Ladureé in Osaka, a sweet spot for sharing

Rose, pistachio and Venezuelan dark chocolate macaroons.
In the background, a delicious rose and raspberry cake.   

Ok, soooo you might be looking at the brightly colored sweet treats in the photo right now as you quizzically wonder in befuddlement how this figures into healthy eating.  Judge me if you will, but right now, me eating healthy encompasses quality food which bring me joy and pleasure. Food nourishes us and also makes us happy. The last couple of months have been a wonderful reminder of the joy of eating! Having gotten that out of the way, now to Ladureé, where my friend Deva and I had our last get together in Osaka. 

Within: ooh la la, very French.

Tea room Ladureé has been making macaroons in Paris since 1862, Deva told me when she spotted the sweet shop when she first arrived in Osaka. So, I trust them in this department. And before her flight back to Hong Kong, we navigated our way to their branch at the Isetan Department Store in Osaka City Station, Umeda. From the sweet-tooth-tempting facade you would not know that the tea house within is a stylish striped tent, dressed to the nines: chandeliers, European furniture, delicate roses cut short and delicately blooming in clear vases on each table where the buzz of the weekend shopping outside seemed to just fade away. 

Deva about to peruse the menu.

Nourishment comes in all different shapes, forms, sizes, ingredients and sweet content. There are millions of ways to nourish our bodies, there is food for all the senses. Two Sundays ago, that wholesome treat came in the form of tea, cake, macaroons--and for, Deva, champagne. All of which were refined, subtle, flavorful, much like the company of my friend with whom I enjoyed one last live conversation--for the meantime, anyway. 

Rose was the theme of the afternoon, a symbol for gratitude. The rose macaroons were unlike any macaroon I've tasted. And the rose cake was totally sublime. Most of all, I feel so grateful for the friend who reminded me to embrace the pleasure of nourishing oneself, that we all deserve treats and that if we must live in the world, we should also enjoy it. Thanks, Deva!

Foodie Friend Deva Mecredy & Intuitive Eating

My dear friend Deva treating me to a fine buddhist
monk's meal in Mount Koya.
I have the same amount of trays on my side of the room. 

I've been incredibly blessed over the last summer and now fall, my path littered with kitchen devis (goddesses) nourishing me with food and their soothing company.

Recently, my friend, Deva Mecredy, raw food chef and food consultant, came to visit me here in Osaka. She came with a extraordinarily plump yoga mat bag that was stuffed with superfood powders like macca, raw cacao, chia, cacao nibs, a portable blender and a healthy love for food.

I met Deva in India nearly three years ago, where she introduced me to my now favorite Indian breakfast hole-in-the-wall, Sri Durga Bhavan in Mysore. Over breakfast we would share our unravelling through the deep ashtanga practice. I also visited her in her home in Hong Kong two summers ago, arriving from New York half-dead from jet lag and half-hearted from a breakup. This young lady with an old soul nursed me back to emotional health with home prepared raw food, the best vegetarian dim sum in Hong Kong and of course the most nourishing sustenance: love and friendship.

When Deva's involved you know there's going to be some good eating. This is inevitable. Once she was settled in, she was scouring the blogosphere for best sushi places in Osaka.

Here we were together again. Hell bent on nourishing our friendship and each other over loving treats: sushi, salads, some home cooking by Deva, super food smoothies and the more than occasional sinful custard creme filled pastry that is so popular hereabouts.

Now, I've been strict with myself about diet over the last couple of years, really focusing on wholesome food. But my food odyssey took a turn at the end of July, when I arrived in Barcelona. And since then I've been in the "Eat" portion of my "Eat Pray Love" journey. I've decided to indulge certain loves, of grain, good grain if it's available; chocolate; beer on Fridays. Being in Japan has also inspired a pause in my vegetarianism to allow for the myriad of fish products that are in most dishes. One can avoid meat, no problem. Fish and seafood is a lot tricker in Japan.

But more importantly, Japanese food is renowned the world over. And it would be criminal of me (I being my own victim) to miss out on the opportunity to eat amazing and quite healthy quality Japanese food in Japan--not to mention the opportunity to be with people in a new place, food always being a great vehicle for meetings and celebrations.

And with Deva I had an accomplice. At Osaka, we had a pretty good setting. Osaka is "the" food capital of Japan. They even have a word for the kind of eating they do here: "kuidaore," which literally means eat till you drop. We didn't go to such extreme lengths, Deva and I. But there was definitely sushi, fine dining, the most delicate Parisian macaroons, and to simply get it out of the way, fast food fries coupled with chocolate ice-cream sundae--hey that's what felt right for at the time, it was an emotional response we both agreed, but certainly were more aware of it thanks to us answering the call. What's great about eating with Deva is there is no restriction. The key idea was to eat when we were hungry, to answer the cravings, and to nourish ourselves.

This is Deva's debut article online. I feel like a proud mama! Eating intuitively, I love it!

http://greenvitamin.co.uk/vitality/2013/8/21/eating-healthy-is-about-intuition