Japan Centre London quick shopping

Since the coach will depart at 17:10/17:15, I had got to be quick.

There was a queue for the soft white bun with sweet red bean paste.
OK, I skipped that this time then.

I  went to the freezer/fridge to get natto.
There are products of 3 brandnames.
 I chose the orangy coloured one.
The ingredients seem slightly better.
A pack of 4.

Then I quickly walked to the back and
grabbed a few items including
Shichi-mi tōgarashi powder.

An avocado sushi pack from the food court area.

I didn't even have time to look for the Japanese free paper/magazine for local Japanese.

Queued &  paid.
Wrapped the natto well as I had  a long way to go.

Forgotten to take photograph of the natto.

But same as the one I bought last time.

There are the Santander bikes for rent outside Japan House.
But I am not sure there is dock for them near Tottenham Court Road or not.
So I skipped that.

Found my way with Google map back to Tottenham Court Road on foot. 
Walked through part of China Town.

No time to shop for the other stuff I need.
(This time I just very quickly grabbed
1 soft sweet flat sphere form of snack 
with peanut, desicated coconut  花生糯米糍from a bakery.)

Walked passed famous Foyle Book Shop.
(see the map in previous blog entry)

Arrived in time.
Enjoyed my sushi on coach.

The coach started the return journey at 17:25. Traffic jam.

Sun set photo taken during the loo stop.

I got off the coach at 20:34.

Thanks for the day, dear God.

  : ) 


 Part 1
http://sn-uk.blogspot.com/2018/09/japan-house-london-visit-part1.html
 Part 2
http://sn-uk.blogspot.com/2018/09/japan-house-london-visit-part-2.html
 Part 3

http://sn-uk.blogspot.com/2018/09/japan-house-london-visit-part-3.html

Japan House London visit part 3

Then I went up to the ground floor and browse around the museum-like shop...

Hand-made brooms.

Products from different companies.

Then I see more of the works by that copperware/metalware studio.
(small exhibition of Gyokusen Do)

A bigger pot next to this display has  price tag in 5 digit of GBP.
But it is a craft work or even art with copper, silver, gold.

A book of the craftsmaster's works

For more details of his work and the studio:
 http://www.gyokusendo.com/library/mokume
That is from the website of that copperware studio.

It is nothing like my original itinerary of the day trip,
but I really appreciate it ---
as I have been yearning for art-craft-design activities.
 ( well, I like glass and metal )

Due to the time limit, I found the bus stop for bus number 9.
This bus goes pass Kensington Garden which is near the Kensington Palace,
and Hyde Park. I should visit them next year or so.

The bus also went pass Royal Albert Hall.



 Seen while I was on bus...
Didn't see the name.


Got off the bus at Trafalgar Square.
Walked pass the Canada House, National Gallery.

National Gallery & St.Martin-in-the-field church.


My 2nd target today -- Japan Centre.
I wanted to get some food grocery there.


Part 4
http://sn-uk.blogspot.com/2018/09/japan-centre-london-quick-shopping.html

Part 1
http://sn-uk.blogspot.com/2018/09/japan-house-london-visit-part1.html
Part 2
http://sn-uk.blogspot.com/2018/09/japan-house-london-visit-part-2.html

Japan House London visit part 2

It’s my first time to Japan House (near High Street Kensington station) since its opening this year.

It is a museum-like shop of Japanese items of national level craftsmanship.

It is free to visit. On the left inside, it is a mini indoor garden with a tree.
It is demonstrating traditional skill of supporting tree trunks with wood & ropes.

Browsing around the ground floor area is delightful.

I didn't visit the authentic Japanese restaurant upstair.


   Though I can not attend demonstrations / talks by the top Japanese professional craftsmen due to timing/distance, it is still nice to see a small exhibition - of the metal works by one of Japan's national cultural heritage - copperware craftsman 目玉宣夫* of, &, 玉川堂 (Gyokusen do).

     He & his work won a silver award in 1910 British-Japanese exhibition in London.
It is impressive that the Japanese keeps the diploma paper well and after 2018-1910 = 108 years later they brought the diploma back to England to be part of the exhibition.

    I knew their different workshops were and are full for these past 2 weeks and that day.
(The email reply I got said so)  Still, I tried to go in to observe the workshop.
I tried to get on the walk-in waiting list.  They have interpretors.

     The Japanese craftsmen of 玉川堂(Gyokusen do) travelled from Japan to UK.

The staff took me to pay and then I joined in.

    Step by step guides and examples.

Tools and materials are provided

Impressed by their professionalism.
They take their craft & craftsmanship seriously. The organisers are good to arrange such cultural events for a nominal fee only...

      Grateful for God's arrangement to let me enjoy a mini copper workshop  headed by a professional craftsman and manager/boss (?)  (They were cousins and related to the craftwman mentioned above)  from Gyokusen Do who flew from Japan.


Back to Part 1
http://sn-uk.blogspot.com/2018/09/japan-house-london-visit-part-1.html

Part 3
http://sn-uk.blogspot.com/2018/09/japan-house-london-visit-part-3.html

Part 4
http://sn-uk.blogspot.com/2018/09/japan-centre-london-quick-shopping.html

Japan House London visit Part1

My coping strategy is usually fill my days with adventure of some sort.
A few weeks ago I booked a coach day-trip to London. 

In the morning it rained and have traffic jams along the way.

Arriving late in London Tottenham Court Road near the Planet Organic.
I walked towards Goodge Station having walked passed places
 where I can see Japanese food .

Usually I would have spent at least half an hour in Muji and maybe longer in Planet Organic.



(screen captured from google map )


(need to use underground route map)

Oops!
I have forgotten to bring my Oyster card
(stored value card for London public transportation)

With the self-service ticketing machine,
after checking how much it is to get return ticket (almost GBP10)
and how much it is to get a new Oyster card (GBP5),
 I bought a new card,
with extra GBP5 to store in it. (enough for the journey I need)

Destination : the nearest station : High Street Kensington.
(Yeah , Kensington, but that is a big area)

Well, I picked up an underground route map ...
and still lost some time inside them maze!!

Need to be careful which way each time you find a platform and get on a train.

Anyway I got there.

Walked passed Marks & Spencer and it's easy to find.

Part 2
http://sn-uk.blogspot.com/2018/09/japan-house-london-visit-part-2.html

Part 3
http://sn-uk.blogspot.com/2018/09/japan-house-london-visit-part-3.html

Part 4
http://sn-uk.blogspot.com/2018/09/japan-centre-london-quick-shopping.html

Victorian explorers fantasy

This year, nearby steampunk festival- lovely weather... I like to see the Victorian explorer themed dress up cosplay. Of course, each fesrival come with stores, food, drink, ice-cream... 2018.09.08 &09 Saturday & Sunday.

This collage below is from www. 

Because I could only be there for 45 minutes. 

 I did not dress up. Only went there with the colour scheme  ...  and a classic nostalgic cardigan with beast tooth-shaped buttons. Maybe one day  when I met friends who like cosplay...

protein snack cocoa chia nut seeds vegetarian

Neat adaptation of cocoa protein balls.
No baking required.

I built upon a pack by Sarah Wilson.
Faster & easier.

I replaced the dessicated coconut coating with something else ...and not in ball form.

Instead of rice malt syrup,
I used unrefined cane sugar.
 I added other ingredients.

  

 

A few were not in the photo though.
What did I used?

A pack of no sugar no oil protein ball mix pack.

1, Instead of coconut oil,
I used coconut butter, 2/5 of a 200g pack.
Melt over very gentle heat.

2, Adding in light unrefined muscavado cane sugar.

3. Adding in 75% of the pack.

4. Adding in boiling water.
    Upto 1/2 pint ( 235ml).

5. Mixed well.  Off fire. Let it cool.

6. Mixed these nuts & seeds:
Almonds & peanuts(crushed)
roasted sesame seeds,
poppy seeds,
cocoa nibs.
😄Sprinkle on cupcake cases.

Optional: use cocoa powder .
(& then on top of mixture later)

7. Using spoon to place the mixture onto cupcake cases. 😉
( I do not want to form balls with my fingers or hands.
 You might opt for auto-release ice-cream scoop)

8. Dusting the outside with a mix of
organic cocoa powder &
light muscovado unrefined cane sugar.

9. Pressed/shaped with the back of tea-spoons.

😄

It is vegetarian.
 Wheat-free.
The pack said gluten-free.

 The pack I bought contained :
Oats,
coconut flour,
whey protein concentrate (powder) from milk,
Chia seeds,
raw cocoa powder.
The pack was 270g but I used 75%.