Posted in Family, Feelings, Food, Friends, Place, Shop, Shopping, Tokyo

12 December 2018: Christmas Shopping

Posted on by sonokotchi

Mom has been asking me to take her for Christmas Shopping, particularly Christmas Tree Hunting.

She is looking for a Christmas Tree.

We are looking for 2 m or higher, a large size for typical Japanese housing.

Therefore, I took her to IKEA Tokyo Bay (Funabashi/HQ) and Costco Makuhari.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t find a suitable Christmas Tree, but bought necessaries such as sparkling juice, chocolates, cheese, mixed nuts, etc for coming Christmas dinner.

I love Scandinavian designed household products at IKEA.

I love American food and goods.

We bought two dresses for a little niece; she loves them.

At the evening, I went to Ginza Mitsukoshi Department to buy appreciation gift for our flower arrangement teacher together with a mate.

We made a set with Fortnum & Mason Christmas Spiced Tea and Shortbread.

Hope she would enjoy them.

Posted in Family, Feelings, Shop, Shopping, Tokyo

3 January 2019

Posted on by sonokotchi

I bought my little niece a piano lesson book at Book Shop Book First Roppongi for her New Year Gift yesterday.

There are words for songs, music notes and piano keys inside.

The notes and keys are indicated in colors to learn easily and there is self play mode to learn rhythm as well.

I’m happy to see her playing over and over.

The room was full of music then.

Now she went back home so it’s quiet in house.

I miss her.

Posted in Choco-chan, Cooking, Feelings, Friends

11 December 2018

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I hosted lunch for my school classmates on 10 December 2018.

I prepared Tacos (hard shells).

It’s been some time and we enjoyed catching up on each other.

To my surprise, my friend brought Christmas Gifts for Choco: Stitch and toilet bags.

Choco was frightened when he sees Stitch for the first time – look at his size.

Later Stitch became his good friend.

He displayed all his favorite toys and Stitch is one of them.

Posted in Cooking, Experience, Family, Feelings, Food, Japanese Culture, Japanese Food, Place, Restaurants, Shopping, Tokyo

2 January 2019

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I started my new year morning with Shishimai (lion dance) and Masuzake (Japanese sake in a wooden square cup).

After experiencing Japanese traditional new year, we went for Belgium breakfast at my favorite breakfast restaurant: Le Pain Quoitidien, Tokyo Midtown Roppongi.

I had New Year Special Menu.

I started with a glass of sparkling wine to celebrate 2019.

Off course, I enjoyed all food.

Furthermore, I received a new year gift from the restaurant: Fukin (Japanese traditional kitchen cloth) and a ticket for free audio museum guide.

After heavy brunch, I played with little niece at Hinoki-cho Park.

Though we had a heavy brunch, we enjoyed strawberry tea with Phillips Chocolate the Boston’s Oldest Chocolateir for tea break.

Coincidently, I used a mug that I bought it at Pier 1 Imports in Boston.

We relaxed a bit at home and went for grocery shopping; I cooked Yakiniku (Korean BBQ) for dinner.

Can I call BBQ cooking ? hahaha

We are spending New Year in very traditional way: relaxing family gathering.

Posted in Choco-chan, Cooking, Family, Feelings, Food, Japanese Culture, Place, Restaurants, Shrine and Temple, Tokyo

Praying at Tenso Jinjya (Tenso Shrine), Roppongi

Posted on by sonokotchi

We went for a new year prayer after lunch.

This small shrine, Tenso Jinjya (Tenso Shrine) is our family shrine.

I drew a fortune paper which is inside of dragon.

I can keep this temple’s God, dragon as a good luck charm.

My fortune is good luck.

After prayer, we had our break at Mercedes Me Downstairs Coffee Shop, Roppongi.

When we returned to home, we relaxed and had a dinner at home.

My little niece made me dessert: parfait.

We had it with a Swiss Hot Chocolate.

So sweet!

Posted in Feelings, Food, Golf, Hotel, Japanese Culture, Place, Shop, Shopping, Tokyo, Travel, Work

7 December 2018

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I assisted photo shootings of product, superfood Granola, at Tokyo Gas Shiodome Cooking Studio, Shiodome, Tokyo.

We moved to Prince Hotel Karuizawa for the meeting with the Chief Chef of the area hotel to recommend serving Superfood Granola for the hotel breakfast.

The hotel, Prince Hotel Karuizawa, will host G20 summit in 2019.

This would be a great opportunity to introduce the product globally.

We had our lunch on the Shinkansen (bullet train) on the way to Karuizawa, Gunma.

Many foreign tourists visit Karuizawa for golfing, skiing and shopping at Mitsui Outlet Karuizawa.

The Chef waited for us to serve special menu using Superfood Granola.

What a nice surprise!

These were so good.

I wish we could stay longer, perhaps, staying at the hotel for the holiday.

Posted in Feelings, Food, Friends, Hotel, Place, Restaurants, Tokyo, Work

5 December 2018

Posted on by sonokotchi

I assisted the company’s product, Superfood Granola, at the Noma Cooking School, Kichijoji, Tokyo.

I’m happy to witness that the product is well received by Japanese consumers.

At the evening, I met my old friend from Malaysia at Aqua, Imperial Hotel Tokyo.

We couldn’t stop talking though it’s getting late and I mean LATE because we had so much to catch up.