Where I live, each household has one representative allowed to go out to purchase food or medicine. This designated person is given a  quarantine pass issued by the local government. In our family, this person is me. 

After exploring the subway and a  quiet city walk , we were ready to have our first family lunch at Pullman Tokyo Tamachi.  A covered walkway links the hotel to Tamachi Train Station on the JR Yamanote Line.  It is close to Odaiba, Tamachi, Rainbow Bridge and Hamarikyu Garden.  

It is the first Pullman Hotel in Japan.  The hotel features various works of Art from murals to large canvas paintings from Japanese Contemporary Artists. 

Perhaps Tokyo must look similar to this now but with less people during the COVID-19 quarantine period.  Guess what?  This photo was taken last year before a long holiday weekend during a morning stroll and subway trip from Tokyo's suburbs to Tamachi area. It was quiet, a huge contrast to the weekday hustle and bustle.  

Camping in Japan is an amazing experience to take in the view of Mt. Fuji as it reveals its many facets throughout the day.  Camping in Japan is also an original way to get to know the country and its people. 

No other place in the world will you ever experience this kind of camping.  You get settled at the base of Mt. Fuji. Para-gliders play and dance with the wind overhead as you sip your filtered brewed coffee in the afternoon. You watch Mt. Fuji by sunset with your cold Japanese beer until the starry sky takes over. You enjoy dinner together and sit by the fire surrounded by Japanese families that seriously took camping to a different level.

If there is one thing to be happy about where I live, is that avocado season is back.  This is a photograph of my ideal breakfast one beautiful morning in Japan last year.  This week's posts will be all about Japan. 

How are you?  What have you been up to?  I am curious as to how you keep yourselves busy indoors? 

Here's a list of  things to do that I have gathered from everyone online.

1. Household chores are high up on the list from laundry, cleaning to cooking, and looking after our family. You must be thinking, "Boring"   Oh well, let's get these tasks out of the way or better yet, why don't we enjoy each chore by playing music that we like and then being thoroughly present while we fold laundry and wash the dishes?

Out of sight, out of mind. 

I have been watching a lot of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix and I remember one of the passages in her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing , "By eliminating excess visual information  that doesn't inspire joy, you can make your space much more peaceful and comfortable."    

One way is to remove the bottle labels but in this case, the fastest way and more aesthetic solution to me would be to apply a frosted glass film sticker to the existing glass panels on the overhead kitchen cupboard.

Sisig is a Filipino dish from Pampanga originally made with chopped pork  seasoned with Philippine lime, red onions and chili peppers and is a popular beer match. Being on quarantine, let's put a spin to it with canned tuna in oil and an available eggplant from the fridge.

While we are all on isolation, each one of us has our own stories to share, both serious and funny on virtual communication during this period of social distancing. What I appreciate the most are private group chats and private messages. You see, I grew up under the generation of fax machines and analog telephones. I feel grateful that in this time and age, technology allows us to obtain information while keeping in touch with family and friends living far away.  

Nobody's perfect.  We do not live a zero-waste lifestyle yet.  It takes time and a conscious effort to adjust.  The most important thing to ask is why we want to do it.

Why do I want to reduce waste at home?

Since having moved to the countryside, we started improving ways our family manages household waste because our garbage truck passes only once a week, so we had to find ways to avoid a pile up of smelly garbage. 

Spending more time at home nowadays is the trend.  What about catching up on home decorating projects  with existing home accessories in your storage room?

Outdoor Yoga at Archery Asia

What?!?  It's already Thursday?  Oh dear, 2020 feels like someone just pulled up from behind, kicked us several times by the b*ms while docking behind left unseen.  With catastrophic events unfolding and stirring up a sense  of anxiety and confusion everywhere, it's a challenge to see the silver lining lately.

The only thing I could hold on to is faith and hope for whatever optimism we have left be preserved. 

Life is volatile. To savor time  honed into what we value most in life  and being present is the best way to honor ourselves and those precious to us.  

Rainy days and Ramen.  Rainy days and Ramen.  

During one of our trips to Cebu City, somewhere in Oakridge Business Park along A.F. Fortuna Street, we decided to try Ramen Yushoken.  A loud japanese greeting darted our way as soon as we pushed the glass door open.  We chose a banquette seating and we spent time admiring the restaurant interior after we placed our order.

For two adults and a kid, minimum budget would be around Php 1300  if you don't take alcohol beverages.

It's a chain throughout the Philippines so you will most likely find a branch situated in a city near you. 

Bon app!

Love & light,

Arni

Have you tried Candle-lit Yoga?
An hour of bliss. The sound of waves  as you focus on your breath.

We had family visiting from overseas and for an introvert like myself, I needed some time to re-fill my cup so that I may continue hosting and entertaining with ease.

We went to Oceanfront Paradise along Panagsama Beach in Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines where our Yoga Teacher, Marina led an invigorating 1-hour Sunset Yoga.  With calm background music, we went through the flow under coconut trees that swayed with the breeze.