2011/10/18

Mosburger salted caramel churros

Mosburger now selling salted caramel mini churros.  Great packaging design, sadly not that tasty as they aren't crispy, more like a soft cookie, but only 100 yen


2011/06/13

Buffalo Daughter new digital release (For US)

Japanese band Buffalo Daughter is releasing their 2010 album, Weapons Of Math Destruction in the US digitally on June 13th.  Additionally, you can buy an actual CD at their 4 date tour in the US:
http://www.buffalodaughter.com/live.html#wmd6

Probably in support of their tour due to their appearance at the Hollywood Bowl on June 26th with Yellow Magic Orchestra, Towa Tei and the reunited Cibo Matto (http://www.hollywoodbowl.com/tickets/performance-detail.cfm?id=4529)


2011/06/09

IVY is back!

Was pleasantly surprised to see that the band, IVY is back.  New single out now and album out in September.  It really exceeded my expectations and is more synth-based than ever!  Check it out streaming on their webpage.

http://www.thebandivy.com/news/

2011/01/24

Wacky Things Of Japan 2011 Part 3 (iPhone 4 cover that looks like a cassette)

Hot item from Akihabara!  Yep, if you want to go really retro, you can disguise your iPhone4 as a crappy cassette (look it up on Wikipedia, kids).  Looks pretty cool though I think... And only about $12 bucks.  Maybe something that Erika Toda would use? :)

2011/01/23

Wacky Things Of Japan 2011 Part 2 (iPhone 4 Cover that looks like a shoe)

If only I had an iPhone4 to use it.  Shoe for your iPhone4! :)

2011/01/07

Japanese Products Part 3 - Kit Kat Shinkansen (Bullet Train) (Flavor??!?)

Just kidding...  It's not Shinkansen flavor but a special Nozumi Shinkansen edition of Kit Kat that comes in a box shaped like the famed Osaka to Tokyo Shinkansen.  Inside the box is a bunch of the regular petit Kit Kat but with Shinakensen trivia on it plus some stickers.  I picked this up at that Nagoya Shineansen waiting area for my son...yeah, my son. :)


2011/01/02

Japanese Products Part 2 - Nestle Kit Kat - European Cheese

One of my other favorite things to do when going to Japan is visiting Conbini (convenient) stores like Family Mart, 7-11, Lawsons, etc and checking out the Kit Kat section.  Did you know Kit Kat world wide except for United States is made by Nestle, not Hershey?  Not sure why that is.  What I've discovered though is there are tons of special Kit Kat flavors in Japan.  It changes seasonally.  Today, I'm covering one I just found called, *CHEESE*!  It's not just any cheese though, its European cheese!  (American Cheese Kit Kat sounds even more disgusting--I hope it doesn't exist.)  Being in Japan, I'll try anything once so I bought this.

The packaging is a big box, maybe an inch and a half thick.  This is a special flavor so be aware that most of the Kit Kat in Japan does come in the regular plastic wrapping that you'd see in the US.  I like the lock on the side of the box to make it look exotic!  Since this is Japan, everything is mini size (petite it proclaims so you can justify those 25Kcals) and individually wrapped.  The ingredients are:  Cheese paste, Cheese flavor & Cheese powder.  Yum!

Taste?  Well, its still sweet, but it has that definite stinky cheese smell.  Taste is more like a bland white chocolate.  I'm not really getting a cheese taste and I think in this case that is a good thing!    Don't say I really care for it, but I didn't hate it either but the smell is kind of annoying.  Rating: 2 out of 5.




2011/01/01

Japanese Products Part 1 - Pepsi Mont Blanc

Mont Blanc is a desert.  Sort of a chestnuts and cream thing.  Wikipedia Entry Here. It is very popular in Japan.  I had never heard of it before.  In Japan it is pronounced Mom-bu-lan (at least it sounds like it to me).   Not sure if that is the correct pronunciation as it is French.   My wife loves it; I think it is okay.  Anyway, saw that Pepsi has a Mont Blanc flavor here in Japan.  I got it and tried it.  Kind of like cream soda.  Was alright.  Haven't seen any different Coke or Pepsi Japanese products ever since my journeys to Japan began so I thought this was significant.