Fireworks? and New Year's Grab Bags

HEY.

HI. It's 2013 here. What the heck. By the time you read this or by the time I finish this post, it will probably be 2013 for everyone.

Yesterday, I headed over to Grant's place to hang out for the day before the countdown festivities. I packed my littl(er) suitcase to bring some stuff over so Grant could bring it back because I decided to increase my wardrobe over here and wouldn't be able to carry it all home myself XD.
First, I picked up some chicken broth at the grocery store since Carter was still feeling sick. Grant and I made him some chicken noodle soup.

 Then, Grant tried teaching me Magic: The Gathering card game.

I think I got down the basics. But then I started zoning out because of all of the information of the cards. After awhile I just said "I just want to dieee" (in the game).
lololol, one day...

Since Carter was still feeling gross, he slept while Grant and I went out for a bit. We only have a few more days together, so we're trying to make the most of them.

It was really nice weather for the end of December.
We decided to go look around a store called Tokyo Hands. It's the same store we went to after eating at Nakamoto with Yuuki. It has a ton of random and fun stuff. ^___^
Like this here Takoyaki maker:

 I just wish it came with the plushies.

After looking around for a bit more at things like knives and tofu memo pads, we went to pick up some groceries for dinz.
We picked up this bad boy.

It was some kind of Pokemon Non-alcoholic (hopefully) champagne. I didn't have any, but it smelled like the grape kool-aid bursts:

mixed with fanta.
While Grant and Carter played some Magic, I cooked some dinner for us ^___^.

The sprouts made this meal fancy.
We also picked up these amazing Maple cookies. Omg. So good. We had too many of these...

 It wasn't going to be a New Years Eve without the Twilight crowns.

At this point, we still didn't know what our plans were. Carter was still sick, but he wanted to go out. New Years Eve in Japan, man! We did have possible plans with Luke and Andy to go to Yokohama to see some amazing fireworks. Yeah...amazing...

We decided to go around Shinjuku for a bit and maybe go do a Purikura.

 First, we had to dress our best for the night.

 The next few photos are Grant's ^___^:

But after walking around for a bit in style, we decided to meet up with Luke and Andy after all.

It was kind of weird going back to Yokohama. Even though it's been about 4 months, it felt like I had been there only a few weeks ago. This adventure in Japan really is going by quickly. ()(>.<)()

 This is the tallest business building in Japan. It looks like a spacecraft runway when looking up at it.

 Mr. Ferris Wheel

 Andy, Luke, and Luke's friends, Sumire aaaannd I forgot the other girl's name >___<
Look! Takoyaki. I made sure to take the most appetizing picture of it. lolol. Some of us had gone to the bathroom and then regrouped and Sumire was holding 2 takoyakis. Her brother bought us them. And then left. lololwut.

 Waiting for the fireworks to start.

And then the countdown started and...

2013.

AWwWWww YeahHHHh. FIREWORKS TIME.

Wait, what? What is that?

Omg, wut?
This is...fireworks? It looked like the ferris wheel was going to start on fire. XD
YEAH, 2013!
Grant took a better picture...

So...the fireworks pretty much made it look like there was a war going on. It was still really fun to be with everyone. XD
These guys are just great together. There was no posing done in this picture.

We headed back pretty much right after the fireworks. Luckily, there were trains running all night. Sadly though, they were all local so it took a pretty long time to get back home.
Extra local! That's something you don't see everyday O___O

I transferred trains about 4 times and one of the times I had just made it or else I would have had to wait a half an hour for the next one O__O. Craziness. I got home at about 2:15 which wasn't too bad! ^___^

On New Year's Day (yesterday), I went for a walk around town and to a nearby 7-Eleven to download a gift on Animal Crossing.
These are on everyone's door and also by store's doors.

New Year's Day here was so crazy because it was so empty on the streets. The express trains were nearly empty and there was always a place to sit. Even some convenience stores were closed. There were also a few grocery stores that had signs up saying they would be closed for 3 days. What is this place?

So empty O_O

 Even the station-

I was like O___O since me, Grant, and Carter were going to go shopping in Shimokitazawa later on in the day.
Shimokitazawa:

Something really awesome about New Year's in Japan, is that almost every store that is open, even some food stores, have grab bags. They are actually really good deals, too. More on that later T___T

 Shimokitazawa has some really awesome art all around.

 So many grab bags O___O.

 Here is me risking my life:

Grant and I really wanted to buy something from this shop, but it's closed for the next few days. >___< I was so sad. It just happened to have one of the prettiest paintings too XD.

 Even when shops are closed, Japan is still awesome:

After walking around Shimo for a bit, we went to Harajuku ^___^. One of my small dreams was to have a picture of me in my funky clothes, taken in Harajuku, and Grant was toats on board for taking it. ^___^
While we walked around, it seemed that every open store had a grab bag available. Grab Bags. In Harajuku. I was in awe.

And then, we found out that ACDC, my favorite store in Harajuku (even though there are 4 or more just in Takeshita street), had grab bags, each filled with clothes worth about $150 for only $36.

  SUPER PUMPED.

 So, I used some of my new purchase for the pictures..

Two guys on the other side of the street were watching us and then one of them came up and took a picture with me XD. He went to shake my hand, but it was bleeding, because I had tried to rip one of the tags from the new clothes. He was like "Oh." and shook my other hand. Whoops ^___^'

I may have had to pick up another grab bag after this. lololol.
There were so many stores that I would have loved to get grab bags from, but ACDC definitely gave bags with things I would wear for sure, for the least amount of money. Also, I have now managed to refill the suitcase that had the clothes I gave Grant to take back. Halp. XD

Harajuku just looked awesome yesterday.

There were food sellers all along the street. NIKE WAS CLOSED. WTFWHEREISMYGRABBAG.
lolol, but apparently there was a Nike grab bag in another city x___X. Aw man! This ACDC stuff is pretty amazing though...I mean, one of the bags had galaxy pants in it .^___o.

 Always with the chocolate covered bananas XD:

 And also some carnival games:

 There was so much food, like Takoyaki, Kebabs, Crepes, Yakisoba, Pitas, etc.

 And these fruit suckers. They are actually fruit with a sucker coating.

Grant's friend from school, Shingi (sp?), met up with us as we sat in a fancy corner cafe (McDonald's) to have some coffee. He has only been speaking Japanese for about 8 months and has already surpassed me x___X. Since he only speaks Chinese, other than Japanese, we had to speak in Japanese in order to communicate which was really awesome.
After talking for awhile, we went outside to check out the food venders again.

Grant had only briefly mentioned how he was probably going to get a mini okonomiyaki and then Shingi went and bought Grant and I one each. ^___^ Man, that was so nice. And so delicious.

 I'm so nice to have taken a picture Shingi eating:

Then, when I was still eating, Shingi tapped me and said, "ちょっと待って,” which means "one sec" or "hold on" and goes off. Then, he came back and gave this to me:

Apple sucker! Man, he was just showering us with gifts. Since we had planned to get Fro yo in Shibuya after, I packed this sucker away for later (lolol, that worked out so well...packed this sucker..oh gosh).
Sweet fer eeking building in Harajuku:

 I thought the circles in the middle were a street design, but then Grant pointed out how they are drifting marks:

 "I WONDER IF YOU KNOW-

 -HOW WE LIVE IN TOKYO." lolol, I am convinced it was from the filming of The Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift.
THIS IS ART, GUYS:

 Loft has an awesome sign that rotates and plays pretty music:

Partyland, the fro yo place, ended up being closed, so we went to Baskin Robbins instead.
Grant shared some spoonfuls with me ^___^ - French Toast and Jamoca Almond Fudge:

 Shingi's sundae art:

 I love Shibuya:

Then, we went to a Purikura ^___^. Here is one of the pics:

There are so many things I like about this photo: Grant's expression + big eyes, Shingi on his phone, and Carter's enlarged jaw, which I'm guessing happened because the machine thought his jaw were his eyes since his eyes are closed XD.

This is the Forever21 in Shibuya:

Yeah, they had grab bags too. I can't even. It was so tempting and such a great deal >___<.
Shingi wanted to stop at a sweets store located in the basement floor of a department store:

Wahaha, I can't believe I got away with snapping that sweet picture. lolol, sweet.

Shingi then bought Carter some mochi-looking sweets. Man, he is too nice. He wouldn't let us buy him anything, but we insisted on the Baskin Robbins and then Grant bought him a little bottle of whiskey.

 Bethhh, Zara:

 IT WAS THIS GUY AGAINST THEM ALL. Once that bicycle lady passed, it was on.

That is the crazy intersection that is also in Tokyo Drift. It wasn't that crowded last night, so I'll have to go back later and take pictures when it is.

 We were on the train back to Shinjuku and then Carter suggested we hit up Harajuku again. Pffft, can't say no to that...

 Shirts for 100 yen! This guy was shouting at everyone:

 It was so difficult to focus on Grant with the camera, but I finally got a shot! Look how かっこいい (stylish, attractive) he is ^___^:

Carter picked up an awesome grab bag at one of the shops and I may have picked up another ACDC bag. I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
Then, it was back to Shinjuku.

 That whole tower is just for Karaoke:

 Camera Battle:

We pretty much just chilled the rest of the night, marveling at our crazy purchases. Grant and I searched online for what Carter's sickness was since he still was sick. We think we found out what it is because we are doctors.

Today, we might go get some ramen at Nakamoto ^____^. We'll probably hit up Shibuya again. Who knows? We're in Japan, man.