Towel Museum

I was back in my hometown in the middle of August for 5 days. Last time I stayed there, my friend "Mika" and I planned to visit to" Towel Museum" in Imabari, Ehime in August. Since I was captivated by Scandinavian culture after I traveled to Scandinavian coutries last year, I became the fan of Moomin. Mika is also the big fan of Moomin family since she was a child.As I blogged about the Moomin event (please see my old blog!), many shops brought many different kind of Moomin goods. "Imabari Towel" is the name of the company which sells the towels there. Soon I just think about Mika, and I decided to ask her to go to Imabari city during my next long stay in my hometown. 

Well, I did asked her to go there, and her answer was "Yes"  without second thought. Even I asked her to go there with me, I didn't much expect the museum.

When I saw the building, I was very amazed...The building is big and beautiful. My image about the building is more like small factory. I was already excited, even though I haven't entered the building.

Before the museum entrance, Moomin towels and some goods are displayed in the hallway. The size of the towels are pretty big and they are very cute!

I wish I could have one of them!

 Mårran-Her outside of body is made by towel cloth. It's so big! I guess the height is more than 3M.

Many Moomin blonze statues were welcomed us when we went out to the garden. The size of each statue is kind a samll, but each of them is cute!

Mika was so concentrated on taking the pictures of statues. She didn't notice that I was taking her picture :)

The day was really hot, but the view from the museum was so pretty. I inhaled the fresh air a lot, but I sweated a lot, too... I couldn't stand outside more than 10min. I guess my body melted a little bit while I was in the garden...

The tour of the muesum started from the machining. We could see the full process of machining, starting from scratch.

The art works of the towels are also displayed. I was very amazed these works, and I never imagined that the towels can be used for the art works. 

(I don't know it was OK to take a picture inside the museum or not..If no, please forgive me I did it...)

Many Moomin charactors are made by towels and displayed in the museum, too. Can you see my favorite charactor "Little Myy" from the Myy shaped window?

Mika and I enjoyed the vistit a lot. We shopped many towels at the museum shop before we left. Their towels are famous for the good quality and I have heard some Hollywood celebilites are also using Imabari towels. I feel I am one of them, only I am using it at home. :P

ekki BAR & GRILL

Met my friend at "ekki BAR & GRILL" at four seasons hotel, Marunouchi, Tokyo.We made the reservation for the afternoon tea there on Sunday. The day, it was really hot outside, and I went there by my bike. Once I stopped, my body started sweating...never stopped! I fed up with the heat this summer in Tokyo...

Soon we seated, iced lemon grass tea(I don't remember the exact name of the drink) were served, and the foods were also brought our table. Hamburger, Sandwitches, Quiche, Bruschetta, Chou with Foie Gras, Rasberry Roll Cake, Blueberry Crumble, Mango Cheese Cake were on the plates

Citrus Jello, Churro with Pink Grape Fruit Dip

I didn't feel like drinking hot tea, so I ordered the iced tea first. It cooled my body down a little bit.Vanilla Scone and Pineapple Scone with Clotted Cream and Haney were brought our table while we were eating above foods.

We got there 14:30pm and stay there till 17:00. I forgot to take a picture of our drinks, and I probably drunk 4 different types of tea while  I was chatting with my friend.

The view from the restrutant is nice, and we could see the Tokyo station from there.

I didn't tell my friend it was my birthday the day before, but she remember it. I got  the Tomato Jams and honey from her.

Dumb & Dumber

I took a day off on Monday to meet my friend "Miwako" who visited Tokyo with her family from Nagasaki, Japan. Last time I met her, she was pregnant with her first baby. The baby is now 12 years old, and it is the first time seeing her since then. We both got old, but I feel like I've gone back in time soon after I met her. She was my first housemate when I started living in Seattle. I have a lots of memories with her. She is one of my good friend who made my college life in Seattle happily.

One of our memory while we were staying at our host family's house is a Christmas day. On Christmas day, our host family went out for the Christmas party or dinner together,so we were alone at home. Our image of Christmas in America was fun and warm...but the day was the same as usual for us. We didn't want to spend our first Christmast in Seattle at home, so we took a bus and went to the movie. I don't remember exactly, but we were the only passengers in a bus... We watched the movie "Dumb & Dumber."  The movie was very funny, but we both felt it is not the Christmas we imagined. Everytime we talked about our host family, we remember the day. I guess we became a good friend because we shared the same memories while we were staying in a same house. We did so many things together, and we were just like Dumb& Dumber.:)

We had the lunch at Mitsukoshi department in Ginza and got the cakes at Laduree. Later, she stopped by my apt and we talked a lot until she left.

She brought me a potato caramel from Nagasaki as a souvenior. Somthing crunchy is in a caramel(it could be potato chips), and it was so good! Thanks, Miwako-han.

I really felt it would be very fun if she lives near my apt. I don't know when I can see  "Damber" next time, but I am sure our friendship will last forever.