see the items!

♡ Married! Our Rilakkuma Kawaii Wedding (´ε｀ )♡

But we are back!

We actually got "married" or rather "celebrated" our marriage three times. Things are pretty complicated getting married to someone from another country (legally). But also since our families live so far apart, we wanted to make sure we included everyone.

Our first wedding was a simple civil ceremony just to begin our long legal process. So why not have it at Dunkin Donuts?

At this time we were so worried about how long the process would take. We were worried about me applying for graduate school, and Bo applying for jobs with our upcoming graduation in May, 2014. Then we were hoping all of our legal stuff would be okay, we wanted to be together no matter what!

In the meantime, my mom and I planned our Catholic wedding for May 17. My family came, our mutual college friends, and also Bo's parents from China. It was a busy time, planning and finishing up our last semester. 

We were also booking flights and planning our summer--for our Chinese wedding in June (in China), and our honeymoon in Japan. It involved lots of work, applying for visas--including a trip to Detroit (for Bo's visa), and a trip to New York (for my visa to China).

For the Catholic wedding, I tried to incorporate Rilakkuma as much as possible! I had a Rilakkuma themed Bridal Shower in a cute tea restaurant. (More on that later)

I searched long and hard for a Japanese style wedding dress. A lot of the wedding dresses in Japan offer different colors and are fluffy big ball gowns. I wanted something like that! However, it was nearly impossible to find anything similar in the US. I finally found a pale pink and ivory dress and custom designed a big bow for the side. (I'll post more details on the dress later of course)

For the reception, I also incorporated some creative notes for guests to make, using a Rilakkuma polaroid and fun stationery. Check out my blog post on it here.

Our journey was far from over--a little over a week later, we were planning for our Chinese wedding in China. It was held June 8th, and luckily our Chinese style Rilakkuma bears arrived on our wedding day for some great photos.

And a grand finale of our two week honeymoon in Japan! It was a great chance to relax and be where we love most.

More detailed posts to come!

In case you didn't see the video I posted on Youtube....

My Kawaii Wedding blog posts:

♡ Our Kawaii Wedding(s)!

♡ DIY Kawaii Rilakkuma Stationery

♡ DIY Wedding Polaroids with Rilakkuma 

♡ My Kawaii Lolita Rilakkuma Bridal Shower

My Kawaii Wedding videos:

♡ ALL My Kawaii Wedding videos ♡