Reporting From The Beautiful, Lush Country of Japan

Today marks the half way point of our stay in Japan. We are looking forward to six more days in this beautiful country. There is much to digest: from our days in the bustling city of Tokyo, to a relaxing day in the countryside of Hakone, and then onto an unbelievable rewarding time spent with a Master Tea blender in Shizuoka ( a premier tea growing region). This morning, we awake excited with anticipation of embarking on another day in Kyoto, the home of  many world heritage sites.

Comments, musings, and experiences thus far:
~ Japan is a very clean country. The streets, subways, train stations, hotels, and restaurants are spotless. Someone is always wiping done one surface or another.
~ The Japanese people are extremely courteous, helpful, friendly, and QUIET.
~ Cha(tea) is served at every meal, and is complimentary in all restaurants. What a great concept!
~ Tea bushes line the valley and hillsides of Shizouka- it reminded us of the vineyards back home in Napa Valley. The community was busy with the second harvest. We were able to visit a tea factory, and experience the behind the scenes of production. We were giddy as we took in our surroundings. The smell of fresh picked tea leaves was intoxicating. 
~ If you love seafood, you will not be disappointed in this country. However, open your mind and palate to new delicacies. It's eel season, after all.
~ Udon noodles are delicious, and the process of preparing your own treasure bowl is enlightening. All the flavors really pop( Japanese ginger, radish, green onion, sesame seeds, snap peas, and etc). Be prepared to hear lots of loud slurping noises going on around- it's common and a sign of appreciation.
~ Sashimi, and sushi (not an avocado in sight). We have consumed the freshest fish possible. Melts in your mouth. Hamachi, fatty tuna, salmon roe, urchin, unagi, and our personal new discovery: horse mackerel. Stay away from raw octopus. Let's just leave it at that!   
~ Don't be afraid to navigate public transportation. Subways, trains, and buses are an adventure in themselves, and you will save money. 
- Visit shrines, temples, walk down  alleyways, and peer into nooks and crannies- Japan is a maze of culture and history at every turn.
- I love fried food, and Japanese tempura served with my second love(flavored salts) is the bomb.
- Try out the Japanese language.  You will be well received, despite a few giggles. Konnichiwa, arigato,  and sayonara will do just fine.
 - Sake,  sake, and sake. Refresh palate with beer. Repeat.

Upon our return, we will post photos, and give a more in- depth look into our experiences into this amazing country. Pour yourself a cup of Drink the Leaf tea- make it a sencha, gyokuro, or genmachia! 

Kampai!       
    
** excuse typos- writing on Ipad.

Top 10 Highlights of 2009

Happy New Year!

Bring on 2010! The year of the Tiger. GRRR.

We had a fabulous 2009. We are eager to see what adventures are in store in 2010 for the Tea Drinker and his faithful, adoring witty wife(that's me). I hope it will include intriguing travels, tasty morsels, liberal libations, lots of friends and family, and loads of laughter.

My Top 10 Highlights of 2009

10) Michael Mina, Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay, NYC's Locande Verde , Chinese New Year, or Thanksgiving at a dear friend’s home. It’s a tossup for me between which one of these was my favorite meal of 2009. I am spoiled rotten when it comes to enjoying food, and proud of it. All of the above experiences had the right ingredients: ambiance, great company, copious wine, and a downright delicious meal.

9) The Little Fishes. After years of whining about wanting a fish tank, my dear husband surprised me with one for my birthday. A highlight indeed, and the best part is that the Tea Drinker cleans the tank. Check out what our cat, Little One, thinks about this new addition to our family.

8) Mops & Pops 50th Wedding Anniversary. A milestone, and a fantastic celebration. It was a treat to spend time with our extended family back East. No, really.

7) A family Affair: Gemma Grace & Oklahoma Bound. I can't wait to meet our precious new niece, Gemma. My parents are finally grandparents at last, and can expand their pictures of offspring beyond a cute little feline that resides on the West Coast. Congratulations to my brother, Mike and lovely Rachel! In August, we descended upon the Sooner state for a relaxing and fun weekend with my brother, Nick. We wore ten gallon hats, road down Main street on throughbreds, and drank beer by the boat load. Well, at least the beer part is true.

6) Phone & Internet. I can't live without this little gadget known as the cell phone. How else would I be able to stay in touch with my best friends, Alex & Dede, and talk their ears off at will? And, a weekly highlight always includes conversations with my Dad. We talk about everything and nothing. A phone and a dame is a dangerous thing. And because of Facebook and Twitter, I was able to reconnect with college friends for a “girls gone crazy’ weekend in NYC last February. And, lived to talk about it.

5) Mommy and Me. A wonderful Happy Birthday getaway Mother’s Day weekend bash in Charleston, SC. What fun. We love this historical city, and all that it has to offer. We will be back.

4)Sea Ranch. My top ten list would not be complete without including my treasured getaway destination. If you haven’t been, do yourself a favor and plan a trip. But, please not when I am there, I am trying to relax...

3)Drink the Leaf Organic Golden Monkey. Of course, loose leaf tea is near the top of the list. It's my number one jump starter of the day. I am obsessed with this tea- too bad it’s really limited. I can’t imagine my life without tea, and a great book. Dramatic, I know. But, that’s how I roll.

2)Napa Valley Adventure Boot Camp. Obviously, I am equally obsessed with my ‘must have’ outdoor workout regimen. I am grateful for my health. Now, if I could just find a ‘nutrition plan’ that I am equally as obsessed about.

1) Happy New Years! For years we have rung in the new year with our great friends, the Scots. We stay at home and enjoy each other’s company with bubbles flowing and devour a fabulous meal. This year’s highlights were no exception: Cream of Cauliflower soup from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc At Home, a ruthless game of Pictionary, and we stayed up past Midnight without any injuries.

Thank you for reading! Here's to much more fun and laughter in 2010!

** Post your favorite highlights of 2009 here**

First Came Loose Leaf Tea, now Fish?

Last weekend’s post about our twelve new fish resulted in an uproar with our cat, Little One. How dare we? She has lived in this house for almost eleven years- first came all the fuss about tea, now fish? This was the ultimate insult. Little One became a part of our family to keep the Tea Drinker company while I was away on business trips. They became inseparable- Little One watches his every move, always at his side, and peering over the keyboard as he processes orders for http://www.drinktheleaf.com/. And for me, I would return from my business trips, and see that where I laid my head down at night just a week before was now a welcoming pile of kitty hair. Touching. All kidding aside, Little One loves me too. Who else would feed her scraps from our dinner?

But fish, come on! They aren’t supposed to be made a fuss over. They are supposed to be in a can that we open, and reward Little One with while she twirls and wraps herself around our legs. Pure purring bliss. Now, the tables have turned, and we are feeding fish, instead of opening a can of her favorite treat.

How do we make it up to her? She loves to be outside and eat grass. Problem number one, is that she is an inside cat- and is not allowed outside without supervision. Yes, I am a strict Mom. Problem number two, the only yard we have is in the front of the house near the street. The back of our house is all paved patio. Solution? Plant grass in a pot and put in a shady area under the potato vine. Check out Little One’s reaction to this idea (see above photo). Man, these fish are really starting to get on her nerves...

Hurry up, and use the “twelve fish” discount, while I still have fish. Try Red Peony this week. No fuss, no muss.

**Enter “Twelve Fish” in the coupon code, and receive 20% off any Drink the Leaf product.

One Fish, Two Fish, Three Fish-

Twelve. That’s how many fish I have. One week ago the Tea Drinker gave me an Aquarium for my birthday. I have always wanted one, but never expected to actually own one. We have had many conversations back and forth over the years that went much like this---“You can’t have one, who would clean it, who would feed the fish, who would take out the floating ones?” Okay, we both know the answers to all of those questions. The same person that waters the plants, mows the lawn, feeds the cat, and cleans out the litter box- the Tea Drinker. So, how could I argue with that? Instead, I continued to decorate our bathroom with all things fish. Maybe that is what finally pushed him over the edge. And that’s why, this gift was so special, because it came with the caveat that my husband was agreeing to all the reasons why he told me we would never own an aquarium.

We were like expectant parents. Staging the baby room. First, came the aquarium stand, and choosing where we would put our crib. It had to go some where that was stable, and with out sunlight beating down on it, and needed to be easy to get to. Next, came choosing the gravel and plants, and filling the 14 gallon tank. Then we proceeded to get up three times a night to make sure we had not flooded our living room. Plus, the temperature and the GH, KH,pH,NO2, and the NO3 of the tank water had to be just right, before we could put little fishies in it. So, we waited a week while our tank sorted itself out. We could hardly stand it, we were so excited to go live! How many fish could we have? Our trusty local fish expert pointed out that size does really matter. The tank could probably hold only ten to fifteen fish. We chose five different types, and were told to start with one species, and add a new one each week.

We chose the first species- Balloon Mollies. I chose three- one black, one white, and one a blend of black and white. I must have issues if I am color coordinating my fish! Dan humored me and we left the store proud parents. We put our fish directly into the tank on Friday night, and on Monday morning discovered that we had a family of twelve. How does this happen? Pandemonium broke out. What were we to do? We weren't prepared. We were new aquarium owners. We aren't experts in the mating rituals of fish. We still don’t know who the culprit is, and no one has fessed up. They are just going about their business, while we try to figure out how to feed and nurture nine little baby fish smaller than the tip of my pinky nail. After much reading, surfing the net, and consulting the fish guy, we now have a mini-aquarium floating in our 14 gallon tank. Each morning, we wake to grind fish flakes to a fine powder and feed the babies on a regular basis. And, yes, we are still getting up in the middle of the night, and reporting to each other the head count every day.

Next up is cleaning the tank. As I write this the Tea Drinker has a tube, a bucket, a towel all in hand, and is about ready to tackle this next task. The gift that keeps on giving. I haven't had the heart to tell him that I read that our Mollies might make this a habit and give us a gift every 60 days...I am lucky girl.

What does all this have to do with tea? Nothing. Except that Dan told me that if I hurry up and write this he will offer our readers a fish discount for a limited time only. Enter “Twelve Fish” in the coupon code, and receive 20% off any Drink the Leaf products. I recommend trying White Peony this week. (remember to click recalculate to apply discount)