Fifty Shades of Followers & a Giveaway!

 Holy moly, I've got 50 followers. And I haven't had to pay for any of them!

Thank-you to everyone who has read, commented, engaged with, or merely glanced at one of my posts. I genuinely thought that I would be the only one to poke around here in this odd little corner of the interwebs.

To celebrate, why not have a giveaway? I've been lucky enough to win one from the fantastic Aly (see this post) in my short blogging career, so it's time to pay it forward.

UboA FIFTY FOLLOWERS GIVEAWAY

THE GOODS

Source

1 x Glasshouse Mini Candle in Mimosa & Wild Apple

5 x ulta3 nail colours in the following shades- Lollypop Lilac, Pepper Pot, Pink Colada, Watermelon, and Fire
1 x NYC Nail Colour in Red Sparkle

1 x Kikki K A5 Black Leather Journal

1 x Canmake Colourful Nails glitter nail polish, direct from Japan

1 x Perfect Automatic Liner by Majolica Majorca (a Shiseido brand), direct from Japan
1 x roll of Washi Kamoi paper decorative adhesive tape, direct from 12 story stationary shop in Japan

1 x Pair of Teddy Bear Chopsticks, direct from Japan

1 x Authentic Ugly Jumper from my Ugly Jumper Party (it has been laundered!)

You didnt think I'd show you the whole hideousness that is my jumper before the party, did you?

1 x Worlds Tiniest Diary direct from 12 story stationary shop in Japan

1 x pack of Sanrio Pochacco stickers, direct from 12 story stationary shop in Japan

                    THE RULES... because there is always a catch

1. You must be a follower using GFC. That's Google Friend Connect- if you are looking for a place to follow the Global Financial Crisis you are way off path.

2. You must leave a comment. None of this 'I commented!!!' bullshit either.

3. Your comment needs to contain what you enjoy about this little blog, and what you would like to read about in the future. Keen on food reviews of all the haggis spots in Melbourne? Wanting a makeup tutorial on how to get Mimi from The Drew Carey Show's look? Or do you just need a blog where you can read about the mating habits of arachnids? This is your time to suggest what you would like to read about. Constructive criticism as always, is welcome.

4. If you are the winner, you must take a photo of yourself in the Ugly Jumper and email it in to be featured on this blog. You don't have to show your face, your head, or even your whole body, but I do want you to join in the Ugly Jumper Festivities.  And let's face it- you know you want to.

5. Open to Australian residents only. Sorry non-Aussie readers!

6. If you dont have a blog of your own where I can contact you, please leave your email address. If you are a Vogue Forums member, a username would be fine as well. Just please leave something so I can get in touch if you are the winner!

Now, please enter.

 Save me the embarassment of having to tell my Mum I write a blog, just so I can gain one entry. She's already seen the hideous jumper, and has been eyeing it off for her wardrobe. She's fashionable like that.

x

Raspberry, Cherry & Almond Fudge Brownies

This post from Reezy at peanut butter and honey inspired me to create oodles of delicious, thick, gooey brownies. Well, that was the plan.

This may not come as a suprise to anyone else, but you really do need to follow a recipe if you want things to work out as intended. Shocking, no?!

My brownies didnt come out too bad, but I really should have put them in the mixer instead of trying to mush it all in with a wooden spoon.

They still tasted great, so I'm claiming this one as a win.

This recipe contains 600grams of dark chocolate. So yes, they are quite rich



Dont look too closely- I'm ashamed of my hand mixing skills. This is the recipe Reezy initially posted



As usual, I got a bit over confident and messed around with the recipe, despite not being the greatest chef. I threw some fresh cherries and toasted almonds in at the last minute

Raspberry & Dark Chocolate Brownies....these were delicious! Disappeared very quickly, too :)

I quite liked my little variation! Cherries were very sweet and moist, and the almonds added a nice little crunch.

Would you like to try this one out yourself? It's super duper easy and makes a buttload. (That's a scientific measurement for you right there.)

You can find the recipe here.

Did anyone else try their hand at some baking this long weekend?

You went to Japan- did you just eat fish?! Part I

When telling people I have just been to Japan, invariably the first question is- 'Did you just eat fish the whole time?!'

Ah, no.

It's like asking an Australian if all they eat is steak because you've seen one of those gross Outback Steakhouses in foreign countries, lol.

(Although if you asked Billasaurus Rex if he only eats steak, you'd be eerily dead-on)

I ate beautifully the whole time I was in Japan, despite speaking much Japanese. In fact as a whole I got by only knowing Hello, Goodbye, Excuse Me, Bathroom, Cute, This meal was delicious, Thank-you and a shitload of pointing with some hilarious but often undecipherable hand gestures, a la charades.

Alot of restaurants had menus that had atleast a couple of things pictured, and often when I walked in a picture menu was fished (I'm punny!) out from under the counter without me having to say a word.

Yes, I did eat a bit of sashimi in Japan. Looking back though, I probably had no more than I would have had on my lunch break at home! I ate a really varied diet, with some magnificent ramen, tempura, sashimi, rice and egg dishes, and so much more.

On to the photos!

Excuse the iPhone photo. Pork Konkatsu in Hiroshima. Delicously golden, crumby fried pork with a bizarre sour apple sauce blobbed on top. Tempure prawn was so crunchy! Japanese obsessed with shallots.





What did suprise me was the 7/11's in Tokyo and Kyoto (I didnt see them in Osaka and Hiroshima, mainly other chains like Family Mart. It's not to say they dont exist, but the certainly werent as prevelant as in Tokyo). Not only were they everywhere, but inside them was amazing!



They are more like mini supermarkets, with walls of fresh, ready to go meals. At first I was wary, and thought of the icky frozen cheeseburgers at my local 7/11, but they were FANTASTIC! Locals were buying them at a crazy rate, and i'm a joiner, so I did too.

The meals were very fresh, cheap (around 500 yen, which works out to be around $6!) and super tasty.

I ate a fair bit of 7/11, because it was always handy and sometimes you dont want to go out for a meal, just want something simple. They cashiers even heat them up for you!



Intricate and beautiful desserts at Isetan, and the phenomenal food hall



Mos Burger- Teriyaki Chicken


Whoever the precious angel was that told me about Mos Burger-THANKYOU.

(I think it was the fantastic GC Real Estate Girl?)

Mos Burger is a Japanese burger chain, and they are everywhere over there. The burgers look tiny, but in reality are the perfect portion. I had a Chicken Teriyaki burger which was great, the chicken was so moist and tender! (Most is a creepy word, no?)

I googled Mos burger to see if it had two s's or just the one, and turns out we have them in Australia?! Where?!

Matcha (Green Tea) Kit Kats....YUM!

One one of my many 7/11 trips in Tokyo (What can I say, I have a weird obsession with foreign snack foods) I discovered Green Tea Kit Kats. It was love at first bite.

They are bright green, with green filling too. They were really sweet like white chocolate, but with a little of the green tea bitterness so they werent sickingly sweet. Love!

There were also Wasabi Kit Kats (I bought home a gift back for Billasaurus, but we both only had one and then never spoke of them again) and also Sakura & Green Tea (Cherry Blossom). That one tasted a shit load like the plain Green Tea, but with a vague plasticy cherry flavour.

Now I hate to break this to you, but this is only Part 1 of my Japanese food posts. These were just the pics off my iPhone! The shots from my DSLR are absolutely  mammoth files, and crashed my parents computer just from trying to upload them.

Wasn't me, must have been an intruder who needed somewhere to view his travel pics.

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