Month: February 2017

Categories
Beautiful Places Beautiful Things

A Respite

A small florest in Tokyo with lush selections this cold winter day.

* note – permission granted to take photos as always the case. I always ask if photo identifies the place or a person, if taking photos is allowed especially where the photos grace the blog. Just saying. We may assume it’s excellent public relations or free advertising. It’s a unpaid commercial to be endorsed, no? While yes, it certainly is, some business owners will politely deny photo taking. Examples would be this certain sushi restaurant in Tsukiji where the chef politely said “no cameras please” – asked why not after building some rapport, he smiled and said “we don’t want weird people to show up” (thereby hurting the loyal regulars, long time clients who had supported them through thick and thin). Hoping to win the status of a regular rather than that weird guest they like to discourage from coming … lol.

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Healthy Food Uncategorized

Where am I ?

Nepal? At last !???

Ah, no – a hole in the wall Indian Curry restaurant in a section of town called Tsukishima (translates to “Island of the Moon”) in Tokyo. “Island of the Moon” is actually a more down to earth by the banks of Sumida river, a rather common man’s locale relative to the more upscale Yamanode/hillside area such as Hiroo, Aoyama, Daikanyama, etc. Here in this riverside town, welcomed by a restaurant staff with not one Japanese among them … so figured it’s very authentic. A handsome young waiter from Nepal who spoke relatively decent Japanese asked “rice or naan with your dish?” Can I have a little of both? I asked – SURE, beaming he brought this – Naan is bigger than my face … There’s really no custom of taking home leftovers in Japanese eatery but he was happy to wrap the naan leftover so I can take it to go. Impressed with an extensive party menu available here but with so many restaurants in Tokyo, it’s not easy. Hope they stay in business in spite of the intense competition, I thought as I left … You pay no tip in Japan so, only about $7, their lunch special comes with tasty salad (grated carrots make the dressing sweet and sour, colorfully orange:) and a drink (Yum – lassi:) All you need is a yoga studio upstairs and you have a great go-to place…

Why Indian food when in Tokyo? What about sushi you ask?

Categories
Beautiful Places

Sunday @ Ginza 4 chome

This is that famous lion at the main entry into Mitsukoshi department store. Often it’s a place of meetups so people tend to stand around waiting as I was:) Taken to a traditional Japanese sweets shop on the second floor overlooking busy Ginza streets. Sweet bean soup with matcha mochi dumpling – sweet but not overly sweet. It’s just right:) So happy. I LOVE Japanese sweets – perfect break on another cold day. Sweet warm comfort foods … ahhh, it’s so good. AND healthy !