An excuse for this long silence

Time passes so quickly it's been almost a year since i posted the last article.

I am currently working 6 days a week utilizing French and English, which had been one of the goals I had been longing for for a long time since when I was a school girl; would that make an excuse for this long silence? I hope it will.

Even after achieving one goal I cannot stop myself to have another one which describes how greedy I am. My next goal is to update myself by visiting countries to have some more experience in order to correspond to the needs of my pupils and workmates.

Also if I could make another wish it would be more stimulating to be able to utilize Vietnamese at work one day.

My favorite stylist who is also a good friend of mine suggested me to start a new business some day in the future and I have just started to prepare for this new project. I don't know how long on earth it would take to realize this plan but having a goal keeps me strong and positive; even if some of you may think what kind of monster would I become if I keep on going like this... but don't worry I am still just a normal girl who still dreams of ordinary things that all the normal girls dream of...!

Decadence du Chocolat

Chocolate bonbons in a box made of chocolate... yummy... Someone said that the box is more delicious than the chocolates inside though... !?

Chit chat with a friend

I realized I haven't been out with my friends for months since last Christmas when I got a text msg from a friend she was wondering if I was alive. To say the truth I was catching a cold or otherwise was satisfied with attending all the end-of-year events with my co-workers.

So, my life these days was consisted by 3 elements:
family, housework and company.

Then decided to contact her to have a nice girls' chit chat.

We talked about the subjects that bothers all the girls around 30s and about their interests which actually differs to each other even if they looks the same. Her creativity is something that I lack of and was interesting to hear how she fill up her mind or how she radiate her stress : it was again by creation of a fim or a play, which reminded me of a film I saw last night:

英語は映画でほどほどに: La Nuit Americaine (1974)

Then coincidently the director, Francois Truffaut was her favourite director that she wrote a graduation thesis on him.

We used to hang aroung together all the time even on weekends, but not anymore. We have our own lives, our own styles and our own interests. But I guess girls need a girl friend to chit chat once in a while!

karacu GINZA

A cafe recommended by one of my sweet tooth friend who knows almost every good restaurants in Tokyo or even in Kanto region. Although their most popular sweet was souffle they didn't have any during the promotion event at Shinagawa ecute.

Anyway we decided to enter and ordered a white snowy cake called 'Marron d'Ange'. The mousse tasted of slightly sour fromage blanc which made a fabulous mariage with the sweet marron paste peeped out from the centre as I scooped one bite. As my tongue was satisfied I would come back again for another discovery of sweets...

東京中のグルメを極めたお友達からご紹介いただいた、会社近くのカフェ。オレンジスフレが名物だが、この日は品川の催しのためスフレはお休み。代わりにマロンダンジュを注文。真っ白いムースはフロマージュブランの酸味と、真ん中に顔を覗かせる栗のほんのりした甘さとの、新しい組み合わせ、ふわりと溶けていくのが名残惜しいのが、美味しさを際だたせるよう。

お目当てのスフレに巡りあえずとも、とてつもなく満足‥ということは他のお菓子も美味しいに違いない。

Kompira-Chaya (Udon in Meguro)

After my friend's live at Meguro, I decided to have a quick Udon nearby. I was longing for it for a long time since I saw on TV the other day. I, a Mochi-freak, ordered one to check myself to see if the commentator's comment was right and it was. The ingredients and the producing procedure (according to an explanation on the menu) were of high quality, which made it one of their specialities, and the combination of Mochi and curry was not any worse than I imagined.

Anyway, I had to share a table with 2 ordinary salarymen after work in a suit, who seemed to be Kohai (younger salaryman) and Sempai (elder salaryman). As I was alone and had nothing special to do I just let myself listening to their banal conversation that went like:

Sempai: 'What's your plans for Christmas Eve? You're not staying overworking that day are you?'
Kohai: 'No, Mr. xxx, but I might as well as just stay at home with my girlfriend.'
Sempai: 'So you do have a new one do you?'
Kohai: 'Yes. I'd be killed if I overwork that day.'
Sempai: 'Yeah... girls are always like that. How about your holiday, when does it start?'
Kohai: 'From 27th, Mr. xxx, exactly as in calender.'
.... and so on.

It was better to concentrate on their conversation though than to do nothing while waiting for my Udon with only a glass of cold water.

They went off when my Udon came, as another 2 musician-like guys in a street fashion came and sat on my table. So again I listened. Another pair of Sempai and Kohai.

Sempai: 'So what're you gonna do if you have the gig that day?'
Kohai: 'She'll be fine. She's no longer as she used to be.'
Sempai: 'That's bad, it's a proof that she's tired of your relationship then.'
Kohai: 'You think so? How about your wife?'
Sempai: 'She's almost happy when I take out a bowl of Udon here. BTW when's your holiday gonna start?'
Kohai: 'I don't have a holiday, even on the New Year's day I work.'
.....

Did Japanese men speak only what is safe?
When the waitress brought a bottle of beer for the musicians, I was just so satisfied that I finished at last my bowl of Kompira's Udon I dreamt about and stood off to pay my bill.

Autumn windfall

At office my co-worker left me a bag full of something... and I found some kakis wrapped neatly in a newspaper with their branches...! I was touched by the warmth of her mother in Nagano...

Christmas Illumination

One of my favourite moments of the year in Tokyo... though I can't help feeling the commercial effects. A very cosy dinner at Bikini, Spanish restaurant with my old friends and their new boyfriends afterwards. A really friendly guest from France as well! Bon sejour!