Happy Beaujolais Nouveau 2014

It’s that time of the year again and though my friends and I broke our tradition of going out on the “Beaujolais Nouveau Day” and waited until the weekend immediately following it, we still had the same fun and feast.

Cavo

Komagome Ohkannon

I have been living in the same neighborhood for about 20 years and yet there are so many places around me I have never set foot. Nippori Station is about 15 minutes away from home by car so on foot about 30 minutes and not that close to where I live, but it’s a nice walk and I do it once in a while when I’m out that way.  This past weekend during this walk, I noticed this “kannon” for the first time and stopped by.  The building which houses the kannon is rather curiously shaped. “Komagome Ohkannon” was initially built in 1697 but was destroyed by fire during war (which?) and the current “kannon” was rebuilt in 1993. Here is an old drawing of an earlier form of this kannon I found on the web.

Okonomiyaki Here We Come

I had my particular set of friends from the US in town last week for the first time in about five years and together we did our long overdue “okonomiyaki” trip to Shimokitazawa.

“We’re in business” sign.

Waiting in anticipation. Greg in the middle is a first timer.

 

Ready for the five of us. Wrote our other friend Peter’s name on the okonomiyaki to include him in our lunch. He couldn’t stand not being able to join us but he had other commitments in Boston.

My oyster okonomiyaki with soba and extra scallions.

The boys fool around after lunch.

This okonomiyaki restaurant is based on the Hiroshima style of okonomiyaki.  Very yum.

Hiroki

 

 

 

A Relaxing Friday Evening Before a Busy Busy (with Fun) Long Weekend

I don’t think I’ve been away this long from posting something new but life’s been busy this three-day weekend.  Before we went into the weekend, I was taken to a dinner with a view (meaning the food is well, OK, but not spectacular) and here is a recap (though we’re missing a few dishes).

Aoyama Laputa Garden

A Belated Birthday Celebration

My best friend and I had promised each other that we would do a birthday celebration together, having been born in the same month of the same year and this year somewhat marking a momentum.  Well, we were busy and it got delayed but finally we did it.  Yesterday for lunch, we went out and celebrated and loved it.

“BYO”

Amour