The structure unlike Japan & Nostalgic Alcolic Cafe Roje

Not many people would have any idea that this building is in Japan. Here in a suburb of Tokyo, I am taking this photo as I pass the crossing. I usually only saw it from the train, but I wanted to get off at this station to explore the area.

Today, I would like to introduce you to an Italian-style restaurant Alcolic Cafe Roje that I found interesting. The restaurant is located just a short walk from the north exit of Numabukuro Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line.

Pasta is 990 yen, salad and drink can be added for 110 yen. The salad + pasta + drink set will cost you only 1,100 yen😳  It's an absolute steal, isn't it!? In addition to this nice lunch set, I'll add something else since I'm in a town where I don't usually get off.

First, a salad from the lunch set. The edamame in it makes me low-key happy😊  The salad is rich and the quality is great!

Each pasta dish is served with a choice of sauce and two ingredients. I chose tomato sauce, shrimp and broccoli. This dish is deep in flavor and delicious💕  In addition to the lunch set, I ordered sparkling wine to accompany my meal😘

My choice after the meal was a café latte, which's also a part of the lunch set. I might want to add dessert as an additional order...

To commemorate my visit, I savour a tiramisu, which is a specialty of Alcolic Cafe Roge♪♪♪

Black coffee is the perfect way to finish off a substantial meal. Relaxing in the nostalgic atmosphere of this restaurant, I really enjoyed the food to my heart's content.

Its vibe, reminiscent of the good old days, as if you've traveled back in time, somewhere, but not in Japan. It's a mysterious place that makes you feel like you are somewhere not in Japan. If you're ever in the area, it's worth trying this authentic local cafe once as a part of your life experience.

Alcolic Cafe Roje   ◆available as a café, bar, or restaurant◆ 

2F, 1-39-3 Numabukuro, Nakano City, Tokyo, JAPAN

Double cherry blossoms in Gotanda 2024

One week or so after single cherry blossoms have finished blooming, double cherry blossoms start to bloom. Compared to single cherry blossoms that fall right away, double cherry blossoms keep on blooming for about 3 weeks. If single cherry blossoms were fleeing and beautiful, double cherry blossoms would be...

Cute, sweet, lovely! I am enamored with them this year too. Let me post various kinds of double cherry blossoms adjacent to where I live. 

How did you like it? These were all photographed along Meguro River. 

I really like double cherry blossoms. I feel joy when I see them. Those pretty ones give me hope, and keep me going forward. 

Joy, Peace, Happiness and Love, Rose

Single cherry blossoms in Gotanda 2024

Hi there. Though I'm still in the middle of writing about my stay in Michigan, let me upload this year's cherry blossoms in my town.

The cherry trees all over Japan burst into boom. We got lucky with great weather to admire them in full bloom on the weekend. I'm walking towards Osaki area from Gotanda area.

Those pale pink blossoms bloom all at once and fall all at once quickly, which is making them even more aesthetically impressive in our heart. Delicate...fleeting... The beauty is transient.  

Rows of cherry trees as if covering Meguro River. Cherry trees are luxuriously alongside Meguro River that runs through a number of wards. Pale petals are scattering in the wind, on the river... They create a dreamy scene.

Osaki is a primarily commercial district in the northern part of Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. It has already completed several urban renewal projects.

Then, let me show you a road along the river. It is one side of the road between Osaki and Gotanda.

Petals in elegant subtle shades of pink are beautiful both in the way of blooming, and in the way of fluttering in the air to the ground. I think cherry blossoms are hearts of Japanese people.

+ + +

The following pictures are taken another day.

This spot of Meguro River is between Gotanda and Nakameguro. Skyscraper condominiums in the middle over there are in Osaki. The massive building on the left side is HOTEL GAJOEN TOKYO.

Every year, the weather tends to be unfortunate during cherry blossom season. It rains hard, or a strong wind blows while it's gonna bloom soon and until cherry petals start dropping almost as soon as they've opened. 

When I thought "I wish I could share this best time to look at cherry blossoms in my town with Collie." while walking, a Border Collie turned up. He's quite handsome. |o| 

Cherry blossoms are regarded as an iconic flower of Japan. I hope you enjoyed my post!

May cherry blossom petals fall gently on you...  Rose

How about a Japanese authentic chestnuts cream cake in Ginza?

Do you know "Mont Blanc" with regard to cake?  It's a piece of cake!?  Well...

There is a few places where you can savor an elegant "Mont Blanc" in Ginza, Tokyo.

"Mont Blanc" is a chestnuts cream cake.  Cafe de Ginza Miyuki-kan provides you with a lovely time among fancy interior decoration of the cafe.

Though we've got used to staying in since working from home became the new normal, hanging out leisurely with a friend that I get along with is a different time. It was a special time. My beautiful friend who showed up to work wearing a vivid orange dress is a mother of a girl now. 

I'll try to visit this cafe by myself in the near future. I miss that natural taste of the Chestnut Mont Blanc. White cream inside is not so sweet and really tasty as well as Japanese Chestnuts cream richly covering the cake.

Also, I'm looking forward to getting together with my good friend somewhere again soon.

Joy, peace, happiness and love,

Rose

night scene of the riverside buildings in Gotanda

Now only one place in Japan! How about chilling at Anna Miller's in a pleasant atmosphere?

Friday evening, on the way home after work, I got off at Shinagawa Station. I decided to visit Anna Miller's in Shinagawa after a long while. Across from the Shinagawa Station, I could go there smoothly as before. And thankfully, I was offered a table by the window with a good view! 

This is nice! I will sit back and relax for a while here. Anna Miller's Takanawa is a chain of American Food Restaurant and became the only one Anna Miller's remaining in Japan.

A smooth coffee is creating an even more peasant moment. "Would you like a refill of coffee?", charming waitresses are attentive to pouring a refill into our cups.

I felt cheesecake was different from what I remembered. This cheesecake is pretty white and more of a rare cheesecake than a baked cheesecake. I do like dense yellowish one like New York Cheesecake. Maybe it has changed? Or I changed.

Anna Miller's features 30 varieties of homemade pies, baked fresh daily. Which one are you intrigued by??

I ordered a pumpkin pie additionally. A mildly spiced pumpkin pie reminded me of American one.

Anna Miller's American Food may help you to feel like traveling in the U.S.  Anna Miller's in Shinagawa is open 7 days a week in the Keikyu Wing Shopping Center Takanawa.

I miss ASTORIA PASTRY SHOP in Michigan https://astoriapastryshop.com. I thought back on cheesecake and carrot cake of ASTORIA. Oh, it's fascinating...!

Enjoying a pleasant atmosphere at Anna Miller's, I walked to my condo. Though I followed several quiet narrow paths I didn't know, I got relieved when I somehow reached a Main Street of my town! It was sort of an adventure.

You too have a wonderful weekend, Rose

GOTANDA SHINANOYA, a chicken butcher that provides fresh, reliable and safe chicken for 73 years.

I ordered chicken on rice at a very popular chicken butcher many people always stand in line.

Yakitori bowl  ¥580  @GOTANDA SHINANOYA 

GOTANDA SHINANOYA is a family owned chicken specialty shop for 73 years. As you can see it at the link, it is a small respectable-shabby building that is located along Meguro River. The yakitori was surely tasty. It makes sense that there are always so many people wainting in line. 

I think I will cook rice at home and get yakitori sticks at GOTANDA SHINANOYA next time.  

A vegetable croquette is also popular and hard to get. Before it's sold out, I got two! It was a soft and gentle taste. 

The following day, I made my lunch including one croquette😄  Chikuwa (a tubular roll of boiled fish paste), an omelette, kimchi, sesame powder, grain rice, and seaweed. Like, my own nori-bento (seaweed lunch box)...ah, should be called seaweed lunch "plate" in this case😛

A state of emergency was extended again😑...it's until the end of August as of now. 

Take it easy at home, Rose

Chicken Schnitzel Parmigiana at SCHMATZ and other hip spots I want to check out

When I take a walk to Nakameguro, I often have a lunch at SCHMATZ, which is a German beer restaurant. I had a lunch there for the first time on the day I met my real estate agent for my condo hunting. Since then, SCHMATZ has been one of my fun places to go.

It got a destination when I walk from my condo towards Nakameguro area alongside Meguro River.

Chicken Schnitzel Parmigiana @SCHMATZ in Nakameguro

I ordered Chicken Schnitzel Parmigiana again that I had on my first visit for my lunch. It really increases my appetite! When the state of emergency is over and I can drink beer in Tokyo, I will definitely come back here.

And I go back to Gotanda area...

Wow it is a long waiting line!  "HUIT nakameguro" is an authentic bistro that features a Meguro River view.  I'd like to try it sometime.

On the same side of the street as HUIT, there is a French restaurant named "Restaurant Re", which is also a riverside spot. It seems a restaurant to go on a special day. Sometime...😷

Walking further back along the Meguro River, I took a shot of unique buildings. There are still more places to enjoy for a walk around here. I hope you will visit my blog again to see my shots.

Cheers!...at home, Rose

Birthday Wishes carved in the sand from Michigan & Moet in sunny weather in Tokyo

Happy Birthday Rose!!!!!

Collie sent me these pictures on my birthday.

It made me think he was on a short vacation in North Michigan that is his favorite place. "Are you in North Michigan now??" I got happy because he could refresh himself there.  

I took out stones to take a picture and show him. "We collected these stones in Petoskey, right? 😊"

Collie is like, he was driving to the Port Huron area about 2 hours northeast from his place and actually those stones were from Grand Marais, a small beach town a long distance far away in Northern Michigan.

Oh..the name Grand Marais was a bit hard to remember for me..😓  Anyway, I told him that the beach of Port Huron has also colorful stones according to his picture. 

All I did for my birthday was enjoying MOET & CHANDON at my place. My mother gave it to me at my previous apartment and I'd waited for the opportunity to share it with a family or a friend, but ended up drinking it alone😂  Even if I spend time with myself, it is an occasion worth celebrating!

Happy Birthday to me...❤︎

Champagne in sunny weather. As Collie wishes😉 to me... health, happiness, and a blessed Birthday! 

It took me 3 days to drink up a whole bottle of the Moet & Chandon...😅  Yeah well, there are times.

I will be alive, and I want to be true to myself.  

FAR YEAST TOKYO - fresh, 'live' beer inspired in Tokyo with Belgian style

Tokyo had the forth declaration of a state of emergency from July 12th to August 22nd, 2021. Well, I'm fed up with those restrictions...😑  So this weekend is the last one to be able to enjoy alcohol at the restaurant for the time being. I tried out a beer restaurant I'd been always interested in since I moved into this city.

Far Yeast Tokyo Brewery & Grill  1-15-6 Gotanda Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo

It is a brewery restaurant. Isn't it great that a beer restaurant has a brewery in its building? It reminds me of Griffin Claw Brewing Company in Birmingham, Michigan.

I came for my lunch on Saturday. Of course I ordered beer, too! My first beer here was "Tokyo White". The first sip of the beer blew me away. What a rich and sophisticated aroma it gives off...! Tokyo White is fruity and refreshing with its hop flavor. Fine hops must be selected. I liked that beer is served by the glass like a wine glass, which is Belgian Style I believe.

The beer is delivered directly from an adjoining brewery. No wonder it's fresh, and 'live' beer!

FAR YEAST TOKYO inspired in Tokyo, reflecting the vibrant city is improving its beer to be even more impressive. 

Grilled chicken was tasty, too💚  This place got one of my favorite restaurants in my city. Surely I'll come back here after the state of emergency is lifted. To be frank with you, it'd be wonderful if I could be here with Collie like we went to Griffin Claw in Birmingham, Michigan. 

Tokyo Brewery Gotanda is an elegant beer pub serving freshly made beer. It is hard to visit here from your country because of this situation, however, if you ever have a chance to travel to Tokyo, I truly think Far Yeast Tokyo Brewery & Grill is worth your visit to taste this 'live' beer with a gorgeous aroma. I hope you enjoy the original beer from Japan to the world!

All the best, Rose