Food Blog Update: High Tea at Lovejoy's

Update on food blog! I’ve been on a mission to find tea rooms in the Bay Area, simply because having high tea is such a common thing to do back in Hong Kong, except of course…people in HK do it way classier in hotels. There are few tea rooms in the Bay Area that have garnered much interest online, and Lovejoy’s was one of them. To be honest, their food was so-so. The scones were the highlight of my entire meal, super warm and flaky and buttery. However the sandwiches were a bit of a disappointment- they just didn’t compare to Dartealing (also in SF). Next time I’m going, I’ll just order the simple Cream Tea (served with scones), which is way cheaper than the Queen’s Tea that my friend and I ordered (at $26 per person).

If you’re interested in the review (or just want to look at a lot of food porn), click here!

Hapi Mari Novel: Update 10

Thank you to my readers for waiting so patiently. To be honest I'm really stressed these days about a lot of things...things like finding a full time job, and a bit depressed that no matter how hard I try, I'm still unable to score one. Failed interview one after the other for ones that I want, and having a terrible time to keep commuting 4 hours each day for this one...Heck, even my younger brother has an internship and is faster on the way to building a meaningful career than I am...it's just really shitty. Life isn't the way I thought it to be...and it's hard to have my hopes crushed again and again.  Needless to say, I've been feeling quite down...which is why I really didn't have the mood to translate Hapi Mari.  I really appreciate those who keep visiting, but at the same time, I ask for others to please be more polite.  Yes, the Dear Brother summaries are not entirely exciting, but you don't have to read if you don't want to.  I love translating for an audience, but at the same time the blog is an extension of myself and what I want to do. It's for you for the stories that don't get picked up by English scanlators right away, but it's also for me.  And I hope to keep it that way.  I'll promise to try though to make more often updates and eventually finish it.  So, picking up from where I left off last time...

Hokuto contrived to affect a grimace, but I urged him on our way to our private beach. Honestly there isn't any part of this island that isn't private, but according to the hotel, they cordon off a part of the beach especially for guests to designate it as private. When we arrived, there was no other person in sight, nothing but us walking among the sparkling white sands.  Everywhere you looked there were only the endless skies and ocean, the boundary so hazy between the two you can lose yourself.

"Isn't it a relief there's no one?" I laugh as I reach my hand out for his.

"Are we really doing this?  Holding hands while we walk along the beach?" Hokuto frowns.

"You said you would do it, didn't you?  Don't grumble about it now."

I reach out once again, and he reluctantly takes my hand.

"It's not like we're a love-struck couple in high school."

"No matter how old you get, it's a girl's dream."

"You're not a girl anymore," he jabs. I promptly kick him on the shin.

News: Volume 2 is out + Next Issue One-Shot

Ok...honestly I have no idea who the guy in the cover is...he doesn't look like Gin...or does he?  Usually the covers of her past novels really only had the main characters on it (you don't see side characters slapped on the cover- and yes Gin qualifies as one because you don't really read much about him. I would say the brothers are quite underdeveloped as characters so far). Unless Sougo flipping dyed his hair, I think they need to redraw the cover. The story is going nowhere so far, which is why I'm still not purchasing any of it. I have a theory that Enjouji Maki is doing a one-shot in the monthly magazine because her Dear Brother series has been dragging. When she was at the height of her popularity with Hapi Mari, you never see her participate in drawing extra one-shot stories...not for the omake, not for anything really.

Summary of the one-shot:

Animals never really took a liking to pet groomer Azusa. But one day a large dog attaches to her, and the pet owner asks her to sit his dog?!

I'm actually really looking forward to this issue, and will probably even buy it just for the one-shot. Will keep everyone posted when I actually get it!

Dear Brother Chapter 9 Summary

Someone needs to smack Enjouji Maki's editor...or the editor at Petit really needs to step his/her game up in helping the mangaka move along, because never have I been so exasperated by one of her series. All the past ones I've read move quickly, and while they can be repetitive, never have they been as slow and boring as this one. If I weren't a fan of hers and there wasn't pretty art...I'm sure I may have dropped this long ago. Anyways...here goes! If you're interested in following along, click here for the scans!

The four siblings are at home on a weekend, when Arimatsu (Sougo's coworker from last chapter) calls on them. Sougo is shocked to see him, and Arimatsu is in turn surprised when he sees the other two brothers poking out. It turns out that Arimatsu has come to visit because Sougo had promised to introduce him (as a dating figure) to Momo, but hasn't heard back from Sougo since last chapter.

Food Blog Update: $2 Crab at Five Star Seafood Restaurant

Update on food blog! This time, it’s a continuation from my food adventures in LA~ Stepping into the restaurant really pulled me back into Hong Kong- the loud chatter, the cloth covered tables, the red carpets, the golden dragon and phoenix on the walls…damn, I really want to go back now.

The specialty of this place is that they always have seafood specials- this time it was having crab or lobster at $.99/lb…which is ridiculously cheap if you ask me. Our crab dish only came to $2 on the check! The food was delicious (except for one dish that really disappointed), and the restaurant is situated in a busy Chinese shopping center, so you can go grab dessert or boba afterwards. 

If you’re interested, click here to read about it!

On another note, I know that chapter 9 of Dear Brother has already come out, so expect the summary to come soon!