this and that (and food)

Where to begin? I've been spending way too much time on the computer lately, searching for jobs and searching for jobs, and applying for jobs jobs jobs. So far I've had a bit of success, with a few replies, two interviews lined up and, hmmm... that's about it. There's not too much more to say about the hunt, other than that I'm still looking, still exploring.

And so, since it was just Thanksgiving, and because one of the highlights of the weekend (other than being with family and giving thanks) is the FOOD, I'll start there. We have been having the YUMMIEST meals! The food here is great, as is the variety; you can find anything and everything in this city. I found a teensy, packed store near the station called Kaldi Coffee Farm that has it all: wine, Mexican tortillas and salsas, Belgian chocolates and cookies, Indian preserves and curry sauces, tortillas, coconut milk, baking supplies (galore), Brazilian soft drinks (Guarana - yum!), specialty cheeses, pastas, Italian sauces and coffee. The bonus is this: they roast and grind their coffee on the premises, and hand out free samples - SO... it is an aromatic delight to shop. I suppose that's the point, but anyways - the smells! The goodies! De-lish. And the normal stores have a great mix of Japanese and Western goods. In my last post I forgot to mention that our go-to grocer also has a bakery inside, with all sorts of tempting treats - from salty cheese and meat buns and garlic breads, to donuts and scones and icing sugar topped goodies... it's amazing! I love bakeries, and this one is close, but far enough away that it won't pose any serious threats to my potential blobbo-ness.

Our Thanksgiving meal worked out almost perfectly. We got the mini-oven going, and cooked us up a meal; the chicken was goood, the mashed potatoes were gooooood, and so were the steamed and seasoned carrots. The garlic buns that we got from the aforementioned bakery did not fare so well. Our stove (the actual stovetop) has a little toasting drawer, powered by gas flames - you may see where this is going. We popped those little suckers in there, and before we knew it there was a smell and maybe a little bit of smoke and when we yanked open the drawer, the buns were flaming - we had actual on-fire buns. So, there was no bread with our supper ... but there was wine, and lots of other food - so it was all good. Other super delicious meals that we've had include: hamburgers and salad (the produce here is great), home-made egg mcmuffins (sooooo good) and sushi... mmmmmm, yum.

Moving on. Yesterday I ventured out on my own on the subway for the first time, and managed to not get lost. I decided to check out the National Diet Library, Japan's only National Library. Originally established for government purposes (the National Diet is Japan's legislative body), it now holds over 1 million books in Western languages - so, as a lover of libraries and books, I decided to check it out. The building is large and impressive, but I couldn't really navigate the search engine, as (understandably) it's all in Japanese. Also, there's no browsing - the books are all behind closed doors and walled walls; the only way to find a book is on the computer. After you find your book, you make a request, sit in a waiting area and wait until your number is called. Because I like browsing, and because I couldn't understand anything on the search engine screen, I didn't stay long. From there I made for Roppongi-dori and the Japan Foundation Library, which, after a 25 minute walk-and-search, I found out had moved. I examined my subway map and figured out how to get to the new location, and on I went.

The Japan Foundation is an international institution, set up by the National Diet, to promote Japanese culture and arts, and has offices and libraries around the world. Their location here in Tokyo has a small but fabulous library - I browsed for a solid 45 minutes, saw lots of books that I will definitely come back for... and then it was time to go. Back on the subway, I made for Shinagawa where I met up with a small group of volunteers working on two different Run for The Cure events here in Tokyo. I'm hoping to help out with the run this weekend, and a charity event at the end of the month. It was nice to meet some people and get involved; at least I can be volunteering while I'm looking for work.

And that's about it! Time for a run!