We usually have a Christmas party at home, but this year we decided to keep it simple on Christmas Eve and went to New Prince Hotel on the 25th to have Chinese food. While waiting for our food, we explored the hotel with the kids. We discovered a small select shop about the size of a convenience store inside the hotel, so we decided to take a look. The shop had a variety of familiar Hokkaido souvenirs, as well as high-grade products made by the Prince Salmon Company. We ended up buying a 3,000 yen Christmas/New Year lucky bag and duck hot pot soup. We plan to enjoy them with our family during the New Year. They also had sweets made by the Prince's patissier, which looked delicious, so we want to go back and try them sometime.

After enjoying a cup of coffee in the lobby of Grand Hotel New Prince, I decided to visit the nearby shop, Nanakamado. I was intrigued by the Toma-Chop Water (100 yen), so I bought it. I paid with a credit card. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

The first-floor shop, Nanakamado, had souvenirs, Oji salmon products, and cakes. Strawberry shortcake for 350 yen!!! It's unbelievably affordable for a hotel-made cake!!! It has a gentle sweetness. It reminds me of a certain Christmas cake that I often buy. It's been a while since I had strawberry shortcake, maybe that's why it tasted so good. It has a golden recipe-like deliciousness. It's a perfect size to enjoy in your room. It's not as smooth as a pastel smooth pudding, but it's still smooth. And most importantly, at 260 yen, it's better than convenience store sweets?! The cream puff is only 180 yen, a great deal! I felt a sense of closeness to both the taste and the price. The apple pie also seems to be popular. Thank you for the meal ♡

Today's coffee~~~(^^)d Today, I went on a greeting tour with my boss at work~~♪♪ Took the early Super Hokuto train to head to Tomakomai~(>_<) So sleepy!! When we arrived in Tomakomai, the wind was quite strong, maybe because the sea was nearby...(^-^; It was pretty cold as we walked around!! After finishing our meeting, my boss and I headed back to Tomakomai station~~♪♪ We were going back to Sapporo, but had about an hour until the next train (diesel car)...!? When I asked my boss what we should do, he said, "How about tea time?"(^-^) But I wondered if there was a café nearby... My boss suggested going to a hotel lounge instead!(*^^*) When we got to the hotel lounge, they had self-service coffee nearby♪♪ We bought a cup for "Hot Coffee 200 yen tax included" at the shop next door and poured ourselves some hot coffee!! Then we took a break in the lounge♪♪ It was a really nice break because it was so cold outside and my body warmed up nicely(*^^*) On the train, my boss mentioned that Tomakomai is famous for its clam curry... If only he had told me earlier... (>_<)! Next time, I'll definitely try the clam dishes♪♪(^-^)v

I visited a event venue on the 3rd floor out of obligation, and on the way back, my wife bought some bread. The sushi soba I had earlier was too salty? I bought some haskap cider! *gulp* Ugh, it's terrible? One more sip, still terrible! It was a rare miss! LOL I don't recommend the sake kasu senbei from Otaru either! LOL The bread was delicious though. Thank you for the meal! (^^)v

After the hotel buffet, I stopped by a shop where the song "Shiroi Koibito" (White Lover) was playing loudly. The shop had a large display of Shiroi Koibito cookies stacked on a table. They also sold bread, including some that were served at the buffet. The Shiroi Koibito cookie is a well-known Hokkaido specialty. I remembered an old commercial from about 30 years ago where a boy accidentally hits a girl with a coin at the Trevi Fountain, and his brother gives her a box of Shiroi Koibito cookies as an apology. I also saw Marusei Butter Sandwiches, which I love. The packaging design with flowers reminded me of an old commercial jingle. I also saw White Black Thunder, a Hokkaido limited edition candy, and the mascot character of Tomakomai called Tomachop. I tried the delicious Hokkigai (surf clam) Himo, which had a rich flavor. The shop also sold local curry ramen and packaged ramen from famous Hokkaido ramen shops. It could be a good souvenir for tourists or business travelers staying in the area.

On August 27th, I was intrigued by a live event called "Kassei no Hi" happening on Tomakomai Station Street, so I decided to check it out. It was a free event, and seeing young rock musicians wandering around the lonely station area was quite nice. I was drawn towards the sound of music playing. It was great to see Tomakomai putting in effort to liven up the town. I wandered around the town and ended up at a hotel near the venue. I think it was Hotel New Prince or Grand, but it seemed different from what I remembered. It was my first time visiting here. The Chinese food at the hotel looked delicious, but I had another restaurant in mind that I wanted to visit. The hotel's gift shop had a variety of items, including homemade bread and cakes, as well as souvenirs from Hokkaido and Tomachop characters. The bread seemed popular as there were many people buying them. The flyer I received mentioned that the bread and cakes were discounted on certain days, which was quite attractive. I thought of coming back later to buy some bread, but I didn't think I would be around until evening. I bought a cinnamon roll, but by evening, most of the bread was sold out. The cinnamon roll was smaller than others I've had, and the chocolate on top felt a bit sticky. Despite that, the shop had a good vibe and was open from 8 AM to 9 PM, which was commendable.

After dining at Momozono, we decided to stop by the hotel's shop for a little snack. They had a variety of local specialties, but we opted for the hotel's own products. My husband chose the musk melon bread for 124 yen, while I went for the fresh chocolate roll for 258 yen. We also got a chocolate roll and a banana cake, each for 118 yen. My husband tried the melon bread in the car and was not impressed. It was dry and lacked melon flavor. I also took a bite and was equally disappointed. It didn't really serve as a palate cleanser. So, we ended up sharing the banana cake, which was actually quite delicious. It had a nice flavor, and I would definitely have it again. The fresh chocolate cake was just okay, nothing special. Later, we realized that the chocolate roll and banana cake were not actually hotel products but from Kurayama Seika. Considering the price of 118 yen, they were quite tasty. It was fun to see a variety of local sweets from Hokkaido at Nanakamado. Maybe the hotel should consider turning the shop into a souvenir store for better business. I hope Grand Hotel New Prince is doing okay.

In Tomakomai, there is a rare bakery inside a hotel. It's quite a large hotel, with the feel of tour buses coming in. On the first floor, there is a shop, and one corner is a bakery. The "Rape Blossom Bread" for 180 yen had cooked rape blossoms on top of a long bacon mayo bread. The rape blossoms were cut in several places, making it easier to eat than it looks. The slight mustard flavor adds a unique touch that is characteristic of a hotel. The "Pain au Chocolat" for 150 yen had soft chocolate inside a small Danish pastry, topped with sliced almonds. The dough itself had a fluffy texture. The service was formal and proper, as expected from a hotel. Thank you for the meal.

Here you go: ★Repost!! Oh!? I received a comment, but it disappeared, I apologize, but it has reappeared together (Ａ＾▽＾；) Last year, in the fall ☆.:*･ﾟ☆ my daughter brought back souvenirs from her trip to Hokkaido♪ She bought them at the Grand Hotel New Prince in Tomakomai, Hokkaido where we stayed. Why buy local specialties at a hotel (＾＾；★ Yumino Haskap Jelly 9 pieces ¥1890 ★ Melon Jelly 9 pieces ¥1890 ★ By the way, 6 pieces for ¥1260, I think it's a good deal, too many (laughs). The expiration date was six months, but we couldn't finish them all, so we ended up giving them away (＾＾； Haskap with a refreshing and moderately sweet taste. It is very rich in vitamin C, calcium, and iron. Effective in preventing anemia. A strong point for women (＾＾)v Fragrant melon, not specified as Yubari, I wonder where it's from (＾＾；). Jelly that you can easily slurp. Delicious cold and perfect for summer. We were eating it in the dead of winter at home... (laughs).