NEWSFLASH!! Free Copies of Zenbu Zen!

Currently there are two (ichi, ni..) separate competitions running - both of which provide you with the opportunity to win a copy of my latest book Zenbu Zen! 

ICHI (1) 
The lovely people of SBS Feast magazine have a competition in the November issue of their magazine out now. 10 people have the chance to win a copy of the book so run out and buy SBS Feast magazine with this cover  ...

OR... go HERE for more detail. 

NI (2).
 I have also been running my own competition which closes in a few short days!

  ALL you have to do is LIKE my Facebook page... and you could be in the running to win a copy of Zenbu Zen! 

If you already like my page - get a friend to like it and just make sure they tell me who referred them - then you BOTH have a chance to win. TOO EASY!

HERE is the LINK

So what are you waiting for?? ;)

Cheers, Jane

PSST !! Have you heard about EATLOVE??

If you haven't you need to go immediately and check out the site - it is packed with free recipes and other foodie tips and insights from top Australian chefs and food writers (and a few well loved international foodies too like Tessa Kiros!). It has just launched and is looking schmicko!

More and more content will be added in the coming weeks and months and my prediction is that it will  snowball into one of the most useful recipe sites around - the bonus being that all the recipes are triple tested with many of them straight from your favourite chef's own book or restaurant.

There are a bunch of very cool chefs on board already including Neil Perry, Luke Nguyen, Adriano Zumbo, Peter Gilmore, Frank Camorra, Leanne Kitchen, Rosa Mitchell, Matthew Evans, Nino Zoccali, Darren Purchese.... and cough... MOI of course! And that's just the beginning!

So PLEASE jump over to my page and follow me - and some of those other "celeb" chefs if you really have to.... but most importantly MEEEEEE if you like my stuff  -because I don't have a TV show or my own restaurant or mind-blowing store of sweet goodness to tie my name to so I really need your help not to look like Neddy-no-mates!!  But mainly because - I really want to share my love and knowledge of foodie culture and recipes with as many people as possible - "sharing is caring"!

So please help me out if you can by joining the Eatlove family and following my page. Very shortly there will be free, yes that's right - FREE recipes from my other books such as Yoshoku and Snowflakes and Schnapps!

Here's the link to my EATLOVE page. Go on  - do it now!!
Pretty Please.....

Jane xx

Yakitori Hitomi - やきとりひとみ Kyoto

Hello - we are currently in the process of moving all Japanese related content over to my ZENBU TOURS site. 

This page has already been moved  - please find the link HERE.

Gospel Coffee and Pub House ( Kyoto)

Hello, we are currently transferring all Japan-related content to Jane's ZENBU TOURS site. 

This page has already moved - you will find it HERE.

Thank you.  

Zenbu Zen Competition no.2

OK, I'm going to take it easy on you all this time... Entry will be quicker than making yourself a cuppa!

Simply go to my Facebook book page HERE and "like" it.  That's it! Too easy. 

IF you have been so kind (and supremely clever enough) to have already "liked" my book page then please find a friend to do the "liking" - but make sure they quote your name in the comment box (or privately via FB messaging if they prefer) so that I know exactly who has recommended them to the page. 

There will be two winners.
One new "likee" will be pulled out of the "likee" hat and one person who refers a "likee" will be pulled out of the referral hat! The more friends you refer - the more chances you have to win  - just make sure they remember to include your name!!

So what are you waiting for - like away!

Competition closes midnight (Australian time) 30th October 2012 - winners will be announced on 01 November and a personalised copy of the book sent shortly afterwards. 

Cheers and Good Luck!
Jane 

*photo copyright of Cath Muscat Photography and must not be replicated in any form without permission

And the winner is....

It is 01 October and as promised I am about to reveal the winners of Zenbu Zen competition no. 1. 

But before I do so... may I please take a moment to thank everyone who entered the competition. It is not the easiest thing to look at where you would be if you truly followed your heart.  Actually it can be downright scary - I know this both first hand and now via those who entered the competition and felt compelled to also express how daunting it was to look at where they were "at" in life  -but, thankfully, they also shared with me what a lovely challenge it had been and how it had helped them to focus on the direction in which they wished to 'travel'.... 

I am blown away by the generosity of spirit. It is so joyous to hear other people's stories and connect with like minded souls - either people who have indeed already followed their heart in some way or are about to do so - or, at the very least, thinking about it for the future.....  if you have never ventured forth you really can't imagine what might be out the other side.  When you take this kind of leap of faith and are open to "whatever" happens you are well reminded that life is full of surprises... 

OK - now back to the task at hand.
It really was so bloody difficult to choose just two but without further delay here are the winners and their responses to the question

"In 50 words or less please tell me  - if you truly followed your heart – where would it lead you?"

Heather Loudon 

"I would create a space to nurture and extend people's creativity and the spiritual pursuit of feeling alive and doing things they love. I would sit in the eye of this wonderful situation and enjoy the benefits of being around people living passionately and be enriched and inspired by it."


&

Jacq Ellem

"It would lead me home, to people and places that I adore. It would leave me to write more than commercials, to love unequivocally and smile at the world... At least I can smile at the world now, one down just a few more to go :)"

***

Congratulations to both Heather and Jacq who have already been informed of their win. Both kindly gave me permission to share their entries.  

Stay tuned - details for competition no.2  - up next!

Cheers, Jane x

Stirrings...

I woke at 3:30 am this morning and couldn't get back to sleep. I lay in bed for about half an hour before deciding I'd be better off getting up to do something constructive.  I was filled with an inexplicable nervous energy. 

Then it twigged - it is the 1st of October and my book Zenbu Zen launches today!

It feels a little surreal and I'm somewhat relieved to know its out there in the world while at the same time nervous about official reviews and how it will be received by readers.  It is a toe in the water for me to write in this style - the book is a personal narrative through which related recipes,  information on Japanese cuisine and culture and my very own photographs of Japan have been intertwined - all stitched together by a gorgeous Reuben Crossman design and complimented perfectly with the stunning food photography of Cath Muscat.  

I am so privileged to have this 'journal' of my Kyoto life in such a form - not your average keepsake.  I truly hope that anyone who reads the book feels like they have joined me on my journey,  if only for a few moments, as one dips in and out of the story. And if Zenbu Zen inspires people to travel to Japan, particularly to where my heart is - in Kyoto - then I will be a very happy girl. If you haven't already had the opportunity I hope that you are fortunate enough to one day make it to this magical place to experience and "feel" it for yourselves.

I'd love to hear your feedback when you get the chance to take a peek at the book and better still when you have had the opportunity to dive in a little deeper..  Feel free to drop me a line here and of course if you have your own Kyoto stories to share with me or my blog - we'd love to hear them! 

Jane xx