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Year after year, New Year has become nothing particular. In my childhood, there was a mood that all the stores except convenience stores in my neighbor were going to be closed after Christmas (from around 28th) till 5, 6 or 7th of January. But as I grew up and frequent big cities such as Tokyo, Kawasaki or Yokohama, they are totally open almost all during this period, and even including the New Year’s Day at some places.

I think most of us who do not spend too much time at the relative’s or the parents’ or at travel destinations are rather bored in New Year if stores are all closed. (Air tickets and hotels can be double priced in this season and Golden Week in May, so they are the last period that I love to travel.) Also it’s a big chance for the shopping malls to increase sales in this period. Supply and demand matches. ^ ^ In fact, some of the shopping malls open even earlier than normal schedule (usually they open from 11am). It’s a New Year’s sale and Fukubukuro, or lucky grab bags are available only this New Year period in the year.

As for myself, I loved to go to New Year’s sale a few years ago. But for a moment I don’t desperately need more clothes or shoes or bag. I have so many other things that I want to do at home. Some books to read, house cleaning (I’m supposed to finish it before New Year’s Day, according to our custom, though :p), A friend to invite to our house, playing Koto (Japanese musical instrument), and etc. I hope that I can make a better Koto playing video in this coming New Year and share it with you in the next post.

Oh, as for myself, I don’t really like New Year’s cuisine and so I don’t pay much attention to each dish’s meaning such as longevity or whatever. I don’t like Nengajo (New Year’s greeting cards) either, because I’m not interested in superficial friendship that is only maintained through exchanging this thing only once a year. If it’s a true friendship, why can’t she email me, or skype with me more often throughout the year instead of sending a card automatically with a simple message “Wish to see you this year!” every single year without even trying to contact me if we can see each other? I once emailed immediately to ask such people, “so when can we see then?” and the answer was quite vague or somewhat they cannot go out because their kids are too small, or whatsoever. I don’t want such friendship. I’ve ignored many Nengajo like this. I don’t care about diplomatic friendship, that’s just nothing to me. I’m telling my friends not to send me a card but to contact me more often throughout the year, and gradually I receive only a few of them today. I may be very different from most of other Japanese people, because usually people love to exchange Nengajo a lot. lol

Anyhow, it’s the last day of 2011.
I wish you all a happy, prosperous new year and I hope to keep interacting with you in TKE blog or by exchanging emails, and etc.
Thank you for reading TKE and your friendship with me.

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First of all, I have to confess that it was my very first nail experience. I’ve never had my nails done by someone else. The reason is simple. I thought that I had to grow my nails or adhere some artificial long nails on my natural nails, which I don’t like. Secondly, when nails grow in 3 weeks and I must pay nearly 10,000yen, it’s just too much for me. Thirdly, I simply don’t have time to do that.

But when my good friend needs some models and it’s offered at a discounted price from their original price, I cannot ignore her. I wanted to help her whatever! Moreover, I just learned I don’t have to grow my nails or add extra length on my nails if I choose Calgel nails. The good news about Calgel nails is that it’s not going to damage my natural nails. Finally I can see my friend and chat with her while I have my nails done by her. This sounds good.

This is the nail booth within the total beauty salon. It’s an AVEDA total beauty salon with spa, nail, hair, headspa, eyelash, and make-up services. I like such inclusive service and the atmosphere of the salon is really nice!

***This is the foot booth where foot care, pedicure and foot gel services are done.

This time I had hand care and Calgel for my fingernails, so it was done in this place.

Here’s my BEFORE picture.

Lena suggests very nicely from a professional’s point of view. Whatever she suggests always make sense to me, but she never pushes you her opinions. I really like the way she is. Oh! You know how we became friends? She was a reader of TKE! We met 2 times when she visited Japan before, but who knew then that she was moving to Tokyo later? ^_^

She shortened and shaped my fingernails, did cuticle care, buffed the surface of my nails with a very gentle sponge buffer, then after carefully wiping the nails with antiseptic and a special preparatory liquid, she started to apply the clear gel base.

If you don’t like to apply any colors on your nails, you can just ask for this transparent one (clear gel). She told me some men also like to do this. But I liked to apply something kawaii, of course! ***Nail design samples in the below picture are photoshopped (blurred) to protect the copyright of their design. Thank you for your understanding.***

These days I somehow like blue color. So I asked her to make a blue color between two different blue colors I saw from the sample. The good thing about this nail salon is that they can create nail colors that are not found from the sample colors. Some nail salons do not offer that service, according to Lena. It looked so fun to create a new color from some different color powder.

Finally my desired color was painted.

I was asked to cure my nails under UV light every time she applied, so that the gel hardened. You must be familiar with such if you have experienced Calgel before. But everything was the first experience to me, I was delighted and excited at each step, which must have seemed like a child to Lena! Haha!!

Now colors were applied. I chose a different color for only forefingers.

Then she applied glittering dots and stones, but unfortunately I couldn’t take photos then because other hand was always under the light. ^ ^;;
Look, how she did it!

I totally loved these nails she made for me! Now I think I know why people get so crazy about nails. Every time I look at my own nails, I feel so great! I never thought nails can bring me such joyful moment. I’d love to frequent if only I can afford it so often. Everything was so perfect and I had such a comfortable and relaxing 2.5 hours at the nail salon.

So who is next? Please ask her for the price and all the details you want to know. She speaks English, Hungarian, and Japanese.

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