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Beautiful Places Healthy Food Healthy Living

Food blog or Yoga blog?

Late in the day in Hiroo … above Meiji-ya:) Morning time rush is over and so are some of the pastries sold out but the mainstay are still abundant.

Is this a food blog or a yoga blog?  How about whatever gives you joy or a practice that gives you greater capacity to feel gratitude. Silly, but I am almost in tears whenever I feel joy and let me tell you, good bakeries and cafes bring me to tear up, hahaha. Like, I am soooo lucky to be here to experience this most delicious delectable paradise on earth …

I heard a TV segment talking about the rice consumption over the years have been eroding in Japan.  Apparently, in the most recent year,  rice consumption have been surpassed by bread consumption (don’t know how you measure that … oranges vs apples, are they not?) much to the alarm of rice farmers’ association (and the program went on to talk about strategies they are adopting to counter this trend) … it’s no wonder… bakeries here are top notch.  What makes Japan and their food scene so special really is their people who really take it upon themselves and work at their craft making whatever it is that they decided to devote their entire lives to.  When it comes to cooking and baking, they really take it to diligent study and mastery while staying creative to deal with the constant competition in this big city full of bakeries.  Just look up bakeries in Tokyo – you will find a recommendation or two…

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Beautiful Places Healthy Food

Tsukiji, Tokyo

Anthony Bourdain would approve – Vegetarian ? no.  Pescatarian ? Yes. Vegan? No, sorry – I love sushi too much – I now never eat them in the US – it’s just not good unless it’s prohibitively expensive so I pass  – sorry, but here – OMG, it’s excellent & reasonable – after all, it’s our soul food.  Yet, I do vegan cleansing on seasonal basis – at transition from one season to next, I will go on 10- 30 days (have gone one full year once and that did not work well for me), completely vegetarian – then vegan (progression) diet – then progressively return to primarily Pescatarian diet.  Change of seasons is an important tuneup time for our system.

Actually above sampler from Haneda Airport – but ingredients from Tsukiji. Not bad. 3 out of 5 stars?

Here’s Tsukiji market alley … a wider alley than some even narrower:) Stalls mostly for tourists as professional chefs are all done; auctions take place 3am or earlier.

Special Medicinal Herb soba noodles – hand made during this “Yomogi” herb season only. Another Japanese soul food to be sure – soba. This is 5 out of 5 – al dente perfection –  love.

Dessert of Matcha ice cream, roll cake and fruits from Sakura, International House, Tokyo. Every plate was a piece of art work. 

Thought about Anthony B. at a bookstore stall in Tsukiji known for all Foods, Restaurants & Cooking related books.  Chef’s paradise to be sure. A lot of tourists milling about in this world famous fish market. Maybe 11am-ish and that’s after-hours here when peak business takes place 3 am.

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Anything Cute Beautiful Places Healthy Food

Jewish Deli

Used to have a “starving artist” of a friend trying to make it in this big city living in East Village area so I sort of know East Village area having stayed there (bless her soul) but …staying in Upper West side is first time for me … Opened in 1908, apparently this place is an institution…  Seinfeld has been spotted and maybe that explains, wow, so expensive – $17 for just a sandwich?  as I in shock pull out a 20 over a chaotic counter where the cash register sits with mess of checks covering the surface in disarray.  It’s charming …how the waiter yells with that New York accent for a change to a guy who sits at the cash register … In some ways, this scene (without the yelling) reminded me of a Soba shop in Tokyo where an old lady, the 4-5th generation owner’s mom basically is entrusted with handling of money – sits there like a fixture.  Rumor has it that she’s in her 90’s but quite spry and full of vitality:)

This place is packed – it’s Sunday morning …

I realized I was doing this wrong as I saw the dishes on the patrons’ tables – best to order several deli items a la carte and have toasted bagels to spread them on – share with a friend or two for best assortment while you save some money …

As always, sharing is the best way to go …