A look inside Tokyo Midtown

<p>If you&#8217;re traveling with kids in Tokyo, the <a href="http://chuvaness.com/the-ritz-carlton-tokyo/">Ritz-Carlton</a> is a great place to stay because it is connected to the Tokyo Midtown mall in the posh Roppongi Hills. The area includes this vast park and a museum partnered and designed by Tadao Ando and Issey Miyake.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14003635548" title="Tokyo Midtown by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7350/14003635548_e2ddd616b6_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Tokyo Midtown"></a><br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14328733125" title="21-21 design sight by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5474/14328733125_2ab5295c75_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="21-21 design sight"></a></p>
<p>I had been to Tokyo Midtown only once before and never forgot how modern and spacious it was and is today.<br />
Tokyo does not have a mall culture like Manila, so their malls are not very full. In fact they&#8217;re so empty it&#8217;s a bit sad. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14142255667" title="Untitled by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2937/14142255667_57047ba92f_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Untitled"></a></p>
<p>But when they build a mall, they do it so beautifully.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14305049356" title="IMG_3975 by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2917/14305049356_16fe17c4a4_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="IMG_3975"></a></p>
<p>There is nothing in Manila quite like it</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14210461403" title="Tokyo Midtown by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7398/14210461403_d10585cfcd_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Tokyo Midtown"></a></p>
<p>From the Ritz-Carlton Hotel you can access the mall through this beautiful outdoor area.<br />
Imagine this scenario in 18-degree weather</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14210168483" title="Tokyo Midtown by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7406/14210168483_58f898e663_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Tokyo Midtown"></a><br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/scratch_n_sniff/8400184905" title="Tokyo Midtown <a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%233" class="tweet-hashtag">#3</a> by Andrew, on Flickr&#8221;><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8330/8400184905_744837ac0b_c.jpg" width="800" height="534" alt="Tokyo Midtown #3"></a></p>
<p>Tsutaya has mostly Japanese books but there&#8217;s always something cool to buy</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14166910196" title="Tsutaya books at Tokyo Midtown by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/14166910196_4cc83ecebf_c.jpg" width="800" height="534" alt="Tsutaya books at Tokyo Midtown"></a><br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14327326462" title="Tsutaya books by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2895/14327326462_32a63960e2_c.jpg" width="800" height="551" alt="Tsutaya books"></a></p>
<p>Their Starbucks is gorgeous</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14190069325" title="Tokyo Midtown by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2929/14190069325_a0bfcbaa59_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Tokyo Midtown"></a></p>
<p>This way to the mall</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14325414041" title="Jeroen by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5488/14325414041_4b6fa2520f_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Jeroen"></a></p>
<p>On the basement level are many affordable little food outlets. We ate most of our meals here because on the upper floors are really expensive restaurants that can cost you an arm.<br />
This is a yakitori place</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14328240355" title="Untitled by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2921/14328240355_fecbe38d8a_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Untitled"></a></p>
<p>There&#8217;s a famous tonkatsu restaurant called Hiratabokujyo</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14142264887" title="Tonkatsu by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2923/14142264887_a8d294abe8_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Tonkatsu"></a></p>
<p>There are two Dean &#038; Delucas: one is small and cute</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14003384278" title="Dean &amp; Deluca at Tokyo Midtown by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2920/14003384278_0c193abb0a_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Dean &amp; Deluca at Tokyo Midtown"></a></p>
<p>The other one is huge with a grocery/deli and restaurant</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14003373359" title="Dean &amp; Deluca at Tokyo Midtown by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7326/14003373359_af2d3b49e1_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Dean &amp; Deluca at Tokyo Midtown"></a></p>
<p>Everything at Dean &#038; Deluca Tokyo is cute but not necessarily delicious. This mango juice tasted like medicine</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14187024031" title="Dean &amp; Deluca by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7342/14187024031_72dd53d797_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Dean &amp; Deluca"></a></p>
<p>I&#8217;m a sucker for Oreos. This alien-looking thing is called Crash Chocolate Muffin, but I wonder if they meant &#8220;crushed&#8221;?<br />
Unfortunately I didn&#8217;t get to try this. My stomach was always full from all the food choices.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14327258712" title="Dean and Deluca crash chocolate muffin by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5112/14327258712_db664eba69_c.jpg" width="800" height="787" alt="Dean and Deluca crash chocolate muffin"></a></p>
<p>There&#8217;s a little Jean Paul Hevin store—but the one in Hong Kong has more choices. I find JPH so expensive—it is best to buy in Paris if anyone is going.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14186743391" title="Jean Paul Hevin at Tokyo Midtown by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7354/14186743391_1a95203744_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Jean Paul Hevin at Tokyo Midtown"></a></p>
<p>Moku Moku Tezukuri Farm sells this Japanese sausage on a stick. So big, I couldn&#8217;t finish one.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14190042325" title="Mokumoku at Tokyo Midtown by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7340/14190042325_102188aac1_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Mokumoku at Tokyo Midtown"></a></p>
<p>I took some home to Manila and grilled it.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14325669781" title="Moku Moku sausage on a stick by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2909/14325669781_7e25ddd28e_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Moku Moku sausage on a stick"></a></p>
<p>Most convenient is the 24-hour Precce Premium supermarket</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14141522258" title="Precce Premium by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5075/14141522258_5509fcc0f1_c.jpg" width="800" height="552" alt="Precce Premium"></a></p>
<p>Shopping itself wasn&#8217;t exciting for me. I found the whole selection too expensive. Worth noting is Kurachika—which is Porter bags heaven</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14003683978" title="Tokyo Midtown by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5533/14003683978_bbebd642fe_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Tokyo Midtown"></a></p>
<p>A medium-sized Muji store</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14348425963" title="Muji by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2922/14348425963_917afac360_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Muji"></a></p>
<p>and a Plain People store</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuvaness/14003686168" title="Tokyo Midtown by Cecile van Straten, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2912/14003686168_c311526445_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="Tokyo Midtown"></a></p>
<p>To know more about Tokyo Midtown, click <a href="http://www.tokyo-midtown.com/en/">HERE</a>.<br />
(To be continued)</p>
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