Hashtag It’s Not Gelato: Utopia Ice Is Back In Sumner

Mandy, Sebastian, (and we can’t forget Levin!)’s astonishingly good ice-cream (not gelato) is back in Sumner. Except this time, it’s housed in the most dreamiest location ever. At 15 Wakefield Avenue you’ll find a tranquil courtyard filled with happiness. Happiness being a large wooden swing chair, flamingo cushions, strawberry plants, Belgian waffles (yes, real Belgian waffles), of course ice-cream, and much more! With 16 ever-changing flavours to choose from, Cantabrians, this is the place to spend our ever glorious upcoming summer days.

Before you ask, my favourite is dark chocolate, coconut, and cacao nibs (gf, df, V) so see you there!

Hours:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 11 to 6
Wednesday: 11 to 6
Thursday: 11 to 6
Friday: 11 to 9
Saturday: 11 to 9
Sunday: 11 to 6

My Wish For You Is That You Continue

…continue to be who you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness. -Maya Angelou
Real-life fruit ninja.

It’s getting hot in here!
This is my gorgeous sis. She’s always “liking” and sharing my stuff (hint hint). 
So what do y’all think of NZ, then?


Back to my favorite ice-cream joint of all time (now serving various dairy-free options)! All hand-made and all with ample love. Now, I know this because I know the family behind the ice-cream. And believe me when I say they’re just as delicate and just as sweet.

There are so many new Christchurch cafes! I just can’t keep up but I am trying. This is Park Ranger on Riccarton road. When I drive past, it always seems busy. I wonder if it’s just a phase? Like as was Yoghurt Story? Anyways, mama and I truly did LOVE their coffee (and almond milk availability) but the biscotti..oh the biscotti it almost broke my teeth. Yeah, yeah, biscotti is always hard, you tell me. But this guys was extreme. 
Last but not least, vegan Thai green curry. Nothing like cooking for a loved one. Love you mommy xx

The World Is Indeed Full Of Peril…

“…and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring…

From top to bottom: avocado, tomato and walnut sandwich made with brown-rice bread, a NZ apple – I was so freakin’ excited to find it and its three brothers. This is because, Japanese apples are HUMONGOUS. Believe me, they’re the size of my dad’s head. So it’s been really fun actually holding an whole apple with one hand and completely finishing it. Next, lunch at One Room Cafe, more boyfriend adventures and last, my new personalised chopsticks and tofu-shaped chopstick holders gifted to me by Yuka’s loving parents. Why two? “One for you and one for your future husband” they said.

I Haven’t Been Everywhere But It’s On My List

Like, literally.

From top to bottom: sore feet from too much adventuring, ALL DAY COFFEE, CITY BAKERY, MOKU MOKU FARM, BROOKLYN COFFEE, Osaka castle and CITY BAKERY again cos dem wholewheat croissants will be the death of me!

Osaka Must-Eats

In the past week, I have dined at two next-level contemporary eateries in Osaka which you OUGHT to know about and hopefully try out for yourself. The first one is Smorrebrod Kitchen  located in the Osaka library building and the second is NORTHSHORE a 10 or so minute walk from it. Both boast a mouthwatering menu, a beautiful ambiance, saliva-inducing sandwiches and citrus infused water. Oh how I wish I lived in this city so that I could go back again and again and again. Pleaaaase go in my place.

Smorrebrod Kitchen 
I ordered the fish set menu which happened to be shrimp that day. It came with a cold corn soup, a fresh crisp salad and a fancy shrimp dish (see below). To drink, I had homemade ginger-ale with real ginger. Mmmm. And citrus-infused water! The menu was in Japanese but the handsome waiter explained everything to me in English. I read food magazines and soaked in the positive ambiance. Just gorgeous. After, I sent my pictures to SK’s Instagram. They replied with: “Thank you for your message. I’m so happy. Come back anytime.” Don’t worry SK, I WILL!

NORTHSHORE
I actually heard (well, read) about Northshore at Smorrebrod Kitchen (in a food magazine). So I guessed it would be popular but I didn’t realize that we’d have to wait for a table for about 40 min at 3pm! That’s not even remotely lunch-timeish! However, it was so worth the wait. In fact, I would even wait 3 hours. Yes, 3! It was that good. Ashleigh and I shared the egg and vegetable sandwich and the very berry pancakes. The tropical pancakes also looked good! The menu here was in English and almost all the staff could also speak it. The menu items can easily be shared but who can resist ordering one thing anyway? So good. Oh and the view! Oh the view. If there is anything I do before leaving Osaka it’s going here again!

Weekend Vibes

I started looking at what other foodies were tagging their Instagram photos with and this one, #weekendvibes seemed especially popular. So, I started using it and voila! 20+ followers! Hehe. Are YOU following my Instagram yet? The following are pictures from my weekend or vibes of my weekend or the weekend of my vibes?

And, I’ve started utilizing Instagram in other ways. Maybe you hardcore foodies already do this but I began searching particular places (as opposed to specific tags), like “Tottori City” and that way, came across many a delicious foodie pictures taken at quirky restaurants and cafes that I would have otherwise never have known existed. That’s how Yasuko and I ended up at Moco Lifestyle – so stylish!

The salad is simply a cup of cooked wholewheat couscous, mixed with a can of mixed beans (drained and rinsed), cooked asparagus, raw cucumber, juicy green sultanas, a splash of olive oil, juice of half a lemon, sea salt and ground pepper. Delishas.

Falling In Love With Christchurch All Over Again

Top to bottom: a nostalgic trip down memory lane; visiting my old University followed by a lunch and coffee date with a crazy Italian at Kadett (an exciting CHCH newbie) and C1 (a CHCH legend) featuring cheeky Marco’s middle finger and ginormous thumb.

Healthy Living In C City

C city. Not sin city. Well, it’s up to you really. Anyway, I had the most wonderful day. Coming home is really something else. I can’t even explain it. Just feel so happy and so blessed. It really is true, you don’t know what you have until you don’t have it. Also, Christchurch is seriously booming after the earthquakes. Which to me, only solidifies that everything happens for a reason. First, breakfast and not just any breakfast but THE BREKKIE OF A LIFETIME at Little Pom’s. Grilled halloumi, sugar snap peas, smashes peas, avocado, broccolini, smoked almonds, poached eggs, multigrain toast, olive oil ($24nzd) which I shared with my mama. I loved this place. How could I not with such floral wallpaper?! Next, a walk around Hagley Park. For all my overseas followers, this is a very gorgeous and very large park right in the middle of our city and is beautiful at every season. Next, a wholesome lunch: roast veggie salad and green smoothie at Pure Cafe.

Vegan Cafe Bonheur

Finding vegan food let alone vegan eateries in Japan is somewhat problematic. Ok, it’s problematic. Not somewhat. Actually, I was once told by a writer friend to not use that word, ever. Sorry. So yeah, it’s difficult to find food without dashi (fish stock) or niku (meat) here. So when my adorable yogi friend, Mi-chan told us about entirely vegetarian Café Bonheur, I got pretty excited.

After having lunch there yesterday, my verdict is, Café Bonheur is a nice place to take your Mother on Mother’s Day (take that as you will). The building itself, its interior and the overall feel of the place is really beautiful and stylish. It is not Japanese whatsoever. I would describe it as an artisan beach-style café. Adorned with sunlight and pot plants, it is much like sitting inside a glasshouse. In one word, elegant.

As for the food, for the price of 1000 yen (about 10 dollars) we ordered the one lunch plate on offer containing a variety of tasty creations including soy “chicken karaage”, tofu “mozzarella”, braised vegetables (2 kinds), garden salad, brown rice and barley soup. For an extra 300 yen ($3 or so dollars) we were able to have a coffee AND a vegan tofu chocolate cake after. Everything was tasty and again, elegant, lush, luxurious. Without stereotyping too much, I know my mother would love it and my father’d have a fit.

And then I was bitten by a centipede

My ankle is the size of Russia. As in, swollen as f$%^. From a centipede bite. Yes, centipede. Thank you, inaka (countryside). To make matters worse, I happen to be staying at a nice hotel, in a busy spot in Okayama city with plenty of foodie places to explore (for a three day teacher’s conference) and, since I can’t WALK I can’t go outside. Alas, things could be worse. My hotel could be one of those 1 in a trillion hotels where there’s no room-service available.. oh wait, it is one of those… !!!

On a good note, today’s lunch at The Market, an organic bakery was Divine (with a capital D). I had a vegetarian sandwich and a soy latte. From across the street at Cotan (the organic food-store sister of Market) I purchased a RAW cacao bar, organic banana and a cold camomile tea drink which I am slowly savouring for dinner now. WHAT HOTEL DOESNT HAVE ROOM SERVICE? Good thing Cotan saved my behind. Anyways, I loved both Market and Cotan. I am so lucky that they’re only 2 min walking distance from my conference hall. In fact, I will be hopping there come lunch-break tomorrow and the next day, if I make it out alive. Please keep my foot in mind! I’m serious, my ankle’s HUGE.