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Ouchi-juku

ouchi-juku fukushima prefecture

Ouchi-juku 大内宿 is a historical town that have preserved structures with traditional thatched roof buildings that are over 300 years old. In the Edo period (1603-1867) Ouchi-juku was a town that served people traveling between Aizu and Nikko. Ouchi-juku is also famous for handmade soba noodles eaten with negi (onion). Ouchi-juku has several annual festivals, one during the second weekend of February for the Ouchi-juku Snow Festival, and the Hange Mid-Summer Festival in July. If you have time please visit and support Ouchi-juku located in Fukushima Prefecture.

 

https://www.pref.fukushima.lg.jp/site/portal-english/list383.html

 

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Cobre

cobre

Cobre painting a mural (his son) at Pow Wow San Jose 2019.  The mural is at UA 393 Union Hall, 6293 Ignacio Ave San Jose, CA.  powwowsanjose.com

 

Andres Iglesias AKA Cobre is a self taught muralist from Santa Fe, Argentina. He started painting by tagging, making letters, and characters anywhere. Andres roots are as a filmmaker and animator but painting was his passion and he developed it into an art form through much practice. Cobre’s style is realism and he has painted Robin Williams in San Francisco, Mario Benedetti in Uruguay, and Frida Kahlo back home in Argentina.  He has also painted in Dubai, France, Spain, Netherlands, Brazil, Uruguay, and the United States.

 

https://www.instagram.com/cobreart/

 

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Le Bage Bagel Shop Yanaka, Tokyo

le bage bagel shop yonaka

I visited Le Bage Bagel Shop in Yanaka by chance walking through Yanaka in Tokyo. Photograph of owner.

 

The Le Bage Bagel Shop is a good place to stop in a quiet neighborhood of Yanaka. The store originated in Nara and moved to Tokyo in 2017.

The business is committed to quality by using 100% Hokkaido domestic wheat blended with raw sugar from Kagoshima Prefecture and salt from Brittany, France. The bagel has a unique sweet honey flavor which is quite delicious.

Bagel are said to have originated in Poland in the 17th century. They are baked and boiled before baking. The basic ingredients of bagels are wheat flour, salt, water, and yeast.

The unique flavors of Le Bage Bagel Shop make it stand out like: wheat, rye, pumpkin, black sesame, lemon tea, fig, dukkah, matcha white chocolate, matcha bean paste, mugwort bean paste, and curry.

If you are visiting the Yanaka area in Tokyo I recommend you please visit.

2-5-13 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo BAGLE SHOP Le bage
TEL 03-6874-2538
HP http://lebage.com

https://www.facebook.com/BagelShop.Lebage

 

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Cookie Cup Espresso at Takayama Morning Market

cookie-cup-expresso

The Takayama morning market is one of the largest in Japan. The Jinya-mae market is located on the Miyagawa River from Kaji bashi Bridge to Yayoi bashi Bridge in Takayama. The market holds about 60 farmers or vendors who sells fruits, vegetables, pickles, spices, sweets, foods, drinks, and crafts among other things. Jinya-mae market originated over 300 years ago when silk farmers sold mulberry trees. The Takayama morning market is open from April to November from 7:00 to noon and December to March from 8:00 to noon. It is a 10 minute walk from JR Takayama Station.

 

http://www.asaichi.net/gazou/k.html

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White Pelican at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge

white pelican

Mallard Slough Trail Alviso (San Jose)

White Pelicans can be some of the largest North American birds with a 9 foot wingspan and weighing between 9.2 to 30 pounds. They are identified by having large heads and yellow huge bills. For feeding the pelicans dip their bills to swallow fish. Historically White Pelicans were threatened with extinction due to DDT pesticides during the 1950s and 1960s but returned back to health due to stricter environmental protection laws. White Pelicans generally live in the lakes, marshes, and salt ponds most of the time. The birds are similar to Brown Pelicans except they are larger and don’t dive from the air for fish.

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-white-pelican

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25 Years at SAP Center San Jose

sharks simone biles

 

25 years at SAP Center San Jose celebrates the performers and artists who performed at the Center during that time. Included in the mural are local ice skater Kristi Yamaguchi, popular singer Adele, norteno group Los Tigres del Norte from San Jose, gymnast Simone Biles, the San Jose Sharks, rapper E-40, and legendary singer Elton John. The San Jose mural was organized by Empire Seven E7, an contemporary art gallery located in San Jose advocating for local/global artists and painted by the Los Angeles based The Draculas who focuses on illustration-based projects that find inspiration in narrative.

https://www.empiresevenstudios.com/

https://draculasdesign.com/

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Medina Berry Farm

lety medina family

(L-R)  Jaime Medina, Lety Medina, Kayla Medina, and Alexandra Medina

 

The Medina Berry Farm, a family owned business since 1980, was started by Angelica Medina in Watsonville, CA and they grow delicious strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Lety Medina, Angelica’s sister, assists the business with her family. Both Angelica and Lety Medina sell the berries at local farmers markets in the greater San Francisco Bay Area such as San Jose, San Francisco, and Cupertino. Angelica’s husband Pedro grows the berries at their berry farm in Watsonville.

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Black-necked Stilt

black necked stilt

Photograph taken at the Alviso Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge

 

A Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) of one the most colorful of shorebirds with pink legs, long thin black bill, and black and white plumage. They live in salt marshes, flooded fields, or salt pans. Their diet consists of insects and crustaceans. You can regularly see them at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge.