The left one is 彦星(Hikoboshi) and the right one is 織姫(Orihime), but we usually say "Orihime & Hikoboshi". 星

 

 

As I said before, 七夕, or the Star Festival in Japan, always falls on July 7th, and last Friday was the day. I made a lot of Tanabata bamboo decorations, though I started to make them on the same day.七夕

 

I folded 折り紙 (Origami). It was soooo fun!

 

...and I decorated the bamboos with them.

 

Ta-da!!

This one is Japanese-style. You can see the larger photo if you click each photo. I think many Japanese people make the same kinds of Tanabata decorations by using Origami, such as 吹き流し (Fukinagashi), 鶴 (Tsuru), 貝 (Kai), 投網 (Toami), 提灯 (Chochin) and so on. And, I wrote wishes in Japanese on 短冊 (Tanzaku) of this Japanese-style Tanabata bamboo.七夕星流れ星

 

 

They are origami cranes, or paper cranes. In Japanese, we call them "折り鶴"(Orizuru). And some other time, I want to write about Hiroshima, the former U.S. President Barack Obama and origami cranes that he folded.日本 アメリカ

 

 

Well, this one is Aloha and Eggs-inspired bamboo, and this time I wrote my wishes in English. It's my original way to celebrate Tanabata, and I guess no Japanese people have decorated Tanabata bamboos with Hawaiian ornaments like these...maybe. Hope you can feel the sprit of Aloha. やしの木ハイビスカス

 

Hikoboshi & Orihime. 宝石緑Green is his (I mean someone special for me) favorite color, and purple is my favorite color.宝石紫 "Kahiwa" means "a person I really love", and "Ku'ulei" means "my beloved you". グリーンハートBoth are Hawaiian words. グリーンハーツ虹

 

The yellow one in the left photo is Eggs 'n Things-themed 吹き流し  (Fukinagashi). It's my original design. The rainbow pattern one in the right photo is 紙衣 (Kamikoromo or Kamiko). I think its pattern is Hawaiian, because Hawaii is "the Rainbow State".虹 Well, I think I should have bought pineapple pattern origami... I saw it but I didn't buy it.

 

 

Eggs 'n Things-themed Fukinagashi. ナイフとフォーク

 

Eggs-themed 輪つなぎ or 輪かざり (Watsunagi or Wakazari).

 It looks yummyラブラブ... joking. We can't eat them.ヒヨコ

 

 

I was inspired by the Eggs 'n Things' Christmas tree.クリスマスツリー I saw this huuuuuuuuuge Hawaiian Christmas tree with a lot of hibisucuses a few years ago, when I went to Eggs 'n Things Harajuku to have lunch with two of my best best friends.ハイビスカスハイビスカスハイビスカス

It was very beautiful. I think we can see this Hawaiian Christmas tree only at Eggs 'n Things Harajuku location, maybe during the winter every year.クリスマスツリークリスマスベル I guess until Christmas day every year?トナカイサンタ I'm not sure though...

 

 

 

This Fukinagashi's theme is... the logo of Tully's Coffee.コーヒー But origami papers I use don't have exactly the same green color of Tully's logo. So I used this shiny green origami.

 

Since it takes many hours for me to write about 七夕 (Tanabata) in English, I want to write about Eggs' seasonal menu "In Summer" before that. やしの木

 

Each decoration of Tanabata has its own meaning. Besides, I wrote wishes on 短冊 (Tanzaku) based on what they call "五行説", the theory of the five elements, and every color of Tanzaku has a meaning, too. You know, I actually wanted to write wishes like, "I want to marry him and we live happily ever after", "Happy Marriage", "Please make me realize what my 天職, or calling is." or something like that. But I have to write a wish which is suitable for each color and the meaning of Tanzaku. So, there are many things I need to explain. To be honest, I didn't know that each Tanabata decoration has a meaning. I always thought I liked to see a lot of colorful Tanzaku, and didn't know five colors have the special meanings either. They are green (or blue), red, yellow, white and purple (or black).

七夕They are 短冊 (Tanzaku). I wrote wishes both in English and Japanese as you can see.流れ星流れ星

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I've already tried 3 of 4 pineapple items which are on the seasonal menu "In Summer" Eggs 'n Things is offering right now. So, I'll introduce the seasonal items that I had so far.

They are"Pineapple Fried Rice & Hamburg Steak" and "Pineapple Shave Ice". Hamburg Steak is "Humburger Steak". In Japan, we call it just "Hamburg" or "Hamburg steak". I've read they are so called Japanglish.

 

Anyway, Eggs' seasonal pineapple rice is really gorgeous, right? It's served with hamburger steak which has tomato based sauce and a fried egg on it. And the big pineapple is stuffed with fried rice. It tasted great.イエローハーツ

 

According to the news page of Eggs 'n Things' website, we can enjoy the taste of hawaiian mother's home cooking by having "Pineapple Fried Rice & Hamburg Steak". "Mother" is "makuahine" in Hawaiian language.やしの木ハイビスカストロピカルカクテル

 

Aloha.やしの木トロピカルカクテル

 

And "Pineapple Shave Ice" is their shave ice Part 2.カキ氷ラブラブ

 

Part 1 is "Rainbow Shave Ice", which was started to offer at the beginning of last month as the previous seasonal menu "from HAWAII". This seasonal menu was available during the month of June, but only Rainbow Shave Ice is still being offered. Also, 3 pineapple items except Pineapple Shave Ice on the "In Summer" menu is available only during this month, and Pineapple Shave Ice will be served after the seasonal menu ends at the end of July. I think both Rainbow Shave Ice and Pineapple Shave Ice are available during this summer. How wonderful. 花火

 

 

 

 

"Pineapple Coconuts Pancakes" topped with pineapple sorbet and served with their generous whipped cream. This one was delicious, too.ブルーハート

 

Above all, their recommendation smoothie "Kiwi Fruit Mint Smoothie" was really good. It has a refreshing flavor. It has a beautiful light green color and I really enjoyed taking photos of it.宝石緑 There are three seasonal smoothies and I hear this kiwi one is the most popular among customers. No wonder. I think I'll have it again while they offer.グリーンハーツ

 

 

This one is "Acai Banana Smoothie", one of the three seasonal smoothies.ラブラブ

This is a refreshing drink, too. It's not too sweet. Still, I like "Acai Banana Yogurt Drink" better than this seasonal "Acai Banana Smoothie". "Acai Banana Yogurt Drink" is on their grand menu. But I'm sure this seasonal smoothie is for women who want to have healthy food and drinks. I think all the three seasonal smoothies Eggs 'n Things is serving right now are healthy, though I've tried 2 of 3 and haven't had "Mango Pineapple Smoothie". I'm having "Mango Pineapple Smoothie" during this season. It seems that these three are available until the end of August like two shave ice. Come by and try at least one of them. 虹

 

 

 

 

Oh, the other day, I went to Odaiba in Tokyo to have Eggs Odaiba's anniversary pancakes. Also, I had wanted to see Statue of Liberty which we can enjoy at Odaiba. 日本 アメリカ I hear Japan's is as tall as France's Statue of Liberty.フランス I learned it while I was watching NHK tv program "OTOKISO", or Otona No Kiso Eigo.

I'll write about Eggs Odaiba's 3rd anniversary pancakes after having Shonan's 5th anniversary pancakes next week.ブルーハーツ

 

Odaiba's "Roasted Green Tea Latte Pancakes" with hot Kona Coffee. In Japanese, roasted green tea is ほうじ茶, or "Hojicha".

It's topped with orange sorbet, though we can't see it in the photo. This sorbet was really good.