Author: Alex

O-hisashiburi Japan!

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The first and foremost reason why I updated my blog was because of our recent trip to Japan. It has already been two years since my last visit to Japan and nine years since I last went to Tokyo. Much has changed but much has also stayed the same. Tokyo is still a nice place to go shopping and dine out but it is also very crowded and feels so impersonal.

We are very lucky that the cherry blossom season has just begun! You can see those pretty little flowers – ranging from white to bright pink – everywhere.

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New Layout – New Style

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O-hisashiburi! It’s been quite a while since my last post. But you know – sometimes life has different plans than you do. And sometimes you just need to relax and unwind after stressful days at work or personal challenges.

At new years I decided to be more active again, to not let life dictate every step and just do stuff. So I started eating healthier, work out more, stress less and become more social – meaning a new layout – new style for my Blog and the resolution to post regularly as well as from the heart. Fortunately I have already planned a few trips this year which will give me plenty of stuff to write about.

The first trip will be to Japan…in just three days! Can you believe that? Time really flies. And Japan being Japan there will be loooots to share. So stay tuned!

XO, Alex

Poppy Seed Cheesecake with Pears

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Poppy Seed Cheesecake

The weekend is starting soon. Hooray! In Austria the 26th of october is a national holiday, so it’s going to be a super long weekend. On days like this I want to relax, drink some tea, read a book or meet with friends. Since it got quite chilly there’s even more reason to warm up with some hot beverage and a nice piece of cake when you get home after a refreshing autumn walk. Two days ago my mother and I took a walk near my home and found some pears laying beneath a pear tree that nobody seemed to need, so I packed four of these juicy and delicious fruits in my bag – all the while dreaming up ideas of what to make with them.

Normally I don’t believe in fate, but when I checked with pinterest that evening the first pin I saw was a super deliciously looking poppy seed cheesecake with pears on top! Can you believe that? There was no way I could ignore that obvious sign, especially since I had some walnut cookie dough sitting in my freezer, waiting to be baked into something wonderful. And this cake practically screams autumn! I just love seasonal food.

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Easy Chestnut Daifuku

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Daifuku

I love japanese sweets, especially dango and everything with sweet bean paste. It’s easy to grab a few of these delicious sweet snacks in convenience stores which you find on almost every corner. That is – if you live in Japan. But outside Asia it might entail a trip to the next Asian food store and cost you far more than you would pay in Japan.

I tried buying dried Azuki beans several times, but often some of the beans were undercooked even though I soaked them overnight and cooked them for 4 hours! A friend of mine told me that might be due to the beans being old, which sometimes happen if you buy them in Asian stores. But then I heard that someone made sweet bean paste from canned beans. Why didn’t I think of that sooner? Well, maybe it was because I felt uneasy to use canned beans for japanese confectionary. I mean, isn’t it a sacrilege? But I was short on time and decided to try it anyway. Guess what! People liked the sweets anyway and even asked for the recipe.

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Stepping Outside

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Bamboo

If somebody would have told me one year ago that I would soon take my first baby steps into the vast world of social media (I know, I´m a late social media bloomer, haha), I would have laughed at them. Well I probably have, so… sorry. But during the last months, especially when I was traveling alone, I came to realize that media like facebook, instagram and co. can be a great tool to stay in touch with people and get a glimpse into their lives and share a bit of yours.

When I was younger I was quite against the idea of sharing personal stuff with anybody. I thought it might make you prone to vulnerability, even opening up to friends and family seemed… stressful. In retrospect I think I was just a little scaredy cat. I mean, after all you can choose what you want to share – it´s up to me, the author. By now I find it a wonderful idea to share new adventures, precious moments and beautiful pictures with people who are interested.

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