Thursday Night Shopping

Long time, no post. Can't believe it's March already.

My cousin's birthday is soon and she loves My Little Pony. At least I think she does. She does watch it. During lunch I went to Myer and found this toy. Though I think her favourite might be Twilight Sparkle and not Rainbow Dash. Someone at work said, "Oh, isn't 10 a bit too old for toys?" And I was like NO. Children are growing up way too fast. They need to be kids so toys is it! Oh and bubbles to, just because.



I'm off to Jamberoo this weekend for the cousin's birthday. We were supposed to go 2 weeks ago but we had that horrendous, wet, rainy weekend. But the delay gave me time to properly shop for swimming costumes. I am not a beach person. I can barely swim. So I don't have a swimming costume handy. Last time I had to use it I was in high school. And that was many, many years ago.

I had been to Myer at lunch and when I went again after work the sale swimwear section was much neater and the Miss Shop brand of swimwear had been reduced from $7.50 per separate to $5.00. So I bought a bikini top, bottoms and boardshorts for 15 bucks. So yay for sales! Myer had racks and racks of stuff on sale. But I was there on a mission. Mustn't make any unnecessary purchases.


And then I headed off to Kinokuniya to waste some time before my train ride home and looksies! A signed copy of Coraline. I was so going to buy 2 of them and gift one of them to my cousin but I couldn't justify the expense. I have a habit of overbuying and overgifting when I don't have the means to do that. But yay! Signed book!



So yep. Shopping. Maybe "Thursday Night Shopping" posts will be a regular thing? Maybe. XD

9 to go

Day 2 of shopping. Wandered during the break between classes. Dropped by There Zakka on Quay Street. It's a cute little store with things like necklaces, camera straps, bags, pens, cups, notebooks. A whole range of things. Lots of cute little things which I think are from Korea, judging by the writing. I bought the necklace (below) and a "blue celeste" coloured gel ink pen (not pictured and only 99 cents!) I think it's one of those pens that you can use to write on Polaroid and/or Instax films. I have yet to try it but it seems like it could.



Then went to Kinokuniya after class was over today. So many people in the city!



I've been slowly buying one of my cousins Naruto. He gets some volumes on his birthday and then again at Christmas. Kinokuniya didn't have volume 12. Some early bird shoppers took it! On the shelf there was a quite a jump from volumes between about 13 to then 55 or something, from memory. So, I guess lots of people had bought all the ones in between.




Bought Looking for Alaska for myself. I don't really know what it's about but I've heard of it and seen quotes from it on tumblr. I still haven't finished/started 1Q84 yet either. An assessment is coming up soon so probably now is not the best time to be starting to read non-essential materials.

As I was searching through the bags that we usually keep all the ribbons and stickers for Christmas presents and stumbled across some old photos and some postcards.



This is from a Melbourne trip from years and years ago. I forget which year. 2006, me thinks. My dad had gone overseas and I just planned to go to Melbourne, with friends, without telling anyone except my brother. My dad took the digital camera with him and so I had to make do with disposable film cameras for the whole trip. I love going on the Neighbours tour. I love going to the street. I love it. I love riding on the mini-bus with mostly British/European backpackers. It's much more fun that you'd think because it's something that you only see on TV, usually. It's so much smaller in real life too. I also recommend the Neighbours trivia night. Alcohol, trivia, backpackers and a few Neighbours actors. A surprisingly fun night out. I've been on the tour and the trivia night twice. Great fun both times!



And some postcards from 2009. Bought but never sent. I thought the photos were really pretty and I didn't want to give them to anyone. So selfish. Might frame them. Ah, I want to go again! I wrote a whole list of the things that I wanted for Christmas but I decided all I really want is money to help be save up from a trip to Japan next year. Things. I don't really need things. There's this tumblr post, that I can't find at the moment, that says something along the lines of "life experiences brings more happiness than things". It was probably phrased better but that was the gist. And I tend to agree. So, no things. I want money so I can have life experiences.

Apparently there's good stress, eustress, and that's kind of what Christmas is to me. I kinda like that feeling.

Sleep then more shopping when I wake up. Fun fun :D

Now reading ...

I've been waiting for free time to read for fun. About to start reading 1Q84. I bought it today for $29.95 from Kinokuniya in The Galeries Victoria, Sydney. It looks much better with the jacket cover. I don't like the cover of this version. Some of the overseas versions are much prettier.





Anyone have any book recommendations? I still have A Game of Thrones sitting unread on my shelf.

It's been a while

and I haven't updated due to sheer laziness.

And now that I have a whole bunch of things to read and assignments, I'm procrastinating by blogging.

A group of my friends and I got tickets to the K-Pop Concert in November. We'll be sitting in VIP seating. We didn't think the standing/mosh pit looking area was for us. And I don't really want to stand for that long! By the row letter I don't think we're that close to the stage. Definitely not front row but it's still closer than I suppose the other tickets. Can't believe I spent $289 on it. I don't really know the groups all that well. XD

If you've been watching the Korean variety show I Am A Singer, some of the singers of that show are coming down to Melbourne and doing a show at the Sidney Music Myer bowl on 12th October. I don't have a source or link to it. My friend who is a massive fan of that show found the info. A group of my friends want to head down to Melbourne for it and then stay for the weekend. I'm tempted to go but, oh, money. Haven't been to Melbourne for a couple of years and it's so fun to go with a whole bunch of friends. Ah, so tempting!

Yesterday, I headed off to Downing Centre to see my tutor cross-examine a witness. I felt so out of place dressed so casually in this building full of suits. Firstly, I had no idea what room he'd be in. It's just by sheer chance that I even figured out where he was. My friend and I saw a couple of traffic matters. We took too long a lunch and thought we missed seeing our tutor in action. By chance, we wandered and looked for another open court to sit in and he was in there. We missed most of it but at least got to see the cross-examination of one witness. And in his arguments he mentioned things that I now know! I couldn't believe that I was seeing stuff taught in the classroom in practice. Gave everything we've been studying a lot more context. I was slightly more motivated. But that was yesterday. At the moment, I'm a bit, meh. Damn, self.

And now, some photos:

THURSDAY



Sukiyaki don from Sakae on Liverpool Street. We had wandered around for ages and were so hungry. The first Japanese restaurant we went to was full and had a 15 minute wait. But we were starving. All I had eaten that day was coffee and that's not even a food. It's been a long time since I've had donburi and miso soup. It was so so good on a somewhat cold night.


And don't forget the beer.!

FRIDAY




Ramen from Ajisen Ramen on Liverpool Street. This is where I had my long lunch. We were trying to figure out what time we had to go back. Then we got paranoid and ate our food pretty fast. So, did not get the chance to properly enjoy my gyoza ramen. :(



I went to Kinokuniya yesterday and oh, so many things I wanted to buy! There is a sale that ends today. 20% off books and there's some other discounts on stationery as well. I was so surprised to see this, Nippon no Arashi there. My friend bought it for me and I owe her. I haven't even known her for that long and she bought it for me. It was priced at $23.88 but with the discount it was $19.10. So yays. I've flicked through it so far but the size of it is so cute. I just find the size and look of it cute. :) So many Japanese magazines I wanted to buy. Magazines with free bags or with Kis-My-Ft2 or Ikemen desu ne cast on the cover.

Things I'm looking forward to this week: sleepover on Thursday night! It's mid-sem break for UNSW students. I'm not a UNSW-er anymore but I have Thursday and Friday free so yay!

Also, Doctor Who "Let's Kill Hitler" on ABC1 7:31pm tonight, if you still haven't seen it!

Okay, that was sufficient time wasted. Back to studying.

Because I had 2 hours free yesterday

I had 2 hours to kill yesterday so I headed to Kinokuniya because Twitter had reliably informed me that there was a sale on comics and manga because of the awesomeness that is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY this Saturday (7th May). I purchased GANTZ vol. 6 ($13.36 with 20% off, $10.69) and Superman: Earth One ($23.62 with 20% off, $18.90). So, all in all, $29.59. Buying manga is usually quite expensive so to buy manga at almost 10 bucks a piece is just amazing. Might make the most of it and buy some more!

Oh, how  I missed Superman. I remember seeing a post on LiveJournal about this new RPattz-like Superman. I read this last night, or rather this morning, and I think that my thoughts on this deserve a post of their own.

After purchasing my stuff from Kinokuiya I made my way to the Starbucks at Cockle Bay Wharf. On the way there I reached Clarence Street and spotted Maruyu Yumehiroba, that's the name that appears on my receipt. For simplicity, Maruyu. I first heard or rather read about it on Jennifer Lam's blog at this post. It's a $2.50 shop similar to 100 yen shops in Japan.

There are two levels. Downstairs is basically a convenience store. Firstly, let me say, the interior has much to be desired. The floor is made of old carpets and mats that smell like something familiar I just can't place. But that aside, it has a variety of Japanese snacks and drinks. I didn't really check prices because I wasn't there for food. Upstairs was the actual $2.50 store that I wanted to visit. It was smaller than what I imagined it would be and not everything is $2.50. I think I spied a 40-something dollar Hello Kitty umbrella. There was a variety of household items, kitchenware, random Hello Kitty and Pokemon products. There were also cosmetics but those weren't $2.50. They had Gatsby hair products for around 20 bucks. I spotted some Naive products, you know the one that Ohno advertises, and was so tempted. There's hair dye, false eyelashes, lip gloss and nail polish. I think, post-exams, I'll make a trip and get that Naive facial wash and some moisturiser if it's cheaper than AKA Cosmetics. XD

I felt really bad wandering around, alone, for what felt like forever so I purchased a $2.50 Charming Kitty Hand Mirror by Sanrio. Can never have too many mirrors.

Quick note about Starbucks, Cockle Bay Wharf. I think it's very pretty and clean inside compared to other Starbucks in Sydney. No wi-fi, I think, because I tried. Not as cramped as the others too. Still a bit noisy though but that really can't be helped. People are generally kinda loud when they're all talking at the same time. XD

So yeah ... XD

Happy Friday, you guys!

Stuff I bought

Apple espadrille wedges from Rubi Shoes at Market City - $5.00
GANTZ vol. 4 - $16.91
GANTZ vol. 5 - $13.36 (I don't know why they're priced differently)
Otona no kagaku (大人の科学) Gakkenflex TLR - $43.74 (It was 20% off. Full price $54.67)

I bought a shirt and cardigan thing from Cotton On but I'm too lazy to photograph them. I'm surprised there was still some Gakkenflex TLRs still available. I was so worried they'd be sold out. Great price for them too.

I was hoping to pick up Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro but they didn't have that particular novel of his in stock. Also, wanted to buy A Game of Thrones, the first in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series but they didn't have that one. They had the 2nd and 3rd ones but alas not the first. In my quick perusal of the store I didn't find Tina Fey's Bossypants either. I guess it's a sign to not read non-uni things and instead do uni readings and assignments.

Shall put my Gakkenflex TLR together later ... I'm very hungry right now and am trying to get over this cold still. Might go to library again tomorrow. Sigh sigh sigh. Need to buy Easter eggs too!