Shopping and Tonkatsu 3-23-12

Day 1 March 23, 2012

Slept my first night on a Japanese futon bed, and I loved it. I want one for home, the grandkids would love sleeping on this, it's very comfy.   Woke up this morning and felt refreshed and ready to start the day.  Visited with Ric before he left for work and chatted with Teresa. When Ric left I picked up my futon and drank coffee with Teresa. We talked about our days activities.  Later that morning I finally got to talk to my sweetheart Marlon.  ♥   So nice to hear his voice,  we talked for about 1/2 hour,  he had just gotten home from walking 9 holes of golf and in the process of planning dinner.  Teresa gave me some nice things to wrap some of the gifts I brought for my Japanese friends. I wrapped them and now they are ready for gifting. 
Teresa and I got ready for the day and left to run some errands this morning, it's payday for everybody in Japan. 
After shower we all hang our towels out on line to dry. 

Everybody who works get paid once a month on the same day which is 25th.  There was a line of people outside the doors of the bank waiting to use ATM to get monies from their accounts. We stood in line and waited our turn.  Next stop was the Post Office, Teresa needed to mail cards to her grandkids.  


Now we are headed to Apita Mall, which is a mall I have never been too. 

 Loved shopping at this mall, lots of good bargains.  I bought some pretty sukura flower stickers to apply to my nails and some to put on my cameras and phone.  There were so many things I saw that I would love to get my grand-kids.We are now headed to "Hard Off" Store to look for some more bargains. It's beginning to rain and the temp feels like its dropping.  I really enjoyed shopping in this shop, nice items for cheap prices.  This is a used/new clothing merchandise place.  Found a summer kimono with odobe belt and I just love the color and design.  I found a new pair of wooden sandals to wear with the kimono, my last pair is worn out.  I spotted some tea cups and saucers and just had to get some. Not that you all want to know what I bought at the Hard Off store but I feel pretty good about the deals that I found here.  Bargain shopping in Japan can't get any better (smile). 
 Oh yeah, Teresa let me wear one of her Japanese yukata robes this morning and I told her I have to get one of these.  Well guess what we found at the Hard Off store?  Yeap, Teresa  found a new Yukata robe  in the package for $6  so yes I bought it (smile).   Paid for our goods and now in the car heading for Bell Mall for lunch.

The weather outside feels COLD and it's raining to the point that you need an umbrella to not get soaked.  Once inside Bell Mall we decided to eat at Pepper Lunch. 

 I have never ordered food by punching in numbers on a menu but that's how you ordered your food. 

 I gave Teresa my money and let her order off the push button menu. Our lunch was served in a bowl that was so hot that it actually cooked the meat and veggies by stirring the rice and meat around in the bowl.   After the food was cooked I poured  package of sauce over the food and stirred it some more to get the meat cooked and the food a little crispy.  I got the beef dish and Teresa got ham and cheese in her bowl of rice.  

 Sat down and enjoyed our great lunch.  Hopefully I can make this for Marlon when I get home, yummo, so delish.  
Now off for some shopping, roamed in many stores and saw lots of things I would like to buy.  Then Teresa spots a clearance table.  Yikes the table was filled with hats of various styles that had been marked down so many times.  Found a winter purse for $2 and several hats for $1 talk about some great bargains.  Japan is a paradise for shopping.  I would love for my grandkids to be able to go through all the stores that have so many cheap but cool things.  They would have a ball anything from cool pencils to neat toys you would not find in the states. I loved looking at all the items used in celebration of boys day which is May 5th.

Leaving Bell Mall and Teresa is going to try and find the strawberry farm market that Ric loves to get his berries from.  Teresa located it and trudged through the rain to go get 4 quarts of strawberries.  

The market also gave her a quart of service berries which are still good just not sellable quality.  The minute Teresa opened up the car door I could smell the strawberries, at that moment I couldn't wait to get back to the apartment to try them. 

 Teresa put those berries in a pretty dish and we sampled the berries.  TALK about sweet and delicious these berries were so wonderful and tasty.   I will not be able to describe the sweet berry taste and smell.   Try and imagine the best strawberry you have ever had.  Japans fruit is always so tasty.
When Ric got home we each showed him the goods we had purchased for the day.  I'm so happy with the items I got today at such great prices.  Sat around and chatted and got ready to go out to eat at their favorite tonkatsu place.  
Upon arrival at the tonkatsu place we were greeted with warm wash cloths to wash our hands then a hot cup of tea.  Teresa and I ordered the same dish which was the  shrimp and scallop tonkatsu which came with a Napa cabbage salad, small dish of potato salad, bowl of rice and small bowl of pickles.  After we were done eating the owner served us coffee in pretty cups.  The food was so good and I'm VERY full but not stuffed.  Life is good we are on our way back to the apartment.

Ric opened a bottle of  white chilled wine called Cuvee Picard from France for us.  

Teresa said one white wine for Friday night and red for Saturday night.  Must get to bed somewhat early tonight we have  big plans for tomorrow getting up early and going to a university where we will have a clay class set up by Teresa's tea sensei Yumaguchi.  I'm so excited to get to experience a clay class at the university.  None of us know what to expect except to be at her house at 9:20am and we will travel together.