<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232</id><updated>2012-02-16T17:59:20.396+11:00</updated><category term='Fashion'/><category term='Gaming'/><category term='Travel'/><category term='Japan'/><category term='Shopping'/><title type='text'>Designer Mermaid</title><subtitle type='html'>&lt;b&gt;♥ Ariel ♥&lt;br&gt;&lt;/b&gt;
&lt;i&gt;Intrepid Explorer&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;

A 24 year old Australian, earning my teaching qualification, planning to journey the world one country at a time, getting ready to apply for the JET Programme, dreaming of &lt;i&gt;exploration&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;flirtation&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;b&gt;escaping to a better tommorow&lt;/b&gt;.</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>19</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-7658994477472484560</id><published>2012-01-18T14:36:00.003+11:00</published><updated>2012-01-18T14:59:54.900+11:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Fashion'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Shopping'/><title type='text'>Ozsale Mystery Packs</title><content type='html'>As demonstrated by my obsession with &lt;high&gt;Sasa&lt;/high&gt; Lucky Bags, I like a surprise, especially when it comes in clothes, shoes or accessories format. I guess it should come as no shock then that I’ve been won over by another lucky dip of the online variety.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Every so often &lt;high&gt;Ozsale&lt;/high&gt; has &lt;i&gt;‘Mystery Packs’&lt;/i&gt; (even the name is exciting, right?!) More often than not they’re for shoes (women’s, men’s and kids) or packs with 3 or 5 different pieces of children’s clothing. You pick the size and they send you the goods. I’ve bought both kinds recently, so I thought I might share with you what I got to give you an idea and, maybe, tempt you.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I took a gamble on the most recent ‘Mystery Designer Shoe Sale’ and brought three pairs of size 9’s. They costs $15 each. I received:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;1. A pair of suede ankle boots (not my style so I gave them to my mother, but extremely good quality nonetheless). &lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;Brand:&lt;/b&gt; Mea Shadow&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;RRP:&lt;/b&gt; $150&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;2. A pair of practical walking shoes (again, not really my style, but I kept them for walking as they’re ridiculously comfortable and, again, great quality).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;Brand:&lt;/b&gt; Solace&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;RRP:&lt;/b&gt; ???&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;3. A gorgeous pair of multi-tone heels that I &lt;b&gt;LOVE&lt;/b&gt;!!!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;Brand:&lt;/b&gt; Zola Collection&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;RRP:&lt;/b&gt; $100&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For the money I was pretty impressed and have since bought another couple of mystery pairs (which I’ll share with you when I get them).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;Img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/2568l12.jpg"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I also bought a ‘Mystery Designer Kids Clothes’ pack for my brother (he’s eight). To say I was impressed would be the understatement of the century. The pack was three pieces and costs $25. He received two extremely thick, stylish and high quality Timberland jackets and a pair of light weight Timberland shorts. That’s well over $100 worth of clothes. I would definitely buy another kids packs.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;Img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/11vsdjc.jpg"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So, like most lucky dips, these mystery sales are not necessarily going to be worth it, however for my money it’s worth the risk, judging by a little experience and a lot of hope, it's worth the risk.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-7658994477472484560?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/7658994477472484560/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=7658994477472484560&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/7658994477472484560'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/7658994477472484560'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2012/01/ozsale-mystery-packs.html' title='Ozsale Mystery Packs'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://i42.tinypic.com/2568l12_th.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-7096692831558314710</id><published>2012-01-15T17:47:00.003+11:00</published><updated>2012-01-15T17:51:42.964+11:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Fashion'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Japan'/><title type='text'>Rimaru World Fun!</title><content type='html'>I just discovered a cute and fun little site called &lt;a href" http://www.rinmaruworld.com/en/index.php"&gt;&lt;high&gt;Rimaru World&lt;/high&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/dy3e3o.jpg"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;^ &lt;i&gt;Idealized me &amp;hearts;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The premise of the site is simply this: Fashion (note the capital ‘F’). If you ever played dress up with your favourite Barbie then you’ll have some idea of what you’re getting yourself into. You join, create an avatar (who, if you’re anything at all like me, will look a lot like you on your very best day), buy ‘clothes’ to dress it in and enter (and hopefully win) fashion contests in order to buy more clothes and enter more fashion contests. Admittedly I don’t see this site amusing me for the rest of eternity. But nonetheless it’s a nice little dalliance from everyday life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Enjoy!&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-7096692831558314710?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/7096692831558314710/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=7096692831558314710&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/7096692831558314710'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/7096692831558314710'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2012/01/rimaru-world-fun.html' title='Rimaru World Fun!'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://i43.tinypic.com/dy3e3o_th.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-5628289626635191460</id><published>2012-01-13T09:33:00.003+11:00</published><updated>2012-01-13T09:55:46.621+11:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Fashion'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Shopping'/><title type='text'>A review of online Australian sales sites</title><content type='html'>I’ve talked about sales sites with you before. But today I’d like to introduce (in one case re-introduce) you to the three main contenders and they’re positive and negative attributes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The first thing to mention is that, primarily, these are all fashion sites. Their main fare is men, woman and children’s fashion and accessories. However, they also offer toys, make-up, jewellery, home décor and electronics. They're all free to join.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.brandsexclusive.com.au/i/Ariel_Richardson/"&gt;&lt;img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/2ypdovl.jpg"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.brandsexclusive.com.au/i/Ariel_Richardson/"&gt;&lt;high&gt;BrandExclusive&lt;/high&gt;&lt;/a&gt; claims to be, and indeed by all accounts &lt;i&gt;appears&lt;/i&gt; to be, the most popular of the three, which is not to say that it’s the best. Off all three sites I prefer the layout and presentation of this one. Everything is easy to find, easy to browse and presented in such a way as to win you over. The other benefit is that, whilst items do sell out on the site, they always seem to have lots of stock so you really don’t need to get up at 6am to browse the daily sales. However, though the prices are always less than RRP, it is hard to find a true, fair dinkim &lt;i&gt;bargain&lt;/i&gt; on this site.  Even in their ‘Sales’ the prices are similar to those you’d find, especially during the post-Christmas season, at the shops. But still &lt;a href="http://www.brandsexclusive.com.au/i/Ariel_Richardson/"&gt;&lt;high&gt;Brandexclusive&lt;/high&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is worth a look and, as with all three sites, there are rare gems among the hoards if you have patience and the willingness to seek them out. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;a href="http://buyinvite.com.au"&gt;&lt;img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/25gtbmd.jpg"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://buyinvite.com.au"&gt;&lt;high&gt;Buyinvite&lt;/high&gt;&lt;/a&gt; offers much the same fare as the others and yet fails to offer the same &lt;b&gt;‘WOW’&lt;/b&gt; factor. Again the prices are below RRP but finding the rare, one-off is much, much more difficult. However it’s still worth a look and there are still bargains to be had. This is my least favourite of all three.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.Ozsale.com.au/registration.aspx?invitedby=Ariel.Richardson"&gt;&lt;img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/vct5ds.jpg"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In my humble opinion the best of the lot is, by a considerable amount, &lt;a href="http://www.Ozsale.com.au/registration.aspx?invitedby=Ariel.Richardson"&gt;&lt;high&gt;Ozsale&lt;/high&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. The main reason for this is simple: in each and every sale (whether it be for &lt;high&gt;Wayne Cooper&lt;/high&gt;, &lt;high&gt;Ed Hardy&lt;/high&gt; or Designer Sunglasses) there is only so much stock. Once that stock is gone, it’s gone: that’s it, deal done. So whilst the site does have some deals which really aren’t worth mentioning, this limited stock technique means that there are also some that are truly mind blowing. I’ve seen Ugg boots (&lt;high&gt;UGG Australia&lt;/high&gt; branded in the most common designs and colours) on here for $50. By 6:10 (the sales start precisely at 6am) every, single pair was sold out. Last week they had a Designer Seconds sale, with sunglasses, handbags, dresses and much more from brands like &lt;high&gt;Coach&lt;/high&gt;, &lt;high&gt;Wayne Cooper&lt;/high&gt;, &lt;high&gt;Alex Perry&lt;/high&gt;, &lt;high&gt;Valentino&lt;/high&gt;, and the prices were so mind-blowingly fantastic (try a &lt;high&gt;Wayne Cooper&lt;/high&gt; dress, not &lt;i&gt;Wayne by Wayne Cooper&lt;/i&gt; but &lt;b&gt;&lt;high&gt;Wayne Cooper&lt;/high&gt;&lt;/b&gt;, for $30). Again, everything was gone minutes after the sale opened. Admittedly the sales aren’t always this good. But if you check what the site is offering the night before, and remember to do so every night, then I absolutely guarantee you you’ll grab a find that will shock, amaze and delight. &lt;high&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.Ozsale.com.au/registration.aspx?invitedby=Ariel.Richardson"&gt;Ozsale&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/high&gt; is definitely worth joining and a great way to wear designer brands, without paying designer prices.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Have fun shopping!&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-5628289626635191460?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/5628289626635191460/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=5628289626635191460&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/5628289626635191460'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/5628289626635191460'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2012/01/review-of-online-australian-sales-sites.html' title='A review of online Australian sales sites'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://i40.tinypic.com/2ypdovl_th.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-6805381328190038959</id><published>2012-01-12T18:30:00.004+11:00</published><updated>2012-01-13T09:56:18.887+11:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Fashion'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Shopping'/><title type='text'>A great new web-find!</title><content type='html'>Hello my fellow web-addicted fashionistas,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I know I’ve been decidedly lazy in updating the blog in recent months and for that &lt;b&gt;I sincerely apologize&lt;/b&gt;. But rest assured I have been busily sniffing out bargains, both online and off, for all you lovely boys and girls. And I’m proud to show you a site that’s guaranteed to blow your minds (not literally of course, though it might just blow a small chunk out of your bank accounts ^^).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/akkie0.jpg"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href=”https://www.gracefashion.com.au/main/main.aspx”&gt;&lt;high&gt;SES Fashions&lt;/high&gt;&lt;/a&gt; boasts basics for prices you just don’t normally see here in Australia. You can easily pick up a pair of comfortable pants, a cute new top and a playsuit all for $7 each, with change to spare. Admittedly it’s not the most exciting fare in the world but at those prices who’s complaining?! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So have a look and if you love shoes (isn’t that everyone?) then stayed tuned.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-6805381328190038959?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/6805381328190038959/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=6805381328190038959&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/6805381328190038959'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/6805381328190038959'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2012/01/great-new-web-find.html' title='A great new web-find!'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://i43.tinypic.com/akkie0_th.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-900974383628655759</id><published>2011-08-22T08:41:00.007+10:00</published><updated>2011-08-23T11:11:26.341+10:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Shopping'/><title type='text'>Sasa Lucky Bags #2</title><content type='html'>I love &lt;high&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.sasa.com/SasaWeb/eng/sasa/home.jsp"&gt;Sasa.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/high&gt;. I'll recommend it to anyone, and have done so many a time. The prices are far better than anywhere else in Australia and the sheer range of products is staggering to behold. But, geez was I burned on my most recent purchase.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;After getting such awesome goods in my previous order I couldn't wait to buy some more lucky bags. This time I decided I'd go with the more expensive $39US version. Why not, I thought? Logically, I'd be getting better stuff right? &lt;b&gt;Wrong&lt;/b&gt;, as it so happens.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/10608yo.jpg"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;i&gt;In case you can't tell, these are samples...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/10ztf1t.jpg"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;... As are these.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Sample bags! For more money I've been given &lt;b&gt;sample bags&lt;/b&gt;! To say I was disappointed is an understatement. And the reasoning seems clear: last time I spent a fortune so I got better stuff, this time I only bought the lucky bags and thus was given the bare minimum.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I still love &lt;high&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.sasa.com/SasaWeb/eng/sasa/home.jsp"&gt;Sasa.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/high&gt; but I won't be buying anymore lucky bags in the near future. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Is it worth the gamble? Well, it's your money so it's up to you but I'd recommend the less expensive version.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;EDIT: The lucky bags I bought were Nourishment and Grandness FYI.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-900974383628655759?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/900974383628655759/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=900974383628655759&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/900974383628655759'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/900974383628655759'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2011/08/lucky-bags-2.html' title='Sasa Lucky Bags #2'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://i52.tinypic.com/10608yo_th.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-5897317879877152275</id><published>2011-08-15T16:52:00.007+10:00</published><updated>2011-08-15T17:15:35.615+10:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Shopping'/><title type='text'>YESSTLE - Oz Style</title><content type='html'>So as it turned out the clothing from this site, as well as being reasonably priced and interesting, is good quality. Check out my recent haul:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/2i87uaq.jpg"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;i&gt;Great prep teacher dress, right?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/29y5p9v.jpg"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Another schoolmistress sheek piece.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/1zl95ch.jpg"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/260by41.jpg"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I would definitely recommend my fellow Aussies jump onto &lt;a href="http://www.yesstyle.com.au/en/women.html"&gt;YESSTLE&lt;/a&gt; and start buying! &amp;hearts;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;i&gt;P.S. I'm thinking about doing large images (as above) for all posts from now on. What's better: this format or the collage format I've been previously using?&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-5897317879877152275?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/5897317879877152275/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=5897317879877152275&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/5897317879877152275'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/5897317879877152275'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2011/08/yesstle-oz-style.html' title='YESSTLE - Oz Style'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://i54.tinypic.com/2i87uaq_th.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-5164794637918003926</id><published>2011-08-03T16:52:00.011+10:00</published><updated>2011-08-03T17:37:40.253+10:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Travel'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Japan'/><title type='text'>Gaijin Houses - Sakura vs Bamboo</title><content type='html'>I’ve been on two decent holidays in Japan during which I’ve spend several months frolicking around the countryside and enjoying foreign delights. On each trip (due to the length of my stay, the fact that I really only needed someone to rest my head at the end of the day and my cheapness) I’ve opted to stay in Gaijin Houses (also known as Guest Houses). If you've considered, or are considering, doing the same then here's some advice:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;high&gt;&lt;b&gt;Sakura House&lt;/high&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/2licw2p.jpg"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The first time I visited Japan I stayed in a &lt;high&gt;Sakura House&lt;/high&gt; apartment in Motohasonuma. It cost around &amp;#165;120000 for the month for two people. The apartment included a kitchen, bathroom, small dining room, bedroom and very basic furnishing. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Pros&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;* It had a really modern and effective heater, which was essential in the middle of a freezing Tokyo winter.&lt;br /&gt;* The bath was ultra-modern and run by a temperature control in the wall.&lt;br /&gt;* It had a washing machine.&lt;br /&gt;* The view from the balcony was beautiful on a snowy night.&lt;br /&gt;* The website accurately represented the apartment.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Cons&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;* The sink was blocked from the moment we came to the day we left (we had to empty it with buckets).&lt;br /&gt;* The apartment obviously hadn’t been properly cleaned for quite some time. (This is hardly surprising as the company’s higher ups have said that the apartments can be kept to a lower standard because foreigners don’t mind living in squalor.&lt;br /&gt;* Despite the fact that we kept it in the same condition we found it, the agent took &amp;#165;10000 off the deposit for cleaning fees. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So, whilst the apartment wasn’t terrible, especially considering the price, it wasn’t all that great either. However...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;high&gt;&lt;b&gt;Bamboo House&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/high&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/1zz27w8.jpg"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Last time I stayed in a &lt;high&gt;Bamboo House&lt;/high&gt; gaijin house. It was dirt cheap at only &amp;#165;80000. We had a single bedroom and the rest of the house was shared between the tenants. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Pros&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;* The owners were friendly.&lt;br /&gt;* The area was lovely and had a supermarket with everything at great prices.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Cons&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;* It was just plain dirty. EVERYWHERE. &lt;br /&gt;* The website pictures and descriptions are deceptive as hell: the room we stayed in appeared to have its own private balcony (indeed the description stated that it did) but the site forgot to mention that the ‘private’ balcony was actually accessible to anyone else in the house via the corridor than ran between it and our room.&lt;br /&gt;* None of the rooms had proper locks.&lt;br /&gt;* The kitchen was filthy.&lt;br /&gt;* The bathrooms weren’t much better.&lt;br /&gt;* The walls were so thin (and the other tenants so obnoxiously loud) that sleeping was hard. &lt;br /&gt;* Liz's bed fell apart every other day until, eventually, she slept on the floor. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As the old axiom goes, &lt;i&gt;you get what you pay for&lt;/i&gt;. In this case, though, it was probably less... I would never stay in a &lt;high&gt;Bamboo House&lt;/high&gt; &lt;i&gt;anything&lt;/i&gt; ever again and wouldn’t recommend the company to my worst enemy (that's how bad it was).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;high&gt;Sakura House&lt;/high&gt; is the clear winning of the two: in value for money, honest representation and the place I'd be more likely to revisit. Despite the less than ideal experiences I’ll likely stay in a Gaijin House the next time I holiday in Japan. However,  I’ll probably try a different company (and pay a little more) in the (perhaps unrealistic) hopes of finding something better.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-5164794637918003926?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/5164794637918003926/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=5164794637918003926&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/5164794637918003926'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/5164794637918003926'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2011/08/gaijin-houses-sakura-vs-bamboo.html' title='Gaijin Houses - Sakura vs Bamboo'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://i52.tinypic.com/2licw2p_th.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-8248435552181418833</id><published>2011-07-28T16:20:00.007+10:00</published><updated>2011-08-03T16:13:01.613+10:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Shopping'/><title type='text'>OZSALE - Every girl loves a sale!</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://www.Ozsale.com.au/registration.aspx?invitedby=Ariel.Richardson"&gt;&lt;high&gt;OZSALE&lt;/high&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is an awesome web-shop and (potentially) a bargain hunter's dream.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The basic premise of the site is that you become a member (free and no strings attached) and are then eligible to purchase from a number of different daily sales (there’s normally at least five a day) boasting different brands and items. The discounts offered can be anywhere from 50% to 95% and the brands are both low and high-end (I’ve seen Prada and Gucci sunglasses selling for $100 on the same day Supre singlets are on there for $2.95).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/iy3ndd.jpg"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;i&gt;Eb &amp; Ive jewelled bracelets ($5.95 each off OZSALE)&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It’s a must-join for anyone that loves a bargain (particularly if you’re a fan of high-end fashion but not of high-end prices).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are some things you need to know, however, before you fall in lust with the site.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;1.&lt;/b&gt; Check the night before to see if you’re interested in any of the brands (or tempted by a particularly high percentage off sale). If something catches your eye then get up at 6:30am the next morning so you can be one of the first (though the sites VIPS (costs extra) get very first pickings) to see and buy the items. I guarantee you that if it’s a good enough saving then it'll be gone by E.O.D.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;2.&lt;/b&gt; That said, if something’s been available a week and still isn’t gone then it’s probably not that good of a deal. &lt;high&gt;OZSALE&lt;/high&gt; does sell the same brands repeatedly and (occasionally) at better prices than they may have offered the week before. It also sometimes sells things that aren’t all that cheap. Therefore be wary, don’t just buy something for the sake of it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;3.&lt;/b&gt; Be wary of shipping. It can get quite expensive and you pay separately for each different sale. If there’s only one thing you want from a sale and it’s only an okay bargain then it’s probably not worth buying, as the high-ish shipping somewhat defeats the purpose. The shipping also takes a while, so don’t plan on wearing/using whatever you’ve bought for at least a couple of weeks.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hopefully you’ll enjoy &lt;a href="http://www.Ozsale.com.au/registration.aspx?invitedby=Ariel.Richardson"&gt;&lt;high&gt;OZSALE&lt;/high&gt;&lt;/a&gt; as much as I do.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-8248435552181418833?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/8248435552181418833/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=8248435552181418833&amp;isPopup=true' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/8248435552181418833'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/8248435552181418833'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2011/07/ozsale-every-girl-loves-sale.html' title='OZSALE - Every girl loves a sale!'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://i53.tinypic.com/iy3ndd_th.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-6923370924238067943</id><published>2011-07-25T22:10:00.006+10:00</published><updated>2011-08-03T16:12:29.164+10:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Shopping'/><title type='text'>YESSTYLE Australia</title><content type='html'>I'm not sure when or why it happened and frankly I don't care I just absolutely stoked that, for some fortuitous reason, &lt;high&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.yesstyle.com.au/en/women.html"&gt;YESSTYLE&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/high&gt; has decided to open an Australia site. I'm utterly over the moon!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I've always adored the clothing on &lt;high&gt;YESSTYLE&lt;/high&gt;: It's pretty, cheap and so much more interesting than blase Australian fair. Plus the options (with more 2000 dresses alone) are truly over-whelming. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I think my tight budget is about to take another hit. Honestly, I'm a little too happy to care.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-6923370924238067943?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/6923370924238067943/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=6923370924238067943&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/6923370924238067943'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/6923370924238067943'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2011/07/yesstyle-australia.html' title='YESSTYLE Australia'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-8592195609333320710</id><published>2011-07-18T18:14:00.006+10:00</published><updated>2011-08-03T16:12:18.111+10:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Fashion'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Japan'/><title type='text'>Virtual ギャル</title><content type='html'>&amp;#12462;&amp;#12515;&amp;#12523; (Gyaru) is'nt a fashion-choice, it's a lifestyle.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Being &amp;#12462;&amp;#12515;&amp;#12523; means living, breathing and adoring the way of the gal.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Much like the way of the ninja this involves extreme pain (bikini waxes anyone), years of tortuous training (to get those eyelashes just right) and a great deal of inner strength (because ignoring everyone really, really ain't easy). The results however, are worth every frustrating moment (at least according to Gals and their fans).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But, if you cant be bothered (like me), then here's the site just for you:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.dressupwho.com/games/900/hime-gal-dress-up.html"&gt;&lt;img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/2lsgz8n.png" border=0&gt;&lt;/A&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://koruldia.deviantart.com/"&gt;koruldia&lt;/A&gt; has taken all the effort out of &amp;#12462;&amp;#12515;&amp;#12523; so that all you can sit back (hair unteased), and &lt;b&gt;virtual&lt;/b&gt; it.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-8592195609333320710?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/8592195609333320710/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=8592195609333320710&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/8592195609333320710'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/8592195609333320710'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2011/07/me-gyaru-isnt-fashion-choice-its.html' title='Virtual &amp;#12462;&amp;#12515;&amp;#12523;'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://i52.tinypic.com/2lsgz8n_th.png' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-2613450762967829894</id><published>2011-07-15T16:08:00.011+10:00</published><updated>2011-08-03T16:11:59.188+10:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Shopping'/><title type='text'>Sasa - Beauty Bargains!</title><content type='html'>Being an Australia (which, I think, comes with an engrained love of bargains) often leads me on the search for the absolute best deals available. In that vein I found &lt;high&gt;&lt;a href="http://web1.sasa.com/SasaWeb/eng/sasa/home.jsp"&gt;Sasa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/high&gt; – a beauty e-shop.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I’ve used other beauty e-shops before. &lt;high&gt;Strawberry.net&lt;/high&gt; was my main point of call until they sent me several damaged goods (which had obviously been opened and used) and refused to give me a refund or an exchange. Furthermore their prices aren’t anywhere near as good as &lt;high&gt;Sasa’s&lt;/high&gt;. &lt;i&gt;I wouldn't recommend the site&lt;/i&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But &lt;b&gt;I love &lt;high&gt;Sasa&lt;/high&gt;&lt;/b&gt;! In my opinion it’s the most comprehensive and inexpensive beauty e-shop on the net. No-one that knew any better would buy cosmetics or skincare in Australia, as &lt;high&gt;Sasa&lt;/high&gt; prices are at least half of what you pay here (sometimes significantly less). Furthermore, the sheer range of options and brands (both premium and budget) mean that pretty much everything you want or need is only a click away. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/5z37rc.jpg"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Above are my most recent snags. As usual absolutely everything was amazingly priced, however the &lt;i&gt;Lucky Bags&lt;/i&gt; are particularly noteworthy. I’ve been a massive fan of lucky dips (and the utter suspense of what treasures could possibly be hidden within) since my youth. Therefore it should come as little surprise that I now jump on any opportunity that presents itself to purchase the adult versions. The last time I was in Japan at New Year’s I couldn’t help but buy several &lt;i&gt;Lucky Bags&lt;/i&gt; from numerous outlets (from which I obtained, among other things, several cute rings and a pair of truly hideous socks). These &lt;high&gt;Sasa&lt;/high&gt; &lt;i&gt;Lucky Bags&lt;/i&gt; were a steal at only $26AUD. Not only does their content far excel the price I paid but it’s all things I actually want/need/use. The freebies (you always get something free!) are an added pleasant bonus! Suffice it to say I was impressed when my semi-surprise package arrived.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://web1.sasa.com/SasaWeb/eng/sasa/home.jsp"&gt;I truly recommend you take a look at &lt;high&gt;Sasa&lt;/high&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. You never know what amazing bargain you might find!&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-2613450762967829894?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/2613450762967829894/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=2613450762967829894&amp;isPopup=true' title='5 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/2613450762967829894'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/2613450762967829894'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2011/07/sasa-beauty-bargains-abound.html' title='Sasa - Beauty Bargains!'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://i52.tinypic.com/5z37rc_th.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>5</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-9040992240233171496</id><published>2011-07-10T21:00:00.006+10:00</published><updated>2011-08-03T16:11:48.320+10:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gaming'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Japan'/><title type='text'>Geek Life: Tokimeki Memorial</title><content type='html'>I guess being a Geek is supposed to be a bad thing. Certainly the word Geek is synonymous with a plethora of, mostly bad, characteristics. Nevertheless I can’t help but feel proud of my Geekyness; without it my life would have been lame. Totally lame!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Therefore, in the vein of embracing my inner nerd, I’d like to introduce my fellow (probably female) Geeks to something utterly awesome: &lt;high&gt;Tokimeki Memorial&lt;/high&gt;! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This series of dating simulation games has been around for years: originally aimed at boys, the more recent incarnations have done a 360, focusing instead on a female audience. In &lt;high&gt;Tokimeki Memorial’s Girl’s Side – 1st Love Plus&lt;/high&gt; you play yourself, or a character you’re supposed to pretend is you, experiencing the last three years of high school life and (hopefully) finding love along the way. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Unfortunately, because of it’s &lt;i&gt;Japanese-ness&lt;/i&gt;, it’s apparently un-releasable anywhere other than Japan. Luckily though the rom-ified version of the game has been translated by &lt;a href="http://sites.google.com/site/tokimemogs1/"&gt;some lovely people&lt;/a&gt; into English, for my (and hopefully your) delight.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/k4tkdu.jpg"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;As for the gameplay, well, the main character, &lt;b&gt;Hazuki Kei&lt;/b&gt;, (EG. The one you’re supposed to end up with) is, in my humble opinion, a douche. And then there's &lt;i&gt;your principal&lt;/i&gt;... who's just just kinda... creepy. But the sporty, shy and utterly adorable &lt;b&gt;Suzuka Kazuma&lt;/b&gt; (bandaids are hot!) makes the game absolutely sequel-worthy. Plus one of the secret characters (it’s your job to find out which) is damn fine and a rebel to boot (sexy). If you’re as lame as me you’ll adore every single inch of the awkward flirting, cute remarks and passionate confessions. Plus, if you're even slightly hardcore when it comes to gaming (or simply obsessive, like myself) then completing the considerable CG gallery only adds to the fun. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You can download the game for yourself &lt;a href="http://erogedownload.com/downloads/tokimeki-memorial-girls-side-1st-love-plus/"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. And, if you don’t already have one, an emulator to play it on &lt;a href="http://desmume.en.softonic.com/"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Enjoy!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-9040992240233171496?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/9040992240233171496/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=9040992240233171496&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/9040992240233171496'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/9040992240233171496'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2011/07/geek-life-tokimeki-memorial.html' title='Geek Life: Tokimeki Memorial'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://i56.tinypic.com/k4tkdu_th.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-8477924737316946855</id><published>2011-06-28T10:18:00.005+10:00</published><updated>2011-08-03T16:11:13.731+10:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Fashion'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Shopping'/><title type='text'>Forever 21♥</title><content type='html'>Well it comes to cheap, well, you just can't get anything even near the prices of &lt;high&gt;Forever 21&lt;/high&gt; in Australia. $4 tops and $2 pieces of jewellery are such rarity's that they come along only once a year (&lt;span style="font-style:italic;"&gt;if&lt;/span&gt; you're lucky and a particularly savvy bargain hunter). That's why, despite the ridiculously high cost of having it shipped over here, I decided to source the majority of my summer basics from there. It's merely an added bonus that &lt;high&gt;Forever 21&lt;/high&gt; happens to be one of my favourite stores♥!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2lmlw7l" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/2lmlw7l.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you're Australian (or also residing in a country deprived of the aforementioned awesomeness) then I recommend at the very least browsing through the multitude of clothing, shoes and accessories available at the &lt;high&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.forever21.com/"&gt;Forever 21 Homepage&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/high&gt;. There are limitations (such as the exorbitant shipping and the fact that you're allowed only a maximum of 20 items) but the overall savings, quality of the clothes and vibrant choices mean the benefits far outweigh the negatives.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-8477924737316946855?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/8477924737316946855/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=8477924737316946855&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/8477924737316946855'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/8477924737316946855'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2011/06/forever-21.html' title='Forever 21♥'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://i51.tinypic.com/2lmlw7l_th.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-7086245469536442857</id><published>2011-06-26T15:15:00.006+10:00</published><updated>2011-08-03T16:11:24.932+10:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Fashion'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Shopping'/><title type='text'>EOFYS</title><content type='html'>Being strapped for cash when the major sales roll around is truly &lt;i&gt;a harrowing experience&lt;/i&gt;. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.chadstoneshopping.com.au/"&gt;&lt;high&gt;Chadstone&lt;/high&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is an &lt;b&gt;End of Financial Year&lt;/b&gt; paradise at the moment, with sales across the board. I nearly cried when I walked into &lt;high&gt;Mui Mui&lt;/high&gt; and spotted several pairs of gorgeous pumps with heavily reduced price tags (I resigned myself to snap some up next year, when I can afford it). &lt;high&gt;Swavroski&lt;/high&gt; proffered so many red sticker adorned shiny things that it made me faint. And at David Jones (home of several designer brands) nearly all the prices are slashed.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My tight budget did allow me however a single, small yet guilt free purchase. Though I’m not a fan of the clothes (and really, really dislike the handbags) I’ve been enamoured with &lt;high&gt;Juicy Couture&lt;/high&gt; &lt;b&gt;charms&lt;/b&gt; ever since I first came across them in the Aoyama store. I bought my sister a London bus (which opens to reveal the signature Scottie Dog) and she also fell for their adorable charm (pun intended). When we found the charms in DJ’s and &lt;b&gt;on sale&lt;/b&gt;... Suffice it to say we were both chuffed. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2vbpftf" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/2vbpftf.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This little guy, well I liked him when I saw met him in Tokyo and loved him when I found him again at DJ's(and at half the price, might I add). Konnichiwa, Robata-san, welcome to my jewellery collection♥&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-7086245469536442857?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/7086245469536442857/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=7086245469536442857&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/7086245469536442857'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/7086245469536442857'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2011/06/eofys.html' title='EOFYS'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://i54.tinypic.com/2vbpftf_th.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-3692377450090625304</id><published>2011-06-16T07:43:00.009+10:00</published><updated>2011-08-03T16:10:09.485+10:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Shopping'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Travel'/><title type='text'>Gold Coast - Secrets</title><content type='html'>I’ve just spent ten wonderful days on the &lt;high&gt;Gold Coast&lt;/high&gt; and I thought it might be a good idea share a few travelers tips with you. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/2d1lo2f.jpg"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Apart from the weather (which, it has to be noted, was rather awful this year and on par with the rest of the country) the &lt;high&gt;Gold Coast's&lt;/high&gt; main selling point are the theme parks. And they can be an absolute bargain,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you’ve pressed for time &lt;high&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.dreamworld.com.au/"&gt;Dreamworld&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/high&gt; seems to me the obvious choice. It offers an &lt;a href="http://www.dreamworld.com.au/Visitor-Information/$69-Summer-Pass.aspx"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Unlimited Entry Ticket&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt; ($69.95 until September 2011), which combines entry with &lt;high&gt;White Water World&lt;/high&gt; (a decent water park that is literally next door). &lt;high&gt;Dream World&lt;/high&gt; is huge: it has heaps of attractions and shows for people of all ages and, not to mention, the &lt;i&gt;only ride in the world&lt;/i&gt; that still makes my heart pound (the 39 story free fall on the Giant Drop is both thrilling and terrifying all at once). This place is a must visit!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://myfun.com.au/"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;high&gt;Movie World&lt;/high&gt;, &lt;high&gt;Sea World&lt;/high&gt; and &lt;high&gt;Wet ‘n Wild&lt;/high&gt;&lt;/a&gt; also offer a combination &lt;a href="https://shop.myfun.com.au/wvtp-vippass-themeparktickets.asp"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Unlimited Entry Ticket&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (currently $99 until E.O.M, bound to be renewed though).  The best of the three is Movie World: it has a handful of thrilling rides (Superman and Lethal Weapon are truly fantastic roller-coasters), dozens of character actors and some interesting shops. Sea World is alright and has several cute animals but, keep in mind, nearly everything (from swimming with dolphins to helicopter rides to cruises) costs considerably extra. Wet ‘n Wild is a can’t miss in summer: its chock full of awesome water slides and a decent wave pool.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But there’s another pretty awesome secret on the Gold Coast that I only just discovered.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If your anything like me then visiting a video game arcade is both a pleasure and a pain; a pain because you’re lucky if a twenty dollar note lasts you 10 minutes (one game of DDR, a handful of ticket machines, one near miss at the skill tester) and a pleasure because, despite the price, it’s still unbelievably fun. But what if ridiculous prices were taken out of the equation?! Well at &lt;high&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.timezonegoldcoast.com.au/"&gt;Time Zone&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/high&gt;, situated right at the heart of Surfer’s Paradise, they have been; that’s why this place is just so damn awesome! They offer these utterly mind blowing &lt;a href="http://www.timezonegoldcoast.com.au/power.asp"&gt;&lt;b&gt;combo offers&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: for $25 you get 15 ticket machine plays (like basketball, crocodile bashing and bowling, just to mention a few), 3 prize tickets (claw machines are addictive, no?) and unlimited standard games (meaning you can DDR till you literally can’t DDR no more). All this can be done in the two hour time limit. In the final hour you compete in laser tag, ride the dodgem cars, challenge your friends to a game of mini golf and ride the virtual simulator. This place is the biggest arcade in Australia and it has everything and then some (it’s even got a genuine Japanese sticker photo booth, which is also the cheapest I’ve ever found in Oz). Sam and I enjoyed the first three hours here so much that we played for another three. This is a truly a &lt;i&gt;can’t miss experience&lt;/i&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Extra tips:&lt;br /&gt;♥ If you like restaurants, go shopping at Coles straight away (there's one in the middle of Surfer's). On the back of your receipt you’ll find heaps of 2 for 1's and discounts deals for good restaurants across the Gold Coast.&lt;br /&gt;♥ Go by bus. Unless you’re a massive family (or several people chipping in) it’s cheaper, safer and so efficient you’ll be hard pressed finding anything to complain about. You can buy a Gold Pass (which includes airport transfers, theme park transfers and unlimited access to 24 hour bus services) &lt;a href="http://www.gcshuttle.com.au/"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;♥ The property market here is flooded. So if you really do your research online you should be able to get a bargain self-serviced apartment.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Gold Coast is awesome. So visit!&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-3692377450090625304?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/3692377450090625304/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=3692377450090625304&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/3692377450090625304'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/3692377450090625304'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2011/06/gold-coast-hidden-secrets.html' title='Gold Coast - Secrets'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://i54.tinypic.com/2d1lo2f_th.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-4241373597772626221</id><published>2011-03-14T16:09:00.007+11:00</published><updated>2011-08-03T16:09:49.152+10:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Japan'/><title type='text'>The Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami Victims.</title><content type='html'>My heart goes out to the Japanese people at this truly horrendous time. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I can’t even fathom the depth of terror, heartache and pain so many must have experience during these last few days and still, no doubt, are. I pray wholeheartedly for the safety of those still unaccounted for and can only wish for strength for those many survivors whose battle remains uphill; both financially and emotionally.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;I urge anyone out there, regardless of who you or where you come from, to give generously to the relief fund&lt;/b&gt;. Imagine yourself in their shoes; the Japanese people and nation need our help now more than ever. We must stand together and support each other in these times of crisis, not as different nations but as a united global community intent on a brighter tomorrow.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="https://donate.savethechildren.org.au/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=414"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Save The Children&lt;/b&gt; - to help children and families affected by the massive earthquake and devastating tsunami in Japan.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Japan, your strength in the wake of this torment gives us all hope.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-4241373597772626221?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/4241373597772626221/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=4241373597772626221&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/4241373597772626221'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/4241373597772626221'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2011/03/japanese-earthquake-and-tsunami-victims.html' title='The Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami Victims.'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-8213653253774896004</id><published>2011-03-02T16:59:00.012+11:00</published><updated>2011-08-03T16:10:35.534+10:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Travel'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Japan'/><title type='text'>Compass Of Your Heart</title><content type='html'>I’m not America, have never been a huge &lt;a href="http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/en/tdl/index.html"&gt;&lt;high&gt;Disney&lt;/high&gt;&lt;/a&gt; fan in general and don’t usually get swept up in the cliché but I’ll be damned if &lt;a href="http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/en/tds/index.html"&gt;&lt;high&gt;Tokyo Disneyland&lt;/high&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (and its accompanying park &lt;high&gt;Disney Sea&lt;/high&gt;) aren’t, while perhaps not &lt;i&gt;places where dreams come true&lt;/i&gt;, a whole bucket load of fun ♥!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I’ve been to each several times and (because I’m a &lt;b&gt;theme park nut&lt;/b&gt; or due to the generally cheerful and, dare I say it, &lt;i&gt;magical&lt;/i&gt; atmosphere) I believe they’re destinations you really must visit: utterly delightful come rain or shine (I’ve experienced them in sweltering humidity, torrential rain and a snow storm).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/jal4sl.jpg"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Some would argue that &lt;high&gt;Disneyland&lt;/high&gt;, by very definition, isn’t very Japanese; that by going there you are experiencing the exact opposite of what you should to garner a true appreciation of the country and it's people (like those tourists that eat only McDonalds when overseas &lt;---&lt;b&gt;LAME!&lt;/b&gt;). However, I would argue the opposite. From the sheer veracity of goods, a symptom less of global consumerism than of the Japanese love of &lt;i&gt;kawaii&lt;/i&gt; paraphernalia and brands, to the proliferation of happy families eating bento and couples frolicking and blushing in this apparent dating mecca, &lt;high&gt;Tokyo Disneyland&lt;/high&gt; and &lt;high&gt;DisneySea&lt;/high&gt; are charmingly and, in many ways, uniquely Japanese.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you’re looking for thrills and spills, or are male and proudly so, skip the former and opt for the latter. &lt;high&gt;DisneySea&lt;/high&gt; has one good, though brief, roller-coaster, a free-fall ride that offers great and, unfortunately, split-second views and some interesting shows. It's the more mature and less whimsical of the two.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;high&gt;Disneyland&lt;/high&gt;, on the other hand, has something to satisfy and delight the child in all of us; from characters aplently, chaotic collections of bright and colourful monoliths to a Parade that quite literally blew my mind (&lt;b&gt;awesome, awesome music&lt;/b&gt; ♥!!!)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you’re hungry for a bite to eat I recommend the &lt;b&gt;Sailing Day Buffet&lt;/b&gt; at &lt;high&gt;DisneySea&lt;/high&gt; – the food’s not bad, the prices are reasonable and the all-you-can drink is a blessing on a hot and humid summer day – and the &lt;b&gt;Queen of Hearts restaurant&lt;/b&gt; at &lt;high&gt;Disneyland&lt;/high&gt; – where I warmed myself during a chilly winter day with my very own un-birthday cake! In summer grab a Mickey-head icy pole like I did; they're as refreshing as they are delicious!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And be prepared to shell out the cash for &lt;high&gt;Disney&lt;/high&gt; goods. It’s almost impossible to resist the charms of the plethora of things on offer. I still want the &lt;b&gt;Swarovski Ariel&lt;/b&gt; (above), and my last visit was months ago ♥. I wouldn’t say there’s something for everyone - I can’t imagine my macho-man father buying anything at all - but there’s always biscuits (which taste quite nice) in cute tins for even the most unimpressed visitor.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One last thing, &lt;high&gt;Tokyo Disneyland&lt;/high&gt; and &lt;high&gt;DisneySea&lt;/high&gt; are relatively undiscriminating, (unlike the &lt;high&gt;Disney&lt;/high&gt; corporation as a whole) welcoming almost all visitors. But unfortunately if you’re a cigarette toting fish then you’re plum out of luck.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/dpz2he.jpg"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-8213653253774896004?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/8213653253774896004/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=8213653253774896004&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/8213653253774896004'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/8213653253774896004'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2011/03/compass-of-your-heart.html' title='Compass Of Your Heart'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://i56.tinypic.com/jal4sl_th.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-4854201496019009682</id><published>2010-07-16T08:19:00.017+10:00</published><updated>2011-08-03T16:12:45.037+10:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Fashion'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Shopping'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Travel'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Japan'/><title type='text'>LaLaPort</title><content type='html'>Liz and I have been in Japan since Sunday and today we decided to take advantage of our position and visit nearby attractions. A quick net search revealed that someone somewhere is smiling down on us; &lt;high&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.lalaport.jp/"&gt;LaLaPort&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/high&gt;, the biggest shopping mall in Japan, is very close to our Chiba address. &lt;b&gt;The Gods of Fashion be praised!&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;img src="http://i27.tinypic.com/110b1wy.jpg"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;LaLaPort is full to the brim of every kind of shop imaginable - clothes, accessories, shoes – you know, all the necessities of life ♥! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align=center&gt;&lt;img src="http://i29.tinypic.com/10mrk7q.jpg"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;My favorite shops there are &lt;high&gt;Forever 21&lt;/high&gt; (great clothes, amazing prices), &lt;high&gt;Starbucks&lt;/high&gt; (love, love love my matcha Frappuccino), and (even though I’ve been proven time and time again that I shouldn’t fall for her alluring patterns which mask bad quality goods) &lt;high&gt;Samantha Thavasa&lt;/high&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;LaLaPort is about 30 minutes away from the center of Tokyo, only a five minute walk from Minami-Funabashi station, and it’s definitely worth the visit for fashion addicts and tourists alike.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-4854201496019009682?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/4854201496019009682/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=4854201496019009682&amp;isPopup=true' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/4854201496019009682'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/4854201496019009682'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2010/07/lalaport.html' title='LaLaPort'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://i27.tinypic.com/110b1wy_th.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1355052437718350232.post-3975760527271693716</id><published>2010-06-23T17:12:00.002+10:00</published><updated>2011-08-03T16:08:45.429+10:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Fashion'/><title type='text'>A Tribute To Fashion</title><content type='html'>&lt;blockquote&gt;“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”- Coco Chanel&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I have a thing for fashion.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;Passion.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;u&gt;Obsession.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/u&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Call it what you will.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What it all comes down to is the fact that eating rice for a week so that I can afford a &amp;nbsp&amp;nbsp&amp;hearts;&lt;high&gt;designer handbag&lt;/high&gt;&amp;hearts;&amp;nbsp&amp;nbsp is, in my mind, rather reasonable, actually. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I have more shoes than friends and more dresses than brain cells &lt;i&gt;&lt;--- (slight over exaggeration).&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;To me fashion is not just a &amp;nbsp&amp;nbsp&lt;high&gt;small part of life&lt;/high&gt;&amp;nbsp&amp;nbsp but one that we address and utalize &amp;nbsp&amp;nbsp&lt;high&gt;every day&lt;/high&gt;&amp;nbsp&amp;nbsp to express our individuality, promote our beauty (both inner and oh so obvious, duh!) and to thrive in love, life and lovelyness.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is with this dedication to fashion in mind that I’ve created this blog to share with fellow aficionado’s the vibrant, eclectic gyaru scene I’m now immersed within and also in a hope to inspire more people aboard to join the rigorous and rewarding &amp;nbsp&amp;nbsp&lt;high&gt;cult of fashion&lt;/high&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1355052437718350232-3975760527271693716?l=d-mermaid.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/feeds/3975760527271693716/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1355052437718350232&amp;postID=3975760527271693716&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/3975760527271693716'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1355052437718350232/posts/default/3975760527271693716'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://d-mermaid.blogspot.com/2010/06/tribute-to-fashion.html' title='A Tribute To Fashion'/><author><name>Ariel</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10757534786641239131</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yCjjlASSfwA/TCGQaER0OwI/AAAAAAAAABA/mfWY_ECczbQ/S220/ArielRichardson12231986.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
