Kit Kat galore

I think Kit Kat makes a very good snack because it comes in small servings and is able to satisfy cravings instantly without contributing significantly to your daily calorie count..plus, most of the time it's worth the calories.

The flavours of Kit Kat are really boundless and I must give it to Nestle in Japan for being to conjure all sorts of bizarre and interesting flavours.

Recently, I bought in Japan and tried 2 rather out-of-the-mind flavours, namely wasabi and chilli powder, and a not-so-special strawberry one.

The wasabi Kit Kat comes with the wafer biscuit wrapped in green cream and gives a mild pow to the gustatory senses when eaten. I must say I was quite surprised by how it tasted better than I thought. Those who don't fancy wasabi needn't be turned off by it 'cos the taste of this "Japanese mustard" is really light.

The chilli powder Kit Kat was no kick at all! Seriously, there's not the lightest hint of spice in it..until an after-taste comes along and tickles the buds a lil'. Nevertheless, it tasted pleasant -- wafer biscuit and cream bundled in what tasted like dark chocolate. Worth a try, definitely.

I also tried a more common flavour -- strawberry, but it's a special edition from the Tochigi prefecture. Compared to other strawberry Kit Kat that I've tried, I couldn't really tell what's distinctive about this one. Still, the white chocolate tasted fine with a fragrant strawberry scent.

If I have to rank them in order of preference, I'd say that the wasabi one is tops, followed by the chilli powder and, finally, the strawberry.

Kit Kat, love them or hate them, they'll always be part of our lives! 

For Kit Kat fans, you may like to check out this very interesting blog, Jen Ken's Kit Kat Blog,  that's alllll about these mini treats. Have fun savouring (visually, that is)!

Oh, and here's another fun fact: did you know that many Japanese students like to eat Kit Kat before exams? This is because the phrase sounds like "Kitto Katsu", which sort of means "sure to win", so it's believed to bring them good luck. 

Where is happiness?

Everyday, we all search for happiness, don't we?

To some, happiness is in a chocolate. To another, happiness is in receiving flowers.

Yet, chocolate may be poison to one, and pollen in flowers may trigger an allergy in a person. Hence, happiness is not found in the object itself, but in the feeling that it exudes in a person at the point of experience.

This feeling is in us. In every one of us.

Having said this, there's really no need to go searching for happiness 'cos it's right inside you and you just need to go feel it. By not letting external factors control your feeling of happiness is how we can sustain this feeling. This, understandably, is a tall order so that brings me to the topic of yoga.

Yoga in modern society is perceived as some form of physical exercise--to stay fit and healthy. What is lesser known is that yoga, originally, is a way of life. It helped yogis to attain sustained happiness, or rather, peace of mind as that's how happiness can be exuded. Hence, yoga is really not just about postures, but also meditation, cleansing, etc -- all of which brings one closer to calm and happiness.

I'll be sharing more on yoga in my future posts!

Meanwhile, stay happy =)

Sunsets

I love sunsets, there's something very serene about them and to see the golden ball slowly sinking into the horizon is like dipping a lovely Oreo into milk -- a very fortunate experience. I'm just kidding! On a serious note, sunsets are incredibly lovely and how they set the world aglow is indeed very magical. Recently, I can't help feeling so happy that I caught 2 very lovely sunsets:

This one was taken at a roadside in Tokyo, near the Tokyo Skytree. I really love the colour gradation and the way the tree leaves creates a textured silhouette.

This was taken recently from the floating platform at Marina Bay. I thought the sky looks crayoned and the fact that it occurred during the Chinese New Year period, which signifies wealth and prosperity for the year ahead, makes the colour all the more symbolic. Ahh...Marina Bay, it never fails to bring a visual feast to visitors of this place.

Awesome Japanese ice cream..in winter

Ice cream is an inextricable part of my life so whenever I go overseas, I never fail to find opportunities to get a taste of the wonderful cold desserts that the country offers.

I was on a trip to Tokyo recently and got to try 4 fabulous-tasting ice cream. Despite being the winter season, I had one ice cream almost everyday! In fact, I think eating ice cream in winter makes the experience more enriching. What's more, the gooey yummies don't melt so fast!

My favourite during the trip is the matcha (green tea) ice cream by food giant Morinaga which I bought from a 7-11 convenience store. It is incredibly rich in the green tea flavour and the centre itself is soft and fragrant, reminding me of a good ol' cup of matcha latte. Definitely a must-try for green tea fans.

Next in line is the strawberry soft cream at Haneda airport! When served, it was so inviting that I forgot to take a photo of it before eating..so what you see is just half of the actual height. Haha!

The soft cream is indeed soft and not overwhelmingly sweet, which is the case for most softees. The taste of strawberry lingers nicely in the palate after each mouthful.

It was delightful to see that the crazily-popular gourmet chocolate brand, Royce, also has ice cream offerings. Without a doubt, I grabbed a piece of it when I saw it in a 7-11 convenience store. 

Maybe I had expected more from Royce, but this wasn't as good as I thought/it looks from the packaging.

Nonetheless, I still enjoyed it as the chocolate chunk in the middle, when blended with the chocolate cream, doubles up the chocolatey taste well.

Red bean, or azuki, is almost synonymous with Japanese cuisine so how could I not try one that's in this flavour. Muraya's red bean ice lolly was refreshing but it wasn't rich enough for me in terms of flavour. That said, it is worth a try once if you're a red bean fan.

Hail to ice cream! May you find as much joy as I did in eating them.

Save on dental fees!

In my last post, I promised to share more about oral health 'cos I'm pretty peeved that I had spent so much moolah on drilling away my cavities and then filling them up in the past month. Not only did it burn a hole in my pocket but the pain and discomfort was just too much agony! Ugh.

Anyways, here's a recommendation to keep cavities at bay: use fluoride mouth rinse. Fluoride is really crucial for healthy teeth cos almost everything we eat contains some kind of acid that can cause harm to our pearly whites (or yellows for some people). This is because acid erodes the enamel, a layer of mineral-like stuff on our teeth, resulting in tooth decay. Read more at WebMD.

Upon the recommendation of the dentist, I bought this bottle of fluoride from Watsons: Pearlie White Fluorinze (2 for $2, 100ml each. It also comes in bigger sizes).

Note that you shouldn't be getting 'mouth wash' for this purpose; the key ingredient is fluoride. I didn't opt for Listerine or Colgate as the ingredient list didn't state anything about fluoride so I reckon that they didn't contain this mineral?

I've been using this for more than a month now and it's been really awesome. What's more, it's made in Singapore..somehow, local products make me feel assured! The compact size also makes it suitable for carrying on board airplanes, keeping your breath fresh and your teeth healthy!

This is definitely a worthy investment on top of your make-up, cleanser and other vanity (or some may call 'basic') necessities =)

Better gum health?

I caught this at a shop at 112 Katong mall. Roca chocolate candy improves your gum health. LOL!

More on oral health next week~

Just a thought

A war could be going on around you but if you can remain calm, you're truly divine.