As a traveller, if you ever travel to Thailand, Bangkok or you planned to travel there. Wat Aru (also known as the Temple of Dawn) is a well-known landmark in Thailand – it’s one of a beautiful place to visit. While the temple filled with history but it is also an Instagram-worthy place if you are searching a spot for your Instagram-album collection.
This is the second time I have been to Wat Aru but it is the first time I witness the beauty of the structure as a couple of years back it was under renovation. The temple derives its name from the Hindu god Aruna, often personified as the radiations of the rising sun. We enjoyed exploring places with beautiful architectures – to spend time to see the buildings/temples therefore I respect the architects a lot. As their brillance builds the history in the world.
Tips for photography
I wouldn’t say that these are tips but for those who want to take some photographs that stand out from those tourist shots, there are a few things you can always explore.
The outbreak of the coronavirus has scared most of the public in the world today. Life has to go-on, while all of us are fearful of the virus, we need to face the fact of the world going through a tough time. There’s this scary dominoes’ effect of disasters since the beginning of the year has not been stopping. Meanwhile, we have more time working from home and we decide to quickly catch up on the post we have promised a long time ago. We shared posts of our Japan trip hence there are many places that fall on the “others” category. Therefore, we decided to compile some must-go places in Tokyo – while it is less tourist area hence it is always crowded as it is loved by the locals in Tokyo.
While Toyko Tower is a symbol of Japan’s post-war rebirth as a major economic power, it was the country’s tallest structure from its completion in 1958 until 2012 when it was surpassed by the Tokyo Skytree. Hence it is still a lovable structure in the world with its iconic bright red and white structuring. You will never want to miss it beautiful lights that change from time to time in the evening till midnight.
For those, if you ever watch Cardcaptor Sakura you will know the infamous scene of Sakura had her final battle at Zojoji Temple and on the Tokyo Tower itself. Its artist is well-known in her art capturing of the scenery. While we did our trip-planning we decide to explore if it is true. It appears that you can have the best view of the Tokyo Tower at Zojoji Temple and the park beside the temple.
Many tourists might not know about the Zojoji Temple, it is the temple grounds consist of some impressive structures as well as a mausoleum of the Tokugawa family and a museum. It gives a peaceful vibe upon entering the space, it is an interesting historical spot for a walk during a weekend afternoon. We highly recommend you to visit this temple if you decide to watch Tokyo Tower from far, it is a beautiful location for a photo and learning history
address: 4 Chome-7-35 Shibakoen, Minato City, Tokyo 105-0011, Japan
business hour: 9 am to 5 pm
We find that Tokyo, Japan is a very organized city, you can find that each district is distinct from one another. For book lovers, you will never want to miss this oldest street in Tokyo that sells all the range of books you are looking for. Jimbocho’s district is surrounded by both new and old bookstores; the old bookstores are not just second-hand bookstores, many of them contain valuable gems and historical materials.
If you are traveling there, you will find that the area is filled with students even on the weekend. There are plenty of cafes around for you to enjoy your new purchase books with a cup of coffee. Or a free-wifi space for you to study for the coming exams. In the area, there are many curry and udon stores that cater to young students. There’s even a curry festival in November.
Yaguchi Shoten’s structure was built in 1928 and its diluted coffee-color facade has remained unchanged since Japan’s first modernization.
address: 神田神保町2-5-1 Chiyoda, 東京都 〒101-0051
nearest station: Jinbocho Station
Each city has its very own red-light district and Kabukichō in Tokyo famous for. Kabukichō is the location of many host and hostess clubs, love hotels, shops, restaurants, and nightclubs, and is often called the “Sleepless Town” (眠らない街). Shinjuku Golden Gai, famous for the plethora of small bars, is part of Kabukicho. Honestly, for two girls, we weren’t able to discover it on ourselves
Takahashi Ramen ( Kabukicho Store)
For Ramen lover, you would love this fish broth base Ramen. Our Japanese fish brought us to this unique ramen store in the Kabukicho area.
Direction: JR Shinjuku Station West Exit
Address: Japan, 〒160-0021 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, 19, 新宿区歌舞伎町1-19-3 歌舞伎町商店街振興組合ビル1階
There are many sight-viewing decks in Tokyo – among all (Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building and so much more ) we decide to go with Tokyo City View as there is a museum within the building which I always want to go for a visit. It will be an ideal itinerary for a day spend, especially in the night we could have a bird-eye view of Christmas’s lighting (during November till December period). I really enjoyed the Tokyo City View as it is an open helicopter deck for the public. You can have an open space with a 360-degree view of the whole of Tokyo. We are so lucky that we witness the Mt-Fuji during the sunset at 4:30 pm.
Never underestimate the size of Roppongi Hill itself. While we thought that we could visit all the places in the area but Roppongi Hills Mori Tower itself took almost half of the day. To travel to Tokyo you really need to have the stamina to do so.
In the basement, there is this delicious Grilled chicken on skewers, or yakitori is quintessential Japanese soul food – Momodori. It is a busy Saturday when we reached the restaurant it is already a full house and we only get the standing table. The yakitori taste really good but not expensive. You can get absolutely full with just maybe a set meal. On the next visit, we promise to go back again and have several cups of alcohol as the price is very reasonable. (edits: While researching for the store detail, it is sad to find out that it has been closed. However, they still have sister stores around the city and I think it will be good to try)
While we always hate to squeeze with the tourist it is always best to visit some iconic places when traveling and Tokyo Station is on our to-do list. While throughout our days in Tokyo we have been passing by Tokyo Station to change our train we didn’t have a chance to walk around. For the last day of our trip, we make our way down to visit the station and also the Kitte shopping mall.
At Kitte Tokyo, not only they have trendy international fashion stores but they are also many locals brand. While one of our aim when it comes to visiting Kitte Tokyo it is to eat the sushi store – Nemuro Hanamaru Sushi. The experience is amazing and it really didn’t disappoint us at all. If you are visiting during the weekend make sure you come early to take a queue number as you may need to wait up to 2 hours for your turn. While waiting for your turn you can head up to the roof garden at level 6 to see the view of Tokyo Station.
address: JP Tower 5F, 2-7-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-7005
business hour: (Mon-Sat) 11: 00-22: 00 (Last order 22:00), (Sun / Holiday) 11: 00-22: 00 (Last order 21:00)
Hopefully, it will be a helpful post for you! Please send us your recommendation so we could exchange and get to travel better!
xoxo, Angela
It’s no secret that line drawings and face motifs are big trends in the worlds of fashion and interiors, with a presence on both the catwalk and in the home. MuralsWallpaper wanted to design a face wallpaper collection that celebrated the abstract style, allowing you to achieve the unique, creative feel that comes with using line art within your interior style.
The faces within the designs are all entirely unique, capturing an array of different expressions and personalities in one fun design. Created in a range of colours, each design contributes a different feel to a room, for example, the Dusty Pink offers a minimal, boho feel that can be styled with light furniture to create a fresh feel.
This collection of continuous face line drawings is the perfect example of how imperfections make design much more intriguing. The pieces very much represent the beauty and diversity of a face and make for truly iconic pieces of wall art. If you are looking to bring a unique aspect and interior flair to your home, this continuous line drawing collection is perfect for you.
xoxo, Joe
Credit | All shots used on the mood board via our Pinterest boards.
Now I was definitely a bit skeptical at the complicated mess involved in the making of a corn dog but boy, was I wrong. This is honestly one of the easiest things to make! All you need is a simple homemade cornbread batter and hot dogs on a stick. That’s it! Throw them in a hot pot of oil for 1-2 minutes and they’ll magically puff up into the perfect, most fluffy corn dog.
I immediately had 12 of these as soon as they hit the plate, leaving me to skip dinner. But hey, every bite was so worth it. Even Butters seemed to think so as he patiently stood by my side the entire time I was making this.
A quick-fix cornmeal batter coats the halved hot dogs, which are the perfect size for snacking or for packing in lunch boxes. For us, we get cocktails hotdog to save the time of preparing. When deep-frying it makes sure the oil is not too hot as your hotdog will get brunt in seconds. Turn off your fire and cool down your oil for a few minutes if you are frying in big batches as the temperature of the oil will keep on the increase.
While I bet that there won’t be leftovers thus we always make more to freeze it. You can keep it in the freezer for up to a month. Heat it in the oven without un-freezing it. We heat it for 10 minutes at 270C.
Craving more? If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @leplaincanvas on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with. Keep the oil boiling and find more inspiration with additional deep-fried recipes.
xoxo, Joe
There is no pleasure quite the same as tucking into a steaming bowl of hot homemade soup. Pho, a staple Vietnamese soup, is no exception. Much like miso to Japanese cooking and chicken noodle soup to American cooking, this soup is full of flavors to comfort and warm you up.
And while making pho at home might seem like a complex undertaking, in its most pure form, pho is nothing more than a beautiful broth, supple noodles, and the toppings you choose to add — which means many home cooks have the skills and tools they need to make a version to be proud of.
We combed through many recipes for making pho broth at home before settling on this method we’re sharing here. During our research, we found that most recipes can be divided into two schools.
But when we consider how to make the best pho for most home cooks, we find ourselves somewhere in the middle, with our focus squarely on producing a stand-out broth from scratch.
We spent the majority of our effort on making the best broth — not only because that’s where the bulk of the flavor comes from in this soup, but also because broth-making is a skill most home cooks excel at or are eager to perfect. The techniques of preparing the broth in this recipe are universal. You can learn them here and apply them to your next soup-making endeavor, whether it’s pho you’re making or a favorite chicken noodle soup.
Overall, our goal is to give you a recipe for a soup that’s just as satisfying as the bowl you dive into at your favorite Vietnamese restaurant, but with a method tailored for you, the home cook.
How to choose the right ingredients?
There are many important steps to follow when it comes to cooking pho at home. We’re going to go through all of them in this cooking lesson. But before you even head to the kitchen, you’ve got to head to the store — because the first step to making really good pho at home starts with sourcing the ingredients.
Whether you head to your grocery store, order some of these ingredients online, or visit the Asian grocery store, below are the three ingredients to pay particular attention to. You can check out our detailed lists on what to look for when shopping for your soup for all the specifics.
Bones: Beef knuckles are the preferred cut for beef pho broth because they are rich in connective tissue but low on fat. The knuckle joints cook down in the broth, giving it body and a rich thickness that cannot be replicated. If you can’t find knucklebones, go ahead and double the beef shank called for here. Some Asian markets sell packages labeled “beef soup bones,” which can be exclusively knuckles or a combination of knuckles and shank (or leg bones). If you find them, snatch those up for beef broth.
Fish sauce: Be wary of supermarket fish sauce, which can be full of additives and preservatives. Instead, look for the fish sauce with two or three ingredients on the label. Red Boat is a great entry-level brand if you get overwhelmed with the choices at the Asian market.
Noodles: Beef pho is traditionally made with rice noodles. These flat noodles are sometimes labeled “rice sticks” and sold both fresh (sometimes found in the freezer section) or dried. Look for dried rice noodles with a medium thickness — too thin and they’ll dissolve in the broth, but too thick means endless chewing.
What to take note when making Beef Broth?
Now combining them together
A bowl of pho is made personal by what you put in your bowl. Up until then, all you’ve got is a spectacular broth, cooked rice noodles, and a tray of garnishes. Here’s how we recommend putting things together:
A word of advice: Since most of the efforts in making pho go into making a delicious broth, start off with the Sriracha and hoisin in a small bowl on the side for dipping the meat into. If you like your broth teeming with the sweet heat of Sriracha and hoisin, stir both rights into your bowl.
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @leplaincanvas on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
xoxo, Joe
