MMM-FRUIT!

I have a working list of things I want to do before I leave for Japan. One of the things that I get to cross off today, is eating ice cream at Leatherby’s. Leatherby’s is a family-run ice cream parlor and one of Sacramento’s must-eat stops. I lived in Sacramento for nearly 3 years while I went to school, and never ate here once! It’s not that I didn’t want to – those who know me well know that I am an ice cream fiend. But the times when my friends ate at Leatherby’s were usually inconvenient for me, and the one other time I tried to go, the place was booked for a birthday event and there were no tables.

What you are seeing in the photo above is Rich’s Banana Split – 3 scoops of ice cream (chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry), topped with chocolate, strawberry and pineapple sauces, whipped cream, nuts and cherries over a whole banana. It was delicious! The size wasn’t anything shocking – after all, I’ve already had my share of sundaes from The Old San Francisco Creamery Co. in Walnut Creek and Fenton’s Creamery in Vacaville. But, the flavor was satisfyingly delicious – especially on a hot almost-summer day in Sacramento. It really hit the spot.

In the coming weeks before my departure to Japan, I plan on crossing a few more things off my list… and all of these should be blog-worthy, so look out blog-followers! More blogs to come! :)

A few minor major updates.

Sad news first:

I’m closing up shop. After about 7 years of running this little indie business, shop.mmm-fruit.com is closing it’s doors.

I hope it’s just temporary. My patterns will still be available and I hope that, with more free time, I’m able to design some new things and share some with my site-followers for free. But I won’t be able to make any tangible goods anymore – at least for the next year or two. And the reason for that is…

The good news now:

I am moving to Japan! It’s quite an exciting time in my life. The country, its language, its art, its culture – it inspires me. I’m excited to begin working in a new field, and in a new country. I’m sure it will be quite an adventure.

I have a few goals:

1. I’m hoping to brush on my language skills and take my Japanese language to a new level. Maybe soon, I’ll even understand the pattern directions on making the amigurumi puppet from 「はじめてでも編める!あみぐるみ」 (ISBN 4277490395).

2. Continue crafting!

3. Dust the film off my cameras and put them to work! I have a friend who has been living in Nagasaki for the past year. He has been shooting a lot of film lately with his Lubitel. He tells me that film is still available for purchase, including medium format (hello Holga!), and many film shops will even develop.

Lanterns of Nagasaki via Flickr

4. Learn to cook traditional Japanese dishes & bake Japanese pastries.

So with these goals in mind, my last, but not least, goal is to get back into blogging. I will be visiting a lot of new places, trying new foods, making new things… Flickr will definitely stay updated, and hopefully this blog will be, too. :)

I’m moving this summer! More to come in the weeks to follow…

via jill thomas photography

Jill Thomas has posted a sneak peek of our wedding photographs! The ones featured in her blog were amazingly shot with film and turned out so beautiful. Nick and I are so happy that we chose Jill to capture our special day. We can’t wait to see everything else! I have a couple of Polaroids she shot that day which I’ve also been meaning to scan.

In the hotel courtyard taking photos with Jill Thomas, who is just seriously amazing!

I am getting married this weekend! And then we are going to Oahu, Hawaii! I am so excited!!!

i wear this every year & this year i’m wearing it through the weekend!

i can’t remember the designer, but my sister purchased it for me via the former plain mabel shop.