gifts from my parents

My mother is the best cooking teacher for me.
She used to say "You don't have to study very much, but you should
learn the cooking.", so I helped her when she prepared the lunch or dinner
in childhood.
I really like to cook and try new recipes thanks to my mother.

Today, the wonderful gifts was delivered me from my parents.
Mixed rice (Japanese style), fried shrimps and chicken, and beef bowl
without rice (Japanese taste), my mother made all dishes for me.
And, my father made a loaf of bread.
He can also cook some menus.

These dishes help me to cook the lunch boxes or dinner!

Thanks mom and dad!!

my favorite glasses

As some of readers of my blog already know, I love wines.
In the cold season, I want to enjoy the red wines, in warm and hot season,
the sparkling or white wines are best for me.

This 2 pairs of Champagne glasses are special for me, so I don't usually
use them.
I want to use them when opening the fabulous wines or
it's something particular.

I'm keeping it carefully in my room until the next chance that I can enjoy
the wonderful wine using them.

getting ready for summer

Recently, the temperature increases and the sunshine are stronger
than April like the beginning of summer.
I want to get ready various things as summer season approaches.

First, I planted 2 types of tomatoes and seeded baby leafs, and
set the plant pots in my balcony.

I didn't have interested in growing plants , but I knew the pleasure
to grow plants when working at the National Institute of fruit tree.
I learned how it was not easy and fun to grow and harvest the fruits
from the researchers who work there.
I could get new view from this experience.

I will prepare more things for summer from now!

Springtime in Japan - 2011

I didn't update my blog long long time...
Certainly, I'm a little busy after starting the job, but it's just the excuse.
I make a decision to restart writing the blog in every weekend (maybe).

The first topic in 2011 is springtime in Japan!
I couldn't enjoy looking various wonderful flowers in Japanese Spring
for 2 years while living in US.
But my important friend gave me many pictures of spring flowers
in Japan for 2 years, so I could feel the atmosphere of springtime in Japan.

And, this year, he sent me the fabulous picture of the cherry blossoms
and the field mustard in full bloom.
It's so gorgeous and the great collaboration of 2 types of colors, isn't it?

I keep this picture in my cell phone, and always look it when I want to relax.
It makes me happy and gives me the energy!

winery in Japan

(vineyards)

(prosciutto and cheese sandwich with Shitake mushroom soup)

(chorizo sandwich with Shiitake mushroom soup)

(red wine that I bought on the table at my home)

I love wines, especially, Pino Noir and Chardonnay.
I visited several (or a lot of ?) wineries in Santa Ynez, Santa Maria, Montrey, Napa etc..
when I lived in US.
California is wonderful place for me, I love California!

Wine is one of popular alcohols in Japan, and made in particular areas.

Today, my husband and I visited one winery.
That winery has neat cafe, and it's possible to try all wines of that winery
at just about $5.

I met one awesome red wine taste like Pino Noir.
I liked it!

Of course, I got it, and probably I would keep it about for a year at least.

going home - last day

Last day, we went to one neat cafe to have a breakfast.
I always look forward to trying the coffee when I visit the cafes.

I ordered the regular coffee and cinnamon bagel with cream cheese.
I really liked the coffee of this cafe, bought the beans of this coffee.
I can enjoy it at my home!

trip to NASU - second day

Second day, my husband and I went to "ALPACA FARM".
I couldn't wait to meet ALPACA from the morning, but I got stuck in a jam,
long way to ALPACA...

About a hour later, I finally met a lot of ALPACA.
They had big eyes and very friendly, it was so so cute.
If possible, I wanted to take after at my home, but my husband didn't
agree with me.

And then, we visited Beer Factory of SAPPORO, just I enjoyed to try fresh beer
because he couldn't alcohol.
But we ate really delicious steak in the dinner, so he was very satisfied.

trip to NASU - first day

（SHOZO CAFE）

（Wine Bar MARCELLO）

（TANDEM 2007）

In last weekend, there were holidays from Saturday from to Monday,
so my husband and I went trip to NASU where was the summer resort
near my town.

NASU has a lot of fabulous cafes, bakeries and sweet shops.
We went to one of natural and neat cafes in this area, the
atmosphere of that cafe made me relaxed, I would spend a few hours
while reading books with hot coffee and delicious cake.

In the evening, we found one building looking like a French restaurant,
actually, that building was wine bar.
We made up our minds to enjoy the dinner at that bar.
The owner of that bar prepared many kinds of wines.
As some readers of my blog already know, I love wines, so I enjoyed wines
and my husband was excited Japanese style hamburger steak with local rice.

I met really wonderful white wine from Sonoma, the name was "TANDEM".
If you all find "TANDEM" at supermarkets, I recommend to try that!

Korean BBQ

(Makgoli and kimchi)

(appetizer)

(salad with Korean style dressing)

(various kind of parts of beef for Korean BBQ)

My husband and I went to Tokyo in this weekend to enjoy shopping
in the department stores.
I wanted to get some clothes for fall, but it is still hot in Japan, so
I just enjoyed window shopping.

Our another purpose was to go to the Korean restaurant because
he had the coupon of that restaurant.

We ordered not only the main dish but also the appetizer dish and salad.
And I tried Korean Sake (Makgoli; show in the first picture) first
with fabulous dishes.

green curtain

I went back to my parents' home in August 13th.
My parents, especially, my father likes to grow some plants and vegetables up
in their garden, and I like to look their garden when I always go my parents' home.

The town where my parents live is so so hot area, the temperature is sometimes
90-95F in the summer time (like Death Valley (?) ), so he made green curtain in the garden.

We Japanese call those plants "GOYA" or "NIGA-URI (meaning is bitter like cucumber?
it's hard to explain it. You all should visit Japan!!)".

Those green curtain made cool their house.
It's good idea for the global environment.

Miss SB!

I didn't update my blog about for 2 weeks...
I'm so lazy.

I love coffee and drink every morning, so I can't stop my mind to visit
the coffee shops when I find new one.

Recently, I found new coffee shop in my town, and I was really curious in
that shop, but I didn't have opportunity to visit it.

Last Saturday, I was able to visit that coffee shop finally.

I felt the smell of the coffee when I entered that shop, it made me comfortable.

I bought 2 types of coffee for iced coffee, and I liked the labels, so took
those pictures.

Right side one looks like Santa Barbara beach!

Oh my gosh, I really miss SB!!!

many support

Actually, I started working at one of national laboratories
as the assistant researcher from August 2nd.

It's not easy to do house work and my job perfectly, but
my husband supports me very much, so I can concentrate
to get used to new job right now.

One day, I realized there was one bag in front of the door of my room.
That was cute gift from 2 adorable kids who was living next to my room.
Their mom is my friend, and one kid is boy who is 4 years old, another kid is
girl who is 2 years old.
Those cute kids gave me wonderful pictures which they drew.

I was a little tired, so those neat gifts made me relaxed.

I always believe that many people support me when I try new things.

cute gift from my friend

Today I went to lunch with my friend.
We talked about a lot of things for 5 hours!
Actually, she is not same generation with me, but she looks young
than her age, likes to try new things, and has positive thinking,
so I always enjoy talking with her.

She gave me a cute gift because I got a new job.
In Japan, many people put items to cell phone, and
this cute bear is also one ofitems to put to cell phone.
I ordered i-phone, and maybe get it a month later.
So I will put it to my new cell phone!

good deal

My husband and I went to "IKEA" to get kitchen utensils in last weekend.
I really really love to collect dishes or cups, and there are
a lot of dinnerwarein my cupboard, so I stopped to look dishes at IKEA.

I was able to find neat item to put naps instead of dishes.
This item was just about $5.00.
It was a good deal.

they became big

I grow "Shiso (like Japanese basil)" and "Basil" at my home.
They didn't become big during rainy season, because
they were not able to receive energy from the sun (maybe...)

After the rainy season was over, almost everyday was clear and sunny,
so they started to become big quickly.

I look forward to making Shiso tempura and basil paste for pasta or
marinade of octopus.

my bro

The rainy season finished it, so every day is sunny and hot day.
Especially, the temperature is almost 100F in recent days...
I spent the summer season in SB for 2 years, so I forgot the heat of
summer in Japan.

I need to protect skin from sun when I go to supermarket or
another stores near my apartment by walk.
I always put on hat during walking outside.
Those hats are my bro to protect me from sun.
Originally, I love to get awesome hats, so I would buy many kinds of
hats in this summer.

Souvenir

I met a friend of mine who had lived next door in SB, and
we went to one cafe and enjoyed talking while eating healthy lunch.

She gave me a neat gift which was a souvenir from Hungary.
Her husband is also my friend, and he seemed to go to Hungary
for a business trip.

Those 3 colors of bags are the national flag color of Hungary.

This souvenir is Paprika Powder, so I should use for cooking.
But it's very cute, so a little hard to use immediately.
I want to decorate in the kitchen.

What is this dish?

What do you all think this dish is?

This is grilled eel bowl, the taste is like teriyaki but not totally same.

My hometown is famous for the eels, so there are some restaurants that
serve the eel dishes (almost grilled eel bowl).

Today, my parents visited my house, and we enjoyed grilled eel bowl
at one of famous restaurants in my hometown.

This dish is a little expensive, so I almost go to those style restaurants
with my parents.

It was first time to eat this bowl after returning Japan.

Hmmm, so yum!!

When it's hot day...

It's rainy season in Japan right now, so almost cloudy, shower, or rainy day.
But, today was sunny day, and temperature was about 90F, really hot day...

When it's hot day, I always want to eat the cold noodle.

I cooked the cold noodle taste like a Chinese and Japanese style.

Probably, I make the noodle dishes many times in this summer.

small garden

If I had the garden in my home, I would make many kinds of
vegetables and fruits.
But I'm living in the apartment, and there is no garden , so
it's a little hard to do that.

When I can't take much time for making dinner, I usually prepare
"Pasta", Japanese or Italian taste.
At that time, "Basil" and "Shiso - like a Japanese Basil" are important
ingredients for my pasta dishes.
So, I tried to plant the seeds of Basil and Shiso using small cup, and
put those in my room from last Thursday.

I was able to see the sprout of Basil last Sunday, and Shiso appeared yesterday.

I will report the growing of those two.