I Have Returned! Kind of....

 Konbanwa (Good evening/こんばんわ)!

 It's been a few months since I last posted in here. But, sadly, it's been very difficult for me to write because I live in the suburbs and my life is...pretty boring, for the most part, lol! I wish it wasn't like this, but, what can you do? The constant summer heat definitely doesn't help.

Anyway...we celebrated my parents' birthdays, a couple weekends ago, now. We went to this Italian restaurant, in town, that I have never heard of. I even grabbed a few photos 😊.

First off, this restaurant was on an upper floor of the building (if I remember, correctly, this building is three restaurants...or two....), so we got a bit of a nice view!

The restaurant, itself...called Trattoria di Cat...was very nice. And, we went at a time of the day when there was hardly anybody around, so we had a fairly quiet meal. It didn't start getting crowded until right as we were leaving, so that's cool.

Real roses at the center of every table. I love it 🌹. And, bonus! Roses are actually my favorite flower.

I tried my first actual cocktail, here! This is called the Cosmic Cosmo...and it was very good. Not gonna lie, I kinda wanted another one, lol! And I'm glad I ended up choosing this one because I was nervous that I wouldn't like a cocktail, and I had no idea how this one was going to taste or feel in my chest.

I am not too new at alcohol. I've had Southern Comfort, before (albeit, mixed with 7-Up...thank you, Dad), and daiquiris. I like both + now, this cocktail. Oh! And I can do a bit of light beer, and red ale. I've learned, however, that I do not like wine. It doesn't matter what kind because I have even tried light wine. It all just sits too heavily in my chest. I can't do it, Cap'n! I am very thankful, though, that I am not at all the type of person who will drink more than at least two glasses of alcohol, and it probably helps that I'm pretty picky about the drinks, too. 🤣

My dinner was this delicious tortellini. This included mushrooms and sausage, which I skipped because I have never been a fan of either of those. And yes, the pasta in here is three different colors, lol!

This was also the day I tried mussels and calamari, for the first time! My sister had this meal...I have no idea what it's called...that included mussels and calamari, and she let me try one of each. M'kay, where have these things been, all my life? How could child me miss out on them, completely, until now?

When I say that I will survive in Japan, I mean it. I am such a seafood person! When they're not breaded, of course...I kinda grew out of breaded foods. I mean...salmon, calamari (squid, really), mussels...probably octopus, but I don't know because I don't know where I would have access to them in US restaurants...especially here, in the south. At least, I've never seen it. But anyway...seaweed, I'm trying to learn to like avocado, and Lord knows that I love my noodles and rice.

Yeah...someday, I pray to visit Japan. Food-wise, I know what I like, so I'll know what I'll eat, over there. Exercise-wise, I know all that walking would do me a ton of overdue good.

All I'm really missing, now, is the finance to get there. I hate how expensive plane tickets are....

And I went off the tracks. Back to the restaurant.

Dessert was just as good as dinner. This is vanilla gelato, drizzled in...I honestly don't know what. I thought it was caramel, but I didn't think it had that sweet-and-sticky...ness...that caramel usually has. Well, anyway, it was yummy!

My dad had this slice of lemon cake that I grabbed a photo of...because why not. I only got a taste of the frosting, so I don't have a real opinion on this treat, lol! I know that the frosting was thick, but actually pretty good!

And that's all the photos that I got at Trattoria di Cat. I'd go there, again! I know I'd definitely have the Cosmic Cosmo, again 👀. I'm just sayin'.

There's like a little vegan café in Japan that I'm interested in checking out, someday. This place is called ANANA'S Coffee Vegan Tokyo. Now...I am not vegan, I admit. I also admit that I love my meat and dairy. It's just how I grew up. With that being said, I have learned to like at least a couple of vegan foods in my life. Vegan pastries and vegan cheese pizza. They're pretty good! Sadly expensive, though (why is being healthy so damn expensive, these days? It's not right), which is why I don't get a chance to get any, these days. We used to have a cute little vegan coffee and pastries café in town, called Nerdy Bird (or Birdy...I can't remember which). But sadly, they closed like, several years ago, now. If I remember, correctly (probably not, knowing my brain), I think the reason being is they went bankrupt or something...or, they weren't getting enough customers...gosh, I don't remember. But they did have some good stuff, there!

Anyway, if I ever get the chance to visit Japan, I am definitely going to check out ANANA'S. It looks like a very cute place, and their sweets and drinks look yummy!

Here's a sneak peek of what this adorable-looking place has (photo taken by them). This is a matcha latte, and it looks so yummy (I also love that coaster)! I really want to try it 😭! Ahh, someday....

If you aren't in Japan, but are curious about ANANA'S, here's their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ananas_tokyo_/?hl=en 

They also have Twitter and a shop website!

Well...I think this post is long enough, lol! I apologies for my rambling. Oddly enough, I tend to ramble more online than I do in real life...or so it feels like to me. I will now end this post with a couple photos of a recent outfit of mine...one of those photos including one of my pups 🤣.

Pup's name is Nicky 💜💙.

Thank you for reading, everyone! I hope you have a good week!

✨

Overdue Post!

 Hello, hello!

 I apologize for not posting! I try to keep this blog from seeming repetitive and too boring...but, it's just not easy to do when you live in the suburbs and are currently jobless 🙃, so life is just boring, in general. Lol!

 We are also in the midst (is that the right word?) of packing and moving as we had just recently bought a house...we're no longer renters after May! I think.... I plan on finally starting to pack my room, this weekend. I hate packing, especially on my own as then, it never gets done until the last minute 😅.

That's not a great thing.

 Anyway, this last weekend, we went up north! I know, you're probably thinking, "What? Up north, again? Weren't you just up there?" Well, yes, but that was for my cousin's wedding. This time, we went up there to celebrate my grandpa's 90th birthday.

You read that, correctly. 90! It seems like my grandpa is determined to live past 100, lol!

Love you, Papa!! And Happy Birthday!! 🎂🎊✨

I took a bunch of photos...or so, I feel like.

 It rained on our way up, but if I remember correctly (I'm probably not, lol), the skies cleared up as soon as we neared our hotel!

 Last Friday night, we met up with my aunt for dinner, and went to a place called, "Olympic Star Restaurant".

 I had their cream of chicken soup, which was really yummy! I also hadn't had cream of chicken soup in a very long time, so this was good. I rarely have soup at restaurants, honestly. I'm not sure why....

 The soup was a side that came with my meal, which I did not get a photo of because it's the same thing I got for Saturday's linner (lunch + dinner), lol!

 This was our view from the hotel room, that evening. My camera doesn't seem to like picking up sunset colors because this sunset was actually a bit redder-orange than the photo, here. Lol!

 My brother and I had shared a hotel room, for once. We were both up late-ish, Friday night, enjoying a marathon of "Family Guy" 🤣. My brother and I very rarely get chances to spend time, together. Up until recently, he's been hanging out with his friends on weekends, and he's so tired from work on weekdays that we don't really do anything, together, like watch movies or something.

 So, sharing a hotel room was a really nice change...and "Family Guy" is one of the few things he and I have in common.

 We did bring dessert back to the hotel. This is rice pudding, and it was super yummy! I hadn't had rice pudding since I was a kid, so...bonus memories!

 Saturday was my grandpa's birthday celebration. Although, we didn't meet up with everyone until about late lunchtime.

 This was my outfit for the party. The leggings are from Walmart, I believe...I ordered the turtleneck from a site called "YesStyle" (I've yet to have a negative or a meh experience from ordering clothes from there...then again, the last time I did was only the second time)...and the boots I got from a store in the mall called, "The Shoe Department Store". I think! I'm 90% sure that's what the store is called, lol! Oh, yeah, and the butterfly necklace is something my mom gave me...I bought the ring on my pointer finger from a store in Gatlinburg (I don't remember the store's name), and the other ring I bought at a fair that happens, once in a while, in town. It's probably my favorite ring that I've ever owned!

 I am trying to be a bit more fashionable or slightly mature with my clothes. Especially since it's so hard to find stuff in my style that's affordable or actually fits me (shoes/boots being the hardest, like my gosh! C'mon, fashion industry!).

Anyway....

 This is where we went to for linner. I haven't been here probably since I was a kid, and I vaguely remember the food being good. And it still is!! If you live in Illinois, and you like/love Italian food, I recommend this place!

 Here's a random photo of a salad that I took. Literally everyone except me had it, lol! (I'm not and have never been a salad person...sorry 😅). 

 This was my meal, there: Cheese ravioli (childhood favorite) with salmon, and a glass of water (not shown). I ate almost everything, lol! Definitely all 3 (or...4) of those ravioli, most of that fish, and I didn't touch the lemon (I don't like lemon...not like that, anyway).

  There was something for everybody, over there! My brother had pepperoni pizza, and he was the only one who ate it 🤣. That's just about as Italian/Sicilian as he's willing to get, lol!

 The restaurant had tiramisu, there...which, I really wanted, but was unable to get because we were having dessert and coffee, later. Oh, well. Next time, I guess.

 After linner, we went over to Grandpa's house for pretty much the rest of the day (of course, that is what you do when visiting family: you stay at their place all day, lol!). I haven't been to my grandpa's house in many years...probably 10 if not over that...so the nostalgia was very real, there! Very little has changed, but that's fine. I do miss visiting there, though...I remember doing it, almost pretty often, growing up!

This is cannoli cake that a family member made.

It was good!

And then, of course, with every visit to my grandpa's house or everytime he visits us...there's coffee 🤣.

 Proof, lol! This set is so cute and beautiful, though, what the fudge! (The urge to swear, since I am 26, is strong, LOL!)

 Sadly, a little while after coffee, we had to go back to the hotel as we did have a 7-hour drive back home, the next day. I didn't really take any more photos after visiting Grandpa's house.

 I always hate having to leave Illinois. It's so expensive, there, nowadays...but it's the state I grew up in and spent at least half of my teenage life in. I miss going to all the huge family gatherings, despite the noise (I guess it's a really good thing my cousins, brother, and I are all grown up, now, lol! So no more kiddlings)...and, I really miss visiting my grandparents' houses, where said gatherings were usually held.

 Would I go back to living in Illinois? Probably not.... At least, not unless Illinois decides to stop being California 2.0. I think for now, I'm just happy going up there to visit family...which rarely happens, sadly, as my parents, siblings, pups, and I live in a different state, these past 10 years and counting. Not only that, but there's also time off from work to remember.

I'm not looking forward to that: working at least 90% of the year. Lol! Nooo, my freedom!!

 Eh, whatever. I've got life goals I wanna achieve hopefully before I turn 40...or, 50.

Saturday was fun! I'm hoping to see family, again, soon!

 Which...I don't think should be too long, now, because my mom wants to hold a house party or something after we move into the new place, so the whole family will be coming down, if they can! Now, I wonder what food plans are going to be.... And dessert?

Oh, gosh! People are gonna wanna see my new room! Nooo!!! 

🤣🤣🤣

 I think that's all for this post. I have social studies class in a couple of hours, and today's rainy weather (yes, it's raining, again) is making me sleepy. I just wanted to post about what's been happening, recently...and also because it's been a while since I last blogged 😅.

Hopefully, the new place will give me more opportunities to take more interesting photos to share.

Below are random extra photos I took over this past weekend.

Thank you, everyone, for reading! Have a good rest of the week and weekend!

 C.I.A. recently released this song, and uh...needless to say, I kinda kept listening to it during the trip up north and even on the way home. Lol!

It's catchy. 

Dammit, C.I.A. 🤣🤣.

 The song is called "Samaraba"...it won't leave my head. It is on Spotify, though (yeah, my subscription on there ran out the day we went home, and a part of me died inside since I can't afford to renew it, lol!)!