j.crew mini edie

For Christmas, my boyfriend surprised me with a new purse, the J.Crew Mini Edie bag in a beautiful bright golden mustard color. The Edie line at J.Crew has gotten pretty decent reviews, but people have complained about the leather getting scratched easily.

I love it. It's very structured, but small so it doesn't look awkward, even though I'm pretty short (5'2''). It's great for when you just want to carry around your essentials (phone, wallet, lip balm, keys). The only bad thing is my Kindle can't fit in it and I usually carry my Kindle around (I have the Kindle keyboard, so if you have one the newer ones, it should fit!).

I think they're sold out online, but if you're interested, I would check your local stores just in case. The 40% extra off sale items is still going on at J.Crew.com so be sure to check it out for some really good deals!

heroine make smooth liquid eyeliner

I bought this eyeliner back in November, and I've been using it almost everyday. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when it suddenly ran out today. Besides the short lifespan of this eyeliner, I was really pleased with it--it dried quickly, went on very black without being too glossy, easy to control, and you could create thin or thick lines easily. Once on, it lasts about eight to ten hours for me without primer; with primer, it stays on until I take it off. It doesn't smudge, but without primer it does flake a little, which didn't bother me (I prefer flaking to smudging).

I would recommend it, except that it ran out so much faster than I expected! I did use it almost everyday though... so I guess it was good, because you're not supposed to keep your liquid eyeliner (and other liquid makeup) for longer than 3 months... I probably won't repurchase this, because I want to try other brands (oh Japan, why must you have so many wonderful products?).

What eyeliner do you use?

les miserables

Movies in Japan cost a lot more than they cost in the States, about 1800 yen ($20!). Luckily, Wednesday nights are ladies nights, so the price is cut down to 1000 yen for girls. I recently watched Les Mis (on a Wednesday night of course), and I was completely blown away.

I'm a huge musicals fan, but I hadn't read the book or seen the musical before, so this movie was a completely fresh and new experience for me. For those who don't know the story, I won't go too much into detail, but I do feel that you had to suspend your disbelief a bit to find the story credible. Saying that is kind of missing the point and it's not the musical's fault; it's just the nature of this particular medium. I was blown away by the acting and singing--I think it's not easy to be convincing when you're singing at the same time.

Bottom line, amazing movie, great acting, singing, beautiful visuals. Worth every penny! Bring tissues; I cried like a baby.

the best strawberries in the world!

I live in Tochigi, a prefecture that is a little north of Tokyo. Tochigi is famous for its own strain of strawberries called Tochiotome. Now that it's winter, it's strawberry season! I've been indulging in this sweet (but expensive!) fruit. It's seriously the best strawberries you will ever eat. I didn't believe it till I tried them--I'm addicted!

toshi yoroizuka

If you want to have the most elaborate, fancy desserts of your life, please take a trip to Toshi Yoroizuka in Roppongi, Tokyo. At first glance, it's a confectionery shop, but behind the store front is a dessert bar where you can see your amazing desserts made right in front of you! Prices range from 1000-1500 yen, but the desserts are well worth it.