books

Bookshelf Cafe

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

Found a great little book cafe today, aptly named “Bookshelf Cafe”. I trekked (ie trained) across to the other side of town for a swim. Need to get back into the swimming training with summer and ows season approaching. Have found a nice pool to train in, but it’s a little bit further than I’d like. I wanted to find cafes in the area for a post-swim lunch, and came up with the Bookshelf Cafe.

It’s a great little place. On the one hand, I want them to get a lot of publicity, but on the other hand, I want to keep it a secret.

It’s a cafe that encourages two of my favourite things: books (reading) and eating.

From Bookshelf Cafe

And it’s a new-style book cafe in that it’s totally with the times and supports the digital age of reading – they encourage iPads (so much so, that iPads are free for customers to use).

When I arrived, I had the whole cafe to myself. It was totally deserted.

From Bookshelf Cafe
From Bookshelf Cafe
From Bookshelf Cafe

The cafe is awesome for the following reasons:
– it’s quiet and cozy
– they have free iPads you can use!!!! There are 12 iPads available to customers and they’re FREE!
– they let you use laptops, iPads etc and are happy for you to plug in your device. There are dedicated tables that come with power plug outlets (like the study tables you find in libraries) so you can type away on your i-gadget for as long as you like
– free wifi!!!

It’s one of those cafes where you can read, study or write/type your next upcoming novel and you can while away as much time as you like without that feeling that you’re taking up space. And to top if off, they even had the Amelie soundtrack playing in the background (Amelie being one of my favourite movies).

They have a food menu (meals and desserts etc) too and serve coffees, teas and even alcohol (including Hitach no nest – a craft beer). Perfect reading or study cafe in Tokyo. Kicks arse over Starbucks anyday. Very chilled laidback cafe. I will admit, the food was not the most gourmet (I had the taco rice) I’ve ever had, but I think it’s perfectly fine if you go for a coffee and cake. And not so expensive either. For less than 1,100yen I had a cafe latte and a lunch meal. (Free wifi and iPad usage available too).

From Bookshelf Cafe

It was a shame that it was so deserted. Another 3 customers came in whilst I was there though.

Cute clock (the cat’s tail swings as the seconds hand):

From Bookshelf Cafe

What a gem of a place! Now don’t tell anyone.

Bookshelf Cafe website.
Hamacho
Closed Sundays

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Last Saturday. This Saturday.

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

Last Saturday – Book Club.
I love reading, but don’t read as often as I’d like. I am attempting to read more this year. My friends and I have started up our book club – an excuse to meet up once a month over wine and do a book swap and talk about, you guessed it, books!

Here is what I gained for the month of February:

From Saturday random

This Saturday (ie today) – an attempt an apartment-hunting. I went to check out the part of town where I want to move to. I’ve got it in my head that I’ve already picked out the area. Thing is, I’ve never actually been there. I thought I should go check out the area today. Didn’t actually see any apartments per se, because I didn’t make an appointment to see a real estate agent, but wanted to suss out the area anyway. Walked the pants off Tokyo.
Took the train back in towards home…thought I would get off a few stations earlier and walk some more. Was just randomly walking around parts of Tokyo that I’m not too familiar with. Lo and behind, came across this gem of a humble abode – complete with suspicious dude out the front.

From Saturday random
From Saturday random

He was just standing there. Perhaps a security detail? Even though I was clearly taking photos, he still didn’t budge out of the way. Random house. Fancy living there!