Arashiyama, Kyoto style bento comes to … California !
Gratitude … but wishing for the good old days when we can pick up and go anywhere in the world, really, with no restrictions other than the ones placed on our own. Now, it’s a different matter. May we once again enjoy the freedom to travel to reunite with one’s loved ones near and far.
It’s been a long long time since I visited this place – it’s humble beginning was that it used to be just a little Japanese grocery store out of an emptied bowling alley started by a hard working Japanese farmer immigrant who literally had nothing other than the deligent work ethics and business acumen.
Now it’s expanded to two sites in Berkeley still a Bezerkeley full of problems and … dreams for a better tomorrow. People’s park is a urban tent camp of the homeless who needs a bit more than just shelter. They need rehabilitation from dependencies and trauma – even from decades ago, it’s always been an urban blight but sadly gotten worse. Turning away, we drove up to the Claremont area with million and up dollar homes to find that bakery with the scrumptous pastries – shaking our heads, it’s a shame it’s a shame then we go off to the pleasant parts of town. Feeling quite quilty and hypocritical but in self defense, we cannot get ourselves be overtaken by the darkness and malaise … making the shift to think more constructively so it’s not just a pity, fear and disdain party seeing the stark divide between the have-nots and the entitled – even here, the most progressive and liberal town in America. Still, I know that everyone who comes across the hungry and the homeless will carry that thought and in his/her own way, try to live with that awareness – an awareness that things have to improve. We can’t each change the the world overnight and solve the world’s problems but we can live each day in our own way to help by remaining fiercely aware … to be conscious and with a consience.
Last week was about reunions, hellos and goodbyes, celebrated with fresh food choices … while my diet usually shuns anything oily, fried or sour, what have we here? A sweet victory for this one who had not been able to really eat her hearts content given the GI troubles – but as a result – I now have yoga therapy for the GERD sufferers … no more bending out of shape but easing into shape:)
If anyone is interested in what I have found helpful through my own body and mind lab experiments, do reach out to me. I would love to share the wisdom gained through … pain and suffering.