Food Wine Travel

Tea Map...Taste Globally...Drink Locally

Looking up the site of CHA MA GU DAO (which translates into 'Ancient tea and horse trail'), I found Tea Map which offers a window into the world of tea and allows you to find the nearest Tea Emporium in the US by entering your Zip Code.
It seems they are the creation of Adagio Teas.
What you call a soft sell!

Eyeglass Shop for the Connoisseur...Lunettes du Jura...Tokyo

While scouting for ideas that could fit on Tokyo Thursdays, I found that deep in the heart of Tokyo existed an Eyeglass Shop for the connoisseur with the very French name of Lunettes du Jura.
Sorry the site is mostly in Japanese. They actually count more than one location.

An underground Tokyo Guide describes it as "an amazing wacky glasses store. more kinds of crazy nutty frames. . . somewhere beyond New Wave in terms of candy-like wackiness".   

Related: Camembert and Sushi

The 'Hidden Tokyo', picture it thanks to Marco Silvestri

I could not find much information on the Tawaramachi neighborhood of Tokyo while writing 'Guerilla Flowerpots', Nature, Real and Fake in Tokyo concrete jungle (Tokyo Thursdays) on Serge the Concierge.

I did find visual cues of what this part of town has to offer thanks to Hidden Tokyo by Marco Silvestri, a book and its companion website.

Enjoy!

Grower Champagne...Great Taste and Better Buys?

Grower Champagne, great taste and better buys? That is at least what Amy Cortese suggests in Champagne Beyond the Big Names (Business Section, NY Times Sunday).

One good point she makes is that many of the main Champagne houses are anything but exclusive.
The element of luxury they convey is mostly due to mucho marketing.

Related: In Champagne, Single Vineyards offer rare pleasures...Lap of Luxury 2

Beyond cliches...Good Food Ireland shows the country rich palette

Before you hop on the plane for a trip to Ireland, it might be wise to visit Good Food Ireland.
They go beyond the cliches and show us the country rich palette from restaurants to markets to local talent such as artisan chocolatier ChocOneill of Kildare County.
If you cannot get over there, try their recipes.

From 'Red White and Drunk' to 'Woodstock Buddha'...All my Menu for Hope Prizes

Want a quick look at my Menu For Hope 4 prizes, visit the following pages:

Cupid's got a secret...An Edible Chocolate Box...A Menu for Hope 4 Prize

Macarons, 'The French Connection', MadMac, another sweet for Menu for Hope 4

Let's Get Spiritual with Mr. Kita's Woodstock Buddha...My First delivery for Menu For Hope 4

Wine by the Book 'Red, White and Drunk All Over' By Natalie McLean (Signed Copy)

Last: Get your Kicks with Berkshire Bark Chocolate Bars...2 treats for Menu for Hope 4

Pick your favorite, get the prize code, open your heart and your wallet, Visit the Donation Page.

Get your Kicks with Berkshire Bark Chocolate Bars...2 treats for Menu for Hope 4

Hey! it starts to feel like Marathon Writing but at least I am sweating for a great cause.

I already offered 3 other prizes on Serge the Concierge, the elder statesman of my blogging constellation.

Here come my 4th (Prize Code: UE 34) and 5th treat (Prize Code: UE 35) for for my second participation in Menu for Hope 4, a December Fundraising Event which involves bloggers the world over. It benefits the UN Food Programme.

The 2006 Edition raised $62,925 (US). Help us top that this year!

Treat 4 and 5 are actually identical twins.

Each goodie consists of a selection of 4 bars by our friends at Berkshire Bark which they kindly gave us.

The surprising and delicious flavors are: Tropical Heat, Mocha Buzz, White Lightning and Midnight Harvest.

Berkshire Bark is a tad over 1 year old.

I fell in love with their treats at the Chocolate Show 2006, read From the Sky to the Mountains for my first impressions.

Want it? Remember Prize Code: UE 34 for one, Prize Code UE 35 for the other.

PLEASE NOTE: Since this is a food item, we will take bids only from people in the US as we are not familiar with rules and regulations of other countries.

Next Step: Go to the Menu for Hope 4 Donation Page hosted by First Giving.

Then Make a Donation of at least $10 (US). Each $10 donation gives you one raffle ticket towards the prize you chose.

For US donors, if your company has agreed to match your charitable donation, please remember to select that option and fill in the necessary information so we may claim the corporate match.

Do not forget to leave your e-mail address so we can contact all you lucky winners.

For all other East Coast (US) Options visit Serious Eats.

Thanks to Helen of Grab Your Fork in Sidney for writing her guidelines ahead of us.

Check her Roundup of Prizes for the Asia Pacific Region.

Related: Giving Time...With 'Menu for Hope 4' Help us Raise Funds for UN Food Program

So you want a Yoga Christmas...Check Lotus Journeys

Maybe all you want during the holidays is stretch your body and rest your mind.
UK Travel agent, Lotus Journeys might be a good place to start your trek.

On of the many things listed on The Good Web Guide.

Wine Gift Shopping Guide by Tony Cha (SF Chronicle)

The San Francisco Chronicle offers some Top sommeliers' Gift Tips thanks to Tony Cha of Michael Mina restaurant in San Francisco.

Read on if you are short on ideas.

'Tank Books' were on 'Serge the Concierge', show up on 'Good Magazine' Gift List

We liked the Smoking Classics, Tank Books idea enough to mention it on Serge the Concierge a while back.
They now made it on These Can be Yours, Good Magazine gift shopping list.

Another Tank Story: These Tanks make Cookies not War