It's exciting and the fun never stops.
It had been a long time since I'd been there, and I was so excited that I ended up staying there for a long time.
It was a shop that sold antique furniture and miscellaneous goods.
The restaurant was located between two residential houses, with no other shops nearby, but you could see people there, giving it an atmosphere that showed everyone was having fun.
Outside there was a lot of vintage furniture, art, gardening items and even rugs, so maybe there was something just right for me! I was fired up to look for it!
And when I entered the store, everything I saw, up, down, left, right, everything was exciting, and I felt like there might be some wonderful thing hiding somewhere!
I walked around the store slowly and carefully, looking at each item one by one, and I wondered how many times I'd been around, but even then I'd find new discoveries and bargains, and wonder where in my home I'd display them. The time I spent thinking about these things was fun and exciting, and just wandering around the store while choosing was a great time.
Among the items were some that looked lovely but made me wonder what they were, and some that had no price tags, and the exchange of questions I had with the shop owner was a testament to his kindness and charm.
I think everyone who came to the store must have thought, "This is a wonderful space created by the owner."
Interactions between people can sometimes change the impression and atmosphere of a store.
There was so much to learn from the owner, how he was able to run a shop with such a personality.
Occasionally, when I come across an arrogant owner at a vintage furniture store, I feel sad because the space and the items are lovely, but it's such a shame.
It is thanks to the owner that I can once again feel that I had a good time.
It was exciting and fun, I'm glad I came! It was the best time.
When something exciting happens unexpectedly, I get super excited.
I was so excited about dinner that day.
It was an Italian restaurant deep in the mountains. It was my first time there, so I didn't know what the atmosphere was like, but I had heard that it was delicious.
When we arrived, we were the only ones there (we had arrived too early for the reservation), and our table was decorated with lovely Christmas decorations, along with a reserved seating sign.
It was a heartwarming feeling that I don't really have in my heart.
The owner and his wife welcomed us warmly, and while we waited, the first dish was brought out.
This was when the excitement began. Cheese, tomato, and ham were brought out in three layers.
Putting it into words like this may seem unnecessary, but it may seem like something ordinary and boring.
But there was something really moving here.
First of all, I hate tomatoes.
I can eat most things, but tomatoes have always been a big dislike for me in my 33 years of life.
People would often say things like, "This is sweet, so it's fine," or "This isn't a normal tomato," or "You've never eaten a delicious tomato before, have you?"
Even if you don't dislike tomatoes, you may understand if you have a particular dislike for them, but I have never been able to eat them.
In the end, I thought it was no good because the taste itself was bad, but this time it was different.
At first glance, it really just looks like cheese, tomato, and ham, but when I tried it, I was incredibly impressed.
I'm so bad at food reporting that I can't really say anything. All I can say is, try it!
I wondered why we were able to eat it and thought it was so delicious, when the owner came over to our table and began to talk to us, asking how we liked it.
He also taught me that although each ingredient is very simple, the ingenuity that goes into them is amazing.
The cheese was also one I had never tried before (I forgot the name...), but it had a soft, crumbly texture, no unpleasant smell, and was not too strong, making it an exquisite cheese that is only produced in certain regions of Italy.
The tomatoes are carefully selected, and the ham is also carefully prepared, with a subtle amount of honey that is barely noticeable, and I will never forget the excitement I felt when I put all three of them in my mouth at once.
Then I looked forward to the next dish, and the next, and each one, right up to the final dessert, was exciting and fun with every bite.
And the owner always spoke to me.
They were attentive, they tried to get to know us, and the food was delicious.
It's not the most high-end Italian restaurant, but it was a very comfortable space, an exciting dinner, and a very enjoyable conversation with the owner and his wife.
The charm of the shop is exciting and fun, and conversations with the owner/staff change the impression even further, making it a place you'll want to visit again and again.
When I think about how this relates to my current job, I realize there is a lot I can learn.
I hope that I can become a store that shares the same feelings as others.
(text: Shimazaki)
SHIMAZAKI AYAKO
I loved redecorating and constantly rearranging my room as a child, and before I knew it, 12 years have passed since I started working in interior design. I am the manager of two different interior design shops, and I've recently started working in the e-commerce business. I'm a bundle of curiosity, and although I have a high level of concentration, my persistence is quite low, so I'm secretly worried about writing a blog.