Down home American cookin'

One of my favourite hangouts for a simple and quick, down home meal is Bubby's. Not only is the food good, but it's a non-smoking restaurant. Heaven!

The original Bubby's is in Tribeca, New York, and they opened in Yokohama in 2009. It's conveniently located right next to Sakuragicho Station, so it's on my way home.

I really love the chicken and leek pot pie with sauteed spinach and mashed potato, washed down with a fresh lemon and lime press soda. True comfort food and always yummy to eat in a corner with a good book at hand.

Bubby's also has great burgers and salads as well as an array of dessert pies.

They have a cafe and takeout counter for a quicker, cheaper meal.

Bubby's hits the spot when I crave an instant fix of western food...

Flying solo

My latest adventures and travels have alas been sans my husband. Dean has moved back to Australia for the new 2010 school year to start a new teaching position nearby our home on the south coast of New South Wales. I am following him back once my contract here in Japan is finished in June.

So I am flying solo for five months!

I start an exciting new job as Library Director at The Illawarra Grammar School in Wollongong in mid July.

It will be wonderful to return home. I'll leave Japan with mixed feelings...sadness at leaving friends, colleagues, and all my wonderful TIS students, and saying goodbye to a country that I have loved and enjoyed being immersed in; and joy at being among family and friends again! Once again I will be able to read packages in the supermarket and appliance instructions in English!

I have loved every minute (or almost every minute) of living in Japan and have learned so much about a culture and country that I knew so little of. I will REALLY miss the efficient transportation system, the wonderful food AND the onsen.

Meanwhile I will maximise what time I have left here and enjoy traveling, sightseeing and eating as much as I can.....

Ume no Hana

Recently I dined at a "tofu" restaurant with a Japanese friend. Ume no Hana (the picture above is from their website) is a speciality restaurant that serves a variety of yuba and tofu dishes. There are several of these particular restaurants throughout Japan. The one we visited was in Yokohama in the Sky Building. The location on the 29th floor offered beautiful evening views of the Yokohama skyline.

We opted for the set course menu that included the items illustrated in this picture (from the restaurant web site) to the left. Each course came beautifully presented and made even tofu look and taste appealing!

Not sure if I can remember every detail, but there were yuba strips, fu pops, tofu egg custard with scallops, soy milk shabu shabu with pork and seasonal vegetables, and risotto Japanese style.

All this was accompanied by a delightful umeshu, japanese plum wine.

The menus at Ume no Hana are only available in Japanese, so I am thankful to my Japanese friend Naomi for inviting me to share in this wonderful meal with her.

Winter Wonderland

Last weekend I was fortunate to visit Sapporo and experience the Snow Festival. What an amazing spectacle of snow and ice and BRRR how cold it was!

When I landed on Friday evening it was -12C and clear skies. After checking in to my hotel I was eager to walk the streets and get a sneak peek at all the snow sculptures. The illuminated snow was beautiful...









On Saturday morning the skies were blue and it was a brisk -7C.

The snow sculptures were beautiful...






















The ice sculptures were equally as stunning...





















The food in Hokkaido is amazing. With an array of yummy foods available at street stalls during the festival I sampled delicious crab, scallops, and lots of beautiful vegetables.

My accommodation was also fabulous. I can highly recommend the Cross Hotel - modern, clean, impeccable service, beautiful food, fab location and an ice bar out the front! My rate included a wonderful hot buffet breakfast each morning. The selection included both Japanese and western food.









Unlike other Japanese cities, Sapporo has a rectangular street system that is relatively easy to navigate. The streets are wide and there are many European style buildings. As in other cities, the transport system was efficient. The trains to and from the New Chitose airport are fast and plenty.

There are more pics from my weekend to view here.

Inspiring Photography

I always appreciate beautiful photographs...

Recently I came across this website which has some amazing images of Asia and Japan. Captured by John Lander, a freelance writer and photographer based in Japan, they are truly beautiful and inspiring...

Hong Kong

I flew to Hong Kong in late November for a one day workshop and a weekend of sightseeing.

The workshop on Guided Inquiry was a little disappointing (not a great deal of new information for me and no internet access!), but the sightseeing, food and friends were worth every minute.

I stayed at the Mingle Place "On the Wing", an average hotel in a great location. The hotel was a little tired, the main annoyances being a broken cupboard, a TV that didn't work properly, no bathroom light for 24 hrs and shabby staff. On the plus side there was free wi-fi!

I did get to meet my new boss from The Illawarra Grammar School, where I will be starting as Library Director in mid July. Stephen, who was en-route to Shanghai, and I enjoyed a lovely dinner at the Scala Restaurant and I signed my new contract.

Michael, husband of my current Deputy Principal at TIS, was a gracious host during some of my time in Hong Kong escorting me to a fun lunch and snooker game at the The United Services Recreation Club (USRC), and a wonderful Chinese dinner at the American Peking Restaurant in Wan Chai! We also sampled a few drinks at the The Old China Hand and The Globe (now in a new location)

(Established in 1911 for British Army officers and their families, the USRC is the oldest recreational club in Hong Kong. The American Peking Restaurant has a nearly fifty year history of enticing westerners to dine on some of the best Peking Duck and Beggars chicken in Hong Kong.)

The sights, the smells and the sounds of Hong Kong are a sensual delight...








I enjoyed a bus ride up to the Peak and took in the spectacular view from the Sky Terrace, which is rather an amazing piece of architecture.








I'd love to go back and explore some more!
You can see more photos here...

Fall in Ohio

Catching up on the past few months...my blogging has fallen hopelessly behind!

In October I spent a week back in Ohio enjoying the magnificent Fall colours and sharing time with precious friends.









Those spectacular leaves reminded me once again of how beautiful Ohio can be.
It was wonderful to see my friends and catch up with all that's happened in their lives.
There were bitter sweet moments - the sadness of a friend passed, precious time with one who is sick and weary of this life; and the joy of welcoming a new life and holding him in my arms.

I was reminded of how blessed I am am to have such special people in my life and to appreciate the way they have touched and influenced me.

More photos here...