Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Relaxing Weekend

Trying to go different places every weekend. Just want to get to know Tokyo better, and know what there are at different places. So last weekend, Pamela and I poured over a Tokyo guidebook, and decided on Jiyugaoka（自由が丘）, a place apparently filled with dessert shops and cafes. Settling on one of the recommended cafes, we headed to Tokyo Sweets Factory.

Stairs down to the cafe

Their line-up of cakes

Praline Chocolate cake and Rose hip-something-tea

The cake was superb. The drink was nice too. The atmosphere was great. Generally, 自由が丘 is quite a hippie place. Very relaxing, maybe therefore the name. I like the place. Very modern with a western feel, but yet I can still feel the Japanese-ness in the place. Japanese-Western, if you know what I mean.

After the tea, we headed to a nearby shopping mall. Actually it is just a place hidden behind the main street with a few shops. All very western/country-ish/relaxing.

By the way, I spent alot here. And Pamela didnt even buy anything!! I couldnt believe it. And I kept telling her as we go from shop to shop, that I am definitely not going to buy anything. But we always came out of the shop with a bag in my hand. Damn...

Remember the recipe book that I bought? I thought that it is time to try to challenge my cooking skills...haha...and tried one dish in the book. The dish for the day - もやし巻き豚肉しょうが焼き which basically just translates as 'stir-fried bean sprouts wrapped in ginger pork'. Although it doesnt look that great in the photo, it is actually not bad! I consider my first challenge a success!