Life lately - March

I feel like i've really dropped the ball on blogging these last few months. I've not been feeling inspired and we've had a heap of other stressors going on that we have been dealing with. To top it off, it feels like it's taking FOREVER to warm up this year, and I am so ready to get back in the water and make the most of the warm weather!!! Some days it feels like the weather is starting to warm, then we get another cold snap and the wind, which makes it feel even more miserable!

Anyway, it's not all doom and gloom around here! in late January I had a big work win. I got some amazing trainers over rom Australia to do some team building training, which I think really improved the morale in my office. It felt like a huge success.

Also, even though we didn't manage to make it to any of the major cherry blossom sites in Okinawa last month, I did find a nice bunch of them in Ishikawa, just a short drive from our house on a beautiful blue-skied day, which also made me happy. Speaking of cherry blossoms, Starbucks had their limited edition Sakura latte, which was so good with soy milk! McDonalds also had a sakura flavoured McFlurry, which was also delicious. It was the first McFlurry I have had in about 20 years! Haha.

I'm trying to decide what to do the next few months. Island fever has hit again and I need some sort of a holiday. We're thinking of either braving another camping adventure (but maybe to one of the Kerama Islands this time), or a night down in Naha, or up on Sesoko Island. The hard thing about the island options is that we want to make sure the weather is beautiful and we can go swimming, which makes organising anything in advance kind of difficult. Any suggestions welcome!

What are everyone else's summer plans? Or winter, if you are one of my southern hemisphere readers?

Okinawa cherry blossoms in Ishikawa
Beautiful Okinawa cherry blossoms


Sakura McFlurry from McDonalds Japan
Trying the sakura flavoured seasonal items!
Sakura latte from Starbucks Japan
Sakura latte from Starbucks


Kite flying on Nakadomari beach
Kite flying on the beach


Nakadomari beach
Windy and cold Okinawa, still in March!

Esparza's Tacos and Coffee

Last weekend while we were in Chatan getting my iPhone screen replaced (I finally dropped it one too many times) we decided to finally try out a new place for lunch. We have driven past Esparza's Tacos and Coffee quite a few times and each time I commented on how good it looked. After reading about how they had vegan and vegetarian options (hard to some by in Okinawa), we decided to take the plunge and try it.

We got there at 12 and it was already pretty busy and we managed to nab the last free table. I was super excited to see the menu option, over half being vegan and it all sounded delicious! We decided to share the Vegan Chorizo tacos and the two bean tacos. The vegan chorizo is basically made with tofu and chorizo spices, and was super tasty. They also had a kind of vegan parmesan on top, and I have no idea what that was made from, but it was another nice touch. The two bean burritos were also tasty, but my favourite were definitely the "chorizo" ones.

The tacos were huge, and they also have a "salsa" bar, with different sauces, salsas and an onion and coriander mix. Definitely a nice touch!

Esparza's also serves a range of drinks, including Coronas, sangria and tequila drinks. The other good thing (and a rarity in Okinawa) is that it opens from 7am for breakfast (servicing breakfast burritos and pancakes).

Esparza's is located on route 58 in Chatan, and you can find the map here. It's great to have another vegan and vegetarian friendly option in Okinawa!


Esparza's Tacos and Coffee in Chatan offers a large vegan menu and is very tasty!
Exterior




Vegan chorizo tacos at Esparza's Tacos and Coffee in Chatan Okinawa
Vegan "chorizo" tacos
Vegan two bean burrito at Esparza's Tacos and Coffee in Okinawa
vegan two bean tacos
PIN IT FOR LATER:
Esparza's Tacos and Coffee in Chatan, Okinawa has a menu that is 50% vegan, with aims of going fully vegan in the next 5 years. It opens from 7am!