Cool!!Starbucks

New Starbucks! at Karasuma Rokkaku. It's in Ikenobo building which is next to Rokkakudo temple. One side of the wall is a big glass. Yes! you can have nice cup of coffee looking over the cool temple. One of the coolest Starbucks stores I've ever seen.

Fabulous work, Starbucks!!

I had a bit of a reunion of my elementary school tonight at a restaurant near our school.

This school is one of the oldest established schools in Japan, and present building was rebuilt in 1931.

When I was a kid, of course I didn't appreciate to study and play surrounded by this beautiful architecture. But now, I'm so glad that the school is preserved as an art center after it was closed down as a school, since there're not many children around this area.

http://www.kac.or.jp/

IKEA kitchen

My house in Kyoto has been on construction. The house is about 80 years old. It has been remodeled twice before, and now it's getting remodeled for the third time.

For kitchen, I decided to have Ikea kitchen. It came in 33! boxes and two construction guys put them together in 11 hours.

Looking forward to cooking in this new Swedish kitchen!!

New Year Day

OSHOGATSU, New Year is here.

Osechi (New Year's festive food), green tea and sweets, playing cards with family and visiting shrines and temples..

I had not had such a typical Japanese New year so long. So nice to have family close by and get together.

real chicken soup

I bought this chicken bones for 20 yen (20 cents) at a butcher, so cheap. I wanted to make a real chicken soup, without any soup stock.

I cooked this chicken bones with vegitables for 3 hours. Turned out greast soup!! how easy to make this.

I quite often use dashi and chicken soup stock, but when I make real soup by myself, it tastes a lot better. I know that. Moreover, when I make my own, I know what's in it, no chemicals or additives.

I should go back to "slow food" No soup stock, no instant food, no frozen food!!

mmh, maybe a little soup stock sometimes..

Debut on "tsuchimono"

I guess I made my debut on Japanese earthenware, "tsuchimono" today. Of course there are many cups and plates in my cupboard, but they were all china.

These are from the ceramic shop "Kusaboshi" along Kawaramachi st. I had known about this shop from one of my friends, who loves the ceramic selection at this place.

The lady owner told me there're about 10 ceramists' works in the shop. I took one cup in my hand. It was very beautiful but looked fragile compared to ones I have in my cupboard, so I asked her "Can I bleach it when it gets tea-stained?" She looked a bit surprised and said "No way!!"

She says I should buy china not those Japanese earthenware (she called them "tsuchimono") if I like strong always clean looking ceramics, and they don't get that dirty looking as long as I take certain care;

1. Before the very first use, put them in a pot with water after washing rice and boil for 10 - 15min then leave them until the water cools down.
2. Everytime before use, soak them in water
3. Dry them completely before putting them away

She also said that they get their own characters as we use. Mmmh, I like that. This happens a lot to other good quality stuff too. They may cause us more care and work, but give us more joy as well.

Let's see how they look after 10 years.

finally

I went to have THE tarte tatin (apple pie) I had dreamed of over 13 years at La Voiture near Heian shrine.

The first time I heard about this was when I was a high school student. It was said that the grandpa and grandma run the cafe and bake only 2 whole cakes of the tarte tatin a day, so if two of you visit this place, you share one piece.

Since it's baked by the old couple, I thought I had to go as soon as possible while they're doing fine genki. However it took me more than 10 years to bring myself there although I ride my bike around the place quite often.

The place was retro and cute, and a couple of young people were working unexpectedly. And they let me and my friend order the tarte tatin each for us! taste? Oh, it was delicious!! very apple, of course.. Why didn't I come a lot earlier!?

I finally made one of my mission completed after so many years. Then on our way out to the door, I saw the old lady sitting near the cashier. That must be her, very small cute old lady!! I assume she retired and young people bake and run the cafe now, but she's still doing fine.

The fish in the picture is a part of my Italian dinner on that day at my FAVORITE Italian restaurant which I don't wanna tell too many people. I need to make a reservation without difficulty like other famous restaurants.

Good food really makes people happy. I had such a wonderful day with my friend again. Thank you!!