Brioche

To me, Brioche is hard and dry ...so, it's hard to say I like it. I was in NYC two weeks ago, I found the very nice and tasty Brioche there. " Balducci's" was very close to my hotel I stayed. I usually don't buy Brioche, because of my image. But the one they sell looked different, and I bought one as my breakfast... The taste, texture and appearance looked different that I know. Soon I ate it, I became like it a lot. I went to the store to get a cup of coffee and the Brioche most of the morning while I was there. Since I came back to Japan, I kept thinking about it:)  Unfortunately, NYC is very far from Tokyo, I can't go there to get only Brioche. I decided to find the similar one in Tokyo!!!

Two days ago, I went to 5 or 6 bakery shops to find a Brioche after work. Only three bakeries were selling it. 

I got one at "dominique saibron". The shop is in Ginza Mitsukoshi. A plain Brioche was sold out, so I got the Brioche with black truffle. The size was similar to the one at Balducci's, but the texture and the taste was different. Mmm...next!

This is the one I got at "DALLOYAU." The size is so small, but it costs a lot :( I knew this is different from Balducci's when I holded it with the tongs. Anyway, I tasted it, and my guess was right. The taste is different, and the bread is pretty hard and dry. Next!

Last one was from Johan.  The size is small. The texture is a bit similar to Balducci's, but the taste is not the one I expected.

 I could not find the similar one this time. But I will not give up to find the good one in Tokyo. My journey will go on!

Dinner at Ginza Mitsukoshi

I'm back from my trip to NYC&DC and my friend is back from her trip to Moldives, and we shared our trip during the dinner last Thursday. Everytime we have the dinner during the weekday, we always go to Ginza Mitsukoshi department store. The good thing is there are many choices of resturants and the place is quiet. Our choice of this time was "Yoshoku(洋食)"which is the more like westernized meal, but it's very Japanese. We, Japanese, like "Yoshoku" a lot.

Our choice this time was Japanese Humberg.

After the dinner, we move to the cafe "Denmark The Royal Cafe" on the first floor of Ginza Mitsukoshi. This cafe is one of my favorite cafe in Ginza.

We both ordered my favorite cake "princess cake" .

We kept chatting and chatting as usual, and my friend almoset missed the last bus. :)

REUNION!

2012/9/2

12:15PM- Arrived at the resturant "MAISON BARSAC"  in

Marunouchi, Tokyo. 

 

Lunch supposed to be started from 12:00PM, but I was a little bit late.Two of my old friends "Yoshiko" and "Naoko"were waiting for me in the restaurant...

Friends are the people I met in Seattle while I was living there. Naoko is living very close to my apt, and I often see her. But it was the first time to see Yoshiko since she left Seattle 17 years ago. We haven't exchange any contact address and numbers, so I never imagined that I could see her again. But my ex-roommate in Seattle who visited Tokyo last month has been in touch with her. Because of her, I could make the plan for this time "Reunion" lunch with Yoshiko and Naoko.

Naoko booked the table at this restaurant for us. I guess the foods were great, but I don't remember much. I was too busy with chatting with them...

Entree 

Today's Fish 

Today's Meat

Dessert and Coffee

For myself, the life in Seattle is my treasure. I studied a lot and experienced many things there. The best part of my life in Seattle is I could meet many people from many different countries and I could be a friend of many great people. They made my life in Seattle happy and fun. Mostly, I can't see them in Tokyo, but they are always the same when I have a chance to see them even though I haven't seen them for a long time. I am happy “Yoshiko” hasn’t changed at all and she is still nice from the very first time I met her in Seattle.

I brought the "Happy J Reunion" cookies I baked the day before I met them.

Afternoon Tea at Ritz Carlton Hotel

Love to have a tea or coffee with a good friend. Like other weman, once I start to chat with my friends, nobody can't stop us:) 

Every year, one of my friend and I celebrate each other's birthday. This year, she invited me to the afternoon tea as a birthday present last Saturday, and she booked the table at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Roppongi Midtown.

"The lobby Lounge" is the name of the place where we had the afternoon tea this time, and it's on 45th floor. The view from there was so pretty the day we had the afternoon tea.

We could choose one of the tea from their tea selection, and the samples were brought our table. We were so serious while we were smelling the sample, becuase we can't change the tea once we decide what we have.

The tea I had  this time was the "Tea Master's Special Selected Tea"  It smells like summer.

Soon the tea were served on our table, the afternoon tea plates were brought our table, too. My friend asked the birthday message to the resturant when she booked the table. Love it so much!

Restrurant staff took our empty plates, and my birthday message was also taken wihtout asking me if I eat it or not(The message was written on the white chocolate).  I was not planning to eat it, but I wanted they asked me if I eat it or not when they took it with the empty plate. Couple minitues later, it was back to our table and decorated with the flower tea. It's so lovely, and I really like their servie a lot!

 

We spent about 3 hours there and chatted nothing important a lot :) Thanks to my friend that she celebrated my birthday at Ritz. 

After we had the afternoon tea, we stopped by the event held at the same place, Roppongi midtown. Some of the Olymic medalists belong to the company "Konami" and the company were showing the medals next to the Ritz on that day. About 50 people were standing the line to see the medals. I usally don't care when I see the long line, but this time was an exception. I really wanted to see the medals from up close. It don't think I will have a chance to see the Olympic medals again, so it was the good chance to see them.

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.