The 18-Meter Full Scale Gundam Model in Japan

The RX-78 Gundam is a fictional manned robot, introduced in 1979 in Yoshiyuki Tomino’s and Sunrise’s anime series Mobile Suit Gundam. In the series, it is a testbed weapon for the Earth Federation when it falls into the hands of Amuro Ray, the son of a weapons designer, who goes on to pilot it in the Earth Federation’s war against the Principality of Zeon [Source: Wikipedia].

As part of the 30th Anniversary of the Gundam series, the company officially announced a project on March 11, 2009 called Real-G, planning to build a 1/1 real size scale Gundam in Japan. The 18-meter (59-ft) full scale model was completed on June 9, 2009. The statue first appeared in Diver City Toyko, Odaiba, Tokyo, Japan. Until the exhibition’s closing on August 31, 2009, the statue had been visited 4.15 million times 

The Gundam statue was later reconstructed in Shizuoka Prefecture where it stayed from July 2010 to March 2011. It again reopened in Tokyo on April 19, 2012 

Despite being released in 1979, the original Gundam series is still remembered and recognized within the 
anime fan community. The series revolutionized mecha anime, introducing the new Real Robot genre, and over the years became synonymous with the entire genre for many. The RX-78 Gundam was recognized as a culturally significant subject by the nation of Japan on October 23, 2000, with the inclusion of the suit and the main pilot on two stamps in the 20th Century Stamp Series [Source: Fotopedia].

Roast Tomato Soup With The Ultimate Toasted Cheese Sandwich

makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

4 tins (400g (14.11 ounces) each) whole, peeled tomatoes
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 red onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp tomato paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1.5l vegetable / chicken stock
100ml cream
salt & pepper to taste
fresh basil leaves, to serve

for the onion puree

6 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
750ml stock (I used beef)
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
white pepper and salt, to taste

for the toasted cheese (makes 4)

8 slices thick, white bread
1 cup grated mozzarella
2 cups grated mature cheddar

Instructions

1.  To make the soup, Pre-heat the oven to
     200°c.
2.  Place the tinned tomatoes and all their
     juices in a roasting tray and add the
     Balsamic, olive oil, sugar and salt. Stir
     to combine and place in the oven for
     25-30 minutes until the tomatoes are
     broken down and have started
     caramelizing slightly.

Crescent Pepperoni Roll-Ups

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls

40 slices turkey pepperoni

4 pieces of mozzarella string cheese, cut in half

garlic powder

pizza sauce

Preheat oven to 375.

Bloomin’ Onion Bread

makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 -2 tablespoon garlic, minced

1/2 cup green onion, finely diced


2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Cheese Pull-Apart Rolls

Clothespin Flower Pot

What can be made out of an empty container or cup? If you love the environment, turning a container or cup into a small flower pot may be a good idea! After that you can decorate it with several colored clothespins and plant some flower. With a little imagination and very little materials you can do an amazing job.

Loaded Eggplant Rounds

makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant

Olive oil spray

Garlic salt

1 and ½ cups reduced fat shredded Mexican blend cheese

¾ cup real bacon crumbles

6 scallions, chopped

Instructions: