Chit chat with a friend

I realized I haven't been out with my friends for months since last Christmas when I got a text msg from a friend she was wondering if I was alive. To say the truth I was catching a cold or otherwise was satisfied with attending all the end-of-year events with my co-workers.

So, my life these days was consisted by 3 elements:
family, housework and company.

Then decided to contact her to have a nice girls' chit chat.

We talked about the subjects that bothers all the girls around 30s and about their interests which actually differs to each other even if they looks the same. Her creativity is something that I lack of and was interesting to hear how she fill up her mind or how she radiate her stress : it was again by creation of a fim or a play, which reminded me of a film I saw last night:

英語は映画でほどほどに: La Nuit Americaine (1974)

Then coincidently the director, Francois Truffaut was her favourite director that she wrote a graduation thesis on him.

We used to hang aroung together all the time even on weekends, but not anymore. We have our own lives, our own styles and our own interests. But I guess girls need a girl friend to chit chat once in a while!

Autumn windfall

At office my co-worker left me a bag full of something... and I found some kakis wrapped neatly in a newspaper with their branches...! I was touched by the warmth of her mother in Nagano...

Kaga-Onsen (Kaga Hotspring) in Ishikawa Pref.

Journey to Ishikawa was what I was longing for for many years. The main object was to see a good friend of mine who used to hang out together in Saigon.

Nata-dera (temple), was famous for its autmn leaves.
And of course, the trip was full of seduce for our tummy....

(left)
After a teppanyaki lunch together with gorgeous mountain-river view onsen,
we had Kaga-bocha tea set...

(middle)
At my friend's mother's Chinese restaurant, Ku-nyan, Yamanaka Onsen.Gyoza (fried dumplings), Ramen (noodle in soup) and Kara-age (deep-fried chicken) were deliciooouuuus! Forget about fat!



(right)
For our dinner on last day, we had a farewell meal at Ichiriki, where my friend's husband works.
Seafood was so fresh and everything was so exquisite... especially when they were shared with good friends!!

Thank you again for your host!

Birthday Lunch

My girlfriends organized a birthday party lunch for me. It was so sweet they arranged this occasion and to see the several girls altogether. It's been a long time now to go out only with girls and felt so comfortable.

We talked up a storm about 'how sloppy we act in everyday life', which is the very last thing to let the boys hear and which reminded of my girls' school day life. One goes like 'I don't bother peeling kiwi skin but bite it and spit out the skin', then another one goes like 'I always drink 500ml mineral water from bottle while my boyfriend pour it in a glass', 'I kick the door when I have to close the fridge', 'I swich off the fan with my toes', ... and it goes on forever...

When two girls talk their chat they don't need a third goose; when five girls gather they forget that they are girls.

Birthday Bottle

My first birthday present this year was just what I needed! It was a bottle of mango vinegar which can be used for dressing or making cocktails.

Especially because of the Summer heat I was addicted to hand made soda cocktail. All you have to do is to mix soda with all sorts of fruit vinegar such as:

apple vinegar
melon vinegar
lemon juice
ume (japanese plum) syrop
etc...

Just little tip about health & beauty:
Vinegar is very good for detox - I can feel that when I use it to clean the house by dissolating 3-5 times with water. It kills bacteria and bad smell - while soda stimulates stomach and helps digestion. For those who love sour taste, this is an ideal drink! but be aware of over consumption!

Another thing which made me happy was the happy birthday message printed on the bottle. Thanks☆