Tag Archives: jpop

Sunday Reading 05-31-15 #38

May 31, 2015

Lots have been happening this week! Alexa and I went to Flying Fish last Saturday (hopefully the post will be up this week), I got a new recipe to put up this week, Alexa worked out like a beast, my CSA started up, and I am buying a house! So I’ll make a quick little break down for the big news

Alexa and Keith and their Super Challenge

Alexa and her workout buddy Keith decided to do The Murph Challenge together. So what did she do? Well, she and Keith divided up the workout, but it is still pretty tough. Overall she and Keith had to run a mile, 100 pull ups, 200 push ups, 300 squats, and then run another mile. The website says to do it in a 20lb vest, but that didn’t happen. But I am cringing at the 50 pull ups, 100 push ups, and 150 squats that Alexa had to do. The running, pft… easy. I’m super proud of you Alexa, sticking with working out and signing up for new challenges.

Jennifer and Hubs Buy a House

Yup, I am finally entering the work of home ownership and it is scary. So we are going to buy a townhouse in a development, which isn’t my cup of tea, but we get a lot more bang for our buck. Plus we don’t have to worry about any damage to the outside of the place, including siding, lawn, or roof. The kitchen is nicer than the one we have, we get two jacuzzi tubs, two showers, and three toilets. I am SO excited to pee at the same time as my husband- on different toilets that is. Beyond excited guys. Anyone living with other people with one bathroom understand where I’m coming from! Anyways, you may see boing house stuff on the blog, or just notice a drop in posts since I will be packing, moving, and unpacking.

Fernbrook Farms Starts Up!

If you’ve been reading the blog for awhile, you might of heard me talk about going to my CSA every Saturday to pick up my produce share. I’ve written some posts about it, but mostly just post photos of the area. Towards the end of the produce season I started to make a list of what I got from the farm, and I think I want to do that again. I figured I would try just writing up on my Sunday posts, though if people want to see something more defined, like photos of the produce and the meals I make, maybe they will make their own posts… but I am not sure yet. Anyways, look forward to the addition on Sunday Reads guys!

Farm Round Up:

What I got:
1 bunch Collard Greens
2 bunches Kale (1 Tuscan and 1 White Russian)
1 quart strawberries
2 heads of lettuce
1/2 bag of spinach

What I’m cooking
BBQ Collard Green and Black Eyed Pea Sandwiches
Queso Blanco Bowl with Crispy Kale
Penne Pasta with Gingered Lentils and Spinach
Chocolate Ice Cream Topped with Strawberries

Recipes:

This dish on Vegan Richa looks amazing. I never know what to do with radishes other than to thinly slice them into salads. I definitely give this a try.

I love cutesy decorations for food, but most involve meats, eggs, cheese or fish. So I was happy to see these cute little cat falafels, which pretty much means you can do it with any sort of bean patties really.

Local:

The new issue of Grid Magazine is being distributed. Jon and I are featured in it, but if you don’t live in the area, you can read it online.

Do you live in New Jersey? Do you need a happy pick me up? Well, I have only sad news about our public transportation. Sorry. More awareness, the more complaints, the more pressure to solve the problem.

If you are near Philadelphia then you will be happy to see the BIG RUBBER DUCKIE! I can’t wait to see it, and hopefully Alexa can make a trip out to see it as well.

Health:

So avian flu is intensifying and major chains are looking for egg alternatives. The New York Times writes an article speculating if companies will take more vegan options, and possibly stick with them. I don’t think companies will go full vegan, but it would sure be nice.

So have anyone gotten friction burn before? Well, I’ve been getting it for the first time ever- in my arm pits! It is awful! It is just too humid and I run too damn fast in my Orangetheory classes. But surprisingly The Nest wrote an article that is useful! I will try it out and get back to you guys if it worked.

Choosing Raw has yet another great post about veganism. This time Gena writes about the shared food experience. I pretty much agree with the whole thing, and made me think of my family. Maybe I will write a post about food and my family.

Offbeat Home writes a great article about how sword fighting helped a woman have a better relationship with her body. I love hearing about people work out and don’t feel better because their tummy is smaller, but because they are amazed by what their body can do.

Fun:

I am loving these super cute outfits from this lolita meet up. I particularly like this outfit, as it looks like a cross between lolita and vintage.

Perfume released a new single. I am LOVING these outfits…. I need to make one for myself.

Posted by Jennifer in Sunday Reads Tags: choosing raw, crazy kitch, csa, fernbrook farms, Grid, Grid Magazine, jpop, new york times, offbeat home, perfume, sunday reading, sunday reads, the nest, vegan richa, wall street journal

My Music Highlights of 2014

January 8, 2015

15-01-05-03

Shirt: Comme Toi via Modcloth | Skirt: Alice Moon via Modcloth | Tights: Unknown | Shoes: Target | Collar Clips: Ladybird Likes

Alexa and I got together this Monday to catch up since we didn’t see each other at all during the winter festivities, one of the drawbacks of working in retail stores during the holidays. Naturally we got all dressed up super cute and took some photos in town. I got to wear some of my Christmas gifts, my beautiful new skirt and collar clips.

While getting together Alexa mentioned that she was thinking about making a post on her favorite music from 2014. I thought I should too, but I soon remembered I actually didn’t listen to much new music in 2014. I am notorious for saying the term “new album” when I mean “most recent album.” But I do have a few albums that I got pretty excited about, and I will leave some out, since I think they are making Alexa’s list. One thing is for sure, it is the year of the female singers for me.

YUKI – FLY

No I am not going caps crazy, the proper title and artist name are in all caps. I’ve been a huge fan of the Japanese singer YUKI since high school. I even had a friend perform one her songs for our wedding to walk down the aisle to. She originally was the lead singer of the group Judy and Mary, who wrote the theme song to Rurouni Kenshin. Once the group broke up, she went solo, starting out with a rock song, morphing into folk, and then into her own brand of pop.

Her newest album sticks to her self branded pop style, but dips into different styles of music. Most interesting is her borrowing hip hop styles in Naminori 500 Miles. Fly is just as refreshing and uplifting as her joy album. And the artist direction is really fabulous, though very disconnected from single to single. And can we talk about her new music video for Daredemo Lonely? I love her self awareness of the video medium (you can see the sides of the set during the video) and use to playful dance (in a very Fatboy Slim style). And that outfit? brb guise. I gotta get a new workout outfit.
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Shiina Ringo – Hi Izuru Tokoro

This is the first album with original songs from Shiina Ringo since 2009, five years ago. She had released a few singles, live albums, and such. This album, does have some singles that were released a few years earlier, but still delivers some great new ones. Her newest single featured is Nippon, which was used as the theme for Japan for the World Cup.

Earlier in the year Shiina released another full length album filled with covers of songs she wrote for other artists. It is a great collection of songs, but they don’t play well with each other. They varied too much, leaving a sour taste when playing them back to back. But it is an interesting departure since the songs aren’t always her signature retro-meets-rock genre.

I am shocked to see Shiina’s new Monroe hairdo. Although she always dabbles in jazz, enka, and older songs her fashion is modern or from 50’s and earlier. She says her favorite albums are from Ella Fitzgerald and Blankey Jet City, a modern garage rock band, which kind-of sums up her music style.

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Ga-in – Truth or Dare

The first thing is that I need to point out is that South Korea is a very sexually repressed nation. Although pop stars might be barely dressed, TV story lines have the “kiss” as the ultimate climax of love. From the perspective of music, it is dominated by record companies creating groups and controlling all aspects of image, which can leave some “sexy” dances and videos looking stiff and forced. Ga-in is a singer from the group Brown Eyed Girls, but releases music as a solo artist with a different company than her group. This gives her a lot of control of what she releases in music and videos.

Truth or Dare is only a mini-album (Ga-in has yet to release a full length album as a solo artist), but has extremely dark undertones. What makes this release so special is the title track, Fxxk U. The video highlights rape in a relationship, a taboo subject in the United States as well (can we remember about the NC-17 rating for Blue Valentine?)

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Kyary Pamyu Pamyu – Pikapika Fantajin

Most everyone on the internet knows Kyary Pamyu Pamyu because of her Pon Pon Pon music video or her Lady Gaga meme. But I know her as the next prodigy from Nakata Yasutaka. In March 2014, Alexa and I were able to see Kyary Pamyu Pamyu perform LIVE, which was absolutely amazing.

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s newest album really excited me. She is still keeping to her style of 8-bit mixed with some retro-electronica. Nakata Yasutaka has the tendency to evolve his sugar-pop groups into a more dance-club based, like his other projects capsule and Perfume.

Since Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s style is essential to her music, it is worth noting her artistic themes. I wasn’t as impressed this time around. It took awhile to choose which video to link below since they just didn’t has the same punch as before. But she did come up with some cute album photos.

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Barragán

On a totally different note, I think I was most excited about Blonde Redhead’s newest album this year. Like most fans, I wasn’t sold on the first listen. The songs are much less layered than previous albums, making it a dull first listen. But the upon the second listening the songs grew onto me. I started to like the simpler form, as it gives a more haunting feel to the music. The group really challenged themselves by simplifying the music, creating a minimalist theme for this album. I admire how each album they stick to specific theme to the sound, most groups don’t do that anymore. It is a bummer that I missed them when they came to Philadelphia for their tour. They were playing at Union Transfer, which mean I could listened to them while eating Little Baby’s Ice Cream.

Need to give a sampling of these albums? Below are videos from each album, and some of the artists are streaming on Spotify and all artists (except for YUKI) are available on iTunes.

NOTE Alexa got her list of best 2014 music here. What does Alexa list that Jen didn’t (but loved)? Orange Caramel, 2NE1, and Kimbra.

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Posted by Jennifer in Clothing Tags: alice moon, blonde redhead, comme toi, dream pop, fashion, ga-in, jpop, kpop, kyary pamyu pamyu, ladybird likes, modcloth, ootd, shiina ringo, target, wiw, yuki

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu Victory Brunch

March 11, 2014

03-10-14

Earrings: gift | Shirt: Fervour via Modcloth | Purse: Coach (thrifted gift) | Skirt: American Apparel | Shoes: Bumper via Modcloth

I had a wonderful but exhusting weekend. I am a huge Asian Pop fan. I have been listening to Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean and (mostly) Japanese pop and rock for years. One of my top favorite artists is Nakata Yasutaka. He never really releases music on his own, instead works in a duo called capsule, and composes music for lots of different artists. I love him because he not only just composes music, but lends his vision and image to the artist he creates music for.