Author Archives: Helen Otori

Well, I can’t quite believe how long it’s been since I sat down to write something on here.本当に、本当にお久しぶりです。 In the run-up to the new school year, things have been a little crazy for this one-woman show, but it’s all good. 新学期の準備で一人でバタバタしていましたけど、楽しく仕事をさせて頂きました。笑。Yesterday, April 1st, saw in the start of a brand new, exciting year. 昨日、4月1日、わくわくしながら新年度の初レッスンを向かいました。The schedulesContinue reading “Happy Birthday White Rose C.C.C”

Happy Saint David’s Day! This week, at White Rose, we are enjoying some culture. In both children’s and adult lessons, we have been talking about Saint David’s Day which is celebrated every year on March 1st in Wales.今週、ホワイトローズでウェールズの文化を楽しんでいます。子ども・大人のレッスンで聖デイヴィッドのお話をしています。3月1日はセント・デイヴィッズ・デイと呼ばれてウェールズの祝日となっております。 Wales is one of the four countries that form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and NorthernContinue reading “Happy Saint David’s Day!”

昨日はきれいな青空が広がって、ぽかぽかした気持ち良い天気でしたね。Yesterday, the skies were blue and the weather was wonderfully warm. 私は堺市にある教室に行く前に、チラシをポースティングしながら百舌鳥駅の近くを散歩しました。Before heading off to my classroom in Sakai, I left Mozu station and posted fliers as I took a walk around the neighbourhood. 迷子になりながら一時間半程歩いたところで、お腹が空いてきたので、公園近くのレストランに入って、一人でランチを頂きました。 I got lost several times in the maze of narrow streets and after about an hour and a half, realizedContinue reading “Service is in the detail…and other lessons learned from my lunchtime curry!”

現在、 4月スタートの入会受付中。お気軽にお問い合わせください。 White Rose CCC is now accepting inquiries for the new school year from April 2017. ☏ 090-5659-2390 ✉ helenotori@hotmail.com

Yesterday, on my day off, I spent time with my lovely friend Jacqui, @jacquimiyabayashiconsulting who is a fellow expat, business owner and all-round marketing maestro. 昨日定休日だったので、私と同じく外国人、個人事業の経営者のお友達とランチを食べに行きました。For lunch we had what is aptly named as the ‘treasure chest’ lunch, which contains a perfect blend of East and West: food from entirely different cultures working nicely togetherContinue reading “Food is culture is communication….and communication leads to understanding”

I’m pretty sure that many of you will be feeling a little TGIF today.So let me introduce you to a new friend, TGFB: Thank God For Brownies! This week’s recipe for Hazelnut brownies goes out to my lovely mum who is in hospital for a knee operation this week. She taught me everything I knowContinue reading “TGFB? Thank God For Brownies!”

Well hello, it’s been quite a while! こんにちは。。。アンドお久しぶりです。 Many apologies for taking two weeks to kick off my jet-lag and post-holiday blues and get back to baking business. 本当に申し訳ありません。イギリスから日本へ帰って来て、時差ボケそして”休み後のブルース”に二週間悩まされましたが、等々元気になり、今週から新しいケーキ作りに挑戦しました。I’m going to keep this blog sweet and simple, just last this week’s cake.今日のブログをこのバナナとはちみつケーキと同様に甘くて、シンプルにさせて頂きます。 Bananas? バナナ？Honey? はちみつ？Surely it’s healthy?　きっと体に良いでしょう？ Who doesn’t love a traybake that you canContinue reading “I’m back….and as bananas as ever!”

Yesterday, at work, I had three wonderful reasons to be thankful. 昨日仕事で涙が出るほどの幸せを感じました。 At the beginning of every lesson, I always ask my students: ‘What’s new with you?’ The three ladies that attended my Afternoon Tea lesson yesterday afternoon all had something special to tell me. いつも、レッスンの始めに、生徒の皆さまに　‛最近、どう？’　と聞きます。昨日のアフタヌーンティーレッスンに参加してくれた3名はこう答えてくれました。 The first lady told me that she had finallyContinue reading “Three wonderful reasons to be thankful”

Here at White Rose, we are on the official approach to Christmas: lessons, baking and all! December’s first recipe is a favourite of mine and always popular with the students: gingerbread men. Golden syrup is a staple ingredient of many British cakes and biscuits. It can be a little hard to find in Japan, butContinue reading “Run, run as fast as you can..you can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man!”

Today in Japan, it’s Labour Thanksgiving Day. As both my husband and I have the day off, we are going to take a walk and go out for lunch.今日、日本では勤労感謝の日ですね。珍しく、旦那も私もお休みですのでこれから近所で散歩して、昼食を食べにいくつもりです。 But first, let me share a secret with you: they make great cake in Denmark! For this week’s classes, I made a new cake: the DanishContinue reading “Made in Denmark!”