Recipe: Truffle French Fries with Sea Salt

I was feeling very nostalgic the other day. I was sitting on my couch and looking at old pictures and was remembering the days of being a carefree child, then very two delectable words came to mind, French fries. French fries stir up all sorts of memories and senses. I know thats an odd thing to think about but french fries kept creeping into my mind. I guess it reminds me of the smells of ball games, county fairs, and the days of going to McDonalds to buy a Happy meal.
French fries are comforting, they are comfort foods. The way they smell and the taste of popping a warm fresh french fry in your mouth makes even the oldest young at heart.
Now you can probably guess what I did next...yep..I proceeded to make french fries but wanted to make something a little different, a little grown up I guess you can say. So I tried a new french fry recipe that I concocted with my Truffle oil, needless to say my husband and boy gobbled these up fast!
*Here is my little piece of heaven for you to try, I hope you like^^

♡ Truffle French Fries with Sea Salt

*Prep Time:
10-15 minutes from start to finish with frozen french fries
1 hour and 30 minutes with whole potatoes


❋Ingredients

✔ 2- 4 cups of oil for frying (depending on how much you are going to make)
✔ 4 large potatoes or a bag of frozen french fries
✔  Truffle oil (white or black) to drizzle
✔ Sea Salt


Bring the oil to a boil at 375 degrees Fahrenheit or 190 degrees Celcius. Slowly with a draining spoon lower the french fries into the hot oil, be careful not to burn yourself and beware of oil splattering out of pot. Fry the potatoes for about 5- 10 minutes or until a golden light brown.
With the draining spoon slowly scoop up all the fries from the oil and place on paper towel. while still warm with oil sprinkle the desired amount of Truffle oil an sea salt on your fries and toss.


* If you want to make homemade french fries, peel and wash 4 large potatoes.
Slice potatoes into 1/2 X 1/2 inch strips. Let potatoes soak in water for about 1 hour. Let potatoes dry on paper towel or rack for about 5 minutes. Proceed with above steps . Enjoy :)

Small Japanese Homes and being American

This is a subject that always comes up with my American friends. It always makes me laugh because they cant get over how small and compact Japanese houses and apartments are. I must say I have lived in Japan for about 10 years now and have come to be quit use to the fact that any house or apartment I will have will be like a sardine can, lol. Many people say "oh, don't you want a big house?". or " don't you miss having a huge kitchen?". well no, I never in my life had a big house nor a big kitchen therefore I miss neither. I guess thats one reason why I fit in well with Japanese culture. I like to have a small, quant space that is easy to keep clean and a kitchen that is big enough for me to cook in...after all I am not a chef so why do I need a huge space?
Now my husband is Japanese and even though he was born and raised in Japan he likes the idea of a big house...well he doesn't have to clean. We had been looking for a house for sometime before my son was conceived and then just sort a forgot about it and lived happily in our apartment. That was until I had found out I was pregnant and we needed more space, so we proceeded again to look for a house. We never found one that we liked so we decided to have one built and now have a very lovely, larger then average Japanese house, that I love but is a pain in the ass to keep clean. Did I mention I had two men who are very messy?
Now people who are not from Japan might ask "why are japanese houses and apartments so small?". Simple! Lack of space and land in Japan is very expensive! I mean very, unless you want to live in way back the boondocks which I don't, I will take the city anytime!
Land in Japan is expensive and many people can usually only afford a small piece of land. I currently live in Iwakuni which is very country and there is plenty of land but still very costly. To some people that cant even proceed the notion of living in cramped home or apartment but in Japan its the norm and everyone just accepts it. When I first started dating my husband he lived in one of the smallest apartments I have ever seen! I mean it was one small room with a small narrow hallway about less then 8 feet with a tiny  stove and a tiny shower room and toilet. People who are claustrophobic would not do well here, lol.
I have to say I kind of giggled when I seen his apartment, it was too cute.
Now there is somethings about America I truly miss and that is a oven!!!!!! My current home has a oven that I had bought when I worked on the military base. I was never so happy in my life^^ I missed making cakes (big cakes, not tiny sponge cakes) and big turkeys.  I could now have a huge Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner with ease. But alas it wouldn't last, for we are now moving because of my husbands job and will be selling the house to his sister...so no more oven for me:(
I also miss American washer and dryers!! ALOT! The Japanese ones are so small and honestly I think don't work as well. I like to get most of my cleaning done before the week but cant wash big or medium loads of laundry, can only wash small loads so that can sometimes be troublesome with two men.

Buys & Reviews: Shoes

Summer is here! and so is the excuse..err... oh.. I mean need to buy some new shoes ^^.

Now I was looking in my closet and found I was missing an important color.  Why it took me so long to buy this particular color I don't know..I guess I am not as " In with Trends" as I thought, lol. but the color I am talking about is Nude! Lets face it nude colored shoes are everywhere and have been for some time.

Nude goes with virtually every color and did I mention they elongate the leg? What woman doesn't want a little more leg? So I had to have a pair of nude shoes, flats preferably and proceeded to find a nice pair online. Now with a lot of looking and debating I found my lovelies on Piperlime which has a pair of nude flats that look almost identical to the ones I have been drooling over by Lanvin, but with a more affordable price tag. 

These shoes stole my heart and of course being the logical shopper that I am, lol I decided to get another  pair of flats so I found the cutest pair ever by Calvin Klein! So with some internal dialogue I proceeded to click the Purchase button. Click! they were mine! 

Now I would like to talk about another purchase that I had made about three months ago.

I have never in my whole life ever..I mean ever been in love with a pair of shoes as much as these!

I have been like a vulture hovering over online stores until I saw 8 1/2 become available. I have been on stores from Bergdorf Goodman to Saks trying to find these >< and to much frustration and no luck my size was sold out ..and then they came back..... and they were mine. The shoes I am talking about are a pair of grey stunning Christian Louboutins and I finally got them from Net-a-porter! 

Now let me weigh in my two cents about my recent shoe purchases.

♥ Steve Madden Koool Blush Patent Flats

I love these they are so chic and go with everything in my closet! 

These flats are said to be the color Blush although they are a camel color. I was very happy with the color and if you are looking for a pair of camel colored flats these are it! I must say beware though they are not comfortable and that is the only downside of these. They fit tight so I highly recommend getting these flats in a size up then your normal shoe size. Trust me your feet will thank you! 

The back of these flats scrunch together giving it a pretty and chic look but it is uncomfortable on your heels. These are again not the most comfortable but they make up for it by being very chic, beautiful, and affordable.  You will get your money worth out of these because of the fact that they can go with pretty much every color and can go with stuff from shorts to dresses! Though I must say the reason I gave these 3 stars out of 4 is because of the numerous uses you can get out of them and the chicness of them. 

  

❋Pros

 *Beautiful Camel color

 *affordable at $70.00

 *Look more expensive then they are

 * Goes with everything

❋Cons

* Not comfortable (order one whole size up)

* Gets dirty very easy

* Synthetic material (insole and outsole)

☆☆☆ out of ☆☆☆☆

( you can buy these at piperlime.com / stevemadden.com)

♥ Calvin Klein Cheryl Studded Flats

These flats by Calvin Klein are literally fit and feel like a dream! These are by far the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn. They are a deep black with little silver studs that decorate the heel and the toe area. These shoes give a little bit of an edge to any outfit and are not too loud, so if your looking for a little something, something to add to your outfits then these are perfect! These shoes fit true to size so no need to worry about ordering a half or whole size up. FYI though if your feet swell in heat like mine these shoes will not expand due to the fact that they are real leather.

❋Pros

* Stunning color

* Gives subtle edge to any outfit

* Leather (insole) rubber (outsole)

*can wear these all day and still feel like a cloud

*Fits True to size

*Affordable at $79.99

❋Cons

*People who have feet that swell the shoes will not expand

☆☆☆☆ out of ☆☆☆☆

( you can buy these at piperlime.com / calvinklein.com /  bloomingdales.com / dillards.com)

♥Christian Louboutin Grey Patent Leather Pumps

One brand every woman should have in her closet is a pair of Christian Louboutins! I know these are not the most affordable shoes but they are stunning and fit like a glove^^. These beauties give a little sexiness and luxury to any outfit and there is something about wearing a pair of CL shoes. They make you feel glamorous and are worth the hefty price tag 100%! I must warn you though if you wear size 61/2-10 it will be hard to purchase online due to the fact that these shoe sizes are pretty much always sold out >< I have been wanting a pair of black ones but I guess I have the most common shoe size so it is a bit frustrating. Now CL are notorious for fitting small so you have to order one whole size up for them to fit, they are made with 100% real leather so they swell and are not for women with wide feet (like me...grrrr) so unless you are like me and think hey why not beauty is pain then they will definitely be one of the most stunning and treasured pair of shoes you will own :)

Now I really suggest that if you are not super rich but can afford to buy a pair of designer shoes then always go Neutral, cause then you can atleast where them with everything and will not feel guilty about the big cost of these. I bought these from Net-a-porter and they are 3 1/2 inches with a 1 inch covered platform have a almond shaped toe. These heels are very comfortable. I love them!!!!

❋Pros

* Extremely well made

*Replaceable Red sole

*Fits the foot like a glove

*Beautiful and classic

*Shape and color go with everything

*Easy to walk in (for women who are not use to wearing heels)

*These will most definitely be the most complimented shoes you will own

*100% real leather (insole and outsole) 

❋Cons

* Expensive 

*Have to order one size up

*Not for wide feet

☆☆☆☆ out of ☆☆☆☆

(unfortunately my grey pumps are unavailable online)
( You can buy other Christian Louboutin shoes at net-a-porter.com / Saks.com / BergdorfGoodman.com / Neimanmarcus.com ) 

Buys & Reviews: TokyoMilk Bon Bon Lip Balm

I have been very curious about these lip balms for a while and I couldn't resist buying these when I laid my eyes on them in a store in Ebisu! I was hypnotized by the gorgeous little boxes and the intoxicating smell of these pretty lip balms! If you can get your hands on one they are definitely worth the money.
I first went on to purchase Let Them Eat Cake then couldn't resist getting Opera Mint and was like why the heck not get another, Petit Fours...after all they smelled to good to pass up and did I mention the packaging?
Now I am not much of a sucker for things I really don't need (well..depending ) and I am after all a huge lip balm fan. I tend to gravitate towards balms and glosses rather then lipsticks. Yeah I know I am an adult and weird but I cant help it!
I must say they are quite a steal, very affordable and goes on so smooth. I love these because they do not leave a sticky film on your lips. It goes on creamy and literally tastes pretty good, no kidding..I would eat them if I could lol. The smell of the balms is not overwhelming  and it just gives enough of a slight sweet smell that it will not give you a headache (I am very sensitive to smells...migraine suffers know what i am talking about) . ok now on to the reviews!



♥ Let Them Eat Cake

This was the first of the three TokyoMilk lip balms that I had purchased that had caught my eye. This balm has a sweet smell of French Vanilla, Shredded Coconut and Cocoa. The taste and smell of the vanilla are first present then as the balm settles on your lips you get the taste of cocoa with a hint of coconut. You can really smell the vanilla and the undertones of cocoa on this balm, very sweet and pleasant smell.

♥ Opera Mint

This balm has the smell and taste of Peppermint, Tahitian Vanilla, and cocoa. The peppermint is intense and if you are not a mint fan then this balm is not for you. There is subtle undertones of vanilla and cocoa which give this balm such a delightful smell. This balm leaves your lips feeling very smooth. I found as this balm settles the vanilla undertones really come out, this gives the balm a balance with the mint. Mint lovers this is definitely for you!

♥ Petit Fours

I love this balm! Its like a dessert on your lips, very decadent, This balm consists of the smell and taste of  Fresh Buttery Pastries, Caramelized Pear, and Candied Lavender. The Pear is the first smell and taste that hits me when I use this then a slight delicate note of Lavender creeps up, very lovely.

 ❋ All these Lip balms have no tint or color

 ❋Affordable at $ 10.00 and you can purchase at  www. Tokyo-milk.com as well as many other stores.

  Rating: ☆☆☆☆ out of ☆☆☆☆

(Please excuse my hand in this picture, I had to use my cell phone due to my camera being currently broken:( .....)

Japanese Word of the Month & Did You Know?

Tsuyu ( or Baiyu) - Plum Rain/ Rainy Season in Japan


 Tsuyu or Baiyu  literally translates to Plum Rain, Rainy season in Japan is called this because it coincides with the season of plums ripening.
Tsuyu starts from the beginning of June and lasts until mid July.
After Tsuyu it gets so mushiatsui ( humid) and shoki (hot weather) in Japan, so not a good time to visit, lol.

Back from Tokyo

I am back ^^ It has been quite a while since I have last posted. I have been visiting my parents in Tokyo and wow it was so nice! I haven't seen them in a while so I was very happy and I also haven't been back to Tokyo for a long time...about 6 years :(  So it was a wonderland for me, all the familiar places, sights, and oh the shops (seriously if I had a credit card that was endless I could do some damage)

I am happy to announce I will be moving back to Tokyo in July due to my husbands job! So exciting and so much to do till then >< but a wonderful change ^^.

I of course did my share of shopping and will post some of the Items I had bought and add my two cents in reviews about them.
I also had the luck to see a Sumo wrestler standing near the huge Louis Vuitton store and he was very kind enough to let me take a picture with him don't know his name but will see if I can find out who he was My husband who is Japanese didn't know who he was so he was no help, lol ..it actually was not intentional, he seen me looking at him in awe..I think I must have looked like a child in a candy store, lol...but it was just to cool.

tomorrow I will post reviews on TokyoMilk Bon Bon Lip Balm in:
*Let Them Eat Cake
*Petit Fours
* Opera Mint
The packaging is just stunning!

Thank you for reading and I will post more tomorrow and will keep up regularly on my blog, I have been so bad about this:(
Happy Posting and please come by my post tomorrow to read the reviews for the TokyoMilk products!