A Meet-up at Sweets Paradise

お久しぶりですね！Or in other words, long time no see.

November has been a busy month, full of midterms and impending projects. 

Last week I went to Hiroshima on an Excursion with NUFS, which I will write about when I have more time, since there is too much to say about it... and it wouldn't feel right to me to slap it in an entry alongside a Lolita meet.

I was pretty upset when I returned from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, and frazzled from the trying midterms. Luckily, my Lolita friend in Nagoya sent me a message suggesting a meet-up. She wanted to go to a restaurant in Nagoya called Sweets Paradise.

For the reasonable cost of 1,480 yen, you get to eat all you want from a buffet of ice cream, chocolate fountains, cakes, cream puffs, mochi, you name it, they have it.

It includes 'normal' foods like pasta, udon, curry and soup, and also extends to their impressive drink bar, boasting cappuccino makers, every type of pop, juice, and tea. If you'd like to add nomihodai (all you can drink) alcohol, it is an additional 800 yen.

We met up at the giant golden clock in Nagoya Station. I decided to finally break out my entire Honey Cake set, including the ring, Pancake Purse and Ivory Jsk. My friend arrived in Baby's Alice Trick-or-Treat Jsk in black. While we were waiting for the other lolita, a Japanese girl in a Candy Stripper shirt asked to take our picture. She took out her phone and showed us she was a lolita too! 

The other lolita, my new friend, arrived in Meta's Honey Picnic heart apron skirt in mint, with a handmade bear broach. Together we had the perfect Honey and Bears theme.

Read more under the jump-cut!

October Wrap-Up

Can you hit the jackpot just for buying a soft drink at home?

When you use Suntory soft drink vending machines, you can be a big winner. When you buy a drink the numbers start rolling, and if you hit three sevens, you get the jackpot: a free drink.

I have yet to win, but the landlord always comes up behind me and cheers, "当たって！ナナ、ナナ、ナナ！" (Hit it! Seven seven seven!).

Why bring this up? I've had a tough past week.While taking my daily run, I tripped over something in the dark and deeply scraped my legs. Since I also sprained my ankle running last month, I've come to the conclusion that I need to stop running outdoors and try out the treadmills at the gym. Luckily, NUFS has its own gym open for students.

On top of that, I finally caught the cold that was going around. The only good thing was the vocabulary I learned to describe my symptoms and read medicine bottles. (Guess what the word for runny nose is? 鼻水 [hanamizu], literally nose water.)

My point is in spite of this, my friends and family cheer me on anyway, no matter what it is I'm going through. They inspire me and help me make it through.

October ended with NUFS' University Festival, and naturally, Halloween. 

University Festivals are unique to Japan... or at least, my college in Hawaii never had anything like this. Different classes, clubs and sports teams set up their own booths to raise money for activities. It's a really big deal, and not only students attend, but everyone in the town.

More under the cut!