[ and now, part one of the ongoing mini-series "Why Amanda Rocks & What She Found In Japan" ]

I suppose it may have been wise to save this particular bit of cultural glory for the Series Finale, but I'm perfectly willing to admit that a product this amazing doesn't give you a lot of choices in general.

Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the International Association of Snark, Kitsch, and General Absurdity, I give you The Greatest Candy Ever To Exist:

Compare the image of a Random Immigrant Child's face beaming with delight upon presentation of a tasty treat to a Typical American Brat in a grocery store, throwing a shit fit upon their screamed demands for a York Peppermint Patty going unmet.

...I can think of no finer candy for our charming picture of foreign innocence to be holding than a bar of Crunky.

Insofar as the candy itself, it's a bit odd; candy made from unfamiliar raw materials takes on a unique taste. The chocolate (unsurprisingly) tastes like Pocky-chocolate, though it suffers from the lack of amazing shortbread. The rice, however, is delightfully puffy, and puts our puffed rice to shame. Did you expect no less?

Music: Daniel Lanois - Sonho Dourado.

[ and now, a story in three acts ]

[Act I]

[Act II]



[Intermission]



[Act III]



[Fin]

Yes, two Saturday mornings ago found me awake and in the shower at 8:40 a.m. (unprecedented! I haven't been awake that early in quite literally years) in no small part due to some stolen blankets and a healthy smack on the ass from strict-yet-loving matron/celebration mastermind Anne Major. By 9:30, a troupe of four (myself, Anne, Josh-to-the-Carp, and the cause of belated celebration himself, pictured above) were in the parking lot of Cosí, waiting Anne’s return with morning coffee. Given that I’d caught a typical less-than-three hours of sleep, I requested an upscale-milkshake with 3 shots of espresso, which wound up costing our gracious hostess more than $6.

Our not-so-secret destination was the Philadelphia Zoo (which I had let slip, but which Keith had guessed at anyway, so no real harm done, right? ::sighs:: Sorry, Annie). In a regional quirk similar to New Jersey residents being unable to pump their own gas, those of us from DC are relatively unfamiliar with the idea of zoos, museums, and other such glorious pursuits of nerdery requiring payment. Needless to say, tons of pictures were taken, with Keith doing the actual photography, and myself managing to take upwards of 70 boring pictures of amazing, fascinating animals (I may post a few worthwhile ones at a later point).

A snake had made itself prominent, possibly in the hopes that a charmingly-nebbish British schoolboy would temporarily disapparate the glass that contained it (dear reader). Bred in captivity, indeed.

Music: The spectacular Boards of Canada remix of Beck's "Broken Drum," which is quite the amazing song in its own right.