Kuretake Brush Pen

Sometime last week I stumbled upon this Kuretake Cambio brush pen that was selling for only $2.80 on Amazon. Normally, similar brush pens go for around $5 to $6. 

There were only 3 reviews and 2 out of the 3 weren't favorable. Still, I like Kuretake products so I ordered 2 pens. 


It has a very fine tip, and although it took awhile for it to get juicy, the ink did eventually get to flowing just right. 


I loooove it. I like that you get can very fine as well as broad brush strokes. And if you work quickly you can get a dry-brush effect.

Soon after trying out the pen, I went back online to see if I could order more. They're now $9.80!! Whaaaat!! 


P.S.  I just did an Amazon review. I hinted that if the price drops I'll be getting another pen. LOL. 

On Da Desk

Mushroom houses done with Holbein gouache and Prismacolor colored pencils.

Cheeseburger from Makiki Inn

Awhile back my brother-in-law Glenn recommended the cheeseburger from Makiki Inn. Landon was in the area last week so he picked up one for himself and one for Wendell.

Lan said that it was the best hamburger that he's had in a long time. 

I took a bite. It was juuuuuuicy and ono.



It's on Wilder by Makiki Village Market.

Bye Mr. Young

Crack Seed Store's Mr. Young is retiring at the end of the month. Luckily, he found somebody to take over for him, but still . . . 



waaaaaahhhhh!!

Octolab TV

I love to watch octopuses trying to figure things out.

Sign

I saw this sign for sale at the swap meet.

Surprise at 7 Eleven

I almost missed it. They were in a nondescript plastic bag on the counter in front of the cashier.



Spanish rolls!!!  Six for $2.50.


Guess where they're from.  Nanding's Bakery!! And it looks like you can order ahead of time 30/$11.99. Good for potlucks, no?!

On Da Desk

Dragonflies!!  These were fun to paint.  I'm gonna try make some greeting cards with them.

Chocolate and Vanilla

I was a little later than usual running my errands sometime last week, and when I passed by Chocolate and Vanilla in Kaimuki they were open. 





Yeehaw!!


I got the Apple Pie Bread Pudding ($5.25)


and Blueberry Cream Cheese Bread Pudding ($5.25)


Here are my slices with the provided sauce poured on. My favorite of the two by far was the Apple Pie Bread Pudding. Hope Wendell didn't eat all the rest. 

Shiseido at Ross

I always wondered if I would ever find a Shiseido product at Ross, and yesterday I did.

I didn't buy it though. Even though it was half of the regular retail price, I thought that $30 for 4 uses for your full face was too expensive. 

But now I know that they do sometimes carry Shiseido products, so I'll keep looking!

Kansai Yamato New Item

You might recognize this label. They make mochi right? 

Well, Cleta and I were at 99 Ranch. We had just finished eating lunch and on our way out, Cleta stopped to buy some mochi for her husband . . . 



and we saw this in the showcase . . . strawberry shortcake made with waffles!


Cleta asked if I wanted to have some dessert. I was already soooo stuffed from lunch . . . but . . . hell, yah, I wanted some dessert! 

It was ono!  Thanks for the treat, Cleta!!

Swap Meet Finds

It was a drizzly day at the swap meet this past weekend which resulted in a lot less sellers than usual. I have just a few buys to share with you.

Body wash (2/$5)


Minion duct tape ($1)


Two pillow cases ($2)

Jason's Mochi Rice Stuffing

My nephew Jason (Daniel's brother) made this for Thanksgiving, and you know how I just love anything mochi. It was also one of the first things that I ate, just like Daniel's cake.

Jason got the recipe from a coworker.



Mochi rice stuffing

3 cups (the rice measuring cup not actual cups) mochi rice

1.5 cups (the rice measuring cup not actual cups) white rice

1 package lup cheong (or 2 depending on what you like)

1/2 pkg bacon

1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1 packages of sliced, dried, shiitake mushrooms

8 green onions

¾ cup shoyu

30 min to 1 hour before cooking, wash and soak rice, rehydrate mushrooms in a large bowl of water.

Start the rice cooker about 15 minutes before you start the rest of the prep.

Slice the bacon and lup cheong into 1/8 to 1/4 inch pieces. Drain and chop mushrooms (I usually go for 1-2 cm pieces, but whatever). Drain and chop water chestnuts in a food processor.

While rice is cooking, cook the bacon in pan over medium heat until bacon begins to brown.  Drain all but 3 TBSP oil (or you can leave it in - I usually just leave it in). Add the lup cheong to the pan and brown.  Add mushrooms, water chestnuts and green onions to cook briefly. Add shoyu and mix well. 

After rice has cooked and cooled briefly, combine the bacon mixture and rice between two aluminum disposable roasting pans.  Mix to evenly distribute the mixture. Cover the pans with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1/2 hour.