Experiencing Japan through vending machines

by Mike Barish on

One of my favorite ways to experience a place is through street foods. Young and old, rich and poor, men and women all enjoy a quick pick-me-up at some point, and that makes street feed the great equalizer. When I was in Japan in May of 2008, I was mesmerized by the sheer number of vending machines on the streets that supplement (and, in some neighborhoods, replace) street vendors.

Not one to pass up an opportunity to enjoy some local flavor (pun alert!), I purchased a bottle of amino suppli3 on my first day. Amused by the name of the beverage, I snapped a photo of the bottle. Later that same day, while waiting for a train, I purchased an Ice Cocoa on the platform because the metal bottle caught my eye. Again, I snapped a photo and then enjoyed the cool, chocolaty liquid. It was at that moment that I realized that I was on to something: Japan (or at least Tokyo) is less about street food and more about street vending machines. And I was going to document that.

Over ten days in Japan I purchased and drank 26 different beverages from vending machines. And I took a picture of every single one of them. Some, like Pocari Sweat, were great. Others tasted like Robitussin. All of them, however, were part of one of my favorite activities in Japan: exploring the local flavors. Because of that, they are all fond memories.

How do you explore new places? Have you ever created an interesting album of foods or drinks from a specific trip? Share your story with us in the comments.

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Pizza and Beer: North Korean health food

by Tom Johansmeyer on

If you visit Pyongyang, you can make a discovery that has been known in bowling alleys across the United States for decades: beer and pizza go together. This year, new approaches to both the food and the drink have been developed, and the only thing missing is the crash of pins in the background.

Back in March, North Korea celebrated its first pizzeria. It took nearly a decade, but the country was able to import the necessary cooking equipment to set up its first “authentic” shop. To keep it going, Kim Jong Il will need to source and import high-quality ingredients regularly. With many of the 24 million people in his country starving, this doesn’t strike me as the best use of national resources.

But, it’s easy for me to judge. I live in New York, a town with 1,520 pizza establishments, according to a search conducted by Reason. That’s one pizza place for every 5,921 people. Meanwhile, North Korea has a person-to-pizza ratio of 24 million to one. Unpleasant, really.

Now, what is pizza without a cold beer?

Beer has been available in North Korea – at least to the extent that anything is over there. A new brand, though, could fortify the members of the working party, as this new brew is purported to have health benefits. The beer is being touted in a commercial on state television. This is strange, in that commercials in general are extremely rare in North Korea, and this seems to be the first for any food or beverage product.

Look for the commercial after the jump.

Of course, the question remains: how many people could actually see the commercial? Let’s not forget, North Korea is famous for its regular power shortages, which affect even the showplace capital city. So, the secret to happiness and longevity may be missed, because nobody could see the ad.

Gadlinks for Monday 7.13.09

by Brenda Yun on


Well, it’s Monday, and it’s back to the grind for most of us. I, however, am down with the flu and am writing this from bed. I hope the rest of you are having a more healthy day. Here are the latest travel stories from the world wide web.

‘Til tomorrow, have a great evening.

More Gadlinks HERE.

A Super Dining Option at Westin Hotels and Resorts

by Kendra Bailey Morris on

Many of us travelers have had more than our fare share of average hotel dining experiences, especially when it comes to breakfast. I mean, let’s face it. How inspiring can a continental breakfast buffet of day-old scones and room temperature yogurts really be?

Toss in the fact that eating healthy on the road is its own particular challenge, and folks looking for a decent meal are often left to nosh on their own private stash of granola bars along with lukewarm in-room, coffee-maker-coffee, which while arguably better for you than a platter of greasy sausage links, isn’t particularly satisfying.

Lucky for us, Westin Hotels and Resorts has just unveiled a new breakfast and all-day dining menu that features nature’s very own Superfoods, which are best described as foodstuffs which make you feel…well…super.

Based on the nutritional concepts of the bestselling books published by Superfood Partners LLC, the concept is fundamentally simple. Superfoods are ingredients that are well-known for their health-enhancing benefits. Foods such as tomatoes, avocados, blueberries, salmon and nuts contain that ever-familiar, catch-word “antioxidant”. Antioxidants help to slow down the absorption of those evil, damage-causing free radicals that are often responsible for contributing to heart disease, diabetes, macular degeneration, even cancer.
Yet, the best part is that these Superfoods actually taste good, especially when found in carefully plotted combinations such as poached organic eggs and smoked salmon “Benedict”, blueberry-orange granola pancakes, and grilled turkey hash with sweet potatoes and tomato/arugula salad.

And, these goodies aren’t just for breakfast. Westin’s all-day dining menu is a combination of restorative dishes featuring well-known Superfoods including sesame soy-glazed tuna salad with edamame and broiled green tea-lacquered salmon with lemon shiitake essence. Like Westin’s breakfast offerings, each of these Superfood items is clearly defined on the menu by its signature SuperFoodsRx greenleaf logo, making it easy to spot.

It can be argued that Westin isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel here, but they are certainly tapping into a viable need- one that travelers, especially those who are frequently on the road for business, are beginning to seek out more and more. With both health and social awareness clearly on the rise when it comes to personal dining choices (check out the film Food, Inc. to see what I mean) there’s no doubt that Westin’s Superfoods program can fill a highly-publicized gap that will not only leave diners feeling super, but perhaps even a little healthier.

–Kendra

Gadlinks for Friday 7.10.09

by Brenda Yun on


TGIF! Really. Thank goodness. Another summer week has passed us by and there are, as usually, tons of great travel reads to keep you occupied through the weekend. Here’s the latest:

‘Til Monday, have a great weekend, everyone!

More Gadlinks here.