Super Easy Vegan Cream Cheese 🧀

 

Christmas is coming and there's nothing like a cheese board to get you in the mood for the season however if like me your stomach suffers when overloaded with dairy and you don't want to spend all day running to the toilet this dairy-free vegan cream cheese alternative is quick and easy to make and tastes just as good, if not better than the real thing.

Consider this recipe is a base with which you can add all sorts of flavours to. I love adding some smoked paprika into the mix and have also tried it with roasted garlic and rosemary. So feel free to add in some of your own herbs and spices and even some dried cranberries, a dash of brandy and some orange zest for a more festive flavour. 

The best thing about this is that it's super simple and really quick to make you just need a blender and that's it! I always thought vegan cheeses were difficult to make but this is a really easy substitute for when you have those cheese cravings and the ingredients are really simple and easily available. I honestly prefer this over a lot of the cream cheeses I used to eat and as a bonus it's much healthier for your than the regular dairy cream cheese.

Ingredients

• 170g Firm tofu
• 4 Tbsp Nutritional yeast
• 1 Tbsp Olive oil
• 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tsp Miso paste
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened soy milk (if you want a thicker cheese you can omit this)
• Salt & Pepper to your taste

Step 1 - Blend

In a blender add all of the ingredients and blend until smooth. I recommend that you also give it a taste at this point and if you need to you can adjust the taste to your liking.

Step 2 - Chill

Scrape the mixture out of the blender and put it in a airtight box to chill for a couple hours in the fridge. You can serve straight from the blender but I think the texture and taste is much better after it's chilled for a little while.

Step 3 - Serve

Once the cream cheese has chilled it's ready to eat so just spread it on some toast and enjoy and it should last 3 - 5 days in an airtight box in the fridge depending on how fresh your tofu is.

Happy Holidays and be sure to tag me on Instagram if you make it

Love & Hugs

Cate

xoxo

If you like what you see and want to see more can support me by clicking the button below

Vegan & Gluten-free Welsh Bara Brith 🎄

Bara Brith always reminds me of Christmas. It was one of the first things I learned how to bake and every Christmas my auntie would gift us a loaf along with her homegrown, homemade apple chutney. This year I wanted to bring a little bit of that Welsh Christmas spirit into my new house in Chiang Mai and create a version that was both vegan and gluten-free so everyone could enjoy it.

If you've never had Bara Brith before it's similar to a fruit loaf but what makes it special is that the fruit is soaked in tea giving the loaf a nice tea flavour. It's the perfect Christmas cake alternative if you don't like a heavy dense fruit cake or strong spices and it goes nicely with a warm cider or hot eggnog.

As the main ingredients of Bara Brith are eggs and flour it was a bit of a challenge to make this both vegan and gluten-free and get the texture right but after a few failed attempts I'm finally happy enough with the results to share my recipe in time for Christmas.

Ingredients

• 100g Dried mixed fruit
• 70g Brown sugar
• 100ml Hot water
• 1 Tea bag (Yorkshire Tea is my favourite but any breakfast or black tea will work)
• 100g Gluten-free flour mix
• 30g Riceberry flour 
• 70g Unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 tbsp Ground flax seeds
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon powder

Step 1 - Soak the fruit

The first thing to do is make a very strong tea brew, I usually let the tea bag soak in boiling water for about 5 minutes and then give the tea bag a good squeeze to get all the flavour out. After the tea is brewed add 100ml of the hot tea into the dried mixed fruit and brown sugar, give it a stir to help the sugar dissolve, and leave it to soak overnight. 

Step 2 - Preheat an oven to 180°C

Prepare a 6" loaf tin by greasing it with a little oil and line the bottom with some baking paper.

Step 3 - Mix the dry ingredients

In a mixing bowl mix together the flours, ground flax seed, baking powder and cinnamon

Step 4 - Add the wet ingredients

To the dry ingredients add in the tea soaked fruit and mixed until combined. There's no need to drain the fruit just add in the whole tea, fruit, sugar mix.

Step 5 - Mix in the applesauce

Lastly fold the applesauce into the mixture until well combined.

Step 6 - Pour batter into a loaf tin

Evenly distribute the batter in the tin and then drop the tin on the kitchen counter a couple of times to make any air bubbles rise to the surface and ensure you don't get any holes in your loaf.

Step 7 - Bake in a oven

Place the loaf tin into the center of a pre-heated oven and bake for 20 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If the top of the loaf is starting to look like it's burning but the loaf isn't completely cooked through yet you can cover it with tin foil on top to prevent the top from burning.

Step 8 - Let it cool

Once cooked take the Bara Brith out of the oven and let it cool for 10 - 20 minutes then remove it from the tin and let it cool for a little while longer before slicing and serving. Leaving it to cool will help the structure so when you cut into it it won't be too crumbly.

Step 9 - Serve and store

You can serve the Bara Brith sliced plain or with a bit of butter or honey and if you need to store it, it will last around 7 days in an airtight box which you can leave on the counter or if you live in a warmer climate like me then it's better to keep it the fridge.

Happy Holidays and be sure to tag me on Instagram if you make it

Love & Hugs

Cate

xoxo

If you like what you see and want to see more can support me by clicking the button below

🎧 December K-pop Events in Bangkok, Thailand 🎤

2020 is over and it ended it on a high having not only attended some amazing birthday celebrations for my favourite person but getting to see him at a live online fanmeet to, it has been such a fun month but unfortunately with the virus making a resurgence in Thailand it looks like a lot of my plans for January may be cancelled, but nevermind, let's stay safe and stay strong and remember the good times with a little look back on some of the fun Kpop events in December.

DAY6 (EVEN OF DAY) FANMEET @ KFOOD FAIR

Exactly a year since Day6 were in Bangkok for their Gravity world tour we got to see them again through a virtual fanmeet organised at the KFood Fair in Siam Paragon. Although it was just Even of Day as Sungjin and Jae are still on break it was so good to see them and so much fun being surrounded by My Day singing their songs together, we even did a little fan project for them. Not only was this event free to attend but it was livestreamed to so and if you missed out on seeing the event you can watch the full video on Facebook, I had so much fun and was so happy to see them despite the tears, I promise you Young K they were happy tears, I just hope next year is better and we can meet them in person again. Much love to KFood Fair for organising this for us, it was such a great surprise and of course I came home with a bag full of ramyeon to celebrate seeing my boys again!

ONE MOMENT - GOT7 MARK TUAN EXHIBITION

This exhibition was actually supposed to take place a year ago but was definitely worth the wait as there were some absolutely stunning photos of Mark. The exhibition took place over two days and so many people came to show their support for Mark I went on the 1st day and it was packed full of people so I didn't stay too long but it was nice to see so many Ahgase there, Mark is definitely Thailand's bias!

DAY6 YOUNG K BIRTHDAY EVENTS

December 19th was Young K's birthday and I was so excited to finally celebrate his birthday this year, last year I couldn't find one event but this year there were 3 beautifully decorated cafes and some really beautiful souvenirs to. I was just the best day and I was so happy to see Young K getting so much love from everyone on his birthday and while I was at my last stop he dropped his Winter Child cover which was just the perfect end to a perfect day. 

What did you do in December?

Love & Music

Cate

xoxo

Psssst if you want to see more of my adventures you can support me by clicking the button below

Buy me a coffee and get a shoutout on my SNS

🐰 Usagyuuun Cafe - Bangkok - Thailand ❄️

Usagyuuun is a mix between a rabbit and a mochi and I first discovered this character randomly back in February when my friends and I noticed this crazy dancing bunny in an art gallery, then couple weeks ago while I was in Siam Discovery for a GOT7 event I noticed this crazy dancing bunny again and found out there was a pop-up café in Siam Center dedicated to it so I decided to go check it out.

The Usagyuuun café is so adorable and suitably festive, there are so many fun areas for you to take photos and they even have Christmas costumes you can wear to. The menu is full of delicious drinks, desserts and even takoyaki and some drinks and desserts come with a souvenir cup you can take home, I ordered a fruit soda and tiramisu and got an adorable cup and coaster to take home.

There is also a special gift shop next to the café and also one in Loft in Siam Discovery where you can buy exclusive Usagyuuun merch and every weekend in December until the end of January you can meet Usagyuuun at the café, dance with him and also take part in workshops such as bracelet making or gift wrapping.

It's always so much fun randomly seeing this bouncy bunny and I have definitely fallen for its charms and will try to visit the café again one more time before it disappears, hopefully when Usagyuuun is there so we can take photos and dance together again, also the pancakes looked really good so I definitely need to try them.

What is your fave dessert?

Love & Bunnies

Cate

xoxo

Psssst if you want to see more of my adventures you can support me by clicking the button below

Buy me a coffee and get a shoutout on my SNS

🎄The Hidden Milkbar - Bangkok - Thailand 🍪

Bangkok is looking very festive this year so I thought I would go check out some cute cafes and try their special Christmas menus. The Hidden Milkbar has been on my must visit list for a while because of its adorable pink aesthetics and delicious looking milkshakes.

The Hidden Milkbar is indeed hidden, it's pink doorway is hidden down an alley on the 3rd floor of a narrow building and it's a real adventure getting there. It's so aesthetically pleasing there though and reminded me of a cereal bar I visited in Seoul a few years ago but the focus here instead of cereal was milkshakes. I ordered the special Christmas Gingerbread milkshake which was so adorable and came decorated with a meringue tree and gingerbread cookie which tasted so good, the milkshake also had peaches blended into it which was a an interesting touch but complimented the ginger really well, it was so yummy and not too sweet or sickly at all like some milkshakes can be, I almost wanted to order another but one milkshake is my dairy limit for the day before my stomach starts to protest.

As well as milkshakes you can order cookies, cakes and ice cream and they also have some non-dairy drinks to, in fact their Christmas punch looked really good and I was almost tempted to try that instead of a milkshakes, but there will be a next time. One of the things that makes this place different from other milkshake bars is that it has lots of non-traditional milkshakes flavours on the menu like caramel cornflakes, smores and Jaffa cakes which is one of my absolute fave British snacks, so I definitely will visit again and try some more of their interesting flavours! 

What is your fave milkshake flavor?

Love & Cookies

Cate

xoxo

Psssst if you want to see more of my adventures you can support me by clicking the button below

Buy me a coffee and get a shoutout on my SNS

End of Year Etsy Sale!!

New year is almost here and I'm hoping for a fresh start so with that in mind I thought I would offer my final handmade items at a discounted price, there are only a few things left now so please be quick if you want anything as there won't be anymore in the future once I'm sold out. So for an extra 10% off everything until the end of the year be sure to enter the coupon code below and your discount will be automatically applied...

LASTCHANCEDEAL

As it's the end of the year I also have a limited quantity of Luck Bags or Fukubukuro for sale where you can get several handmade items for the price of one but what you get will be a complete surprise, so it makes the prefect gift for yourself or for a friend, I guarantee you will get some super cute items and also some exclusive stock I never made available for sale before.

There are only a few scarves left in stock including my Game of Thrones Direwolf scarves which I have also given to the cast at past Comin Cons so if you want one then be sure to check them out, a lot of styles are already sold out but there's still a few left and they will definitely keep your neck nice and warm this winter.

Finally I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years, it's the end of an era and I've had so much fun creating all these handmade goods for you, it started off as just a fun personal hobby but became my lifeline as so many people wanted to own my designs to and I hope in the future to work on new projects but for now goodbye etsy, thank you so much.

Check out this post to open your own Etsy Shop for FREE!!

Love & Bunnies

Cate

xoxo

Christmas in Seoul : Zapangi Cafe (자판기 카페)

Zapangi is one of Seoul's most popular cafes and also known as the pink vending machine cafe because the entrance to the cafe looks just like a vending machine. I've seen so many photos and videos of this cafe all over the internet but this actually wasn't a planned visit and we accidentally found it on our way to another cafe which was unfortunately shut at the time, luckily Zapangi wasn't too crowded so we decided to stop there instead for some Christmas treats.

I'm writing this almost a year after we visited but the cafe is still there and I'm sure they'll have these Christmas treats on offer again this year, our visit was actually the day after Christmas but seeing all the cute Christmas themed drinks and treats they had on offer we just had to try them out and extend the holiday joy.

What I love most about Korean cafes is the aesthetics, each cafe is so uniquely and intricately decorated and Zapangi was no different, I love the pink almost tropical style, minimalist aesthetic they had happening there although the seating was a little bit uncomfortable but it was a nice warm welcome break from the cold, winter streets of South Korea.

The Christmas cake although huge was almost entirely made of cream, really pretty to look but I struggled to eat it as it was so sweet! I really don't like wasting food but on this occasion I just had to stop as I started to feel a bit queasy so I had to admit defeat. The drinks were super sweet to especially the Christmas latte but luckily they had lots of complimentary water so I could drown the sweetness away and my mouth was totally green after eating all that cake!

If you don't get the chance to visit Zapangi for Christmas then they also have other adorable treats for you to try out like donuts and mermaid cakes, I probably won't be ordering cake there again as it was just too sweet for my tastes but they had lots of other drinks there which I wouldn't mind trying out, prices were a little high but Christmas is the perfect time to treat yourself to something sweet, so if you're in the area it's worth checking out if only for the cute photos!

What are your favourite Christmas treats?

Love & Snowflakes

Cate

xoxo

Psssst if you want to see more awesome cafes from around the world you can click the button below, buy me a coffee, get treats & a shoutout on my next post

Christmas at Tokyo Skytree - Japan

Continuing with the Christmas themed posts I thought this time I would take you on a trip to Japan, last year I visited Tokyo around Christmas time and Japan is always that little bit extra with the Christmas decorations and actually lit up the Skytree to look like a giant Christmas tree! I found a bunch of videos I never shared with you all last year so I thought I would edit together a little video to show you just how cute the Skytree looked last Christmas.

Since moving to Asia and experiencing a whole different way to celebrate Christmas I've really started to fall in love with this holiday again and I feel so blessed that over the past few years I've got to spend my Christmas holidays in South Korea, Japan and Thailand, I hope to experience Christmas in many more countries in the future and share my adventures with all of you.

Where would you like to celebrate Christmas?

Love & Cookies

Cate

xoxo

Remember to Treat Yourself This Christmas!

Christmas is here and the shops are staring to get crazy with everyone buying gifts for friends and family but I think at this time of year it's also important to think about yourself to and remember to treat yourself whether it be to a cute new Christmas sweater or even just to a cute drink while you're out shopping for everyone.

Shopping online is my preferred method of buying presents as I can search for exactly what I want and it saves me so much time, so whilst browsing Rosegal I made sure to pick myself up a little something to and got myself a cute new backpack and hoodie. The holidays can be such a stressful time for some so don't forget to take some time out for you and as an extra treat be sure to check below for a discount code for Rosegal and save yourself some money for Christmas treats.

Is your Christmas shopping done yet?

Love & Candy Canes

Cate

xoxo

Use code " RGjanedw4" for  $3 off $25; $6 off $50; $12 off $100; 

Rosegal BLACK FRIDAY

Lowest Prices of The Year

CRAZY SAVINGS

Free shipping worldwide

Enjoy 25% Discount with CODE: RGBF1

https://www.rosegal.com/promotion/black-friday-sale.html?lkid=16127505

#Share Items and Get All Items Free: Click“share & get it free" Button share the items to social media and get it for free

A Day at Nami Island - (남이섬) South Korea

Nami Island is just over an hour away from Seoul and a great way to spend a day away from the city and in some nature. The island was made famous by it's appearance in a classic romantic Korean drama called Winter Sonata which I haven't personally watched but I know was very popular, especially here in Thailand! We visited Namiseom on Christmas Day and although Christmas has long since passed as it's KDrama month on Cateaclysmic I thought it would be the perfect time to share my perfect day on the island of romance.

Nami is beautiful place to visit all year round but I heard it was especially beautiful in winter and it really was with the snow and the soft winter sunlight. I've never really had a "White Christmas" before so this was a mini dream come true and although I was freezing that day it was worth braving the cold to visit and see all the beautiful sights around Nami.

One of the attractions at Nami is the ostriches they have living there which was quite a strange sight to see in the snow considering they're native to the African deserts but they did seem quite happy and healthy, and they looked a lot warmer than I felt! I've never been that close to an ostrich before so it was amazing to see just how big they actually are and the size of their feet, one powerful kick from them could probably kill you...

Hotteok is one of my absolute favourite Korean treats and I think I ate it almost every day whilst I was in Seoul, it's most commonly sold in winter and it's the perfect thing to warm you up on a cold winters day. I'm not quite sure why the hotteok on Nami was green but it tasted good and I kinda wished I had bought another but I was already full from the giant salad I had for lunch but if you ever have the chance to try some DO IT! They also have a savoury version with japchae (korean noodles) inside which is really tasty to.

There were cute snowmen all over Nami and lot's of them were dressed in traditional costumes from different countries from all over the world, the ones above are Thai. Nami also had flags from all around the world and signs welcoming visitors in many different languages which was really nice to see and tourists even get a slight discount on admission to the island. I heard so many different languages spoken that day and a lot of Thai, I mentioned that Winter Sonata was a popular drama in Thailand but I had no idea just how popular it was until I saw the busloads of Thai tourists lining up to take photos with the Winter Sonata statues there.

A lot of places in Korea have area where you can draw and write on the walls which I kinda love as it gives a homely vibe and I always love reading the little messages and seeing the cute drawings people leave behind after their visits. For some reason Nami just made me feel really sentimental as it was such the perfect day and such a romantic setting and there was me #FOREVERALONE, I guess being in such a beautiful setting just has that effect on people but at least I was with my BFF who lives sooo damn far away from me and I never get to see, anytime we're together is a good time ♥

So that was my day in Nami. I imagine it looks like a completely different place in the summer and I would love to go again as it's pretty easy to reach by subway from Seoul, there's also Petite France and The Garden of Morning Calm nearby which I'd like to see and have also featured in many Korean dramas so no doubt this won't the end of my Korean drama adventures it's only the start, who knows maybe next time I'll get the Train to Busan...

Don't forget to check out my giveaway and let me know your favourite Asian dramas
Love & Snowflakes

Cate

xoxo

FYeahJapan: A Day in Shibuya - Tokyo

After experiencing some culture and sights of Japan on my first day in Tokyo my second day was shopping day! On my first trip to Japan I noticed a guy at Shibuya station wearing this amazing Hachiko themed souvenir jacket and ever since then I've been on a mission to get myself one so top of my list was a trip to Vanquish in 109 Men's which FYI I think has a better clothes selection than the famous Shibuya 109 so definitely check it out even if you're into more feminine styles because they have some really cute and nerdy stuff BUT first we needed food so we headed over to Tower Records to check out the pop-up Osomatsu-san Kawaii Cafe.

Disclaimer: I know nothing about this anime but Violet is a fan so we had to check it out and it's kinda a rule that when you're in Japan you need to check out as many themed cafes as you can! We had to order a drink and a dish each so I let Violet choose the cutest desserts for her photos because I will pretty much eat anything when I'm hungry so I ended up with a matcha cheesecake but it didn't taste like matcha or cheesecake... it had a strange sort of jelly like texture and was kinda bland but it came with fruit so that at least gave it a bit of flavour, the coffee was good though and that's all I really wanted.

Once we were done eating at Tower Records I wanted to get my jacket but on the way noticed a sign for a We Bare Bears event and decided to check it out and to our complete surprise and amazement met not only the bears but Finn and Jake from Adventure Time, The Powerpuff Girls and a bunch of other characters from The Amazing World of Gumball. If you couldn't already tell from my vlog I was super hyped and I took as many random selfies as I could, I kinda love the fact I'm making the same expressions as the bears in these photos even though it wasn't intentional, I was so happy seeing them I just couldn't contain my pure joy and excitement.

During our amazing encounter with the bears we found a shop selling a whole bunch of different anime stuff for just ¥100 so ended up spending a lot longer than we probably should have checking out absolutely every little thing they had and then after way too much browsing we finally reached 109 Men's and I got my jacket YEY! Of course I couldn't go to Shibuya without visiting the famous Shibuya 109 to check out all the cute fashion and BTS pop-up shop, Kpop really does follow me everywhere! We also took some Purikura in their super cute new pastel pink selfie room because you have to do purikura when in Japan, it's the law! After all that shopping we were in desperate need of some more food so decided to get some cheap noms at Genki Sushi before walking over to Harajuku for even more shopping. I totally forgot to vlog the rest of the day as my hands were getting full of shopping bags, I was loosing the will to live and it was already getting dark but if you're curious to see all the things I bought in Japan I will be posting a haul video very soon so be sure to stay tuned for that and even more Tokyo adventures...

What's the most random but amazing encounter you've ever had?

Love & BEARS

Cate

xoxo

Unboxing Presents from my BFF!!

My dear friend Cally sent me a huge package full of goodies which I was so happy and excited about I decided to make a video of me unboxing them for her to see. Living alone and being so far away from friends and family can be super hard sometimes so getting such thoughtful care packages like this is an amazing way to show you still care. Although this was filmed a while back I forgot to share my excitement on the blog but as it's the season of giving I thought I would share it now in the hopes that it will inspire you to reach out to friends and family near and far and make their day all the much brighter.

You can find Cally on Instagram and Twitter so be sure to check her out, give her a follow and spread the love. I'm honestly so grateful to have the friends that I do, I may not have many and I may be far apart from them but they bring so much joy and inspiration to my life and while I'm super flaky at keeping in touch with everyone I promise I'll make an extra effort and make 2018 our best year ever!

What ways do you like to show your friends that you care?

Love & Cuddles

Cate

xoxo

Christmas in Bangkok

Christmas isn't a big celebration in Asia but ever since spending Christmas in Japan and seeing how they celebrate I have wanted to see how other Asian countries celebrate it to, this year I'll be spending it in Seoul, and last year I was lucky enough to spend my first ever Christmas in Bangkok.

What I love most about Christmas in Asia is that everything is open so you can go out and celebrate the occasion rather than staying in the house, being bored, sleeping and watching bad TV, and even though Christmas isn't traditionally celebrated there's still lots of places you can go to get that festive feeling. I was determined to find an epic Christmas tree somewhere as I'd gone almost the whole of December with out seeing one, so after doing some research and seeing some beautiful photos on Instagram, I took my family to Central World to see all the decorations and it was honestly one of the most beautiful displays I'd ever seen.

That Christmas Day was one of the best days I've ever had and I'm so happy I got to spend it with my Thai family after all these years of being apart because we all had such a fun day. We started off by getting som tam which is my favourite Thai dish, then did karaoke where I sang and danced awfully to KPop, and in the evening we ventured over to Central World to go see the concert and decorations, and if that wasn't enough the day ended with some pretty damn amazing vegan waffles at one of my favourite vegan restaurants in Bangkok, Veganerie, before we headed home for some much needed sleep.

I was shocked to see so many people out on Christmas Day as I've grown so used to seeing the empty streets in the UK but the atmosphere was amazing, everyone was so happy and spirited that it gave me such a festive feeling and even though it was hot and humid outside it felt more like Christmas to me than if it had been snowing. The memories of that day I will treasure forever and although there were no presents, crackers, snow, silly jumpers or traditional Christmas dinners because I was with the people I love in such an amazing beautiful place, doing fun things it felt more special and more like a real Christmas should be, because more than anything Christmas should be about making happy memories with the people you treasure, no matter what you do or where you are in the world.

How will you be spending your Christmas Day?

Love & Reindeers

Cate

xoxo

Christmas Food in Thailand: Starbucks & Mister Donut

Christmas may not be a big celebration here in Thailand but you can still find a lot of festive cheer and one of my favourite things about the season is all the cute, yummy food available. On a recent trip to the mall I spotted some Christmas Hello Kitty themed donuts and could not resist so I thought I would treat myself to a box and no donut binge is complete without a coffee to go with it so I also popped into Starbucks to get myself one of their Christmas lattes.

The donuts were so good! I'm a sucker for the Mister Donut collabs, they always have the cutest food and Starbucks always has some interesting seasonal drinks and while it was kinda pricey it was extremely cute and sometimes you just gotta treat yourself, I mean Christmas only comes once a year so make the most of it!

What's your favourite Starbucks Christmas drink?

Love & Matcha

Cate

xoxo

The Christmas Tag!

Can you believe it's almost Christmas? So Sarah over at Raiin Monkey tagged me to do a Christmas tag and I thought it would a fun way to get into the festive sprit. I have to admit now I'm living in the tropics I've not really been feeling that festive vibe although there are some pretty awesome trees around town but I'm kinda loving being in Asia for Christmas again. This is actually my 3rd year spending Christmas in Asia, the first year I spent in Japan, last year I was in Bangkok and this year I'll be in Seoul and hopefully I'll be able to continue the tradition and spend Christmas in another Asian country next year as I'm loving seeing how other cultures celebrate the day. So anyway on to the tag....

 Do you start your Christmas shopping on Black Friday or wait until last minute?

I used to start shopping around September but as I've been travelling these past few years I tend to go shopping whilst I'm away and look for cool souvenirs and things I think my family and friends might like there which inevitably means everyone ends up getting their presents some time in the new year, but I mean as long as they get something awesome it's all good right?

If you could be in any Christmas movie, what would it be?

Batman Returns... is that a weird one? I guess so but it was the first one that came into my mind because I just love that gothic aesthetic and I mean who doesn't want to be Catwoman in that movie? But a more traditional pick would be Home Alone 2 because I have always dreamed of spending Christmas in New York I mean there's just so many Christmas movies based in New York it just makes it seem so beautiful and romantic.

Which do you like better: Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Christmas Day for sure because we've never really done anything special to celebrate Christmas Eve

When does your family (or you) put up your Christmas tree and who decorates it?

So it's been a while since I had a tree but usually I would put up all the decorations in our house around the second week of December. Funnily enough the first Christmas I was away in Japan my Dad kept asking me who's going to put up all the decorations if I'm not here haha bless!

White lights or coloured lights?

It depends on the tree, I think the traditional green ones look better with while lights but our current tree is black and has LED lights built in that changes colours which is pretty cool.

Are you guilty of peeking at your presents or do you like the surprise?

I don't even get a chance to peek because they're normally hidden away until Christmas morning and any other gifts I exchange with my friends we normally open when we're together so there's no waiting or temptation to peek, but I do love surprises.

Would you rather live in a gingerbread house or in Santa's workshop?

Oh man a gingerbread house for sure but it would smell AMAZING but I can't imagine it lasting long as I would probably just keep nibbling at it.

Tell us your Christmas Eve traditions!

I don't really have any... sometimes we used to go to my Nanna's house for a buffet and then just come home and watch Christmas TV and movies but other than that we don't really have any Christmas Eve traditions, maybe I should make some?

If you could be under the mistletoe with anyone who would it be? 

Well I think that one is pretty obvious...

What tops your Christmas tree? 

It's always been an angel and after the last one broke, which we had had since I was a baby, I decided to put a Funko Pop of Castiel from Supernatural at the top instead because he's an angel afterall... MERRY NERDMAS!

Can you name the 12 days of Christmas? 

Maybe... I guess I would have to sing it to find out, its the one about all the gifts right?

Have you ever gone Christmas carolling? 

YES! When I was a kid I was part of the school choir, I still have no idea why as I couldn't sing then and I definitely can't now, so we used to go to retirement homes at Christmas and sing for all the old people there which was pretty sweet, I kinda wish I could do it again but I'll spare people having to listen to my terrible singing although I did do karaoke last Christmas...

Do you countdown to Christmas? If so, how many days left?

 The only thing I'm counting down to at the moment is my vacation in 7 DAYS!!

What are some foods and treats you can count on having every holiday season?

I guess lots of cakes, biscuits and pies although I haven't really had the chance to eat much festive food for the past few years but I'm trying I mean Asia has a lot of kawaii Christmas themed food which I really should make the most of while I'm here.

How has Christmas kept its magic for you as you've grown older?

Definitely since I've been travelling and spending Christmas in Asia doing new and different things to celebrate the magic of the day has been restored for me and these past few years have been the best I've had in a looong time! I really hope to keep this new tradition up and keep travelling during the holidays and having as many different festive experiences in as many different countries and cultures as I can.

I'm tagging my friends Hilde, Angie and Cally and anyone else who wants to get in that festive spirit!

Love & Cookies

Cate

xoxo

Kawaii Mini Anime Lucky Bag Giveaway

It's December, it's Christmas time so what better way to celebrate than with another super awesome cute giveaway! I'll actually be spending Christmas travelling again and as Japan is on the list and it's fukubukuro season I thought I would put together another little surprise anime lucky bag for you to try your chance at winning.

I won't tell you exactly what's in this goodie bag as that's all part of the fukubukuro fun but there's a nice diverse selection of charms, jewellery and gashapon toys included which should please all tastes. So if you want to be in with a chance to win this month check out the widget below for details on how to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What's your favourite anime?

Good Luck

Cate

xoxo

Christmas in Osaka

Christmas is just a few days away and this will be my second Christmas in Asia so I thought I would share a few photos from my Christmas in Japan last year specifically my time in Osaka seeing the Hikari Kyoen or Festival of Lights.

We actually left Osaka on Christmas Eve and spent Christmas Day in Tokyo visiting Tokyo Tower and the Kapibarasan Café but Osaka was so full of pretty Christmas illuminations and decorations that I had to share even though it's a year late.

I definitely felt a lot more of a Christmas vibe around Osaka than I did in Tokyo in fact one morning I was woken up by a bunch of people riding motorcycles past our apartment dressed as Santa and after one of out shopping trips to Closet Child we saw it fake snowing in the mall across the road where there was a giant illuminated reindeer.

The Festival of Lights is definitely a must see if you're in Osaka for Christmas, it's very popular and there were lot's of people there watching the light show and enjoying all the food and drink stalls where you can get all kinds of foods from Western to Japanese and of course hot wine and sake. The main draw is the 3D light projection show which was very beautiful, I was pretty much mesmerised for the whole 10 minutes! Although Christmas isn't a popular celebration in Asia I'm always surprised and delighted by the little ways they celebrate and this was definitely a happy Christmas memory for me.

Where would you love to spend your Christmas?

Love & Sake

Cate

xoxo

Kawaii Christmas Wishlist

It seems so strange to me that Christmas is just around the corner. Now I'm living in the tropics every day feels like summer so I'm in a perpetual state of July and haven't really given much thought to the holidays although I will be returning to the UK and its cold winter for a visit very soon. I've been living the minimalist travellers life for a while now so there's very little I actually want but my shopaholic tendencies will never die so here are just a few things that have caught my eye.

♥ Holographic Backpack - I've swapped out my satchels for backpacks recently as they're just so much more convenient to travel with and the backpack trend is pretty strong here in Asia so there are quite a few that have caught my eye but this one is definitely my fave!

♥ Dinosaur Hoodie -  I recently watched this Thai drama about a cute boy into Dinosaurs (more about that soon) and I have wanted to get myself a Dino hoodie just like his ever since, I've actually wanted one for a while but seeing this drama just ignited my love for them again.

♥ Daenerys Dragon Necklace - Ever since I saw Daenerys wearing this necklace in Game of Thrones I have wanted it in my life so I was super excited to see you could actually buy the real thing... although it's waaaay out of my price range I can still dream...

♥ Sailor Moon Miracle Romance Compact - This is something I might actually buy because I've seen it in a few shops in Bangkok but it's kinda pricey although saying that the Sailor Moon make-up line is actually really good quality and I love their eyeliners and lipstick so this would be the perfect addition to my collection and useful to.

♥ Sailor Moon Sukajan - When I was in Tokyo last year I made it my mission to get a souvenir jacket as it's something I've wanted for a long time, the trend was only just starting there at the time and now it's huge and you can find so many awesome designs including this Sailor Moon one which I would have snapped up in a heartbeat had they had it in store when I was there.

♥ Twinkling Stars Skirt - Galaxy fashion is something I think I'll always be into and this skirt actually lights up which I think is so awesome!

♥ Yankee Candles - Candles always get me into the festive spirit and Yankee candle has the best scents I love the fruity scents and the cake ones smell so delicious to, I've been searching all over for some candles like them in Thailand but had no luck yet so I'll be stocking up on them when I'm back in the UK!

What do you hope Santa brings you for Christmas?

Love & Moonlight

Cate

xoxo

Merry Christmas + Christmas Tag

MERRY CHRISTMAS, best wishes to everyone I hope you're having an awesome day even if you're not celebrating today. I've been enjoying the festive season so much this year, spending quality time with friends and family is the best. So I thought I would do something a little fun for you guys today, a while ago Becky from Milk Bubble Tea posted a Christmas Tag  which I've been meaning to do for the longest time so I thought what better time to do it than on the big day itself, so here it is I hope you enjoy my answers.

1. What is your favourite Christmas Movie/s?
I have to admit I'm not really a fan of Christmas movies but Elf still rates as one of my faves as it always makes me laugh. I also love Home Alone 2 for the nostalgia factor, I guess I have a soft spot for Christmas movies set in New York so MERRY CHRISTMAS YA FILTHY ANIMAL!

2. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
Christmas morning always Christmas morning although occasionally if we're all awake past midnight on Christmas Eve we'll open one Christmas present before going to bed.

3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
I don't, and I feel really bad that I don't but I do have vague happy memories of me and my brother waking up at 5am and opening our presents, my grandad passed out in his chair after lunch with a Christmas hat still on and my guinea pigs memorised by the lights on the tree.

4. favourite festive food?
I love Starbucks Eggnog Latte if that counts as festive food? I also love me some Stollen to and gingerbread although I can be quite fussy when it comes to both but I think more than anything I just love cooking for everyone and seeing them enjoy my yummy festive treats.

5. Favourite Christmas gift ?
I get spoilt at Christmas and I've had some really awesome presents over the years but I'm going to have to give a special mention to the Hot Toys Captain America I got from The Dad last year. I wasn't expecting it at all and I never imagined that I'd own an actual Hot Toys figure I mean they are amazing! It's been a year and I still get excited every time I look at it and now it's extra special as I got Stan Lee to sign the box when I met him at London Film and Comic Con this year.

6. Favourite Christmas scent?
Christmas markets, I love the smell of Christmas markets it's like mulled wine, smoky burgers, cinnamon, gingerbread and coffee basically all my favourite yummy scents.

7. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?
Christmas Eve we normally have a little buffet dinner with the family and occasionally some friends will pop by, then once everyone has gone home Mum, Dad and I will chill out downstairs and watch some Christmas TV.

8. What tops your tree?
Castiel...

9. As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received?
Probably a Dinosaur! I had an imaginary friend when I was a kid which was a Brontosaurus (with wings) called Dino so when Jurassic Park came out I wanted a real Dinosaur and was convinced that one day it would happen, it never did and probably never will but until science catches up with my dreams I would make do with a Pleo

10. What's the best part about Christmas for you?
Getting together with loved ones and buying them awesome presents. December is the one time of year I make sure I have time for everyone and make fun times my priority. I'll admit I'm a pretty lame ass friend the rest of the year but at Christmas catching up with everyone gets priority and I'll bring you awesome presents to xoxo

Merry Christmas everyone, I'd love to hear your answers and how you'll be celebrating today.

Love & Christmas Pud

Cate

xoxo