Jeff Smith
@sumisu3.bsky.social
Sauna サウナ, wine, craft beer, 日本酒, BBQ, chilis, hops farmer and home brewer, guitar, French horn, Flügelhorn, jazz, Irish Setters, vinyl & books. 30+ yrs IT. Finnish/German/Chicagoan in NZ via Japan.
@[email protected] and @[email protected]
@[email protected] and @[email protected]
As a transplanted Kiwi on 5 acres this tractor is an easy “want. But how in the heck this Yanmar Diesel tractor in their showroom right outside Tokyo station makes sense is beyond me.
But I still want it!
But I still want it!
December 8, 2025 at 11:56 AM
As a transplanted Kiwi on 5 acres this tractor is an easy “want. But how in the heck this Yanmar Diesel tractor in their showroom right outside Tokyo station makes sense is beyond me.
But I still want it!
But I still want it!
And…
Ginko nuts tempura
銀杏天ぷら
I wish this place had good 日本酒
Ginko nuts tempura
銀杏天ぷら
I wish this place had good 日本酒
December 8, 2025 at 10:47 AM
And…
Ginko nuts tempura
銀杏天ぷら
I wish this place had good 日本酒
Ginko nuts tempura
銀杏天ぷら
I wish this place had good 日本酒
I’m in heaven. Went to one shop to buy sake from Nagano and then walked around to find somewhere for dinner.
新橋駅前ビル is a hang over from the Showa era that I truly cherish. So glad it is still standing and actually vibrant.
新橋駅前ビル is a hang over from the Showa era that I truly cherish. So glad it is still standing and actually vibrant.
December 8, 2025 at 10:24 AM
I’m in heaven. Went to one shop to buy sake from Nagano and then walked around to find somewhere for dinner.
新橋駅前ビル is a hang over from the Showa era that I truly cherish. So glad it is still standing and actually vibrant.
新橋駅前ビル is a hang over from the Showa era that I truly cherish. So glad it is still standing and actually vibrant.
An example of the massive crows
The only have me a few seconds to snap a photo before cawing at me and leaving to somewhere they won’t be bothered.
The only have me a few seconds to snap a photo before cawing at me and leaving to somewhere they won’t be bothered.
December 7, 2025 at 2:38 AM
An example of the massive crows
The only have me a few seconds to snap a photo before cawing at me and leaving to somewhere they won’t be bothered.
The only have me a few seconds to snap a photo before cawing at me and leaving to somewhere they won’t be bothered.
And my friend also took me to a Hakata ramen place in Naha. Owner is a transplant from Kyushu. Says you can get really good pork in Okinawa and there is no local custom of using the bones and the head. So very good cost performance for him. 美味
December 6, 2025 at 12:54 AM
And my friend also took me to a Hakata ramen place in Naha. Owner is a transplant from Kyushu. Says you can get really good pork in Okinawa and there is no local custom of using the bones and the head. So very good cost performance for him. 美味
Reporting back as promised!
Okinawa soba is insanely good! no comparison to anything I remember having in Tokyo
Okinawa soba is insanely good! no comparison to anything I remember having in Tokyo
December 6, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Reporting back as promised!
Okinawa soba is insanely good! no comparison to anything I remember having in Tokyo
Okinawa soba is insanely good! no comparison to anything I remember having in Tokyo
Tokyo Skytree peaking though. Impossible to take a decent photo from inside a moving bus that has its lights on. But had to try anyways
December 2, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Tokyo Skytree peaking though. Impossible to take a decent photo from inside a moving bus that has its lights on. But had to try anyways
And a small mountain of 大根おろし plus a wee bit of sake.
Even though I fly to Japan tomorrow there is never too much of this.
Even though I fly to Japan tomorrow there is never too much of this.
December 1, 2025 at 6:12 AM
And a small mountain of 大根おろし plus a wee bit of sake.
Even though I fly to Japan tomorrow there is never too much of this.
Even though I fly to Japan tomorrow there is never too much of this.
Chickens have been naughty and hiding eggs. Finally found a cache under a young totara sapling and long grass - tucked way back in.
So だし巻き卵 tonight to celebrate.
Left one egg to encourage them to stick with this location at least.
So だし巻き卵 tonight to celebrate.
Left one egg to encourage them to stick with this location at least.
December 1, 2025 at 5:51 AM
Chickens have been naughty and hiding eggs. Finally found a cache under a young totara sapling and long grass - tucked way back in.
So だし巻き卵 tonight to celebrate.
Left one egg to encourage them to stick with this location at least.
So だし巻き卵 tonight to celebrate.
Left one egg to encourage them to stick with this location at least.
Getting Back to the Future vibes
November 30, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Getting Back to the Future vibes
Buttermilk biscuits just out of the oven and the pork sausage gravy is nearly ready. Gotta make it all myself since you won’t find biscuits and gravy in NZ - and the biscuits concept freaks people out. Until you remind them of KFC.
November 29, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Buttermilk biscuits just out of the oven and the pork sausage gravy is nearly ready. Gotta make it all myself since you won’t find biscuits and gravy in NZ - and the biscuits concept freaks people out. Until you remind them of KFC.
Long day of gardening before I made the dolmades, and they weren’t ready for dinner but damn they taste good. 65 of them (well 63 because I had to sample two of them)
November 21, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Long day of gardening before I made the dolmades, and they weren’t ready for dinner but damn they taste good. 65 of them (well 63 because I had to sample two of them)
Today I make dolmades. Grape leaves, dill, mint, parsley, lemons all from the garden.
#cooking #gardening #dolmades
#cooking #gardening #dolmades
November 20, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Today I make dolmades. Grape leaves, dill, mint, parsley, lemons all from the garden.
#cooking #gardening #dolmades
#cooking #gardening #dolmades
If you see this post a bird
Sorry, I just had to
Sorry, I just had to
November 14, 2025 at 10:57 PM
If you see this post a bird
Sorry, I just had to
Sorry, I just had to
Simple dinner for me and the kids of salad, soba and dashimaki tamago
November 12, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Simple dinner for me and the kids of salad, soba and dashimaki tamago
Real world variation of the giraffe in Madagascar
November 10, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Real world variation of the giraffe in Madagascar
One of my favorite movies but I didn’t want it to become reality
October 28, 2025 at 8:53 PM
One of my favorite movies but I didn’t want it to become reality
In NY, visiting the MetMuseum. Seeing in person the stunning Persian painting and calligraphy that @willdalrymple.bsky.social and @anitaanand.bsky.social spoke about in podcasts about Shirin, etc.
Means so much more after hearing about it from my favorite podcast
#EmpirePodcast
Means so much more after hearing about it from my favorite podcast
#EmpirePodcast
October 28, 2025 at 3:34 PM
In NY, visiting the MetMuseum. Seeing in person the stunning Persian painting and calligraphy that @willdalrymple.bsky.social and @anitaanand.bsky.social spoke about in podcasts about Shirin, etc.
Means so much more after hearing about it from my favorite podcast
#EmpirePodcast
Means so much more after hearing about it from my favorite podcast
#EmpirePodcast
Oh yea - this is the good stuff
Jeera rice was also requested
I feel like I’ve done well as a father when the kids want food like this. Not something they would otherwise experience. Now I need to take them to Goa to eat the real thing
Jeera rice was also requested
I feel like I’ve done well as a father when the kids want food like this. Not something they would otherwise experience. Now I need to take them to Goa to eat the real thing
October 26, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Oh yea - this is the good stuff
Jeera rice was also requested
I feel like I’ve done well as a father when the kids want food like this. Not something they would otherwise experience. Now I need to take them to Goa to eat the real thing
Jeera rice was also requested
I feel like I’ve done well as a father when the kids want food like this. Not something they would otherwise experience. Now I need to take them to Goa to eat the real thing
I’m off to NYC tomorrow (and hopefully coming back with a new job). Asked the kids what they wanted me to make for dinner before I leave (mom is still in Taiwan). Request was Goan/Mangalorean rava fried pomfret. Tamarind is addictive.
Waiting while it marinates is the hard part.
Waiting while it marinates is the hard part.
October 26, 2025 at 4:41 AM
I’m off to NYC tomorrow (and hopefully coming back with a new job). Asked the kids what they wanted me to make for dinner before I leave (mom is still in Taiwan). Request was Goan/Mangalorean rava fried pomfret. Tamarind is addictive.
Waiting while it marinates is the hard part.
Waiting while it marinates is the hard part.
Spent the last few days learning to use a scythe - to cut the ridiculously long grass on part of my property that is too wet to mow all winter and early spring.
Amazing to use a tool that goes back nearly 10000 years. Really is better than a line trimmer or mower for this crazy grass.
#scythe
Amazing to use a tool that goes back nearly 10000 years. Really is better than a line trimmer or mower for this crazy grass.
#scythe
October 23, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Spent the last few days learning to use a scythe - to cut the ridiculously long grass on part of my property that is too wet to mow all winter and early spring.
Amazing to use a tool that goes back nearly 10000 years. Really is better than a line trimmer or mower for this crazy grass.
#scythe
Amazing to use a tool that goes back nearly 10000 years. Really is better than a line trimmer or mower for this crazy grass.
#scythe
maybe he heard frogmen and thought…
October 11, 2025 at 6:54 AM
maybe he heard frogmen and thought…
What is this espresso machine? Dual lever machine. Out to eat at a Zhejiang cuisine restaurant in Taipei with my wife and they have this amazing machine. Might need to order a coffee just to see how it tastes from this beauty
#espresso
#espresso
October 10, 2025 at 3:45 AM
What is this espresso machine? Dual lever machine. Out to eat at a Zhejiang cuisine restaurant in Taipei with my wife and they have this amazing machine. Might need to order a coffee just to see how it tastes from this beauty
#espresso
#espresso
