2018-10-02

A quick visit to a plant-based themed small expo in Brighton vegan festival

Personally I had been to art & craft expo, design expo, motor industry expo, pharmaceutical expo.  Often expo-goers can see /experience/ taste things way before the mass see them in high syrret shops/ supermarkets.  Nice๐Ÿ˜„

Since I may not be travelling to London for the big one mext month, so, on Saturday I went briefly to the small one organised by Viva!

Hilton Metropole Brighton.

 It has catering hall, talks and many different kinds of stalls in the large hall.
 Not too big - a comfortable size.  
I got some nice stuff.

I only managed to go there around 4 pm. Official entrance fee on the door is a fiver. But there were early birds tickets & other packages.  

(No need to walk all the way from hotel main entrance.  Use the side entrance from Cannon Street  to the exhibition hall.)

To avoid missing things out, and to prevent impulse buying, I started with a quick walk through. Then I got a mixed fruit juice before revisited some stalls. 

I could not buy everything I was interested in but good to see interesting things. 

The guy at the artisan green tea and macha stall  gave me 2 magazines๐Ÿ˜„ which he got from other stalls.  So as a recipocate gesture, I bought a pair of wooden chopsticks from his stall. (I could not drink tea that quick after the juice)  That stall sells nice glass tea pots, ceramic tea cups, too. And macha protein balls.





 In the 2 magazines,  and the official Viva magazine(not photoed), there are lots of recipes and useful informations.

I only bought a Spanish ceramic grating dish, and a natural hand-made shampoo soap bar.  Ha!

Another thing I surprisedyself is I only picked up a leaflet or two, plus, from the general area outside the hall a Great Taste Book 2017-18.

Many people have misconceptions about vegan "festivals" . They are basically another themed expositions (expo) , or  exhibitions ,  where products, services & talks , music, etc, took place. 

๐Ÿ‘ซWho are interested in such event?

Those who care about
๐ŸŒณHealth, youth, beauty, healing.
๐ŸŒณAnimals
๐ŸŒณ Envirnoment
๐ŸŒณ Spiritual & religious purity,
virtues & integrity
๐ŸŒณ Catering / beverage

Diary-free egg-free versions
of chocolate, cakes & desserts...
Kind products...

And naturally , related  businesses showcase their products & services under one roof. Handy, isn't it?
 
The first time I tried plant based and raw vegan stuff was about 9 or 10 years ago from a particulat pioneering group far away from where I live. Not much choices in where I lived.

Isn't it that such "festival",  or expo , a nice way to see things outside high street shops and see beyond the limitations of average supermarket? ๐Ÿ’ก

๐Ÿ˜„Good to see more plant-based food, drinks, snacks, etc , are reaching different supermarkets & shops this year.

❤May all people live a healthy life with plant-based food.
๐ŸŒฟ๐Ÿ’๐Ÿ๐Ÿ“๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ‹๐Ÿ‰๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ…
๐Ÿ๐ŸŠ๐Ÿ‘๐ŸŒฐ๐ŸŒป๐ŸŒพ๐ŸŒฝ๐ŸŒผ๐Ÿƒ




2018-09-17

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 tลgarashi 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  
่Šฑ็”Ÿ็ณฏ็ฑณ็ณ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 ็›ฎ็މๅฎฃๅคซ* of, &, ็މๅทๅ ‚ (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 ็މๅทๅ ‚(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