Right Answers by Sho the Shopper herself

1. What is your current obsession?
Our upcoming trip to Japan. Planning every hour and meal with great excitement (its been four years since I've been home, ok?) True, but my plan isn't really that detailed.

2. What do you hate the most that everyone else seems to love?
The Princess Bride
I'm sorry, but that may be true.

3. What are you wearing today?
After work? Jeans and an almost turquoise-blue polo t-shirt (see previous post about 'preppy')
Well, I was sitting next to him when he wrote this.

4. What's for dinner?
My talented cook of a husband made Beef Hayashi stew which we ate over white rice. For dessert we had homemade yogurt popsicle that had blueberries, strawberries and banana in them (again, made by my handsome husband)
I like it when he cooks.

5. What would you eat for your last meal?
Fatty Toro Sushi and a good simple salad with lots of tomatoes and sesame seed dressing... and a small tasty steak.
Ummm, that sounds yummy. I'm gonna eat lots of Sushi in Japan!

6. What is the last thing you bought?
The polo shirt I'm wearing, from the Ralph Lauren Polo Outlet store (and the black one I bought for my sister... which she may never get).
Yeah, I wore both of them already.

7. What are you listening to right now?
The hum of the computer, the hiss of the speakers and the sound of my husband typing this.

8. What do you think of the person that tagged you?
They are two of the most talented women I know and the mothers of the cutest children in the world. We miss them and their kids terribly every day!
Yes, they are indeed. I wish they could come visit us every weekend.

9. If you could have a house--fully paid for and totally furnished--anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Somewhere on a year round warm beach, where no hurricanes ever come.... and close to good shopping. If you know a place like that please let us know, cause we will move there immediately.
Yeah, who wouldn't wanna live in a house like that!

10. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would it be?
If the sun is setting in Polynesia anywhere, I'd like to be there.
Well, we are leaving for Japan in 1 hour. If I could skip the airplane part and be right there right now...

11. What is one of your hobbies?
Buying and organizing craft supplies.
He~y! Stop making fun of me. I do use them to actually make things! ...Sometimes.

12. What is ONE of your favorite quotes?
"Sho, wake up! It's good morning time!!" - lil' Abby
I also like to say "Push the button, Max!" and any time I get to command Spencer around.

13. What is your favorite color?
Blue and Yellow, Orange, Green, Brown, ...

14. What is your favorite piece of clothing in your wardrobe?
Right now its my new preppy snazzy 'Skinny Polo'
I've been wearing these American Eagle jeans for about 10 years. I have lots of other jeans, but this one is a heavy rotation, must have item whenever I have to pick outfits for more than few days...it fits me nicely I think. but it's about time I found a new 'perfect' pair of jeans again.

15. What is your dream job?
Wedding Planner
That sounds fun.
Personal organizer, personal shopper, or full time wife/mother would be nice too.

16. Describe your personal style.
Classic and Modern. Nothing fancy or cluttered. Think Japanese Ikea.
Can I add a hint of vintage to that?

17. What is your favorite tree?
Japanese Maple (ok, I really have no idea what Sho would say for this, but Japanese Maples a beautiful in the fall).
I like Plumeria trees / flowers too.

18. What are you going to do after this?
Finally decide where we are going to stay in Hiroshima when we visit. I can't decide! I get side tracked by looking at all the things to do in the area and stop looking at hotels.
Take shower and get ready to go to Japan. I have 1 hour left. I need to wrap this up.

19. What is your favorite fruit?
Strawberries
Yup

20. What inspires you?
My mother's perseverance and my in-laws creativity.
Yes, they do inspire me.

21. Who was the last person that you kissed?
My husband. Square on the lips *mwah!!*
*mwah*

22. What are you currently reading?
Tourism forums about things to do in different parts of Japan. It will be Obon when we are there... that's like Christmas in Japan, but with huge festivals, fireworks and floating lanterns.
ummmm BoM?

23. Go to your bookshelf, take down the first book that you see with a red binding, turn to page 26 and type out the first line.
"Through the invention of traditions, national identities were being created as if they were 'natural', even eternal, features of human existence." - Michael Billig 'Banal Nationalism' (A book from my husband’s grad work)
I need to pass this, I have no time.

24. What delighted you the most today?
When the work day ended.
When I get everything done at work and leave right at 5.

25. By what criteria do you judge a person?
Cleanliness.
By how they judge other people. Innocence.

26. If you bought a wiener dog today, what would you name it?
'Next month's rent'
Inuo or Inuko

27. What are you afraid of?
Bugs. Any bug. Especially cockroaches. Especially Hawaiian cockroaches (they fly).
Bugs and pain, and right now, I'm afraid of being late!

I'm writing this because Sho keeps procrastinating. If she wants to correct it, she'll have to do that later, but read this as if she wrote it herself please.



1. What is your current obsession?
Our upcoming trip to Japan. Planning every hour and meal with great excitement (its been four years since I've been home, ok?)

2. What do you hate the most that everyone else seems to love?
The Princess Bride

3. What are you wearing today?
After work? Jeans and an almost turquoise-blue polo t-shirt (see previous post about 'preppy')

4. What's for dinner?
My talented cook of a husband made Beef Hayashi stew which we ate over white rice. For dessert we had homemade yogurt popsicle that had blueberries, strawberries and banana in them (again, made by my handsome husband)

5. What would you eat for your last meal?
Fatty Toro Sushi and a good simple salad with lots of tomatoes and sesame seed dressing... and a small tasty steak.

6. What is the last thing you bought?
The polo shirt I'm wearing, from the Ralph Lauren Polo Outlet store (and the black one I bought for my sister... which she may never get).

7. What are you listening to right now?
The hum of the computer, the hiss of the speakers and the sound of my husband typing this.

8. What do you think of the person that tagged you?
They are two of the most talented women I know and the mothers of the cutest children in the world. We miss them and their kids terribly every day!

9. If you could have a house--fully paid for and totally furnished--anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Somewhere on a year round warm beach, where no hurricanes ever come.... and close to good shopping. If you know a place like that please let us know, cause we will move there immediately.

10. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would it be?
If the sun is setting in Polynesia anywhere, I'd like to be there.

11. What is one of your hobbies?
Buying and organizing craft supplies.

12. What is ONE of your favorite quotes?
"Sho, wake up! It's good morning time!!" - lil' Abby

13. What is your favorite color?
Blue

14. What is your favorite piece of clothing in your wardrobe?
Right now its my new preppy snazzy 'Skinny Polo'

15. What is your dream job?
Wedding Planner

16. Describe your personal style.
Classic and Modern. Nothing fancy or cluttered. Think Japanese Ikea.

17. What is your favorite tree?
Japanese Maple (ok, I really have no idea what Sho would say for this, but Japanese Maples a beautiful in the fall).

18. What are you going to do after this?
Finally decide where we are going to stay in Hiroshima when we visit. I can't decide! I get side tracked by looking at all the things to do in the area and stop looking at hotels.

19. What is your favorite fruit?
Strawberries

20. What inspires you?
My mother's perseverance and my in-laws creativity.

21. Who was the last person that you kissed?
My husband. Square on the lips *mwah!!*

22. What are you currently reading?
Tourism forums about things to do in different parts of Japan. It will be Obon when we are there... that's like Christmas in Japan, but with huge festivals, fireworks and floating lanterns.

23. Go to your bookshelf, take down the first book that you see with a red binding, turn to page 26 and type out the first line.
"Through the invention of traditions, national identities were being created as if they were 'natural', even eternal, features of human existence." - Michael Billig 'Banal Nationalism' (A book from my husband’s grad work)

24. What delighted you the most today?
When the work day ended.

25. By what criteria do you judge a person?
Cleanliness.

26. If you bought a wiener dog today, what would you name it?
'Next month's rent'

27. What are you afraid of?
Bugs. Any bug. Especially cockroaches. Especially Hawaiian cockroaches (they fly).

Bags

These are scissor cases and chalk bags.
They are for hair stylists/flower shop staff who need to carry scissors and for rock climbers....

I am not a hair stylist nor a rock climber, but I think these bags are awesome.
I don't like to carry things around, so I often make Spencer carry my wallet or cellphone....but if I had these, Spencer, I won't do that again.

Preppy look is so Japanesey, they say

I feel like I'm slowing down already after the second post... I guess I'll just blog at my pace.

Anyways, I read an interesting The New York Times article about the preppy look and the Japanese. The Japanese understand the All-American look better than Americans?
I guess I have been away from Japan too long. I had no idea...but I do love the preppy style and I'm Japanese. After all, J.Crew is one of my favorite stores.

Natsu (Summer) and shorts!

I am not a stylist and have no fashion license if anybody is issuing them, but because you have asked, I will blog my feelings about shorts and capris.

I like shorts-

Shorts are cropped anywhere from above the knee to the widest part of the calf. You can look active, boyish, or summerish. My favorite length would be just below my knees, where you can just see the skinniest part of my calf. If you have model looking long and skinny legs, you can pull off any length, but I personally believe that's where my legs look the best.

Capris-

Um...I don't know. I think I'm allergic to them. Capris are cropped around the calf and above the ankle, and I don't look good in them. They are unflattering unless you are wearing high heels that only models can walk in, and I simply can't.... (OK, I admit that I purposefully chose these hideous looking capris pictures to post, but you can see my point, right? Even J.Crew models could not pull off this Giraffe looking capris with those no-heel sandals) What? What about with shoes? Non, non. If you are wearing 4 or more inch long heels with them, by all means, go ahead, I'm not stopping you.

With that said, I do own 1 black pair of casual, boyish looking capris. I think I wore them one summer or two with sandals...I don't know if they will ever see light again. If you ever see them, say hi from me cuz I ain't wearing them (in public anyways).

Kasa (An umbrella)

I don't like to go outside on rainy days.

I'd rather stay at home, sit on the couch or bed and read a book or flip through a magazine with my blanket and drink a cup of hot chocolate or Lemon herb tea with honey in it.

I found the black umbrella in this pic (This is one of my favorite pictures my husband Spencer took) at UNIQLO; a Japanese clothing store in NY. It was petite, simple, and perfect looking, so I bought it. And I love it!

Since then, I am always on the hunt for cute umbrellas. Yes, I need more umbrellas. Why? It makes a cute prop in photo shoots, and it has been raining everyday in D.C. these days. I need some incentive to get out and go to work everyday. It seems like there is more of a selection in Japan than here...it was not easy to find cute umbrellas.

Then I came across with this website today.

This one is called Haley.








This one, Mia.








And this one is called Girl Next Door, but I think they should call it Abby.








And I want to call this Hazel instead of I luv Gingham.








Thoughts of my sweet nieces make me smile on rainy days.

Happy Rainy Day!