winery in Japan

(vineyards)

(prosciutto and cheese sandwich with Shitake mushroom soup)

(chorizo sandwich with Shiitake mushroom soup)

(red wine that I bought on the table at my home)

I love wines, especially, Pino Noir and Chardonnay.
I visited several (or a lot of ?) wineries in Santa Ynez, Santa Maria, Montrey, Napa etc..
when I lived in US.
California is wonderful place for me, I love California!

Wine is one of popular alcohols in Japan, and made in particular areas.

Today, my husband and I visited one winery.
That winery has neat cafe, and it's possible to try all wines of that winery
at just about $5.

I met one awesome red wine taste like Pino Noir.
I liked it!

Of course, I got it, and probably I would keep it about for a year at least.

going home - last day

Last day, we went to one neat cafe to have a breakfast.
I always look forward to trying the coffee when I visit the cafes.

I ordered the regular coffee and cinnamon bagel with cream cheese.
I really liked the coffee of this cafe, bought the beans of this coffee.
I can enjoy it at my home!

trip to NASU - second day

Second day, my husband and I went to "ALPACA FARM".
I couldn't wait to meet ALPACA from the morning, but I got stuck in a jam,
long way to ALPACA...

About a hour later, I finally met a lot of ALPACA.
They had big eyes and very friendly, it was so so cute.
If possible, I wanted to take after at my home, but my husband didn't
agree with me.

And then, we visited Beer Factory of SAPPORO, just I enjoyed to try fresh beer
because he couldn't alcohol.
But we ate really delicious steak in the dinner, so he was very satisfied.

trip to NASU - first day

（SHOZO CAFE）

（Wine Bar MARCELLO）

（TANDEM 2007）

In last weekend, there were holidays from Saturday from to Monday,
so my husband and I went trip to NASU where was the summer resort
near my town.

NASU has a lot of fabulous cafes, bakeries and sweet shops.
We went to one of natural and neat cafes in this area, the
atmosphere of that cafe made me relaxed, I would spend a few hours
while reading books with hot coffee and delicious cake.

In the evening, we found one building looking like a French restaurant,
actually, that building was wine bar.
We made up our minds to enjoy the dinner at that bar.
The owner of that bar prepared many kinds of wines.
As some readers of my blog already know, I love wines, so I enjoyed wines
and my husband was excited Japanese style hamburger steak with local rice.

I met really wonderful white wine from Sonoma, the name was "TANDEM".
If you all find "TANDEM" at supermarkets, I recommend to try that!

Korean BBQ

(Makgoli and kimchi)

(appetizer)

(salad with Korean style dressing)

(various kind of parts of beef for Korean BBQ)

My husband and I went to Tokyo in this weekend to enjoy shopping
in the department stores.
I wanted to get some clothes for fall, but it is still hot in Japan, so
I just enjoyed window shopping.

Our another purpose was to go to the Korean restaurant because
he had the coupon of that restaurant.

We ordered not only the main dish but also the appetizer dish and salad.
And I tried Korean Sake (Makgoli; show in the first picture) first
with fabulous dishes.

green curtain

I went back to my parents' home in August 13th.
My parents, especially, my father likes to grow some plants and vegetables up
in their garden, and I like to look their garden when I always go my parents' home.

The town where my parents live is so so hot area, the temperature is sometimes
90-95F in the summer time (like Death Valley (?) ), so he made green curtain in the garden.

We Japanese call those plants "GOYA" or "NIGA-URI (meaning is bitter like cucumber?
it's hard to explain it. You all should visit Japan!!)".

Those green curtain made cool their house.
It's good idea for the global environment.

Miss SB!

I didn't update my blog about for 2 weeks...
I'm so lazy.

I love coffee and drink every morning, so I can't stop my mind to visit
the coffee shops when I find new one.

Recently, I found new coffee shop in my town, and I was really curious in
that shop, but I didn't have opportunity to visit it.

Last Saturday, I was able to visit that coffee shop finally.

I felt the smell of the coffee when I entered that shop, it made me comfortable.

I bought 2 types of coffee for iced coffee, and I liked the labels, so took
those pictures.

Right side one looks like Santa Barbara beach!

Oh my gosh, I really miss SB!!!

many support

Actually, I started working at one of national laboratories
as the assistant researcher from August 2nd.

It's not easy to do house work and my job perfectly, but
my husband supports me very much, so I can concentrate
to get used to new job right now.

One day, I realized there was one bag in front of the door of my room.
That was cute gift from 2 adorable kids who was living next to my room.
Their mom is my friend, and one kid is boy who is 4 years old, another kid is
girl who is 2 years old.
Those cute kids gave me wonderful pictures which they drew.

I was a little tired, so those neat gifts made me relaxed.

I always believe that many people support me when I try new things.

cute gift from my friend

Today I went to lunch with my friend.
We talked about a lot of things for 5 hours!
Actually, she is not same generation with me, but she looks young
than her age, likes to try new things, and has positive thinking,
so I always enjoy talking with her.

She gave me a cute gift because I got a new job.
In Japan, many people put items to cell phone, and
this cute bear is also one ofitems to put to cell phone.
I ordered i-phone, and maybe get it a month later.
So I will put it to my new cell phone!

good deal

My husband and I went to "IKEA" to get kitchen utensils in last weekend.
I really really love to collect dishes or cups, and there are
a lot of dinnerwarein my cupboard, so I stopped to look dishes at IKEA.

I was able to find neat item to put naps instead of dishes.
This item was just about $5.00.
It was a good deal.

they became big

I grow "Shiso (like Japanese basil)" and "Basil" at my home.
They didn't become big during rainy season, because
they were not able to receive energy from the sun (maybe...)

After the rainy season was over, almost everyday was clear and sunny,
so they started to become big quickly.

I look forward to making Shiso tempura and basil paste for pasta or
marinade of octopus.

my bro

The rainy season finished it, so every day is sunny and hot day.
Especially, the temperature is almost 100F in recent days...
I spent the summer season in SB for 2 years, so I forgot the heat of
summer in Japan.

I need to protect skin from sun when I go to supermarket or
another stores near my apartment by walk.
I always put on hat during walking outside.
Those hats are my bro to protect me from sun.
Originally, I love to get awesome hats, so I would buy many kinds of
hats in this summer.

Souvenir

I met a friend of mine who had lived next door in SB, and
we went to one cafe and enjoyed talking while eating healthy lunch.

She gave me a neat gift which was a souvenir from Hungary.
Her husband is also my friend, and he seemed to go to Hungary
for a business trip.

Those 3 colors of bags are the national flag color of Hungary.

This souvenir is Paprika Powder, so I should use for cooking.
But it's very cute, so a little hard to use immediately.
I want to decorate in the kitchen.

What is this dish?

What do you all think this dish is?

This is grilled eel bowl, the taste is like teriyaki but not totally same.

My hometown is famous for the eels, so there are some restaurants that
serve the eel dishes (almost grilled eel bowl).

Today, my parents visited my house, and we enjoyed grilled eel bowl
at one of famous restaurants in my hometown.

This dish is a little expensive, so I almost go to those style restaurants
with my parents.

It was first time to eat this bowl after returning Japan.

Hmmm, so yum!!

When it's hot day...

It's rainy season in Japan right now, so almost cloudy, shower, or rainy day.
But, today was sunny day, and temperature was about 90F, really hot day...

When it's hot day, I always want to eat the cold noodle.

I cooked the cold noodle taste like a Chinese and Japanese style.

Probably, I make the noodle dishes many times in this summer.

small garden

If I had the garden in my home, I would make many kinds of
vegetables and fruits.
But I'm living in the apartment, and there is no garden , so
it's a little hard to do that.

When I can't take much time for making dinner, I usually prepare
"Pasta", Japanese or Italian taste.
At that time, "Basil" and "Shiso - like a Japanese Basil" are important
ingredients for my pasta dishes.
So, I tried to plant the seeds of Basil and Shiso using small cup, and
put those in my room from last Thursday.

I was able to see the sprout of Basil last Sunday, and Shiso appeared yesterday.

I will report the growing of those two.

Pig & Pork

Today's dinner was "Tonkatsu".
Tonkatsu is one of popular dishes in Japan.
Simple explanation about Tonkatsu recipe is
･ Prepare pork loin or pork tenderloin and sprinkle salt and pepper.
･ Dust with flour evenly. Dip into whisked egg and then coat with
bread crumbs.
･ Deep fry at 340F.
･ Enjoy it with dipping the special source for Tonkatsu
like a thick worcestershire sauce

I showed "today's menu" in pig blackboard which I bought in SB.

to talk in English

Right now, I have some chance to listen CNN or NPR etc in internet, but
there are a few opportunity to talk with someone in English.

I have been interested in one English school in my town, and this school
also has the American style cafe.

I thought I might have been able to speak English, so I went to this cafe
today.

The cafe was not big, but almost customers were not Japanese, so there
might have been some chance to use English.

I ordered the bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon and enjoyed
lunch.
When I was eating the bagel, one American man talked to me.
He was teacher of this school, and I enjoyed talking with him in English.

I realized that it was so excited for me to speak English.

I'm looking for the chance to enjoy talking in English.

rolled cakes

I stopped by "IKEBUKURO" on my way to my home from my parents' home.
IKEBUKURO is one of big towns in Tokyo, and there are 2 big
department storesand a lot of clothes shops , restaurants, bars etc...

My main purposes are looking for neat clothes for summer and getting
good cakes.

It's a secret whether I got nice clothes or not, but I found delicious-looking
rolled cakes.
One is rolled 5 kinds of fruits and another one is rolled mango with mango
whipped cream.
Both 2 cakes were so tasty!!

Is that Japanese plants?

(Ajisai in the garden of my parents' home)

As I already told in this blog, June is raining season in Japan.
Those flowers in the picture blossom in this season.
We call "Ajisai".
Ajisai is one of my favorite flowers.

I have never seen Ajisai in US, so it might be distinctive Japanese
plants.

after that ...(Edamame & tomatoes)

I'm staying in my parents' home from Friday.

When I went back to my parents' home one week later
after returning to Japan, I saw just those plants without
Edamame and tomatoes, but about a month later, I could see them.

I would be able to enjoy them when I visit parents' home next.

one of the scenery in Japan

I realized I went back to my country when I saw the scenery of rice fields.

Picking season of rice is in fall, and at that time, the color of rice plants
change to light brown, but look like gold.
It's so beautiful, I think.

When I was in SB, I really missed the scenery of each four seasons
in Japan outside my family and friends.

I want to introduce you all four seasons of Japan from now.

shrine and "OMIKUJI"

I went to one shrine in my hometown today.
I just got the new car, so I'm always excited to drive and go somewhere.

You can see the main hall of that shrine in the second photo.
Almost people put small change in the box which is located
in front of the main hall, and pray something to realize their dreams.

I also did that and prayed my hope.

Then, I drew the "OMIKUJI".
OMIKUJI is kind of like a fortune cookie.
The result was so-so.
I believe just good advices.

raincoat

Rainy season will almost start in Japan.
That's really bothering me to go shop, but I don't like to
stay at home all day.
So I started to prepare some items for this season.

First, I looked for the raincoat in internet shop, and I could
find neat coat that was one-piece style.
Right now, I'm looking for the rain boors.

welcome to my home

I like to decorate my room using cute items or antique.

One day, I found a bunch of yellow flowers when I went to
the supermarket.
I wanted to decorate those flowers at the entrance of my room,
but I didn't have the vase.
I thought in front of the flower shop how I put those flowers...　
Hmmm...

!!
I remembered I had one cute kettle that I didn't use it.

I put it on the shoe box with the black board what I wrote
welcome message to my home.

magazines

I like to get information about restaurants or cafes from magazines.
I sometimes spend 2-3 hours just to visit nice cafes.
Those are good places to spend my time with books.

I bought 4 magazines to find new places to enjoy foods or time.

I might be able to introduce some cafes which I visit to you all
in the near future.

Chinese Seasoning

I have a Chinese friend in SB and she just became mother in this April.
She is first friend for me except Japanese, so I was also glad when hearing
the big news that she became mom.

She told me some Chinese cooking, fried rice, spicy tofu, Chinese dumpling...

One day, she gave me a Chinese seasoning for spicy tofu.
I always use this seasoning since then.

I brought this seasoning from SB and enjoy real Chinese dish
at current home.

How beautiful!

I hadn't recognized the scenery in Japan was so spectacular before I lived
in US because I would have had been living in my country about 30 years.

My friend who lives in northern area in Japan sent me so beautiful pictures
of his hometown just before I left US.
I was tired when I received those pictures, so I could relax by those pictures.

I look forward to seeing beautiful scenery in next spring from now.