I just started a new job helping to promote Martha Stewart Crafts in Japan! I will be demonstrating how Martha Stewart Products (such as the gorgeous punches) can be used to create beautiful crafts. For instance last week my company couriered me two giant boxes of
Martha Stewart Crafts products and I had to make cute and fun crafts
using these items. It's a hard life ;)
I'll be hosting workshops and demonstrations here in Tokyo (and maybe in some of my companies other 23 stores Japan wide, too) and making various promotional materials using Martha Stewart Crafts. We will soon be setting up a blog where I'll be posting some tutorials and such so I will be sure to tell you the url once it's live. In the time being, you might like to visit our facebook page.
The role is very flexible so there is still lots of time for other fun Hello Sandwich projects! yay!
And off we went. The tour started from Higashikitazawa station which is about three minutes walk from my apartment.
We stopped at each fumikiri and Kimura-san gave a history of each fumikiri.
Times like this I can't believe I live in Japan. I kept thinking to myself...OMG I live in Japan. I. am. on. a. community. walking. tour. where. everyone. is. speaking. Japanese.
I've been here for almost three years but sometimes it still hasn't sunk in. When I was working at VOGUE Living designing away at my Alexandria desk I doubt I could have imagined I'd soon be spending my Saturdays on a community walking tour.
Translates roughly as 'Please wait a moment'. I'll miss this!
I wonder just how long I've spent standing with my groceries watching these signs to see which way the train is coming (and how long we have to wait) at the fumikiri.
The fumikiri just a few minutes from my house.
Kimura-san used photocopies to show us what each fumikiri used to look like. Seriously, I felt so special to be involved in this community walk. It cost ¥300 and was so informative complete with maps and information booklets.
I'll miss lovely smiles like this bowing and helping everyone cross the fumikiri.
It's a bit of a popular photo taking hot spot at the moment as from next week these train tracks will be stopped forever.
Our walking tour group! Actually the guy in the purple wasn't on our tour - he just turned up and took some photos for us and then we asked him to be in our photo. Kind of hilarious.
I often take the Odakyu-sen train from Higashikitazawa station towards Shinjuku. In between Yoyogi Uehara and Yoyogi Hachiman is one of my favourite views in Tokyo. Without fail, I always keep my eyes peeled to the window watching over the grey residential buildings. It's a pretty ordinary view of Tokyo I think but for me, it's always so beautiful.
The above image was taken by Maimaiki on instagram (ありがとうまいまいきさん！）and shows a photo-crazed group of passengers at the Shibuya Toyoko-sen ticket gates. Everyone making memories of the last above ground Toyoko-sen train before it closed and went underground yesterday. Times are really changing here in Tokyo.
Okay, so that's my train post over. Anyone visiting Hello Sandwich for the first time might be surprised - ha ha I don't usually post train tracks! But this one is close to my heart.
Sandwiches!!!
やった!!!
I just found out that my five year visa for Japan was approved!
OMG I can stay in this incredible country until 2018!
Love you Japan!
Mr Y has been making these incredible wholemeal rolls.
Afternoons in Shimokitazawa.
A found beer can by the fumikiri (train tracks crossing). From next month Shimokitazawa station will be underground which breaks my heart a little.
A morning of snow in Shimokitazawa as seen from my balcony.
This is my current favourite lunch in Tokyo! All of the details for this cute place and many many more are, you guessed it, in my new Hello Sandwich Tokyo Guide! This lunch + a fancy coffee was only ¥1150!
Popped into Aiko Fukawa-san's exhibition in Daikanyama! I seriously wanted every one of her works!
Especially this cute dark one!
How adorable is Aiko-san!
Sunny lunch dates at Hello Sandwich HQ.
When you live in a mini-me Tokyo apartment you have to get creative with your sentaku. Nowhere else to hang this table cloth to dry but off the window railings.
Just an ordinary afternoon in Shimokita. But still makes my heart giddy.
How awesome is it that it's legal to drink on the streets in Tokyo! Roadies Shinjuku style with two cool Tokyo boys.
Best omiyage pack from NYC!
"I'm so sorry we've sold out of curry-man"! もうしわけありません！Love you Japan! Love you Lawsons!
Today I had a winter Valentines Day picnic in Setagaya koen with my friend Hiki-chan!
I packed two simple obento. Maybe the yummiest part of these obento were the quinoa, kale, chilli and hijiki patties I made. (although I burnt the tops of this batch a little oops). I used this recipe but added a few spices like mustard seed, chilli flakes, curry powder and cumin and then I added some renkon and hijiki that I had made the day before.
We set up camp on my little handmade leisure sheet (I love how they call picnic rugs leisure sheets in Japan!) It turned out to be quite a colourful and patternほうだい event! Hiki-chan took this amazing photo and a few others below - ありがとうひきちゃん！
No winter picnic is complete without one of my favourite things about winter - Mulled wine! Hiki-chan is the master of making it and packed this giant thermos full!
We took about a zillion instagram photo and spent the afternoon talking about blogging / Japanese stationery / bike riding / hot carpets and kotatsu.
After our obento it was tea time with tea from Violet and Claire and some Kagawa mini mikan that Hiki-chan bought along. How sweet that they came complete with leaf left on and in their own individual paper bag.
Violet and Claire is one of my favourite shops in Tokyo and is of course featured in my new Hello Sandwich Tokyo Guide. The guide is hard copy only (with no PDF this time) and is selling fast. The previous two zines sold out so please don't miss out on your copy here.
Today was the warmest day this week which is why we picked today for our picnic but for some reason I am freezing now. I'm back at home with the air-conditioner on, five jumpers, a scarf, leggings, winter socks and fluffy slippers and even hokkairo in my slippers but I'm still cold! Hope it's not a cold on it's way...
I'm just back from the sweets exhibition at Nidi Gallery. A handful of select artists were selling their handmade goods such as socks, tights, wrapping paper, gift tags and also a wide range of sweets perfect for Valentines day gifts. There were so many cute handmade goods on display and for sale!
I love this cute drinks bar at the counter. Have fun adding lavender, cinnamon and frombois to your hot tea!
Once you had added your select items to your tea you could name your original drink and place your 'recipe' on a note upon the gallery walls.
Amazingly cute brownie-cookies.
Visitors could even participate in an icing workshop.
I really loved the gift wrapping counter where the cutest Japanese girls were wrapping your Valentines Day sweets in clear cellophane bags embellished with folded original origami paper and pattered twist ties.
I'm a little inspired now to spend a day baking cute Valentines Day sweets for friends. I wonder if I should pop over to Loft and pick up some cookie cutters...
