Golden Week

I was back in my hometown during the "Golden Week" (It is a collection of four national holidays within seven days from the end of April to first week of May.) I spent a week with my father.

On the second day , I had the date with my father :) He made a dinner reservation at the French restaurant "ALICE",  and it is located on the 35th floor of the building near the port. I forgot to take the picture of the view from the restaurant, but the view from there was so pretty. We had the dinner to see the sunset. 

Appetizers

Tuna from Okinawa and Norwegian Salmon, Boiled Jumbo Prawn and Diced Vegetable with Yellow Tomatoes Puree, Caviar on the side.

Appetizers

Foie Gras Terrine and Seared Foie Gras, Boar's Bacon from "Shionoe Town" with Season's Fruit Confiture

Fish

Fresh Fish Piperade en Croute, Steamed Spring Cabbage and Clam Etuver, Tomato and Piments D'espelette's Oil

Plate Freshener

Rosemary and Lemon's Granite and Alsace Muscat Wine's Gelee

 It was served between Fish and Meat dish. I forgot to take a picture of it...

Meat

Sanuki Olive Beef Fillet with Broccoli Puree and Season's Vegetable Tart 

Dessert

Shodoshima Island Green Lemon Olive Oil Ice Cream and Mint & Rose Geranium Jelly

The ice cream was excellent. I wish I could eat three or four scoops :P

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I usually see my best friend "Hitomi" who lives in Shiga when she goes back to our hometown during the long holiday, but this time she arrived her parents home around the midnight the day before I leave for Tokyo. I almost gave up to see her this time, but she emailed me from her cell phone on the way back to our hometown and it said she might be able to send me off at the airport next day. My flight was a sort of early in the morning, but she made it and I could see her at the airport with her little boy "Haruto."

The "Dream Liner" (Boeing 787) had the battery trouble after it left Hiroshima last Jan, and it landed in Takamatsu and parked it until this May 9th. I haven't seen 787 yet, and it was the last time to see it in Takamatsu airport. I took them to the top of the airport building to see it before it flies to Tokyo. 

My friend didn't notice while I was taking her picture. She was so concentrated taking the picture of 787. :) Haruto was stuck to his mom. Cute! :) 

It was very nice to see her even we didn't have much time to spend together. I may have a chance to see her during this summer when we both go back to our hometown again. I hope I can spend more time with her then.

Oh, the above picture are the cafe latte we ordered at the cafe in the airport. I have heard that their latte art is famous in our town, so we both ordered it. Mine was the bear and hers was swan.

Haruto wanted to play with her mom's latte, so we were so busy to gourd from his attack :)

Rose Bakery

After work on last Thursday, my friend and I stopped by "Rose Bakery" in Ginza for having the tea. This was the second time to go there for me.

I ordered the Iced Mint Ginger Tea which I could not have it last time, because it was out of order... It was very unique and it wasn't the taste what I thought from the name.

 I had the pistachio cake with the tea.

There were only few people when we got there. The cafe was really quiet and it was very nice to chat with a good friend after work.

Last time, I had the most popular cake "Carrot Cake" and my friend had "Victoria Cake."

I want to try another drink and cake next time I go there.

Fun Branch on Sat!

My colleague "Stephanie" invited me to the party last Sat. She and her friend "Eric" who love to cook prepared many(Really Many!) dishes for their friends, and every dishes were so good! The party was started from 1:00 PM and 15 or more guests were in and out. Fabulous foods and nice people, I could enjoyed the party a lot! Here are the menu I had on Sat.

Mini Asparagus & Cream Cheese wrapped in Parma Ham

 Rosemary & Lemon Baked Brie wrapped in Puff Pastry
Honey & Mulling Spices Baked Brie wrapped in Puff Pastry

Roasted Vegetables

Parmesan Bread Pudding with Broccoli Rabe and Pancetta

Cheese Platter(Two types of Blue, Camembert and Monterey Jack)

The white Blue was really good, and I could not stop eating.

 Curried Lentils, Olive Tapenade, Tomato Bruschetta
(served with crostini)

Braised Pomegranate Pulled Pork on Soft Rolls
Roasted Garlic(behind)

The pork was amazingly good! I should get the recipe:)

Sweet Spiced Roast Beef on Baguette with choice of Chipotle Mayonnaise or Blue Cheese Mayonnaise

(I love blue cheese and this mayo was really good one!)

Layered Biscuit(Scone)

Brownies

Snickerdoodler

(It's my favorite cookie she bakes! Yum!)

Raspberry Jam

Vanilla Honey Butter(w/ cinnamon)

(It was also really good! I forgot it is butter and I spread it A lot on a cracker :p)

Spinach Quiche
Bacon & Onion Quiche
I was too full to eat them, so I could not taste them...gee.

"Mushroom & Peppercorn Bake" was also on the table, but I forgot to take a picture...it was really good, too.
French breads, buns, croissants were on the table, too. We kept drinking and eating until late night. I don't know how much I ate...I usually don't drink alcohol, but I guess I drank 4 or 5 glasses of bubbles...

Thanks inviting me to the party, Stephanie and Eric!
You two are really great chefs!

Remodeled Kabukiza Theater

Remodeled "Kabuki-za" opened on April 2nd. The construction was started in 2010, and it completed in March this year. The Gallary on the fifth floor of the building behind the Kabukiza, and we can see the costumens, stage properties, and the things related to Kabuki.

 I didn't see a Kabuki the day I visited there, so I could not look inside the theather.

Many people like me were there and took a picture outside of the theater.

                                 "Kabukiza Inari"                        Many barrels of Sake with the word
                                                                                     "大人"(Oiri=full house)

There are some shops on the second floor of the basement, and it was packed full of people because of the weekend. I just got the "Kabuki" bread which has the Kabuki face's stamp on it.

Real Life Mario Kart

I found Mario was stopped his kart in front of the convinience store across my aprtment. It seems he and his buddies was shooting the movie on the street.

 It's difficult to see, but Mario has a banana in his hand.

When he started the game again, he throwed a banana peels on the street. (I saw his boddy ate it and handed it to Mario before he started the engine...Funny J) The kart behind Mario, the driver picked the peel from the street.

Répertoire

Hotel Seiyo Ginza is one of the luxury hotel featuring top quality service in Tokyo, but it will be closed on 31st of May this year. Before it will be closed, I had very fancy lunch at the resturant "Répertoire" with my friend today. The resturant serves French dishes and we ordered the prefix course. Two appetizers and one entree we could choose from the menu, and the dessert and coffee come with the course.

Saumon Fumé Tiède à la Crème d’Aneth au Citron Vert

(Warmed Smoke Salmon with the Dill and Lime Cream Sauce)

It looks raw, but it was warm a littile bit. It was so good! I wanted eat more.

Potage du Jour(Today's Soup)

It was made from "Saladana"(Type of lettace) 

Marché du Pêcheur Braisé, Sauce Beurre Blanc aux Petits Légumes
(Steamed Alfonsino Fish and Baked Risotto with the Cream Sauce)

Dessert and Coffee

The Dessert cart came to our table. Fifteen kinds of dessert were on the cart and we could have as many as we want. For me, the dessert was the main of the dishes :)  The resturant gave us free refills on coffee.

I wanted to have a lunch at least once before they close. The service and all the dishes were pretty nice and I really want to have it one more time by the end of May.

International Orchid Festival 2013

International Orchid Festival was held from 2/16-2/24 at Tokyo Dome. My father sent me a invitation ticket during that week, and I went there alone(He sent me only one ticket...) It was the second time to visit there, and I was there with my father last time. I didn't know much about orchids, but I was grown surrounded by orchids because of my father.(Please see "my father's works" tab) Surprisingly, there were so many people when I got there. Were Orchids that much popular?

Many orchids were decorated at the entrance, and people were taking the pictures with the flowers.

Bunch of Cattleya

It was really gorgeous!

The Idea of decorating "Phalaenopsis orchid." I want to try this, too.

 Individual Review Division

These three I bought from Taiwanese flower shops. The next day was the end of the festival, so all the flower shops started a discount. All three were selling at 500 yen.

The shop owner said, this one will last for 1.5 months or more. I'm glad I could get them a good deal. Smile :)