July 14, 2022

2022 June List | 2022 六月清單

July 14, 2022/ Brandy C.

We bid farewell to Okinawa. I’m grateful for our friends who threw us a going away party, and even sent us off at the airport. Three years in Okinawa flew by, and we made so many great friends here that made our life in Okinawa eventful! We’ve been back in California for 3 weeks now, and the sun here hasn’t been very kind, almost making me miss the cool rainy days during our last few weeks in Okinawa.

我們離開沖繩了！謝謝朋友們對我們這麼好，不但幫我們辦歡送會，還來機場送我們。回憶起在沖繩的這三年，能在沖繩認識這麼多好朋友，讓我們的生活過的精彩！我們現在搬來加州，這裡的太陽對我們實在很不客氣！突然有點想念離開沖繩前一直下雨的日子。

Little Lapin | Lapin 小車

Selling my beloved Lapin really hit me that we were actually leaving Okinawa. When we first moved here, I immediately fell in love with the look of Lapin! The resale value on my car was great too! We got numerous interested buyers moments after we posted it online. Thank you for serving us so well the last three years, going everywhere in Okinawa with us, and letting us find precious parking spots along the Seawall. I love you and will miss you dearly Lapin!

哎，真的是要和沖繩說再見了。賣掉我的沖繩愛車那剎那，好心疼！到沖繩時，我一看到這台Lapin小車，立刻愛上！轉賣價錢也非常優秀，我們放上網賣車時，竟然出乎意料的收到一堆訊息。謝謝Lapin小車對我們這麼好，帶我們整個沖繩跑透透，還能在好擁擠的Seawall能找到車位。我愛你，Lapin小車！

TJ Tacos

802 E Valley Pkwy, Escondido, CA 92025
http://www.tj-tacos.com/

Every time we arrive in San Diego, the first meal is always Mexican food! If you’ve never had tacos in San Diego, you’ve never been to San Diego. The tacos here are Baja California style, my favorite type of Mexican food. In Northern San Diego, our go-to is TJ Tacos. Here you will find grilled tortilla overstuffed with meat, cilantro, and drenched in salsa; getting your hands dirty and making a mess is the respectful thing to do. Horchata and soda are perfect companions for your tacos. Our favorite meats are: carne asada, adobada, and langua.

每次回來聖地牙哥，第一站絕對是吃墨西哥食物！來San Diego沒吃tacos就等於沒來過！這裡的tacos大部分是Baja style，也是我們最愛的墨西哥食物之一。北邊聖地牙哥，我們的最愛絕對是TJ Tacos滿滿的肉和醬汁把手弄的油膩膩是吃tacos的基本禮儀（哈哈哈），horchata和汽水是必點飲料。我們每次會點的肉類：asada, adobada, lengua.

Joe’s Crab Shack

314 Harbor Dr, Oceanside, CA 92054
http://www.joescrabshack.com/locations/10159/

After eating king crabs in Hokkaido, we continue to eat crabs here in the US. Not as juicy and tender as in Japan, but the Old Bay seasoning is mouth watering enough. Outside of the restaurant is a harbor lined with sailboats and yachts. Taking a leisurely stroll along the piers and soaking in the Vitamin D from California sunshine is a relaxing way to spend the afternoon. Be sure to put on adequate sunscreen!

在日本吃螃蟹，回來美國繼續吃螃蟹！雖然不像日本這麼鮮嫩多汁，但吃到old bay口味的海鮮煮法還是讓我們流口水。餐廳外面排著滿滿的帆船，吃飽後在附近走走享受加州陽光（記得擦防曬），舒服極了。

Shancheng Lameizi Hot Pot | 山城辣妹子

4225 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111
http://www.shanchenglameizi.com/

Convoy Street is the Asian kitchen of San Diego. I used to come here with my upperclassmen when I was in college here. This time, we came with our family to challenge the spicy hot pot, but we were left defeated, by even the least spicy level. There is an all-you-can-eat dessert bar for you to rest your overworked palette before you get back into the fight. The purple rice porridge is definitely my favorite!

聖地牙哥的Convoy St.聚集一堆亞洲美食，我在大學時學長學姊常帶我們來這裡覓食。這次和家人來吃麻辣火鍋，竟然被小辣打敗！在山城辣妹子，中場休息時有無限甜點解辣，紫米粥絕對是最吸引我的部分！

June 27, 2022

Our First Ever Babymoon | 產前蜜月

June 27, 2022/ Brandy C.

（中文翻譯請往下滑）

“Babymoon: traveling while pregnant to enjoy the calm before our family grows from two to four. Recommend to do it during the second trimester. ”

Transportation

We originally planned to rent a car, but considering that getting around in Nikko will require driving through serpentine mountainous roads, we opted to take public transportation instead (a wise choice). From Utsunomiya, we took the JR to Nikko station and hopped on the bus to Lake Chūzenji. The bus dropped us off right in front of The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko, very convenient and affordable.

Hotel

The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko
https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/japan/nikko

The one and only Ritz-Carlton with natural onsen, flowing down from the popular onsen town Yumoto. Our room faces Lake Chūzenji, to the right is Mount Nantai, quite a serene scene. The hotel design is chic minimalist, not a lot of presumptuous superfluous decorations, and not too many empty spaces that birth excessive lines and angles. There’s a level of comfort and a sense of coming home as you sit in the lobby (if only my house is this beautiful!). Most impressionable is our host Ms. Inoue, who greeted us and helped us check in. We chatted briefly about the purpose of our trip and why we chose Nikko, and that same night when we returned to our room after dinner, Ms. Inoue and hotel staff surprised us with a “Welcome Baby” balloon and towel cake on our bed!

When we planned our babymoon, I was in charge of picking the location, and UN was in charge of planning the rest. I kept debating if we should go somewhere we haven’t been before, such as Ine of Kyoto Prefecture, or revisit my favorite city in Japan, which is Nikko. I asked UN what is his favorite city in Japan, and as if he read my mind, he answered Nikko without hesitation. Nikko it is!

Nikko’s beauty is unparalleled, ideal for a babymoon. The first day when we arrived it was a bit misty from the rain, quite mysterious and yet romantic. Before dinner, UN and I even walked along the lake with an umbrella in the light drizzle. The sun came out the next day.

Babymoon has been something that seemed out-of-reach. Since getting married, we learned that getting pregnant is not as easy as we thought. There were many hiccups along the way. From being diagnosed with infertility, to considering adoption, seeking treatments, to starting IVF in July 2020, and the many failures in between. When I started opening up to my friends about this issue, I started learning that I am not alone in this journey. I hope infertility becomes less of a taboo topic. At the fertility clinic, I met many ladies who live healthy lifestyles and have healthy diets, the complete opposite of what I have been told about people who suffer from infertility. Throughout the entire IVF process, I’m thankful that UN respected every one of my decisions. January 2022 was gonna be our sixth and the last time going through IVF. God has been so good to us, He blessed us with more than we could ask for, turned one embryo into two. And because of His grace, we were able to go on this babymoon!

Afternoon Tea at The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko

“產前蜜月：帶著在肚子裡的寶寶們出遊，也讓準爸爸和準媽媽能享受小孩們出生前的寧靜，享受最後的兩人世界。建議時間為孕中期。”

交通工具

原先計畫租車，但考慮到我們已去過大部分景點和往日光必經的九彎十八拐，我們決定坐公車（明智的決定）。坐JR到日光站下車換巴士，巴士會在The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko門口停靠，方便又便宜。

飯店住宿

The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko
https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/japan/nikko

第一家提供日式溫泉的Ritz-Carlton，溫泉水源從上次來日光時有去的湯元（非常有名的溫泉聖地）。房間面向中禪寺湖，右邊俯瞰男體山，環境清幽。飯店設計走的是我很愛的簡潔路線，沒有多餘擺設或是過於極簡產生太多線條感，整體非常舒適輕鬆，有種回到家的感覺（只希望我家也這麼美）。最讓我們印象深刻的是我們和幫我們check-in的Inoue San閒聊，我們隨意提到這次來日光的目的和我們有多愛這地方。沒想到晚餐後回到房間，Inoue San和工作人員們竟然準備了Welcome Baby的氣球和毛巾蛋糕，真是太大的驚喜了！

計劃這場產前蜜月，我負責想地點，UN負責行程。我一直猶豫該去我倆都沒去過的地方，還是重遊我們在日本最愛的城市。如果去新景點，京都的伊根是我私心最想去的地方（就是當時UN把伊根和伊勢搞混的地方）。舊地重遊的話，我百分之百選擇日光。所以當時我決定問UN哪裡是他最愛的日本景點，UN像是有讀心術，毫不猶豫回答日光！哈，這就好辦事啦！

日光就是美，babymoon選日光絕對是對的決定！第一天綿綿細雨卻詩意滿滿，完全不會因天氣而破壞興致。晚餐前，我和UN撐傘在外走走聊天，尤其走在中禪寺湖旁特別愜意。第二天天氣放晴，工作人員帶我們到中禪寺學習當地歷史。

Babymoon一直是我不敢想像的事。從結婚到希望有小孩到發現原來懷孕不是件簡單事，這其中發生太多事。知道自己不孕、考慮領養、開始看醫生，直到2020年七月開始做人工受孕，過程也失敗好多次。當我開始和朋友提到時，發現好多人都因不孕困擾，真希望這事能被更多人重視。當我去看醫生時，更發現大多數人都有規律生活和飲食習慣，完全不是外界所想像的刻板印象。做人工受孕的過程中，很感謝UN非常尊重我的每個決定，而2022年一月是我們兩人決定的最後一次人工受孕。神很眷顧我們，一顆胚胎變成同卵雙胞胎，也讓我們這次能到日光一起享受產前蜜月！

June 22, 2022

One Day in Sapporo | 札幌一日遊

June 22, 2022/ Brandy C.

（中文翻譯請往下滑）

Other than its namesake beer, Sapporo is also known for its Snow Festival, but this year it remains discontinued due to the pandemic. We were thus forced to cancel our plan to attend the Sapporo Snow Festival at the beginning of the year. But this time before we left Hokkaido, we decided to do a day trip in Sapporo.

Public Transportation

The express bus from New Chitose Airport to Sapporo downtown takes about 40 minutes. You can purchase the tickets inside the airport and then wait by the bus stop, the cost is less than 2000 yen per person, very cost efficient.

Accommodation

すすきのグランベルホテル
https://www.granbellhotel.jp/susukino/

What a delight to sleep in such a comfortable bed after our campervan trip! UN and I highly recommend this hotel. Very reasonably priced, the hotel room is spacious enough to let us spread open all of our luggages, and best of all, there is an onsen built in on the top floor of the hotel. UN and I both agree that you get a lot of bang for your buck at this hotel!

Restaurants and Sightseeings

We may have been too amazed by the comfort of our hotel room that we ended up not having enough time to check out Hokkaido University and Hokkaido Jingu, I guess we will have to save these for the next time. But as always, food crawl is something that we never miss. First time trying soup curry, big thumbs up! At first we thought soup curry was just curry with water added to make it soupy, but how gravely mistaken were we! UN and I were pleasantly surprised by the richness of the broth and the sweetness of the various Hokkaido-grown root vegetables. We tried a few soup curry places, and picked out our favorite two.

Suage+

The first soup curry place that we tried was vegetable soup curry. The recommended spice level is 3, just mildly spicy, but still enjoyable. They also sell their own curry packets so that you can enjoy soup curry at the comfort of your own home.

Soup Curry GARAKU

Our friends A&W recommended this place to us, and it turned out to be our favorite soup curry place. But the level 3 spice here does not translate to the level 3 spice elsewhere. We felt like our whole mouth was on fire and could hardly speak. The four young college kids next to us were all sweating profusely. Highly recommend that you order a lasi on the side to tame that spice level! I imagine this soup curry warming up your entire body in the cold Hokkaido winter. We too ordered vegetable soup curry here, expecting the broth to taste somewhat similar, but it's actually prepared with different spices and tasted differently.

牛たん焼き仙台・辺見

Don’t hesitate and just order the thick sliced beef tongue! Some scallion, a pinch of salt, and a drizzle of freshly squeezed lemon juice dressing the thick slab of beef tongue, and the crunchy sound as this symphony of umami fills your palate, will leave you wishing you had ordered more!

Hokkaido Soft Serve

Even in May, Hokkaido still feels chilly, roughly 40F. Still you see many people wearing sweaters or puffer jackets while enjoying Hokkaido soft serve. Almost any place that you go to is going to be good. No need to search for the best one, if you see one, just get it!

New Chitose Ramen Street: Shio Ramen

We thought shio (salt) ramen would be very salty, but boy were we wrong! The broth flavor is well balanced, not too greasy, and not too plain either. Due to time constraints, we weren’t able to eat Hokkaido ramen in Sapporo city, but thankfully there is a whole ramen dojo inside New Chitose Airport. This place houses 10 of the highly popular Hokkaido ramen restaurants, allowing last-minute travelers the opportunity to savor Hokkaido shio ramen before their flights.

Sapporo TV Tower

The night view from up here is just average, not much to see tbh. Would not recommend, can skip.

Sapporo Clock Tower

Built in 1878, Sapporo Clock Tower tells the story of Western influence on Sapporo. We planned on touring the inside, but overslept (surprise, surprise!) So after dinner, we could only walk along the outside of the tower. But even then, it was still beautiful. At night, there were many photographers with their tripods set up in front of the beautifully-lit clock tower.

Part of our original plan was to get up early to visit Nijo Market. But we slept in till the last minute, and only had time to rush to the airport. We saved some sites for our next Sapporo trip. Sapporo one day trip - checked!