Ride the Christmas Train and get FREE SAKE!

Some of you may know I am a videographer when I'm not helping Takashi and Fumiko with Lake Dora Sushi and Sake. 

For the past year I have had the opportunity to make all the TV commercials and video promos for the Orange Blossom Cannonball Train. 
A few days ago I was able make a special promo video for the Christmas Train Express using my own grandson as talent.
The train departs from the station across the street from Lake Dora Sushi next to Wooton Park. It travels to the "North Pole" where it picks up Santa and his elves and your child can enjoy cookies and cocoa and sing Christmas Carols. What a fun and special treat for Caiden or any child!
The treat for us adults? On every train ticket you purchase online you get a coupon for a FREE SAKE or EDAMAME!    Thats a win win for everyone. ALLLL ABOARD!


Check out the Orange Blossom Cannonball Christmas Train promo with Caiden, HERE!

BACK to the future for Fumiko!

 This week was the long anticipated back surgery for Fumiko.
For those of us who know her, Fumiko is a never ending ball of activity. A constant site at Lake Dora Sushi and Sake in Tavares, Fumiko is constantly carrying plates of sushi and pitchers of water and beer to smiling customers . She's an invariable force when it comes to customer interaction. Everyone knows and loves Fumiko's spirit and energy. It hasn't changed since her friends and customers knew her at Kampai Japanese Steakhouse in Vestal, New York, through the short time at Mt Dora Sushi in Mount Dora, FL and now in Tavares, FL.

One thing HAS changed about Fumiko over the years and thats her posture. In 2006, Fumiko had back surgery to fuse L5-L3 in her lumbar back region. The years of carrying heavy trays of glasses and plates had finally taken its toll on her 4'10"/ 90 something lb body.

Although that surgery gave her much relief, the pain crept back and over the last year we have seen her quickly degenerate into a curved pile of discomfort. Watching her hobble through the restaurant trying to fill water glasses with a smile has been more torture to many of us than the actual pain she may have felt at the time.

In April we took her to the Laser Spine Institute in Tampa where they determined her back was beyond any help that they could provide. We immediately made an appt with an Orlando spine specialist and a surgical date was set for June 4, 2012 for spinal fusion to help alleviate some of the slipping and painful rubbing of her vertabrae as she walks and moves.

Internet Ref: Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure used to correct problems with the small bones of the spine (vertebrae). It is essentially a "welding" process. The basic idea is to fuse together the painful vertebrae so that they heal into a single, solid bone.

The news was good today. Fumiko made it through surgery fine . It was worse than we thought and she now has a titanium rod welding her vertabrae S1, L5, L4, L3, L2, L1 and T12! We are already joking that we want her spine willed to us so we can make a golf club out of her when she's gone, LOL. All kidding aside, we are happy and relieved that Fumiko can now be on her way to a comfortable recovery . We look forward to seeing our social butterfly once again at Lake Dora Sushi on a regular basis ...but no more carrying water pitchers.

**Surprise visit for Fumiko's back surgery in 2006< Watch this 2min home video we made back in 2006 when Fumiko had her first back surgery. We decided to get me on a plane to NY to surprise her before she went in. She AND Takashi were both surprised :)

Memorial Day- Lake Dora Sushi remembers

"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself"      -Joseph Campbell

It's almost Memorial Day! ...The unofficial start of summer, pool covers come off up north, BBQ grills get brushed off and white slacks and shoes are no longer seasonal faux pas... But at this time, lets remember why we get the last Monday of every May off from school and work. In honor of the soldiers who died in the American Civil War, Memorial Day was started around 1865 after the assasination of President Abraham Lincoln. Commemorations and speeches were popping up and the United States had just wrapped up the brutal 4 year Civil War.  In the beginning, the North observed Memorial Day as "Decoration Day" in honor of the fallen soldiers who made victory possible  over the south during the war. The defeated South had a different observation as they linked the occasion to the memory of the "Lost Cause." Over time, Memorial Day has evolved to honor all soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for a better nation. People of all faiths and nationalities can join together with the belief that ALL soldiers become one nation of HEROS in the "baptism of blood" on battlefields everywhere. This Memorial Day, Lake Dora Sushi and Sake will be CLOSED in honor of friends, family and those we have never known who have sacrificed their lives to allow us to have a better life. ENJOY your day off, kick back and relax. We will surely be poolside or boating on Lake Dora around lovely Tavares and Mount Dora, FL with Fumiko and Takashi...but at 3PM, we will take a minute and have a moment of silence. We will remember and honor the fallen heros everywhere...and we hope you will join us.

Make Mothers Day memories at Lake Dora Sushi

It's almost Mother's Day!

Wow, it feels like just yesterday when my mom Fumiko dressed me and my sister up in hand made matching maxi dresses and we would load up in the big old brown gas guzzling New Yorker and head over to a local restaurant to celebrate Mother's Day. I would love to get the fried chicken dinner because it came with a half a canned peach that was just that perfect sweet little something to top off a wonderfully savory and satisfying meal ( coming from an eight year old mind )  

Fast Forward 40 years...Oh how time flies..and I can't believe I'm a mother myself. WAIT. I can't believe I'm a Grandmother!

So many many Mother's day meals have passed but the memories remain. This year I will celebrate Mother's Day with my mom at Lake Dora Sushi and Sake. If you remember when Fumiko and Takashi had their restaurant in Mount Dora, they were never open for Mother's Day. This year, Lake Dora Sushi and Sake will be OPEN 4:30PM -8PM.

Create your own Mother's Day memories this year and come in for a FREE sake or edamame for mom.

I think I'll have Chicken Tonkatsu (panko fried chicken) and top it off with a sweet plum wine.

Lake Dora Sushi Blogs now!

Welcome to the new blog post of Lake Dora Sushi and Sake in Tavares, Florida.
As many of you know, Fumiko and Takashi started Mt Dora Sushi in Mount Dora , FL back in 2008.

At that time we let everyone know how things were going at this little family owned business as things progressed in a monthly blog.

Its been a while , things have changed and Fumiko and Takashi have since moved around the lake to Tavares, Fl overlooking Lake Dora in November 2011.

Now that they have settled in, we will be keeping everyone updated on whats going on at Lake Dora Sushi and events happening in Tavares, FL

Stay tuna-ed, Stay fresh , See you soon!