Tag: dessert

Eating Hotpot out of a Toilet Bowl on New Year’s Day (Modern Toilet, Taipei)

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A common new year’s tradition in Asia gone too far.  Happy 2020, folks!

After spending the whole week of Christmas partying in Tokyo (I saw Trekkie Trax perform 3 times and also met Mall Grab who was on tour from London), I took the first flight to Taipei on new year’s day to begin my aesthetic adventures in Taiwan!  I spent January 1st – January 9th exploring the country from top to bottom; climbing mountains, clubbing with friends, and trying the most interesting food I could find…  Which lead me to this famous toilet restaurant chain in Taiwan and many other amazing things that I’m excited to write about!

Why travel out of Japan after New Year’s Eve?

Since most companies in Japan start their holiday on the last Friday of December (which was the 27th this year), it is actually cheaper to fly during the first week of the new year.  I bought my roundtrip ticket through Scoot airlines for $250.  Because I had been out drinking all night at Japan’s largest club, ageHa, I went to the wrong terminal twice but fortunately found my way there after some time.  The airport employees were giving out free sake shots in the departure lobby to celebrate the beginning of the new year.  Ironically the person that handed me one had also traveled to Michigan (my quaint hometown) and spoke almost fluent English.  Already this year was off to a crazy start!

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Thank you for your kind hospitality, Narita Airport.

Though Tokyo is an awesome destination for partying during or before New Year’s Eve, usually the first 2 weeks of January are pretty quiet.  Most of my Japanese friends go to their hometowns to spend time with family during the new year’s holiday, so my timing with this trip was perfect.  I had the chance to experience a lot of inspiring music events and also say goodbye to everyone I care about before I departed.  This left me in a good state of mind for the things that were yet to come.  Taiwan is not affected by the new year because most people observe the Chinese New Year (later in January).  My friend informed me not to come here during this time because most things will be closed.

Waking up in Taipei

 

After my 4 hour flight, I awoke in Taipei with only a mild hangover.  The first thing I noticed was how much warmer it was here than in Tokyo (I only needed a light jacket as opposed to a winter coat).  I also realized that although I don’t know any Mandarin Chinese (which is widely spoken here), I could still recognize a lot of the characters and figure out what certain places were from my kanji studies.  There is a lot of English support around the city as well.  The metro is easy to use (you can purchase a refillable card or single trip tokens), and it honestly feels a lot like Tokyo with less crowds and annoying tourists.  I felt relaxed during most of my trip which is rare for me (usually I am always in a rush or on the go).

Eating Hotpot out of a Toilet Bowl

As per tradition, I always dine at the most meme-worthy restaurants my first night in any new country I visit (take the Unicorn Cafe in Thailand, for example).  Taiwan is no exception, so I decided to try the Modern Toilet Restaurant near Ximen Station.  Ximen is near the main Taipei Station and has a ton of trendy shops, claw machine games, tea shops, and delicious street food so I recommend checking it out.  It was the perfect first destination for me.

Promising “Crappy Food” and “Shitty Service”, the Modern Toilet did not disappoint:

It’s amazing how popular this restaurant is between tourist and locals alike.  With the lively atmosphere, toilet bowl seats, and hilariously themed menu items that you can share with your friends, I can see exactly why it is.  I had to wait 10 minutes to get in, but the staff were extremely friendly and accommodating (despite advertising shitty service).  Most of the dishes they have on the menu are hotpot, but there are a number of à la carte and dessert menu items as well.  I settled with the vegetarian hotpot and the chocolate shaved ice.

My Review

I wasn’t a huge fan of the hotpot since I’ve had some of the best nabe in Fukuoka, Japan, and this simply couldn’t compare.  The ingredients were fresh and service was good but the taste just wasn’t as delicious as how they make it in Japan (and other Asian countries).  I was informed by my native Taiwan friends that this isn’t the first place you should try hotpot, but it is worth coming here for the experience.

The shaved ice, on the other hand, was beyond delicious.  They topped it with condensed milk, Oreos, marshmallows, cornflakes, and a scoop of chocolate ice cream so I actually enjoyed this more than Japan’s shaved ice (which is just ice with a light flavored syrup).  For a themed restaurant, the portion sizes were quite large and affordable so I would recommend coming here for the humor and meme factor.  I’ve seen poop-shaped food in other countries, but eating out of a toilet bowl takes it to a whole different level.

Looking for more stinky food?

If you haven’t yet gotten your fill yet, hop on over to the nearby night market and try some stinky tofu!  It really isn’t that bad considering you just ate hot pot and chocolate ice cream out of a toilet bowl.  I promise.

Look forward to the rest of my Taiwan article series and have a happy new year!

Miracle Romance! A trip to Tokyo’s new Sailor Moon Restaurant: Shining Moon Tokyo

With its beautiful character design and story that have captured the hearts of people from around the world, it’s no wonder that Sailor Moon is still a popular series today.  As someone who grew up with the English dub of the anime in America, I am proud to say it is still one of my all time favorites.  Though there have been a number of pop-up Sailor Moon cafes that last for a limited time, a new and permanent theater show restaurant called Shining Moon has permanently opened this year.  I decided to check it out with one of my best friends and I genuinely enjoyed my experience here.  The live performances definitely added a lot to it!

During dinner time two immaculate shows with professional actors are performed.  One is recordable and the other is non-recordable.  Both will keep you on your toes because they feature a lot of fighting, singing, and dancing with colorful visuals.  One began with Usagi dancing at a ball with Tuxedo Mask, only to wake up and find it was all a dream!  Another was completely original and showed the girls visiting different areas of Tokyo (like Harajuku and Asakusa), then being swarmed by villians that they need to defeat.  The shows did a good job in showcasing each girl’s abilities and giving them equal time on stage.  It really felt like I was watching a live version of the anime.

At this time the restaurant only features the inner senshi and it is unknown if other characters will be featured.  I see it being possible in the future as long as this restaurant continues to attract customers (which it is).

Before entering the cafe, you must make a reservation online in advance (we did a few days before) and pay by using credit card.  This cafe is a bit more expensive compared to the other themed ones; dinner is 8500 yen for S seats and 7500 yen for A seats.  The lunch time option is only 3500 yen but doesn’t include the show.  However, a drink and a meal is included in all of these prices.  Here are some of the things that we ordered:

I genuinely enjoyed the Jupiter Seafood Pasta and Venus Crepes I ordered.  They had drinks for all of the Sailor Scouts too!  Every food item that you order comes with a free Sailor Moon plate which makes the entry fee worth it.  They also have a gift store you can buy special goods from.  The menu items seem to rotate every month, so please check the online menu in advance to see what’s available.  Fortunately they had some vegetarian options available.

At the end of the shows, all of the actors will come out and wave at you!  It was amazing to see them up close.  Their outfits were very detailed and they stayed enthusiastic until the very end.  It was a very memorable experience!

Address

〒106-0045 Tokyo, Minato City, Azabujuban, 1 Chome−10, ジュールＡ

Pop-up Sailor Moon Cafe (2017)

Earlier in 2017 I went to a pop-up Sailor Moon Cafe that was available for 2 months in Omotesando.  Here are some old photos that I took.  I really enjoyed the design of the Usagi and Mamoru pancakes, and the cotton candy Luna drink:

This cafe is now closed, but sometimes they have themed collaboration cafes that open in this rental space and it’s possible there will be another Sailor Moon one in the future.  I will be sure to write about it if it happen!

A Magical Journey to King’s Cross: The Harry Potter Cafe in Seoul

Laughter is timeless.  Imagination has no age.  And dreams are forever.

I never thought that I’d be spending the first night of my third trip to Seoul dressing up in Slytherin robes at a Harry Potter cafe, but recently life has been taking me to some interesting places.  943 King’s Cross Cafe is located in the Hongdae district and features magical concoctions, beautiful Hogwarts-inspired interior decor, and costumes you can borrow and dress up in.  Immediately I was seduced by the Dragon’s Blood and eyeball cocktail upon entering (fortunately no advanced reservations were required).  After my long flight, sipping on some vodka and relaxing at this 5 floor cafe seemed like the perfect way to relax.

I have been to the Harry Potter cafes in both Tokyo and Singapore before, but Seoul’s by far was the most extravagant.  I appreciated the long boarding school-like tables they had on one floor, but they also had couches and tables for small groups on other floors.  Each floor had a unique theme and the top floor even had a Christmas tree since I came here during the winter.  Many paintings were hung on the walls mimicking the Hogwarts portraits.  Although they couldn’t talk, under the fluorescent lighting they almost looked like they could!  A dementor was hidden in one of the stairwells and gave me a great surprise.  Luckily I didn’t stare it in the eyes, or else my trip would have ended there.

The menu had a lot of desserts that you could order individually, but unfortunately the food menu was designed for large groups (like many restaurants are in Seoul).  Fortunately I wasn’t bothered by this because cocktails and desserts were all I wanted anyway!  The main draw of this cafe is the free robes that you can borrow on the 5th floor.  I had so much fun taking pictures and all of the people around me were genuinely thrilled to be here.  There’s also a gift shop with some very cute Slytherin earrings that I almost bought (but I decided to look at the night market instead).

Experiencing childhood memories in a foreign country is truly something special.  I would recommend coming here if you are a fan of the series because it is truly something magical.

Address

Sageun-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Desserts that will make your heart melt in Seoul (Vol. 2)

Here is a collection of desserts that will make your heart melt in Seoul (Volume 2). ♥

Volume 1 was published yesterday.  I will be writing a full article series on my experience in Korea within the next coming weeks.

Here is a collection of places I stumbled upon which I highly recommend:

Zapangi

Zapangi is by far one of the best not-so-hidden gems in Seoul.  The entrance to the cafe is disguised as a pink vending machine door that you must find the handle to enter (fortunately, it’s quite easy to do so once you get up close).  Inside the cafe you will be greeted by a magical assortment of neon signs and rainbow desserts.  I highly recommend the mermaid cupcake–the tail is just way too photogenic to give up!  I also ordered a rainbow ice smoothie which really hit the spot.  I wish I would have had more room for the unicorn donuts, but alas, I was full.  I recommend coming here twice if you have enough time, because there are just way too many cute desserts to choose from!

Thanks Nature Cafe

If you have internet searched popular cafes in Seoul, then likely this one has already popped up.  Thanks Nature Cafe in Hongdae is infamous for not only its flower tea, but also its fluffy sheep (named Sugar & Honey)!  The sheep are kept outside in a pen and are free to pet as long as you order something from the menu.  This makes waiting way more fun!  You can make a reservation in advance using their website, but I just walked in here without one when I came here in early 2018.  Watching flowers bloom inside of your teacup is an experience I highly recommend seeing:

Milky Bee

While shopping in Myeongdong, I saw a number of people holding this beautiful flower petal ice cream.  Not wanting to miss out on this aesthetic food experience, I had to stop by and try it for myself.  Milky Bee features ice cream and gelato cones that you can customize to your liking.  If my memory is correct, I ordered green tea, vanilla, and strawberry gelato to make my cone look like a lovely bouquet.  It was almost too pretty to eat, but I ate it anyway!

Sulbing Cafe

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If you want to try the famous Korean shaved ice (called patbingsoo), my recommendation is going to one of the Sulbing chains.  They have the most options as far as flavors and toppings go.  I ordered the strawberry cheesecake shaved ice, and even in the winter I thought that it was beyond amazing.  The strawberries tasted so fresh and the cheesecake helped balance the flavor.  I’ve decided I like Korean shaved ice a lot more than the ones sold in Japan, because it has more substance to it and tastes a lot better.  Fortunately a number of Korean dessert cafes have been popping up in Tokyo lately, and Harajuku even has its own Sulbing branch!

REMICONE

REMICONE is a uniquely designed cafe that resembles an ice cream truck in central Gangnam.  There are way too many beautiful sweets to choose from, but I decided on the cotton candy ice cream milk and the moon cupcake (I joked about how this is actually Night Tempo in cupcake form).  There was a mango macaroon ice cream cup that I really wanted to try, but unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to.  If you come to this cafe, please try all of the wonderful desserts for me!

Urban Space Cafe

Last but definitely not least, I recommend that all of my fellow lovers of aesthetic things check out Urban Space Cafe.  Relive your childhood memories by diving into a ballpit and lounging in inflatables with a menu of crazy cocktails.  I ordered some strange concoction that was served to me in a mini shopping kart, and I liked it so much I also ordered a cocktail with sparklers in it.  Came here alone?  No problem at all because there are tons of teddy bears that you can use as your date.  I had so much fun taking photos under the neon lights and swimming through the ballpit.  This is true Seoul Cafe culture.  The original cafe I went to was in a remote district of Seoul, but they recently moved it to central Myeongdong so you can access it more easily now.

Thank you for reading my 2nd Volume of recommend desserts in Seoul!  This is all I have for now, but I will be sure to update with more recommendations in the future.

In my next posts I will be writing about Jeju Island, the DMZ, and some of the gardens and art galleries I visited in Korea.  Please look forward to my future posts~

Desserts that will make your heart melt in Seoul (Vol. 1)

Here is a collection of desserts that will make your heart melt in Seoul (Volume 1). ♥

Earlier I published Volumes I & II of desserts that will make your heart melt in Tokyo, so I figured I would do the same for my 2nd (3rd?) home which is Seoul.

I will be writing a full article series on my experience in Korea within the next coming weeks.  Here is a collection of places I stumbled upon which I highly recommend:

「 T A P E 」

Located near Itaewon Station, this bakery and cafe was the first place I stopped at on my most recent trip to Seoul!  CAFE TAPE is famous for its beautifully frosted galaxy cakes which resemble avant-garde paintings.  The cake I chose had a fluffy texture and truly tasted out of this world.  I also ordered an iced coffee to balance the flavor.  The inside of the cafe has a unique metallic decor which resembles a spaceship.  I was really impressed by the quality of desserts here and would gladly come back here again!

Stylenanda 3CE PINKPOOLCAFE

Pink Pool Cafe is a super trendy dessert bar located on the 5th floor of Stylenada (a popular cosmetics and fashion mall) in Myeongdong.  They feature a sweets buffet and a number of fashionable cocktails you can order.  Inside the cafe sits a swimming pool and deck chairs with neon signs you can take pictures of to your heart’s content.  I enjoyed eating the coconut mousse and pink cherry martini–both of them were made with high-quality ingredients.  Even though I came here in winter, I definitely felt the tropical vibe!

Haitairo

While wandering around Hongik University, I discovered the cutest little ice cream and coffee shop called Haitairo.  Though it’s famous for its ice cream made with fresh honey, I decided to try its hot menu items since I came here during the winter.  One day I tried the mochi with hot soy milk which was actually surprisingly good.  The mochi melted a bit liked marshmallows when I dipped it in the warm milk and had a really sweet taste.  I came back a few days later and tried the hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and an adorable smiling popsicle cookie.  This was my favorite because it not only warmed up my body, but also my heart.

Sona Dessert Cafe

Situated in the heart of Gangnam, Sona is a fancy dessert cafe that simply cannot be passed up.  The strawberry champagne ball filled with edible flowers is to die for.  I also ordered another seasonal strawberry dessert that was extremely elegant in its display.  Both desserts were very light so I could finish both.  Definitely come here if you are a lover of aesthetic foods like I am.

Banana Tree

Banana Tree was one of the first cafes to start the flower pot dessert trend with the adorable shovel spoon.  Now you can find this style of dessert in Tokyo and other big cities, but I originally tried it here in Seoul.  I enjoyed “digging in” to my miniature flower pot filled with delicious pudding.  I see from their website that they have recently added new flavors and designs, so be sure to check this place out if you are in Gangnam.

FRANK

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Last but not least, one cannot pass up the opportunity to try rainbow cake in Seoul!  I am proud to have tried both galaxy cake and rainbow cake in this country.  I decided to go to FRANK in Itaewon since it was close to where I was staying at the time.  I enjoyed the super powdery frosting and the delicious texture of the cake, much like I did at TAPE.  It’s hard for me to choose a favorite because every cake I’ve had in Seoul is flavorful and delicious.  I want to try them all!

Thank you for reading Volume 1 of my dessert recommendations in Seoul.  Volume 2 is now published!

Desserts that will make your heart melt in Tokyo (Vol. 2)

Here is a collection of desserts that will make your heart melt in Tokyo (Volume 2). ♥ For reference, please see Volume 1 here.

Sweets Paradise (Akihabara Branch)

 

Sweets Paradise is an extremely popular buffet-style dessert restaurant with multiple branches in Tokyo.  You can choose from an unlimited selection of multi-colored pastries for 70 – 90 mins.  However, the branch in Akihabara offers a take-out option with cake that looks like actual ramen!  Even the toppings are edible and have an extremely sweet flavor.  The “noodles” are actually just thick layers of frosting.  This is probably one of the most unreal sweets I have ever eaten (appearance-wise), but the taste was definitely worth it!

New New York Club

 

New New York Club became a meme because of its rainbow bagels stuffed with delicious cream cheese.  These bagels sell out fast so sadly I wasn’t able to get one, but they do have multi-colored bagels you can purchase too!  They still taste the same as a regular bagel despite their strange color, and I prefer them to most Japanese bagels because they are larger and softer in texture.  Ikumimama Animal Doughnuts is another cute bakery that is right around the corner from here!  Be sure to pick up some cute cat donuts if you still have an appetite.

Aoyama Flower Market Teahouse

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Aoyama Flower Market is a popular florist chain that is often found in Tokyo train stations.  Stopping here is convenient if you want to pick up flowers for a special occasion, but certain locations also have cafes with extremely aesthetic food too!  I ordered this delicious parfait with pink jelly and fruit that looks like a work of art at the Kichijyoji location.  They have a seasonal menu that rotates frequently, so be sure to check online to see what they are serving.  All of the food here has an extremely appetizing look and taste.

Salon Ginza Sabou

 

This upscale restaurant exploded with popularity when they released their infamous green tea boxes.  Under a thin layer of green tea-flavored chocolate topped with green tea powder that you break apart with your spoon, you will find the goldmine of all green tea desserts.  Watch my video and see Sabou’s website for more information.  Other restaurants are starting to copy this style of dessert, but this was the original place that invented it.

Liquid Nitrogen Kit-Kats

 

It’s no secret that Japan is infatuated with Kit-Kats.  Walk into any souvenir store and the first thing you will besides the obvious Hachiko-shaped sweets is corn, sweet potato, green tea, and other strange flavors of Kit-Kats.  The Kit Kat Chocolatory and Café offers a whole different level of strangeness with its liquid nitrogen Kit-Kats.  It was surreal to watch the Japanese waiter pour liquid nitrogen onto a platter where it would perfectly chill a sweet commonly found in the US, but it was definitely worth the experience.  You can customize your own Kit-Kats at this cafe as well!  There are a variety of unique toppings you can choose from and the menu changes its featured items each season.

Doubutsuen Ice Cream/The Zoo

 

Doubutsuen was another dessert place that exploded with popularity in Harajuku due to its cute animal cones.  I opted for the tripple scoop piggy the first time I came here.  Originally you would buy a ticket from the front of the shop that looked like a vending machine and they would make your cone for you behind the curtain, but due to the mass amount of people waiting in line on the street, they moved their shop to the end of Takeshita Street under the name “The Zoo” so they could serve more customers.  The ice cream here is not only cute but also delicious, so I highly recommend it!

Other Ice Cream Recommendations

 

Other ice cream spots I highly recommend trying are Edy’s Ice Cream for their cute customizable cones with unicorn and heart-shaped toppings, Milkcow for their rich and creamy soft-serve ice cream, Coisof for their black ice cream with crunchy colored toppings, and Godiva simply for their unmatched rich flavor of chocolate ice cream.  It’s hard to find bad ice cream in Tokyo, it really is!

Bonus: Rainbow Sweets Harajuku

 

Last but not least, if you are looking for brightly-colored photogenic food then I would recommend coming to Rainbow Sweets Harajuku!  This is right off Takeshita Street and attracts a lot of customers, but the food is all take-out so it doesn’t take much time to receive your order.  I ordered the rainbow grilled cheese and the rainbow ice cream.  These were fun to take pictures of, but the taste was so-so.  Instead I recommend trying the ice cream places I mentioned above because they have a way better taste.

Thank you for reading Volume 2 of my dessert cafe expedition in Tokyo.  If you have any recommendations, please drop them in the comments!  I will be make more volumes in the future!

Aesthetic Food Finds in Cambodia

As an avid lover of all things that are aesthetic, searching for unique restaurants and trying the most colorful foods around the world is one of my life goals.  Besides the infamous Happy Pizza this country is famous for, here are some of the best foods that I tried in Cambodia:

Siem Reap

Though Siem Reap is mostly famous for Angkor Wat and its other historical monuments, there are actually a surprisingly decent amount of delicious and healthy restaurants around.  My personal favorite was Artillery that had falafel waffles and vegan dragon fruit cake.  They were both amazingly satisfying after a long day of exploring ancient temples and working up an appetite.

I also recommend heading to the Fresh Fruit Factory which is nearby.  They have amazing fruit parfaits and shaved ice you can try with a friendly and welcoming atmosphere:

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My favorite street food that I tried near the night market here was hands down the Strawerry Hokkaido Cheese Toast.  Since I’ve been to Hokkaido twice this year, I felt obligated to try it.  Say cheese~  Surprisingly, I liked the flavor and texture of it.  They also have green tea and other unique flavors here, along with bubble tea.

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Koh Rong

Koh Rong Island is a lot more rural than other areas in Cambodia, but I still managed to find some great food in the small village of Koh Touch!  I tried a falafel wrap from Sky Bar which was extremely fulfilling, and also ate a lot of my meals at the Treehouse Restaurant where I was staying.  I had some delicious seafood noodle soup, muesli with yogurt and fresh fruit, and also some chocolate pancakes with banana.  I was impressed with how fresh the food was and fortunately was able to eat healthy every day while I was here.  They are a number of western-style restaurants that serve pizza and burgers here as well.

Phnom Penh

The capital of Cambodia has no shortage of food options.  My favorite restaurant  was a cozy cafe near the imperial palace called VIBE.  Here I had some delicious avocado flatbread and a delicious chocolate smoothie bowl served out of a coconut.  This gave me a lot of energy for the day so I was very happy to have stumbled upon it.

As far as fast food goes, I found a wonderful cafe called J’ADORE where I had a huge avocado shake and mini prawn burgers.  They were easy to eat and were surprisingly packed with flavor:

Though Cambodia is less-developed than other Asian countries, you can definitely find a restaurant or cafe here that suits your taste, and most food is very affordable.

Adventures in Adelaide (Southern Australia)

Since a huge part of why I traveled to Australia was to see wildlife reserves and nature, my friend and I decided to fly to Adelaide for 4 days from Melbourne since this is the place where he grew up.  Like Perth, Adelaide is considered to be one of the smaller and more remote cities of Australia, but it actually has a number of unique attractions worth seeing.  Not only is it one of the two places in the country where you can hold koalas at the Cleland Wildlife Park, but it also has a yearly event called the Fringe with a number of theater and festive events.  Though my time here was very short compared to Melbourne, Adelaide left a huge impression on me and I hope to visit here again in the future!

After landing, the first thing I noticed about the city was the beautiful trees and architecture of the houses.  Though the spring season had just begun, the temperature here was much warmer than it was in Melbourne.  We were staying with a friend who conveniently lived near the airport so it was fortunately convenient to get around by using Uber and the trams.  Since the weather was in our favor we decided to go to Glenelg Beach and soak up the sun for a while.  This beach is perhaps one of the most popular because it is near Jetty Square that is filled with shops and boutiques.  I enjoyed the laidback atmosphere here and managed to relax a lot.  It was just what I needed to rejuvenate myself.

All of the food we had here was absolutely amazing.  I had a delicious chai latte sprinkled with cocoa powder at a cafe called Cibo, which I highly recommend.  Though I currently reside in Japan, I was curious to try the sushi here so we decided to eat at the conveyor belt sushi chain Kintaro.  Surprisingly, their sashimi selection was quite tasteful, and I enjoyed the heaping amount of sauce they put on my avocado crab sushi.  Next up were the Japanese Wasabi Doritos we found at Coles Supermarkets.  They were almost overpowering, but worth it for the meme factor.

We spent a lot of our time here catching up with friends, watching anime, drinking at home, and relaxing, but we were still able to see a lot of the city in the time that we spent here.  My friend went through his anime figure collection and found his Rei Ayanami piece that was actually the top of a pachinko machine in Japan, so it was definitely worth the trip.  One of my favorite landmarks here were the silver balls, or “gintama” as you would say in Japanese:

Apparently they are quite a popular meetup spot in central Adelaide–kind of of like a miniature version of the bean in Chicago.  We also visited an anime store called Shin Tokyo which surprisingly had quite a good selection of goods (way better than where I grew up in Michigan), and hilariously I found stuffed kangaroo balls at a souvenir shop nearby.  There was also something mysterious for sale for $15.  This city seemed to be full of humorous content for some reason:

Another awesome place I highly recommend checking out is called MOD.  This is a futuristic museum with interactive exhibits that will help you discover “hedonism”, or the pursuit of happiness.  They had various happiness simulators here; including one that gave you believable compliments to boost your confidence, and another that had classic games like Solitaire and Minesweeper that would auto-win the game for you with just the press of a button (but it seemed like a fair game at first).  They also had surveys regarding what makes the ideal workplace, and we found some interesting results (see the picture of the coffee cups for reference).

I jokingly called this museum the teamLab of Adelaide, because some of the exhibits have similar concepts with lighting and projected images.  I was actually really impressed with the technology they used for their giant globe that you could spin and interact with.  You could create your own character using touch screens to live out various scenarios through the Symbiosville simulation.  In this exhibit, you will learn through trial and error how to keep you and the people around you happy.  I think this is a vital skill in life.

In my next blog entry, I will talk about my experience hanging out with kangaroos, koalas, and other wildlife in Adelaide.  I hope that more people will make the journey out to this city, because it truly is an interesting place!

Invading Australia: Exploring the Picturesque Melbourne City

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Beautiful view from Albert Park in Melbourne.

For the past 2 weeks I’ve been invading Australia; starting from the southern picturesque city of Melborune to the charming countryside of Adelaide.  Since a number of my Japanese friends have studied abroad or traveled to this country, it’s always been on my radar.  Unlike my previous trips to Asian countries where I have a set itinerary for each day, this trip was a lot more easygoing and spontaneous.  A friend I met at a beach party in Japan kindly let me crash at their place near the center of the city, so together we decided to hit the city while catching up and also experience the seemingly endless nightlife.

A lot of my American friends have asked me what Melbourne was like, and I told them: “Picture a cleaner, safer, version of your favorite American city with slightly less people, and that’s pretty much it!”  One thing I notice about most Australians is that they are pretty laidback and travel more frequently outside the county than a lot of Americans do.  Australia is very affordable to live in, and the tuition fees for education are greatly subsidized by the government compared to America.  The only downside is that eating out is somewhat expensive, but on the plus side, there is no tipping like in the US.

This trip initially started out very rough because I negligently forgot to apply for my ETA to enter the country (I thought I could do so upon arrival), so Jetstar had to reschedule my flight a day later after I applied for it.  Essentially all you need to do is fill out a form online and pay $30 to enter the country so it’s extremely easy, but make sure to do this before your flight!  I have never had issues with tourist visas until this trip, but it was only a small bump in the road because I still was able to do everything I wanted.

Once I landed, I took the Sky Bus to Southern Cross Station to meet my friend.  Immediately he recognized me due to my flamboyant blonde hair despite us not seeing one another for over two years.  We first got some lattes at Mid Town Coffee which I highly recommend, then immediately proceeded to go day drinking at Melborune’s famous rooftop bar.  The coffee and the White Russians somehow helped me fight off the jetlag as we walked around Chinatown and other parts of the city.  What I liked most about Melbourne is that almost all of the downtown area is walkable and there are inexpensive trams available as well.  The system is very easy to figure out.

 

Being in Australia felt like being in an alternate universe America.  Instead of GameStop, they still have EB Games, which seems to have more selection and be far more superior.  Forget about Burger King–it’s called Hungry Jack’s here.  Porn Hub should cum and get their pizza.  8bit burgers is also a great place to eat out (I love their logo design).  Lord of the Fries is not only a good pun, but they also has an entire vegan menu.  Despite living in Tokyo, I tried a lot of Japanese places here that were a little expensive but overall delicious.  Wagaya was one of my favorites due to its large sake list, but Japanese Gyoza Bar deserves an honorable mention.  Those are just a few of the places that we visited, but there are many more!

 

My favorite dessert places were Chokolait, where I had amazing rainbow pancakes made with pavlova, and a cakeshop called Glace where I had an amazing mushroom pastry.  They also had a really cute marshmallow one I wish I could have tried, but was too full!

 

There are a number of bars along the Yarra river that runs through the city, but my favorites were Storyville where I ordered Butterbeer, and the Croft where one of my Japanese friends DJed.  They also have syringe drinks available that are very tasty and fun to share with others.  All of these places had really friendly and welcoming atmospheres, and I even managed to make friends in the bathroom!

One event I recommend checking out is Delight because they run really fun music events with Smash Bros. tournaments at various locations in central Melbourne.  I met some very nice people here, and was impressed with the quality of music.

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それを考えぬく – EMBRACE

One of my favorite memories in this city was drinking Korean sochu while watching Kenny Beats & Zack Fox with two friends in an office building.  I felt like I was reliving my college days and it was extremely nostalgic.  The above poster I shot inspires you to let go of your thoughts and embrace your surroundings, which is exactly what I did during this trip.  It was really beneficial for my mental health.

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Seeing this Shelter poster hanging in my friend’s room only continued to add to the nostalgia.

Overall I was very impressed with this city and felt like I could finally escape from my high-stress life in Tokyo.  Some people refer to Melbourne as the “hipster” area of Australia, but I think it has a lot more to offer than just chic cafes and murals like other places that have that label.  I will be writing more about the art galleries and wildlife reserves I visited in my future posts so you can get a better feel about what this country is like, but I recommend that you visit it if you ever get the chance!

Shooting Up Nutella in Southern Australia

Have you ever had the urge to just straight up inject fresh Nutella into your mouth with a syringe?  Well at Dex2Rose, one of Melbourne’s most unique gelato spots, you can legally do this without any shame.  In fact, the syringe filled with chocolate and hazlenut spread actually packs a lot flavor you wouldn’t get by simply spreading it on food.  Not only do they have Nutella gelato that seemingly defies gravity, but they also have crepes, waffles, cider, and other brilliant desserts.  This was one of the silliest things I did while I was on my two week trip to Australia, and it was completely worth it for the meme factor.

Another unforgettable dessert I had was Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Ice Ccream at Milkcow.  Who knew that by mixing vanilla ice cream and ground up Cheetos sprinkled with the “flamin’ hot” powder, you could get this beautiful creation:

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Flamin’ Hot ice cream that ironically helps you beat the heat.

The taste of this ice cream is a bit difficult to explain in words, so I recommend that everyone tries it for themselves!  The ice cream was definitely still sweet, but the texture of the powder makes your mouth tingle for a bit at first until the ice cream hits your tongue.  Regardless of the initial sensory processing disorder, this is something I’m really happy that I had the chance to try!

I will be writing about my experience traveling through Melbourne and Adelaide including stories about closeup counters with kangaroos, partying and playing Smash Bros. at the local bars, and all of the aesthetic food I had in the meantime!  I am currently back in Japan writing and doing some freelance work, but I will be planning my next international trip for my birthday very soon.  Thank you for reading, as always! ♡