More Goodbye's

This week we said goodbye to friends. They were our upstairs neighbors and the first family we met when we arrived in Japan. After a three year assignment working at the Embassy, an expatriate experience that encased the birth of their of two daughters, they are returning to their home in Germany. I will miss the comfort of having good friends in the same building, and how easy it is to share a quick cup of coffee or a spontaneous play date for the kids. It’s difficult to respond when Roo asks: “but how will I play with Anika if she’s not in Japan?“. A quote by Rabindranath Tagore describes fully, “Depth of friendship does not depend on length of acquaintance.” We will miss them.

Book Review: The Birth of Venus

by Sarah Dunant. I completely enjoyed this book rich with history, art, passion and colorful personas. The intrigue of the Italian Renaissance coupled with a brief period of religious fanaticism makes for a mesmerizing canvas on which the story unfolds. I loved the resilient compassion and presence of mind that remains intact in the main character, Alessandra. Another tribute to the strength of women throughout the ages. I did find the ending a bit off given her portrayed fortitude. However, I suspect if I better understood Dante’s Divine Comedy there would be less of a disconnect. I would very much like to read more of Sarah Dunant’s work based on this first experience.

The Rebounding Knickknack

The red and white metal structure adorning the Tokyo cityscape is not so aesthetically pleasing in the daylight. Nevertheless, it’s towering presence ensures it’s a recognizable symbol of the city. The Tokyo Tower sits directly across from our doctor‘s clinic. One day after an appointment, Roo and I had lunch in the tower’s food court. We didn’t escape without visiting one of the many souvenir shops, where Roo spotted a six inch plastic replica of the tower that he just had to have. I agreed to buy, and am certain I commented that he could put it in HIS room. Shortly after it’s arrival in our home, I came upon Roo standing on a chair and he was placing the plastic knickknack on the top shelf in the living room. His rationale “it’s a decoration and this way visitors can see it”. Despite my instinct to cringe and because I appreciated his passion in beautifying our home, I let it be. For a few days. Then I put it back in his room. Again, it made it’s way to the living room. We’ve been through this rendition a few times. So today when it surfaced and found it’s place once again on the top shelf, I couldn’t help but sigh. Roo’s earnest attachment is obvious. He’s made this clear. I’ll respect this and let it be. For awhile anyway.

Celebrating Obama

A few comics celebrating this past week’s historic inauguration. Enjoy and keep smiling!

Roo's new sound

I’m getting used to Roo’s new sound. It was apparent the first moment we heard him speak after surgery. Really, it’s amazing how different he sounds now that his adenoids and tonsils are gone. This week I have been caught off guard. It has taken a few moments before I realize it’s Roo who is talking or singing. He sounds healthier, not stuffy or strained. Others are noticing, too. In this video he’s talking about his race cars that go “faster than the sound of speed”.

Miso Marinated Fish

Below are photos of a food preparation technique I’ve learned since coming to Japan. I mention it because it’s one I’ll likely continue even after we leave this country . Apparently it’s an ancient technique that was popular prior to refrigeration. Today, it’s the achievement of robust flavor that keeps this simple technique a mainstay in the Japanese cook’s repertoire. Basically, fish fillets are wrapped in a cloth and a miso marinade is spread on both sides of the cloth. The marinade does not touch the fish, but the strong flavors from the thick miso paste pass through the cloth and saturate the fish. After a couple days of marinading, the miso is scraped from the cloth, the fish removed, and grilled. The end result is tangy and hardly fishy. I probably would not serve it for a dinner party. It’s not so attractive. I'd categorize it more as weekday evening comfort food. So, if you’re working to add more omega 3’s to your diet by eating more fish, give it a try! First, spread the miso (mixed with a little mirin and citrus peel). Next, place half of the cloth on the spread miso. Place the fish on the cloth and cover with the other half of the cloth.

Spread the rest of the miso on the top of the cloth. Cover and put in the refrigerator.

After two days, remove fish from between the cloth. Broil.

Squeeze a little lemon on the fish. Enjoy!

Six Dinner Sid

Roo’s Grandmother sent him a new book titled Six-Dinner Sid. It’s about a black cat that has six homes and therefore, six dinners each night. Since we’ve been home from the hospital, in my attempts to get Roo to take it easy, I entice him with reading books. Both of us are enjoying the book about Sid. Sid is the standard short hair domestic black cat, and strongly resembles our family pet, Lucy. Lucy and her calico side kick Maggie did not move to Japan. Instead, they are residing in foster care in a group home in Northern Minnesota. The illustrator for Six-Dinner Sid has vividly captured typical moments that any cat owner would recognize. The scowl when something annoying is held to his nose for a sniff, the position assumed when coughing or spitting up a hair ball, and the one that makes Roo laugh, the two gold eyes peeking over the edge of the box where he’s huddled. We look through the book and talk about which cat of ours acted similarly. I’m relieved to learn Roo somewhat remembers his feline family, at least their names. Oh, and he remembers enough to ask “why doesn’t Maggie let me pet her?”.

LUCY

MAGGIE

Book Review: The Sushi Economy

by Sasha Issenberg. Sushi, by far Japan’s greatest culinary export. I read this book because it was listed as one of the finalists for an award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals in the Literary Food Writing Category. It’s a well written testimony to the origins of sushi and how it’s evolved to become the most indulgent and luxurious protein consumed. Something about eating raw fish seems primitive, pure, and removed from the spoils of the modern food system. In reality, the crown jewel of the sushi world, tuna, epitomizes globalization. This book exposes the convoluted dynamics impacting the well being of this species. In addition, according to the author, the consumption of raw fish in a society demonstrates the utmost achievement is the advancements of food hygiene and culinary conquest. A favorite passage from the book makes this point:

"Culturally, sushi denotes a certain type of material sophistication, a
declaration that we are confidently rich enough not to be impressed by
volume and refined enough to savor good things in small doses.”

There is a moral take away from the information presented. Environmentally conscience sushi eaters must not limit themselves to maguro (tuna). Diversification in choice helps ensure the survival of fish species, which like anything valuable is subject to exploitation, depletion, and ultimately extinction. The point is made by explaining:

“There’s a saying that has long circulated among chefs: If you eat only maguro
at sushi restaurants, you’ll be hated.”

A chapter in this book explains Tsukiji, the fish market in central Tokyo. Last spring when friends were visiting, we took an early morning ride to the market. Tsukiji is the heart and soul of the seafood trade, especially tuna. Ultimately, events at Tsukiji impact the price of fish worldwide.

Above: Harvested Tuna at Tsukiji

Below: Frozen tuna sawed into quarters

We're home!

We’re home from the hospital! We checked in on Wednesday and left today, Sunday. Roo is recovering nicely and the surgery went well. We were pleased with the skill and bedside manners of his doctors, and the nurses were kind and polite. Only one complaint, and our Doctor warned us ahead of time, the food. There ought to be a law: Any hospital performing a tonsillectomy on a preschooler must offer ice cream as an option for comfort. The main obstacle to proving he was healed enough to have his IV removed and go home was if he could demonstrate that he could eat. And, the food did warrant the negative barrage historically attributed to the words "hospital food". I can honestly say I don’t know one American child, even the most disciplined of eaters, that looks forward to tofu, spinach steeped in soy, and boiled carrots. To top it off, the hospital is strict about their policy of no outside food. Therefore yesterday, when a friend secretly carried in a contraband carton of ice cream, I took Roo in the bathroom of our thankfully private room and instructed him that “he can’t say a word!”.

Above we are passing time by playing “airport”. The pink bucket is the terminal, the milk carton the control tower with a straw for the antenna, and the tray is the runway. Down below the tray is where the cars drop off and pick up travelers.

Good Luck Charm

Today we try again. Twice the surgery to remove Roo’s tonsils and adenoids has been postponed because the day prior he develops a fever, and therefore, the anesthesiologist won’t operate. This morning we’ll check into the Children’s Hospital and Thursday is surgery. He and I will be there for four to seven nights. Here is a picture of Roo holding a good luck charm from Meiji shrine that he received from Morita san. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. He is nervous.

Play Armor

For Christmas this year Santa brought Roo a play castle complete with knights, their armor, and a dragon to slay. He has differentiated by referring to some knights as the goodies (good guys) and the baddies (bad guys). Because Roo and Ryan often duel it out with play swords, today we decided to make a shield from cardboard. The three things Roo choose to display on his shield to represent himself are: a VTOL jet, Optimus Prime the transformer, and the Speedracer car. Daddy better watch out because he’s looking pretty tough!

Mayudama

We live in a four story building with two apartments on each level. The owners of the building occupy the top floor. They keep our contemporary lobby dressed with lovely flowers, and at times, seasonal decorations. Currently a fabric mayudama adorns the lobby next to a vase of calla lilies. Placed around the second week of January, this ornamental display is believed to bring good fortune to the home. The decoration is made of the traditional Japanese fabric called chirimen and the variety of ornaments include lucky dice, an ox representing 2009, koi fish, and tako (japanese kite). The delicacy of the ornaments is captivating and at each look I discover something new. So far, it’s one of my favorite traditional Japanese decorations.

Home Again

We are home in Tokyo. It was a long day of flying with a stop over in Seoul. Despite the leaky bottle of soy sauce that dripped from the overhead cabin onto Ryan, everything went smoothly. Flying with Korean Air was a treat and the attendant staff went above and beyond in their efforts to apologize for the soy sauce incident. It wasn’t a big deal, no damage. Ryan just smelled like soy sauce. We laughed. Well, needless to say, we had a wonderful vacation. I now understand my friend Trisha’s love affair with Hawaii. This little didi by Roo, composed off the cuff, summarizes nicely.

Book Review - Hawaii: A Novel

by James Michener. The words used by critics to describe this classic novel are “mammoth epic”. At over 900 pages, mammoth and time consuming it is! Nonetheless, well worth the effort. I can’t imagine a more complete fictional piece of work that enables the reader to gain an understanding of Hawaii. From the violence deep within the ocean that gave rise to the volcanic mass, the people of Bora Bora that sought new land, the missionaries and Asians that immigrated, the tragedy of Pearl Harbor, and finally to the business and political events that eventually let to statehood. It’s enticing and well worth the read if you enjoy history and learning more about the fabric that comprises America.

Volcanoes & Astronomy

Last night we witnessed the workings of the Hawaiian fire goddess, Pele. In the dark we trekked almost a mile on rippled volcanic rock to see hot flowing lava spitting as it plunged into the cool ocean water. Roo was a trooper wearing his exploring hard hat complete with miner’s lamp. During the day Monday we visited the Volcanoes National Park to see one of Mount Kilauea’s smoking cauldrons.

Today we visited the Imiloa Astronomy Center. We learned of the scientific skill employed by the Polynesians who braved the waters to Hawaii and of the research being conducted by the handful of observatories located on the snow capped mountain, Maunakea. We had noticed the unusual street lights in Hilo that are yellow instead of white and reasoned that maybe they were chosen by the city because of cost or environmental concerns. The guide at the center corrected our thought by explaining that the lights are supplied by the observatories residing at 14,000 feet. They are sodium lamps and create less light interference in space than white lights. The scientist in me loves that sort of discovery. The center is very interactive and Roo enjoyed playing spaceship as he bounced from exhibit to exhibit.

Above: Learning about the light spectrum and an infrared camera.

We've gone retro

Late this afternoon we arrived in Hilo. Based on our room in the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel and the drive through downtown to find a bite to eat, the words “charmingly retro” come to mind.

In the dark evening we spotted the neon lights “drive-in” and proceeded to head in it’s direction.

The menu was way beyond A&W and included a blend of options that mirror the towns population mix of Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Portuguese, Puerto Rican, Caucasian and Hawaiian. I opted for the bento complete with spam, boneless chicken, teriyaki beef and rice with nori and daikon.

Ryan tried the Korean noodles and a gravy burger. Driving back to the hotel, like a beacon in the black night, I spotted a franchise from my childhood, Ben Franklin.

It will be fun to see what surprises day light brings as we explore Lonely Planet's “best little city“.

Grand Hyatt & The Anara Spa

Tomorrow we leave the Grand Hyatt in Kauai and hop to the big island of Hawaii. Our stay at this lovely resort has been extraordinary. We’ve had much fun playing in the lagoon and traversing the grounds. And, I’ve indulged at the Anara Spa . The word used by the spa to describe the experience is journey and it is profoundly accurate. The mango butter massage was divine and the coconut scalp treatment restored silkiness. What was particularly spectacular about the experience was the environment. The treatments were conducted in a private outdoor garden hale. Protected from the elements by a thatched roof and wooden folding doors, the setting allows for the natural breeze to enter. The single shower near the hale promises privacy. It’s tucked into a cove of black rock with the blue sky as the roof. The experience was memorable and I would venture back to Kauai for this spa alone. The renovations at the spa are recent and I expect the Anara to receive positive reviews as one of the world’s most luxurious .

Pizza dough

Who would have thought pizza dough could be so entertaining? New year’s eve, we had dinner at Brick Oven Pizza in Kalaheo, Kauai. It’s the tradition in this mom and pop pizza eatery to give children a hand full of pizza dough to play with while they wait for their food to arrive. It worked! Roo played with it at the restaurant, in the car, and back at the hotel. His small case of toys we bring to restaurants didn’t even make it out of the backpack. The next morning our room smelled of yeast, but it was worth the hours of entertainment. And yes, the pizza was delicious. Roo was initially inclined to reject it because the cheese pizza visibly had green oregano sprinkled on it. He wisely reconsidered and we had to cut him off so his tummy didn’t cramp. Playing with dough in the restaurant. A simple idea with big success.

Mud Buggy

We started the year with an adventure to the back country. Or as the ATV company that runs the outfit advertises “we did something dirty”. Touring with a group, we drove a mud buggy around the hills of Kauai. In years past, the land supported a sugar mill and also served as a location site for the filming of the movie Jurassic Park. The downpour that erupted as we were leaving the staging area ensured we got nice and dirty. The lush canopy made for a cool ride as we sped over a landscape of muddied volcanic rock. The soil was a medium brown color with a hint of ferrous. By the end, our entire bodies were covered in reddish brown mud. The ATV company supplies pants, a shirt and boots. Of course our undergarments were our own and in the end, Ryan sacrificed to the trash a pair of white boxers that didn’t stand a chance in the washer. The bumps and hum of the motor lulled Roo to sleep at different points in the ride. It was a fun day on the trail!

Dressed and ready to go.

Still not too dirty.

After this puddle, officially dirty.

We made it through, but not without the water cascading over our heads & buggy.

Roo wasn't too interested to hear the guide talk about the history of the land. He wanted to move!

At this point Roo's thinking a group picture isn't so bad.

Now he's changed his mind.

No Roo, just Ryan and Darla.

Unsuspecting.

A tunnel with a waterfall greeting us at the entrance.

A group shot at the end.

Clean up time.