Here is my  gym in São Paulo.
The interior is cool, kind of like Space Mountain.
That means… it’s dark! Why?!

This gym doesn’t face any windows.

I miss the gym in the U.S.
The machines there faced big windows.
I used to run at a heart rate of around 140, like an athlete, even during storms.
It was really beautiful, especially when it was snowing.

By the way,
another thing I miss is air conditioning in the U.S.
The temperature in every facility (especially supermarkets) was extremely cold!

I was almost frozen every time I went to Whole Foods.

Oh, Americans tend to ignore environmental issues.

Even though local people complained about it,
I somehow got used to it.

And now, I’m the one complaining about the lukewarm air in gyms here.

I hope the staff can turn up the air conditioning!!

Today’s proverb:
“When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

サンパウロのジムは

スペースマウンテンみたいなジムなんです

窓に面してないんですよね。

私はアメリカ時代のジムが好きだったなー大きな窓で

厳しい冬の場所だったから

吹雪の中、心拍数１４０出して走るのが本当に気持ちよかった。

ところで

トーコさんアメリカにいて

かぶれたというか

なんというか

アメリカって常軌を逸したエアコンの効かせっぷりなんですよ。

本当に

環境に配慮とか一切合切無視で

ガンガンに入れてるの。

スーパーとか寒くて寒くて

なんであんなに冷房入れるんだろうって言うくらい。

ローカルの人でさえ

「寒過ぎるだろ！！スーパー」ってｵｺだったからね。

でも

今サンパウロでジムとか行くと

なんだろうな、、

ぬるい！！！！

もうちょっと冷房入んないのかな〜って思うのよね。

東京の銀座線とかもぬるくて

うわー

茹であがっちゃうって思いながら毎回新橋まで乗ってた。

あ、、新橋行きたい。。

（銀座とかじゃないんだ笑）

I love makeup items.

I use a highlighter by Rare Beauty that I introduced before.
Actually, my favorite highlighter is Baume Essentiel by Chanel.

However, a beauty advisor once told me to use it carefully.
She said, “You shouldn’t put it on wrinkles.”

Really? I’m over 40.
There’s no room on my face to avoid wrinkles!
Where is the best place to apply it then?

Unfortunately, eyeshadow seems to follow a similar rule for women over 40.

According to Naomi Seno, a beauty expert,
you shouldn’t put eyeshadow on your upper eyelids.
She recommends that women in their 40s apply it only to the lower eyelids.

Wow… that’s such a tiny space!
That’s very economical, I guess. My eyeshadow will last forever.

They also say that if you wear makeup like younger girls,
it can make your face look tired.

I agree with their opinions.
Honestly, I’ve been following this “colorless makeup” style
without thinking for the past three years.

There seems to be something about “full makeup”
that doesn’t suit my generation.
(Of course, it depends on the person.)

I’ve been living in foreign countries for many years,
and I admit that foreign women’s facial features—
especially their cheekbones, noses, and big eyes—
are more defined than mine.

I threw in the towel!!

So, I tried to challenge that idea
with a classic oval-shaped face style.
It’s not gorgeous, but more like
“imperfect beauty” or “quiet beauty.”

Hmm…

My conclusion:
My makeup style seems to say,
“Did you just take a bath?”

Is that right?
Please tell me, beauty experts!

ハイライトは

前の記事でも書いたようにRare beautyを使っているのですが

もっと長く使ってるのはシャネルのボーム エサンシエル。スティックタイプのハイライトなんだけど

色んな美容家の方が

シワの上にハイライトをのせてはNGって言うんで

塗る場所がものすごい限られるんですよね。。

なんなら

もうなくない？私の顔に・・

で

同じような暗黙のルール？というか

４０代以上は

濃いアイシャドウ塗ってはいけないっぽいのよね。美容教育家の瀬戸麻実ｾﾝｾｲもいうてた。

上の瞼に薄く塗って

下に色を置きましょうって言うんだけど

これまたエコというか・・アイシャドウ全然減らんな。。

上の瞼に濃い色を乗せたり引き締めると

なんか疲れて見えるそうなのです。

でも気がついたら

私これ自分でやってた。なんか色載せるとぐったりしちゃうというか

なんならマスカラも塗ってない。３年前から。

もう私の毛にマスカラを支える元気がない。

あと

海外にいるとどうしても骨格で外国の人に負けるので

こっちは瓜実顔で勝負に出るしかないって感じで（でも負けるw）

端的にいうと

「風呂上がりですか？」みたいな仕上がりに。

これって正解？

He got back to São Paulo this morning. It’s been a while!!

It was a tough flight. It took 24 hours to get here from Tokyo. He was exhausted.

By the way, I ’d show off my souvenirs from my mother-in-law.

Look! These are really cute handkerchiefs!
She is over 80.
However, her fashion sense has never faded.
The patterns are stars and checks, and the colors are bold.
I like them. Thank you!!

My husband also has a great sense of fashion.
Hmm… I guess it runs in the family from his mother.

By the way, he was wearing nice shoes. I asked the price.
I was almost shocked… They cost $390!?

Are you serious?! They’re just sneakers without a famous brand name.

He really likes shoes.
I guess if he were a woman, he would be like Imelda Marcos.

夫が２４時間（プラストランジット３時間）フライトを経て

クッタクタになりながら帰ってきました！！！！

おひさしぶーリーねー🎵

さあ！

恒例の

おみや

ゆうこさん（義理の母）セレクトのハンカチがこちら

かーわーいーいー　今回も１００点。

おんとし８０を過ぎて

このセンスよ

星に格子柄！！！！あとオレンジが過ぎる！

すごいなあ。さすが魯山人の母親・・

幾つになってもおしゃれな人はずっとお洒落！

ちなみに魯山人本人は

５万８千円のスニーカーを新宿伊勢丹のバイヤーに勧められて

履いて帰ってきました。

高ぇ！

何もんだよ、５万８千円のスニーカーって・・特にハイブランドでもないのにw

あの人女だったらイメルダ夫人になってたと思う。

Hello! Friday.

Speaking of Friday mornings, you know what?
It’s the morning market I love.

I went to a vegetable shop.
A staff member recommended “yuzu” to me.

Wow!! What a surprise!!

I said, “I’ve never seen it here before!”
She said, “Yes! It’s seasonal—maybe once a year.”

Only once!! I almost missed it.

Needless to say, I bought it.

By the way, I noticed that my favorite vegetable shop doesn’t show prices.
There are no price tags or signs there.

Another vegetable shop shows the price.
Oh, this is a trap system!!

I don’t know how much that yuzu is…
But it’s okay because I’m a loyal customer!!

After coming back home, I gently washed the yuzu, peeled it, and sliced it.
I could smell a beautiful aroma from the kitchen.

With the last one, I made “yuzu miso.”
Yuzu miso is made with miso, sugar, and honey,
plus yuzu juice and a bit of yuzu peel.

Please try it if you get yuzu.

I can enjoy yuzu for a while.
That’s precious!!

On the other hand, my husband in Tokyo sent me some gorgeous photos from a restaurant, Bellustar.

He enjoyed a fancy French course meal.
I was so jealous!!

The restaurant Bellustar is one of my favorite restaurants in Tokyo.
Everything is perfect and beautiful.

さー

今週の八百屋さんのオススメは

柚子。

えーー柚子あるんだあ！、珍しいね！！

「一年に一回だけよ〜」

レ

ア

が

すぎる！！！！

そんなん言われたら買うしかないよね。

そういえば

私の言ってる八百屋さんって

時価というか値段書いてないのよね。。

他の八百屋さんは書いてるけど。

今気がついたわ。

柚子いくらだったんだろう？

ていうかあの未知の野菜たちもいくらだったんだろう？

、、、。

まあ、いいか笑

家に帰ってから丁寧に洗って

柚子の皮を剥いて細く千切りにして冷凍しときました。

最後の一個はおろしてから味噌と味醂と蜂蜜を柚子の果汁を入れて

柚子味噌に。

しばらく柚子のある生活か〜

贅沢だなあ〜

This is my big chance to buy a Japanese paper book when my husband temporarily moves back to Japan.

The book is heavy, so it is hard to carry in a suitcase.
One of the items on my book wish list is “Miniature Life 15th Anniversary” by Tatsuya Tanaka. He is a miniature artist.

I like his art. He is inspired by daily items, and he has created his own world using them.

I respect people who have a sense of humor and creative talent.
That kind of ability doesn’t come from money or effort.

There are many serious problems in the world, such as poverty and health issues.
However, a sense of humor can change the world.

One of my friends is Jewish.
His grandmother was a survivor of the Holocaust.
Her relatives and brothers were also in Auschwitz.
Everyone was killed except her.
It was a terrible story.

Even though she had a lot of trauma, she never lost her sense of humor.

He said the reason for her survival was luck and coincidence.
However, I believe her survival was due to her character.

Her grandchild also has a great sense of humor.
I believe that must be part of his family history.

一時帰国の際に

本を何冊かだけスーツケースに入れるのが

最高の贅沢だと思ってます。

重いしねえ・・・本。

トーコさんは夫に買ってきてほしい本リストの一つが

こちらのミニチュア作家　田中達也さんの新刊のアートブック。

彼の作品大好きなんです。ユーモアがあって元気になります。

日常のなんてことのない視点から世界を美しくする才能は本当に見習いたいものです。

ユーモアやクリエイティブって本当に持ってる人が羨ましいです。

お金や努力とはまた違うというか

どんな困難ことや経済状況、健康の問題いろいろな困難が世界中にはあるけど

そういう時

少しでもユーモアがあれば

その世界は色づくことがあるかも知れません。

I like that song: “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen (2012).
It’s a cute song.

The meaning of the title is like, “If it’s okay with you, call me!”

But I had misunderstood the title.
I thought it meant “Call me, baby” for a long time.
Oh…

“Call me maybe!”
→ Call me… maybe…?
→ Never call me!!!!

Actually, my husband hasn’t called me since he left São Paulo.

Are you serious? One week has already passed!

What a mess!! There is his beautiful wife alone in Gotham City, lol.

By the way, he has AirTags for his suitcases.

That means I can find his location on the app easily.
However, I don’t want to check it.
I want to keep our boundaries and respect his privacy.

If I found his location in Kinshi-cho or Kabuki-cho,
I would suspect him of cheating…

My favorite proverb: Ignorance is bliss.

カーリー・レイ・ジェプセンのCall Me Maybeをよく走ってる時に聞きます。

可愛いですよね〜

気が向いたら連絡してね！って意味です。今知りました・・

ずっとコールミーベイベーだと思ってた。

連絡してね！

連絡してね！！

連絡してこねー怒

日本に一時帰国した夫から

一切合切の電話がありません

可愛い女房がこんな危険な街に一人で暮らしてるといふのにw

ふと思ったんだけど

夫ってエアタグ持ってるんです（もちろん合意で情報共有してる）

だもんで「探す」アプリで夫の居場所は一発で分かるんですが

トーコさんいくら夫婦とはいえそういうの見るのダメなんですよね。。

プライバシーはお互い極限まで守りたいタイプ。

追記　東京　特に新宿の夜景が一番好きです。

São Paulo está na melhor temporada de lula agora.
Não perca!!

É uma ótima oportunidade para comer lula de alta qualidade, igual à do Japão.

Comprei bastante, embalei e guardei no freezer.

Falando em filme plástico, a qualidade no Brasil não é muito boa…

Isso é um problema comum entre japoneses que vivem no exterior.

A gente sente muita falta do filme plástico japonês, como o Saran Wrap e o Kure Wrap.

A qualidade do filme plástico japonês é incrível.
É resistente e fácil de usar.

Sempre que uso o tipo brasileiro, eu fico estressada.
Me dá muita irritação!!

Às vezes, outros expatriados me davam filme plástico japonês quando voltavam para o Japão.

Fiquei muito feliz.

Pensei: “Tem certeza? Isso é um verdadeiro tesouro! Você é muito generoso(a)!”

Hmm… acho que eu também estava meio exagerada!!

（英文はこちら↓）

São Paulo is in the best season for squid right now.
Don’t miss it!!

It’s a great opportunity to eat high-quality squid, just like the ones in Japan.

I bought a lot of it, wrapped it, and stored it in the freezer.

Speaking of plastic wrap, the quality in Brazil is not very good…

That’s a common issue among Japanese people living abroad.

We really miss Japanese wrap, like Saran Wrap and Kure Wrap.

The quality of Japanese wrap is incredible.
It’s durable and easy to use.

Whenever I use the Brazilian kind, I get stressed out.
It drives me crazy!!

Sometimes, expats gave me Japanese wrap when they moved back to Japan.

I was really glad.

I thought, “Are you sure? This is such a treasure! You’re so generous!”

Hmm… I guess I was kind of crazy too!!

サンパウロで日本のイカと同じくらい厚みがあって美味しいイカが食べらる時期が今（だと思う！）

３月とか４月かな？

多めに買って

ラップして冷凍保存。

ラップ・・・

海外に住む日本人なら

誰もが頭を悩ませるサランラップ問題です。

日本のクレラップとかサランラップって素晴らしいですよね。

厚みがあってサッと切れて。

サンパウロのラップなんて

使った瞬間から「お前はもう死んでいる」レベルでグダグダになるんですよね。。

日本の駐在員さんが本帰国する時に

お下がりでもらえたら嬉しいものがサランラップですもの

「いいのかい？そんなお宝を頂いてしまって！！」レベルです。

追記

AIに私の書いた英文をポルトガル語に変換してもらいました。

３ヶ国語話せたら素晴らしいのになあ〜っていつも思っています。

I missed the exit at the station.

The São Paulo metro isn’t that difficult.
It’s easy to ride and transfer.

Personally, I find the Tokyo metro complex.
Especially at Yotsuya Station and Tokyo Station.
I think both are really hard for foreigners to find the right exit.

Thinking back, there were a lot of tourists from all over the world on the train (from Shinjuku to Tokyo).

Fun fact: I once stayed in a serviced apartment in Shinjuku for a month when I temporarily moved back to Tokyo.

That apartment was mostly for foreigners (not only foreigners, but mostly).
My neighbors were all foreigners, even though I was in Tokyo… my brain was confused. lol

By the way, I haven’t seen many tourists on the São Paulo metro.
Do most tourists use Uber instead?

Of course, I know São Paulo’s public transport is not as safe as Tokyo’s.
Tourists might be concerned about that.

In fact, the company my husband works for doesn’t recommend that we use public transport because of safety issues.

I ran into a funny man from Japan at a fancy restaurant two weeks ago.

He really stood out because of his clothes.
He was wearing a “hachimaki” on his head.

He managed to order coffee in English.

My husband asked him, “Can you order coffee?”
He was really surprised and said, “Wow, are you Japanese?!”

Of course, we felt the same way.

For him, this was his first trip to Latin America.

He was almost 70, but he was really tough.
He liked traveling to many countries using local trains and buses.

That’s cool.

The world is vast.
But it’s not that far. You can go anywhere you want.

I said to him, “Welcome to Brazil, and good luck!”

久しぶりに最寄駅じゃない駅で降りたので出口を間違える。

あれ？

トーコさん駅の出口を間違えやすいんですよね笑

東京駅とか難易度高いよね。外国の人は難しいのでは？

東京の電車に乗ると

特に新宿〜東京は本当に外国人ばっかりだなあって思います。

外国から日本に帰ってきたのに

いつも使う新宿のアパートは右も左も上も下も外国人だったりするので

ちょっと脳がバグる笑

ここは何処？みたいに。

サンパウロの地下鉄ってあんまり外国人観光客乗ってるイメージないんです。

みんな移動はタクシーなのかな？

やっぱ「サンパウロ＝危ない」っていう刷り込みというか・・・

まあ刷り込みじゃなくて本気で危ない時もあるから正解です。

追記

NYCのメトロの方がぱっと見の治安の悪さと汚さは上だと思う。

サンパウロのメトロ、綺麗です。

As I was about to take a bath yesterday, I realized there was a water outage.

Wow… Damn it!!

Power outages, water outages…
Unfortunately, that kind of thing is quite common here.

It is what it is.
I used baby wipes to clean my body and went to bed feeling uncomfortable.

On the other hand, my husband is enjoying the hot springs in Japan.
He’s staying at a fancy hotel near the ocean.

Wow… what a difference between heaven and hell!
Of course, I’m in hell lol.

By the way, I really miss the Japanese bathing system.

In most cases, bathrooms in Brazil are not separated into different spaces for the shower (or bathtub) and the toilet.

That style isn’t very popular among Japanese people.

I’ve gotten used to it because I’ve been living abroad for about seven years.
I’ve accepted it.

However, there’s one thing I still can’t get used to — the toilet system in Brazil.

Actually, you can’t flush toilet paper here.
So we have to throw used toilet paper in the trash.

I hate that… It doesn’t feel hygienic.

I think the water infrastructure here is quite old and underdeveloped.

Even though the Brazilian government collects a lot of taxes from citizens,
why is that? Where is the money going?

I think the reason the infrastructure isn’t well developed is political corruption.

I hope this country has a better future.
But honestly, I don’t think the situation has improved much over the past 20 years.

昨日

さーお風呂入って寝るか！と思って

蛇口を捻ったら

まさかの断水w

ひとりだし気がつかなかった。

うわーマジか・・

サンパウロは停電、断水このあたりは

フツーにあります。

しょうがないので赤ちゃんのお尻拭きシートで体を拭いて

そのまま寝ることに。

一方で日本にいる１２時間の時差のある夫から

ピロピロリーン

日本海を眺めながら高級旅館で温泉に入ってる模様。

まさに天国と地獄！

日本のお風呂が恋しい。追い焚きとか神。

ユニットバス生活はなれたけど（アメリカもそうでした）

どうしても慣れないのが

なんと ブラジルはトイレの紙が流せないの！

横の小さなゴミ箱にいれるのが本当に嫌！！！

つーか

このピンクなに？

これ時々見るけど食べられるの？って思ってた豆を

今日は推してきます。

なんなら片手に花束をもってきてくれて

トーコさんのことが好きすぎて、歓迎かな？って思ったら

「今日は紫蘇の花もあるから！！！」って。

ありがとう。。

紫蘇の花、、あ、でも醤油漬けにすればいいのか！

じゃなくて

豆ね。

「これ、、枝豆と同じように茹でればいいのかな？」って聞いたら

「聞いてくるね！！！」とダッシュ

あれ？セルジオ（店主）に聞くんじゃないのかな？と

聞いた先は

まさかの

お客人！！！！

ローカルのブラジル人女性が丁寧に教えてくれたみたいで

「３、4分茹でればいいよ」とのこと。

ちなみにセルジオは「10分茹でるんだよ」

ネットは「15分煮ないと中毒になるよ」

Chat GPT 「30分茹でるよ」

さー

詰んだぞ、おいw