Seemingly out of nowhere, H wanted to pick up Japanese pastries from Yama Cafe. Was he craving their mochi bites, or was he hoping to satisfy my sugar craving? Either way, I was happy with the selection:

Tea flavored mochi bites in addition to the white mochi ball and a Sakura red bean... thing. My vocabulary is proportionate to my sleep, and I've been averaging less than 5 hours. 

Lots of red bean filling in the mochi:

Salty sweet ume and red bean in the Sakura... thing:

H also brought home a slice of their strawberry cake that got squished in transit, so I didn't take photos and originally wasn't  going to mention it. Their cake and the whipped cream on top were so light and delicious though, it deserves a mention and more recognition around Vancouver.

H and I savored every bite of that ugly cake.

We were reminded this week to treasure the things that don't last forever. Nearing the end of bath time with baby S on Wednesday, she started crying because the bubbles in her bubble bath were disappearing. She wanted to add more bubbles, but we couldn't do that since it was nearing time to get out of the tub. We weren't about to ruin the timing of her night time routine just because she was throwing a tantrum. H reminded her to enjoy the bubbles more, the next time that they're around.

Like the bubbles and the time that S has in the bath, I'm reminding myself here that time is limited and it is such a waste to spend even a second not enjoying it. J also reminded me that while work and finances are important, this is the only time I'll have with the kids. It's tough with two under two, but I am sure I will miss it.

Sink is out of order. There must be a leak in one of the hoses connected to the faucet or something came loose, because water was dripping down pretty quickly underneath the faucet into the sink cabinet. The good thing is, we place a bucket underneath the faucet and the pipes, and we caught it in time, before water overflowed out of the bucket and did not soak through our sink cabinet and floors. Another good thing is that our countertop and sink renovation was already scheduled for this week, so we won't have too long to wait. Guess I'll be eating out for a while.

We picked these cute sandwiches up from Kanadell the other day: 

The left side is the katsu sandwich, and the one further back is the tuna salad. We also had a yuzu dessert, to the far right. Overall, they were quite tasty and an easy snack to pack. The sandwiches are only available on Saturdays because of all the work required to make each of them, and they do look pretty laborious to make. They're not just deli meat stuffed in between sliced bread!  I would not go back for the yuzu dessert though, just not my type of flavour. 

This year is almost half over, and so far, I think I've done more house maintenance and yardwork than ever in my life combined. I've also been thinking back to cleaning my dad's carport from earlier this year. The manual labour is just so fulfilling at the end, when everything is cleared out, and you can go home to take a long hot shower to scrub off all the dust and wash away any potential rat poo germs. It was the best shower of my life.  

Comparing that to a full day of office work, with back to back meetings, emails, and phone calls, I don't need to take a shower to relax. I need something to cleanse my mind. 

It has been week where everything has gone wrong, and when a week like this happens, it's very important to have comfort food. We went for take out at Motonobu Udon after we got off work on Friday. 

They don't put up a very noticeable sign at the front of their store. When I first walked by, I thought it was just the lobby of the apartment building that sits on top. They make their own udon noods in house, and charge almost $20 per bowl. Was it worth it? And why don't they put up a better sign? 

I had the NikuToji (beef brisket with egg), while H had the TamagoToji (egg with egg...?).

Definitely get the EbiTen add on, because it is made with jumbo shrimp (teehee).

 Their broth is very hearty and brings back meaning to my life.

I know I'm lucky to be able to afford meals like this during these times when people are losing their jobs and even their lives because of the pandemic, but while I'm counting my blessings, I would also like to whine about my crappy week.

1. Late for a very important meeting.

2. Delayed home project because of the sink. We have been waiting so long for this... well, about 2 months. Now that I think about it, it's only been 3 months since we moved in...  

3. Car got broken into, most likely because we forgot to lock it (does that still count as broken into?). Whoever entered the vehicle tried to start the car, but couldn't figure it out, and left.  Nothing was taken and there was no damage, but it still feels like a violation of our privacy.

4. I'm just so tired, and cannot manage to mow the lawn, which is growing wild.  

Went for ramen with J at the Marutama by Metrotown: 

This was back in late summer, early fall time of 2019, when they just opened. The line up was out the door, and wait time was close to 45 minutes. We were planning to hang out anyways, so we stood around with the rest of the crowd. It was not the best spot to hang out, nowhere to sit and rather dusty from all the traffic. J and I were there to catch up, so we didn't mind standing with the rest of the crowd along Kingsway. Go with somebody that you don't hate.

Was it worth the wait?

It's different.

And not that I hated it! It's just not the usual fatty ramen that I would choose. I had the tamago ramen, which uses a chicken broth and comparatively blander. I was really hungry too. The standard ramen portion just was not enough to fill me up...

I wouldn't wait for this again. There are plenty of other good ramen spots around town.

Is there still a long line up?

After H and I tied the knot in early September 2019, we went on our honeymoon to Japan, where it was ramen overload. Maybe I'll do a series on that trip later, but I have become so unorganized with photos and food notes these past few months. I ended up becoming busier after all the wedding planning ended! I hear this is not not the norm, but more than a few things happened... I'll elaborate in my next post, as I'm going to go back to playing Animal Crossing now.

This week, I feel like I’ve done a lot, but accomplished nothing. Maybe more coffee will get me through to the next week:



During my last visit to Toronto, D suggested that we walk over to Neo Coffee Bar for a quick breakfast. They make beautiful Asian inspired delicacies, including mochi and cake rolls, with Asian inspired flavours, like matcha and sesame. We had the matcha red bean roll, sesame roll, and the seasonal peach flavor, which were all very good. Really good, filled with cream and paired so well with the latte.



The sesame red bean mochi was the real winner here. It’s a huge ball of soft mochi stuffed to the edges and bursting with sesame and red bean cream filling. So next time, I’m going to get a dozen of these for the plane ride home:



I haven’t found a spot like this in Vancouver yet, with a cozy industrial feel and the same desserts. Maybe La Foret, because they also have roll cake? Let me know if you find any others.

Back to this week… I really haven’t been able to focus very well, my mind keeps drifting. I’ve always been pretty good at prioritizing, but I’m at a point where nothing seems to matter anymore, because everything seems like a big life change. Life changing decisions were made and even more need to be made soon. New apartment, travelling, getting married, career… Where do I put my energy and what’s the next step?

Got way too hungry after work, and didn’t want to cook, after transiting for an hour, so H met up with me at Menya, which is conveniently located by the Canada Line skytrain:



I gotta say that I was not very satisfied by this miso ramen. It had better broth than Jinya, and I ended up drinking all of it, but my gripe with this bowl was the portion size. I was full for maybe 30 seconds after I slurped up the last drop of the broth. Why don’t they put more noodles in?! I guess rent is expensive, and they need to be conscious of expenses... The ramen also didn’t come with an egg, so we had to order it on the side. Other than that, it was very cozy, clean, and came with great service, despite being very busy with guests at every table.



I’ve been trying to eat at home more often to save money, what with many expenses coming up soon. It sort of freaks me out to think about how much money will be leaving my bank account in the next year or so. Stay open to allow things to flow through, my yoga instructor said today. This could be taken a few different ways, but I’m sure she was referring to life events, like if something horrible happens, be accepting of it, and it will pass. Right now, I keep thinking of my wallet staying open and all the money just flowing in, and then, very quickly out of it.

We visited Hakkaku Ramen for some authentic, affordable noodles in soup:



I had regular Miso soup, with the fattier meat, and H had the rich Shio with the fatty pork. It was marvelous. One of the best bowls of ramen I’d had, the soup was full of flavour, even without ordering the rich version. Can’t go wrong with the pork belly! Reminder to add an egg next time because the Miso doesn’t come with one. I’ll try the leaner cut of meat next time too, just to see the difference.

 

Sometimes, I have to remind myself that I’m really lucky to be able to live this way – eating ramen, going for dessert after dinner, driving from one destination to the next. It’s taken for granted by some people, the conveniences we have in this city (in this life). The other day, I finally gathered up all the plastic bags I had been hoarding and brought them to London Drugs to recycle. Doing things for the environment.

Throw back to this snack we had at Poke Guy after our Greyhound ride from the Niagara Falls back to D’s house:

It’s slightly overpriced for what it is… Rice, fish, vegetables, and sauce, with not much in terms of service. I do like watching them compile my food in this very plastic disposable bowl (maybe one day we’ll see the end of all disposable takeout containers and utensils? I’m still guilty of using them, but I did bring my own Tupperware to a restaurant tonight for leftovers). Anyways, this was split between H and I, before we headed to a real dinner with D and T. The hunger made it taste much better than it really was, but I felt like I'd come back or at least try other poké places.



Grandma’s back in the hospital, and I’m again wondering the meaning of all her obsessions… She’s afraid of taking Tylenols because she’s worried she’ll get addicted to them. She doesn’t want to eat any fatty foods because of high cholesterol. She doesn’t want to go out in the sun because she might get skin cancer. At what age should you stop worrying about the consequences of indulging?

I had some greasy pizza today for lunch. Guess I'm lucky to be able to have all these experiences.

H had a craving for ramen. I had a craving for adventure. We went to a new place, called Jiro Sushi and Ramen:

Fatty pork, perfect eggs, and fresh fish. There could have been more broth in the tonkotsu ramen, but the noodles didn’t get soggy, and toppings were plentiful. There were snow peas included, something I haven’t seen before! The unagi in the bento box could have been thicker, but the flavors worked for me.

We also had the agadeshi tofu, which the server was confused about. He had no idea what we were talking about, and to him, it was just fried tofu. I should’ve asked where he’s from, because he didn’t look or sound Japanese. Overall, good, but could be better, and I would go back. $30 or so including tax and tip, cash and debit only.





I hope to stay healthy for the rest of summer, but it might be difficult with all the germs around me. Some people lead more difficult lives, but let’s all try to be considerate and conscientious citizens.

This is going to be a slow new years eve. I feel the urge to stay in, be an introvert, and mourn the end of another year. I always feel like I haven’t done enough. What have I accomplished?

What did you manifest this year? – Aaliyah @YYOGA

Let’s start with yesterday, New Year’s Eve eve:

I made breakfast.

I went skiing. P had a leak in his front tire, something punctured it, so he didn’t get to go, and ended up being our driver. Thanks dude.

I ate some more at Kyo, but it was a disappointing meal. Top left: beef teriyaki. Top right: Aburi (not really though?)

I think I know what aburi sushi should taste like, as I’ve had some great ones before around Vancouver. I came to Kyo last year, and it blew my mind that they offered such aburi for $30 a person, all you can eat. It obviously wasn’t going to be as good as the ones offered by “authentic” Japanese restaurants, (based on my little experience with Miku, Victoria Sushi, Kishimoto), but I was able to distinguish it from regular sushi. This time around, it looked like they just torched some regular sushi and put on a line of sauce. Their cooked food was disgusting as well, with the most memorable being the beef teriyaki. We were all shocked at how it looked like it might have been boiled, or microwaved, and it was still cold. The menu had some changes too, and didn’t have the same options that would spark joy (prawn tempura? udon?). There are other things I could rant on about... But moving on. 

Never going back.

I went to a onesie Christmas party, but was too tired and ended up leaving early. Too old for this.

Thinking back through the rest of the year, it’s hard to think of things that I’ve accomplished, off the top of my head. The same applies though to the opposite – what did I do that I wasn’t satisfied with?

Went to Marililu with C and T before bike shopping, and got their Japanese Style breakfast. It comes with the natto beans, which I had for the first time in my life. It sure tastes unique, like nothing I've ever tasted before in my life...

Halloween Pumpkin Potage. Looks easy enough to make, but it would make Halloween too scary if I tried to cook.

“Amakutte kurimi de oishi!!!! (*^▽^*)