Lasagna Christmas

For Christmas Eve, I made lasagna like I have for the past 2 years in Japan (2010 here). In my opinion, this years turned out the best!

Must have spinach!

Celebrated with some bubbles!

I've been addicted to champagne recently...

Japanese Christmas

Starting in November, Japan's streets have been decked out with Christmas decorations. Some pictures I've snapped with  my phone:

I can't believe Christmas is in 2 days!!

V-Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope everyone had (in Tokyo) and will have (in the states) a wonderful day!

My lovely boyfriend gave me this gorgeous box of chocolates from Palet D'or.

I had two pieces and they were heavenly.

Thank you D! xo

P.S.

It's snowing in Tokyo now!

I just stepped outside to take a few photos. So pretty!

Fonda de la Madrugada

For our Christmas dinner, we went to have Mexican food at Fonda de la Madrugada in Harajuku. Like I mentioned in my previous post, all of the restaurants have a "Christmas course".

Interior. There was a Mariachi band that was singing Christmas songs in Spanish and serenading the couples. (Sorry for the dark picture)

Christmas course menu.

Shrimp Quesadilla Appetizer and Fonda Christmas Salad (which had beets, apples, walnuts and raisins). The Quesadilla was more like an Empanada.

His main: Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Tequila White Sauce and Mexican Mashed Potatoes. The sauce was really tasty and reminded me of my favorite Mexican restaurant back home.

My main: Baked Stuffed Chicken Leg with Mole Manchamanteles served with Spicy Green Rice. Apparently, the sauce had chocolate in it. The Chicken leg was really tender.

Mango Flan with Coffee.

I think this place was one of the best Mexican restaurants (so far) that I've had in Tokyo. Except I think that paying 7,000 yen for Mexican food is a little overrated... I want to come back again to try their regular menu.

Christmas Eve

For some odd reason, they celebrate Christmas "Eve" instead of the actual Christmas day in Japan. It's also an "event" night for couples. When you go out to eat on Christmas Eve, restaurants are filled with couples and most everywhere has their own course dinners.

So we decided to eat at home because we wouldn't normally celebrate Christmas Eve anyways. Like last year, I cooked Lasagna.

Turned out really well!

Added a lot of Spinach and 2 types of cheeses, Mozarella and Grueyre. So hearty and delicious!

Tonight, for Christmas dinner, we will celebrate the "Japanese" way by going out to eat at a restaurant with a Christmas course. We haven't forgotten our Californian roots though... it's going to be a Mexican course dinner!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Las Chicas & St. Pat's

Back in Tokyo!

Sunday was such a warm and nice day.

We wanted to sit outside to enjoy the sun so we brunched at..

Las Chicas Omotesando

Penny joined us.

Smoked Salmon Egg's Benedict.

Nothing special.

Las Chicas is definitely not somewhere I would go back for the food.

Then we headed over to the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Supposedly an annual event held since 1992.

Guiness.

Irish Setters.

Irish Wolfhounds. They were HUGE!

*Today (17th) is the actual Irish holiday,
Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Valentine's Day

Baked Flourless Chocolate Cakes for the first time this V-Day.

After researching through a lot of recipes online,

I made my own version with less butter and sugar

and instead added some Grand Marnier Liquor.

Success!

It turned out moist, rich and not overly-sweet.

On a side note, went to go see:

It was cute.. kinda long but cute.

Hope everyone had a lovely V-day!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing all my family & friends a

very Merry Christmas!

I decided to cook at home so we are staying in with:

Tonight's gonna be a good night♪

Most definitely.

CHEERS!

P.S. Notice the Tokyo-sized Poinsettia. Cute!

Christmas Decorations

Christmas decorations here are so pretty!

A Tokyo Thanksgiving

Celebrated with friends for a late Thanksgiving dinner yesterday.

Making creamed spinach in my new 'nabe'.

Our completed 'Mac & Cheese'.

Might I add, a gourmet one made with three kinds of cheese.

The completed creamed spinach on the bottom.

Our friend roasted a turkey for us.

Didn't think I would get to eat turkey in Japan!

Stuffing.

Aftermath.

MAJOR food coma...

I love the holiday season!

Happy Halloween!

Didn't know that Halloween in Tokyo is such a huge event.