Spank! Halloween Event in Nakano

 Ok, so like, one of the best things about living and working in Tokyo is that during my lunch breaks, I can just hop on over to one of the super cool Japanese fashion shops I'd read about online for years while in the US, just dreaming about visiting one day. Now I can just go whenever! So that's exactly what I did today. Plus, I was already dressed up princessy for my work's in-class Halloween party. 

This event was from October 28th - 31st in Nakano Broadway in the basement near where the Spank! shop is located, in a little event space. The first thing I did was a workshop where you can make your own arm warmer thingies. For ¥1500, you can choose a set with or without lace, then one type of bow and one type of bead or button, then any other extra bits are ¥50 each. Then, with you can sew them on yourself, or I think they could do it for you if you can't, but I'm not sure because I just did it myself.

There's also a booth with candy shop from Koenji, and I got a cute light-up light bulb keychain, which I might make into a necklace to match some similar light-up earrings I already have. Then, she told me that they have a kind of stamp sticker rally thing where if you do all 3 of the things there, so can get a Polaroid and a certificate, so OF COURSE I had to buy one of the cute accessories they had (which I was already thinking about getting anyway)

Fun with Choom, Rehearsal, Swing Dancing and Friend-Making

 Monday October 3rd

I got to see Choom! We walked by the salon she get's her hair done at and saw another friend there getting her hair done, so we dropped in to say hi. What are the chances?? Also, one time I was randomly walking by there alone, and the hairdresser literally ran out and told me my hair was cool and he wanted to have me hair model sometime, and I was like OK, actually my friend is one of your regulars 😄 Anyway, Choom came to my place, helped me organize my disaster of a room a little more, and then we wandered around and did a mini photo shoot, and had a long chat about life while on the swings at at park. The kinmokusei were just past their peak of full bloom.

 Sunday October 10

This was quite an eventful, fun Sunday! Husband was in Osaka with his band, so I tried to have fun anyway. It started out with rehearsal for Midsummer, and I helped our new fairy learn her part in the songs, and we practiced the dances a bit. After that, we went for lunch and drinks at a nearby Izakaya with lots of fish. I was in a really good mood, and I was having so much fun I didn't want to go, even though I had a swing dance event from 3. 

Tomato hai

Table charge food. The fish is shishamo which I have gotten used to eating, even though it has a head and eyes

It just landed like this. Lucky, right?

I ended up leaving right on time to make it to swing dance!  I went to this monthly event before, recently. In fact, I think that this event, pre-covid, is where I met my best friend Mo! Anyway, I was a bit self conscious about smelling like izakaya, but since I was a bit tipsy at that point, I was fine, and jumped right into that prime dancing mode without the awkward warm up time. 

There was a jam session for people who came from afar for this event. There were a few people from Tochigi, other parts of Japan, one guy from abroad. I figured swing people already knew me, so I was safe, but the cute blue-haired, super amazing lead girl pushed me forward, because it ended up being kind of a foreigner jam, so I didn't argue, cuz I'm a Leo and get to be the center of attention, and then I get to dance with everyone 😁 Right before this, I was asked to dance by a Japanese swing-dancer guy I hadn't met before. After the jam, we danced, and he was amazing! Then, he asked for a second dance, which my proud self was glad to accept, that this super awesome dancer actually wanted a second dance with me?! I talked to another guy after, and then we danced and he could kick so high when we did Charleston, I was like, my old ballerina skills better come back and beat this man's kick! The funniest thing was we were all speaking only Japanese during the event, but actually, they both knew really good English! I didn't find that out until later, when I met another cool Canadian girl who was new to Japan. I am glad that they spoke Japanese to me at first though! I want to have more chances to actually use Japanese, you know living in Japan and all, and most people are very quick and eager to try to speak whatever English they know, which often is not a lot, so it makes it hard to get to really get to know people. For me, personally, at least. I'd rather that you dive in with Japanese, I follow the best I can, which is pretty decent, and getting better, then if I'm reeeeeally lost, I will let you know, and then, we can try to figure out the English. I don't want to just be an English language partner, I want friendship, no matter what language we do it in!

Anyway, after the event, one of the guys finally invited me to the after party! I finally had my chance to break into the swing friend group. They now knew I know enough Japanese to communicate, and that I'm truly interested in swing and permanently gonna be in Japan. It all starts here, and man, was it a good start! We went to grab some craft beers at a local brewery. I talked a lot more deeply to everyone in English and Japanese.  After the brewery served their last orders, we ended up on the way to the event leaders' home after stopping to grab some drinks to bring with us. They cooked us dinner, and I talked and listened and learned a lot about the swing community.

Here's to some more fun theatre rehearsal and swing dance adventures!

Which will be this weekend...and a festival...will be posted here! 😉

Blog: Japan Day 4 Part 1: Shibuya 109 Shopping

This day was full of shopping, friendship, and music! It started out with meeting some of Takeru's friends for Chinese food near the station.

Then we went to Shibuya. When we were waiting to meet Aya, there was this super fashionable guy also waiting nearby.  I wanted to take his picture, and Takeru said that he actually thought that he looks like a guy he knows!  So I went to the bathroom and came back, and then they were talking! XD Turned out he actually did know him.  So I was able to ask for his picture ;)

Then we met Aya went to Shibuya 109!

In Onespo!

Aya got me my first ever Swankiss purchase!! The girls who work there are so cute, and I follow all of them on Instagram.  I'd been to the store before, last time I was in Japan, but didn't buy anything, so I was soooo excited!

After that, we went to Liz Lisa, and I got a dress (all the clothes I got will have their own post)
And I saw this super cute girl dressed head to toe in Liz Lisa! Takeru asked for me to take her picture because I'm too shy, and Japanese is easier for him (of course)

I'll do part 2 from this day next!

Morgantown Spring Part 1 and Look of the Day: Me, Arianna, and Cherry Blossoms

Don't worry, I still have plenty more things from Japan to post too!  I wanted to post this first one while it was still technically spring (though it seems to have reverted back to winter)...

Yes, Morgantown actually has real cherry blossoms too!  So many people are surprised or don't believe me at first when I tell them XD I didn't even believe it when I first heard about them.  

Anyway, this is my new Liz Lisa dress that my friend Aya got for me in Japan over spring break ♡ I love it! When Liz Lisa has other colors besides pink, white, and beige (as much as I adore pink) it's always so beautiful and unique! I'd have to say I like their lavender, blue, and of course pink colored things the best.

And of course my lovely friend Arianna accompanied me ♡

I have a few more Morgantown spring posts along with the rest of my Japan posts so keep watching for those ♡