I had some free time today so I thought I'd organize my blog entries into categories, and what do you know? I found out that I wrote my very first blog entry exactly one year ago to the day!
Two hours of hard labor later, I now have manually categorized every single blog entry I wrote in the past year. Now if you would turn your attention to the side bar, you'll find something called "Let There Be Order" - my low tech solution to blogger's lack of automatic sorting function.
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Showing posts with label Misc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Misc. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Away
Going to a wedding in Hampshire, UK, then stopping by beautiful Langkawi on the way back. Be gone for ten days!
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Am Back
Actually, I came back from Tibet two weeks ago. But is it only me or does everyone feel a low after a vacation? Up until now, I’d always had to go straight back to work the very next day I came back from a trip, so no matter how depressed I was, I still had to get up and throw myself back into the routine. This time was different though. I could sleep in all I want and didn’t have to get out of the house if I didn’t want to. Which is exactly what I did. The first week, I barely got out of bed before 10am everyday and the hot and humid weather gave me the perfect excuse to hole up in the house except Libby’s walks. I didn’t cook much either, and we lived mostly on fruits and porridge for an entire week. That somehow felt good, but enough is enough. So now I’m back, 100%.
Here’s a picture of the fireworks last night at the Gaien baseball stadium, shot from my rooftop.
Here’s a picture of the fireworks last night at the Gaien baseball stadium, shot from my rooftop.
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Five Favorie Cookbooks Meme
The baton was passed to me by AG of Grab Your Fork . I am guilty of indiscriminate buying of cookbooks everywhere I go, sometimes forgetting that I have a book already and buying a second copy (memory problem, as always). In the recent couple of years however, I’ve veered more towards on-line recipes (Allrecipes for everyday cooking, Epicurious for more complicated dishes, and google searches for less common ingredients) and neglected most of my cookbooks. Thanks to AG, this meme made me take another look at my cookbooks and I rediscovered some books that I forgot I even had, oops. Without further ado, here are the answers:
1. Total number of cookbooks I own:
I counted seventy-four in the cupboard, but there could be a couple more lying around the house somewhere.
2. Last cookbook I bought:
The latest addition to my cookbook collection was Allrecipes’ Dinner Tonight, but I didn’t buy it, Allrecipes sent it to me for free.
3. Last food/cook book I read:
A book on two hundred selected restaurants in Tokyo that are known for their traditional/authentic taste. I found out from the book that a building that looks like someone’s house a stone’s throw from my home is an Italian restaurant. I have been trying to get a reservation but so far no luck.
4. Five (cook) books that mean a lot to me:
- Food for Thought by Vivien Quahe-Seah, a Singaporean doctor who wrote the book on Singaporean cooking after finding out she had cancer (proceeds on the sale of the book went to cancer research). Besides recipes and tons of beautiful pictures of wonderful Singaporean food, as well as Vivien also shared her thoughts and feelings. It is as much a book of recipes for food as recipes for love and living. I am embarrassed to say that I haven’t made a single dish out of the book because when I lived in Singapore there was never any need to cook (food is so readily available everywhere) and now that I don’t live there any more, I cannot find half the ingredients.
- Classic Japanese Cooking Course by Masaki Ko. This book contains many photos illustrating the cooking process and showcasing wonderful Japanese pottery pieces. But the real reason that it is special to me is because my first dog Jack chewed off part of the book’s binding, so whenever I look at the book, I think of him.
- A thin booklet called Asian Desserts that I bought for 100yen (about US 90cents) at the famous Daiso 100yen shop. (Every tourist who’s ever visited Tokyo knows about this place. You can buy just about everything, from dishes to cosmetics to interior decorations to kitchen supplies, all of reasonable quality, for 100yen.) The book has recipes for twenty simple desserts from various Asian countries, each accompanied by an attractive photo. All the recipes can be done within 30 minutes, perfect for evenings when you don’t feel like anything elaborate.
- The Quaker Oat Bran cookbook, bought in the summer of 1995. It’s the book I used to teach myself baking. I still make the banana bread from it once in a while.
- A Chinese cookbook brought back from China by a friend. It has no pictures and is not very big on giving clear instructions (terms such as “some” “the appropriate amount” are employed to describe quantities of ingredients used). I was never able to make anything of predictable result from that book, but it made me appreciate the art of Chinese cooking – in the realization that I can’t do it!
5. Which five people would you like to see fill this out in their blogs?
Rachel of Brown Bread Ice Cream
Keiko of Nordljus
Karen of the Pilgrim’s Pots and Pans
Nic of Baking Sheet
Chefdoc of A Perfect Pear
1. Total number of cookbooks I own:
I counted seventy-four in the cupboard, but there could be a couple more lying around the house somewhere.
2. Last cookbook I bought:
The latest addition to my cookbook collection was Allrecipes’ Dinner Tonight, but I didn’t buy it, Allrecipes sent it to me for free.
3. Last food/cook book I read:
A book on two hundred selected restaurants in Tokyo that are known for their traditional/authentic taste. I found out from the book that a building that looks like someone’s house a stone’s throw from my home is an Italian restaurant. I have been trying to get a reservation but so far no luck.
4. Five (cook) books that mean a lot to me:
- Food for Thought by Vivien Quahe-Seah, a Singaporean doctor who wrote the book on Singaporean cooking after finding out she had cancer (proceeds on the sale of the book went to cancer research). Besides recipes and tons of beautiful pictures of wonderful Singaporean food, as well as Vivien also shared her thoughts and feelings. It is as much a book of recipes for food as recipes for love and living. I am embarrassed to say that I haven’t made a single dish out of the book because when I lived in Singapore there was never any need to cook (food is so readily available everywhere) and now that I don’t live there any more, I cannot find half the ingredients.
- Classic Japanese Cooking Course by Masaki Ko. This book contains many photos illustrating the cooking process and showcasing wonderful Japanese pottery pieces. But the real reason that it is special to me is because my first dog Jack chewed off part of the book’s binding, so whenever I look at the book, I think of him.
- A thin booklet called Asian Desserts that I bought for 100yen (about US 90cents) at the famous Daiso 100yen shop. (Every tourist who’s ever visited Tokyo knows about this place. You can buy just about everything, from dishes to cosmetics to interior decorations to kitchen supplies, all of reasonable quality, for 100yen.) The book has recipes for twenty simple desserts from various Asian countries, each accompanied by an attractive photo. All the recipes can be done within 30 minutes, perfect for evenings when you don’t feel like anything elaborate.
- The Quaker Oat Bran cookbook, bought in the summer of 1995. It’s the book I used to teach myself baking. I still make the banana bread from it once in a while.
- A Chinese cookbook brought back from China by a friend. It has no pictures and is not very big on giving clear instructions (terms such as “some” “the appropriate amount” are employed to describe quantities of ingredients used). I was never able to make anything of predictable result from that book, but it made me appreciate the art of Chinese cooking – in the realization that I can’t do it!
5. Which five people would you like to see fill this out in their blogs?
Rachel of Brown Bread Ice Cream
Keiko of Nordljus
Karen of the Pilgrim’s Pots and Pans
Nic of Baking Sheet
Chefdoc of A Perfect Pear
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Drink Juice and Floss!
Scientists might finally be close to finding a way to predict who will develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and how to prevent it. AD is a subject close to my heart not only because the company I just quit launched the first AD drug into the market, but also because I used to work with patients with AD in nursing homes and know what a debilitating and dehumanizing disease it can be. The ones whose children are willing to take care of them in a home setting are truly blessed. More often, because of the demanding nature of taking care of an AD patient, families choose to send the afflicted to long-term care facilities and leave the dirty works to others. I won’t get into the gritty details of how patients are neglected even in the best facilities (it’s hard to demand total strangers to understand the incomprehensible babbles, let alone notice subtle signs of distress), but suffice it to say it made such an impression on me that I am scared of AD more than I am of cancer. The worst that can happen with cancer is that I die, but with AD, I could end up in a living hell.
At the first Alzheimer prevention conference, researchers presented early evidence of how AD might be predicted, along with brain-healthy lifestyles that might prevent the onset of the disease. Among the lifestyles markers that protect one from AD are:
- Drink fruit or vegetable juices at least three times a week (people who do are four times less likely to develop AD).
- Higher education, healthy gum and absence of stroke (education stimulates brain development and gum disease points towards inflammation harmful to the brain)
- Stay socially active in old age.
Full story
Can't do anything with your genes but you can do something with your lifestyle! So down those cartons of OJ and don’t forget to floss!
At the first Alzheimer prevention conference, researchers presented early evidence of how AD might be predicted, along with brain-healthy lifestyles that might prevent the onset of the disease. Among the lifestyles markers that protect one from AD are:
- Drink fruit or vegetable juices at least three times a week (people who do are four times less likely to develop AD).
- Higher education, healthy gum and absence of stroke (education stimulates brain development and gum disease points towards inflammation harmful to the brain)
- Stay socially active in old age.
Full story
Can't do anything with your genes but you can do something with your lifestyle! So down those cartons of OJ and don’t forget to floss!
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Zojoji - Unexpected Discovery
I had to go to the Minato Ward office recently to change my residential status. It was a beautiful day so I decided to visit Zojoji across the street.
As you can see, the scale is quite impressive. It is the major temple of the Joudo Shu (Pure Land sect) of Buddhism, and was relocated to the present site in 1598 by Ieyasu Tokugawa, the first Tokugawa shogun.
Almost as soon as I walked in, I noticed something very unusual: along one side of the temple wall are rows and rows of little stone sculptures wearing colorful capes. On a closer look, they all seem like children and the plastic toy windmills stuck by almost every sculpture further confirmed my suspicion. Some of them have names written next to them, some of them don’t; some of their caps and capes look new and some look faded, denoting that they haven’t been visited in a while.
What could these statues mean? Are they for children that have passed away? I tried to look for a sign that explains this but found none. When I walked further inside, I found a shrine for a Kannon Buddha that’s responsible for child-rearing. So maybe these statues are guardian angels for living kids? But that just seems so weird that it simply cannot be true.
When I got home, I searched the official Japanese website of Zojoji but it didn’t give a satisfactory explanation so I had to resort to “less than reliable” sources, i.e. other gaijin’s take on this. And I found this which basically says that the statues are dedicated by the parents of unborn children (aborted, still-birth, etc) so that they’d be taken care of in the underworld. Apparently there’s the strange theory that the souls of these children will be tortured otherwise for bringing grief to their parents (what about the aborted one? Who’s causing grief to whom?).
There I thought I was just taking a stroll in the sun. Never did I expect to uncover this never-talked-about Japanese tradition. (If anyone knows otherwise, please let me know).
On a different note, I also found out that 2005 is a very bad year for me, this according to a giant placard hung above the entrance to an important-looking hall in Zojoji. It says I should donate lots of money to the temple in order to have an uneventful year. Yeah, right! Does donating to charities count?
See more pictures of Zojoji here.
As you can see, the scale is quite impressive. It is the major temple of the Joudo Shu (Pure Land sect) of Buddhism, and was relocated to the present site in 1598 by Ieyasu Tokugawa, the first Tokugawa shogun.
Almost as soon as I walked in, I noticed something very unusual: along one side of the temple wall are rows and rows of little stone sculptures wearing colorful capes. On a closer look, they all seem like children and the plastic toy windmills stuck by almost every sculpture further confirmed my suspicion. Some of them have names written next to them, some of them don’t; some of their caps and capes look new and some look faded, denoting that they haven’t been visited in a while.
What could these statues mean? Are they for children that have passed away? I tried to look for a sign that explains this but found none. When I walked further inside, I found a shrine for a Kannon Buddha that’s responsible for child-rearing. So maybe these statues are guardian angels for living kids? But that just seems so weird that it simply cannot be true.
When I got home, I searched the official Japanese website of Zojoji but it didn’t give a satisfactory explanation so I had to resort to “less than reliable” sources, i.e. other gaijin’s take on this. And I found this which basically says that the statues are dedicated by the parents of unborn children (aborted, still-birth, etc) so that they’d be taken care of in the underworld. Apparently there’s the strange theory that the souls of these children will be tortured otherwise for bringing grief to their parents (what about the aborted one? Who’s causing grief to whom?).
There I thought I was just taking a stroll in the sun. Never did I expect to uncover this never-talked-about Japanese tradition. (If anyone knows otherwise, please let me know).
On a different note, I also found out that 2005 is a very bad year for me, this according to a giant placard hung above the entrance to an important-looking hall in Zojoji. It says I should donate lots of money to the temple in order to have an uneventful year. Yeah, right! Does donating to charities count?
See more pictures of Zojoji here.
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Of Rice, Snow, Earthquakes and Breast Pudding
When I hear the word Niigata, one of the 43? Prefectures in Japan, I immediately think of their fragrant rice and the fluffy snow in the winter. People living outside of Japan probably know Niigata, if they know it at all, because of the devastating earthquake that occurred towards the end of last year. Little did I know that Niigata is also famous for its secret dessert: the breast pudding.
I only found out about this on our recent ski trip to Naeba, in Niigata prefecture. Before the trip, our friend Robbee mentioned that someone who went to Niigata brought him back a special omiyage (souvenir). When he told me what it was I thought for sure it was one of his jokes. I mean, we go to Niigata a couple of times a year, for skiing or hiking, but never did I once see a breast pudding. Could there really be something as vulgar as the name suggests?
After a satisfying crab dinner on our first day in Naeba, we took a inspectorial tour of the many souvenir shops in Naeba Prince Hotel. I saw sasadango (sticky red bean filled rice balls wrapped in bamboo leaves); ibushi-daikon (a type of picked Japanese radish); and every type of red bean paste filled Japanese dessert you can think of bearing Naeba’s name; but no breast pudding. And suddenly I turned around and there it was:
Ok, so they call it bust pudding, but the Japanese really means breast, or boobs.
When you open the box, a cute pop-up Japanese girl in a pink bra (with the clasp conveniently in front!) greets you with a whisper, “Please eat gently.” Ewww, goosebumps!
For the final X-rated image, I invite you to click here (don’t want no pornography on my blog). Again, I say this: ONLY in Japan.
I only found out about this on our recent ski trip to Naeba, in Niigata prefecture. Before the trip, our friend Robbee mentioned that someone who went to Niigata brought him back a special omiyage (souvenir). When he told me what it was I thought for sure it was one of his jokes. I mean, we go to Niigata a couple of times a year, for skiing or hiking, but never did I once see a breast pudding. Could there really be something as vulgar as the name suggests?
After a satisfying crab dinner on our first day in Naeba, we took a inspectorial tour of the many souvenir shops in Naeba Prince Hotel. I saw sasadango (sticky red bean filled rice balls wrapped in bamboo leaves); ibushi-daikon (a type of picked Japanese radish); and every type of red bean paste filled Japanese dessert you can think of bearing Naeba’s name; but no breast pudding. And suddenly I turned around and there it was:
Ok, so they call it bust pudding, but the Japanese really means breast, or boobs.
When you open the box, a cute pop-up Japanese girl in a pink bra (with the clasp conveniently in front!) greets you with a whisper, “Please eat gently.” Ewww, goosebumps!
For the final X-rated image, I invite you to click here (don’t want no pornography on my blog). Again, I say this: ONLY in Japan.
Monday, March 07, 2005
First Signs of Spring
A plum tree in Aoyama cemetery started blooming in mid Feburary.
This sakura tree on the corner of Tokyo Weather Bureau and KRR Hotel, across from the Imperial palace is always way ahead of every other sakura trees in Tokyo. By the time the rest of them start to blossom, this tree will be sporting a full head of new green. Heck, the leaves are already out even now.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Music In My Kitchen
I can’t remember exactly when, but I have all but stopped listening to music some time ago. When I was little, my dad played classical music at full volume ALL the time. Under his influence, I couldn’t even go to sleep without listening to a little Mozart or Chopin. Remember back when walkmans are the size of a brick? I hauled one with me everywhere I went. I was in a CD club in college, when I couldn’t even afford it. Now, when there are MP3 and iPods to make listening to music while on the go so easy, and when I have the money to buy any CD I want, I stopped listening. Nowadays I prefer total silence. Why? I haven’t the faintest idea.
When Karen of the Pilgrim’s Pots and Pans tagged me for the music meme, I was in a dilemma. Do I really want to let the whole world know that I live in a self-imposed musicless world (don’t even own a MP3 or iPod), or should I just ignore the tag and pretend it never happened? After two days of pondering, I decided that ignoring the tag wouldn’t be the proper thing to do, so here it goes:
What is the total amount of music files on your computer?
6,472 KB, from a song by Utada Hikaru that my friend sent me recently. I know, it’s pathetic, but to be fair, this is a brand new computer, so I haven’t had a chance to load it up with stuff yet.
The CD you last bought?
Hmmm, it’s been a long time since I bought a CD, but I think it was Pet Music for my dog. It’s a pack of three CDs: Natural Rhythm, Peaceful Playground, and Sunday in the Park.
I bought them because I thought my dog needed to listen to some music when we are not home so she could relax. Call me a lunatic!
What was the last song you listened to before reading this message?
It’s now 11:30pm Saturday. The last time I listened to a song was the last time I was driving mindlessly, which puts me at 10:30am Tuesday. I think it was some J-pop on the FM radio.
Write down 5 songs you often listen to or that mean a lot to you.
1. 梅花三弄（Plum flower: three variations): Not exactly a song, it’s a piece played on the Gu Zheng (a traditional Chinese musical instrument). While in college, a friend of mine lent me a CD of Chinese songs and at the end was this piece. I fell in love with it, bought a Gu Zheng when I went to live in Singapore, and started taking lessons. Now I can play this piece too.
2. Fur Elise: Junior high school, Richard Clayderman was all the rage. Everywhere you go, his rendition of Fur Elise was playing on some radio or cassette player. I bought a jewelry box with laser etched Fur Elise sheet music on the lid (the same way it's etched in my mind) the first day of my piano lesson.
3. Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps (Doris Day): I was really into Ballroom dancing while in grad school. It was Ann Arbor, with six months of winter so you have to be creative when it comes to staying active. The movie Strictly Ballroom just came out and it was my favorite song in the whole movie. I bought the soundtrack CD and listened to it over and over again. I even briefly considered using it as music for the first dance at my wedding, but eventually gave up because 1. Jason wouldn’t have been able to learn the moves by wedding date, and 2. the lyrics wasn’t really suitable for a wedding.
4. Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again (phantom of the opera): the first musical Jason and I saw together, in Boston’s Wang theatre while I was there for the summer. We could only afford the student ticket, which were two rows from the ceiling and we could barely make out the figures on stage. I loved all the songs in that musical but this one struck a special cord, maybe because we were in a long distance relationship and I was *constantly* wishing that he was somehow here again. I listened to that song a lot in my dorm room in Ann Arbor. Hum, these were the days!
5. Carnival (Natalie Merchant, Tigerlily): I like the lyrics and the music of this song. Am hypnotized and mesmerized by it. I like it so much in fact, that I forgot I had the CD and bought a second copy. I see now that the onset of my senility was much much earlier than I thought.
Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?
Hsin-li, because we never talk about music when we see each other, and this will be a good way to find out her interest.
Rachel, because she is also a dog-lover, and she is quirky and her writings make me laugh. I want to know if her choice of music is a reflection of her personality.
I was going to stop at two because I am really new at blogging and the people I can think of tagging have all been tagged. Then I thought of Yann at Allrecipes.com. I stumbled onto his/her blog when an ex-colleague of mine told me he could find my food photos by searching LynnInTokyo on google. I did the same search and found Yann’s blog. Yann is probably in charge of photo editing at Allrecipes.com and seems to like my photos and posts them on his/her staff blog. I thought it would be good for him/her to share his/her music interest. But I’m really not sure how often he/she checks that blog and what Allrecipe.com’s policy is on staff blog, so this could be a dead lead.
So there you have it Karen, not so interesting I'm afraid. Thanks for the tag, it brought back memories.
When Karen of the Pilgrim’s Pots and Pans tagged me for the music meme, I was in a dilemma. Do I really want to let the whole world know that I live in a self-imposed musicless world (don’t even own a MP3 or iPod), or should I just ignore the tag and pretend it never happened? After two days of pondering, I decided that ignoring the tag wouldn’t be the proper thing to do, so here it goes:
What is the total amount of music files on your computer?
6,472 KB, from a song by Utada Hikaru that my friend sent me recently. I know, it’s pathetic, but to be fair, this is a brand new computer, so I haven’t had a chance to load it up with stuff yet.
The CD you last bought?
Hmmm, it’s been a long time since I bought a CD, but I think it was Pet Music for my dog. It’s a pack of three CDs: Natural Rhythm, Peaceful Playground, and Sunday in the Park.
I bought them because I thought my dog needed to listen to some music when we are not home so she could relax. Call me a lunatic!
What was the last song you listened to before reading this message?
It’s now 11:30pm Saturday. The last time I listened to a song was the last time I was driving mindlessly, which puts me at 10:30am Tuesday. I think it was some J-pop on the FM radio.
Write down 5 songs you often listen to or that mean a lot to you.
1. 梅花三弄（Plum flower: three variations): Not exactly a song, it’s a piece played on the Gu Zheng (a traditional Chinese musical instrument). While in college, a friend of mine lent me a CD of Chinese songs and at the end was this piece. I fell in love with it, bought a Gu Zheng when I went to live in Singapore, and started taking lessons. Now I can play this piece too.
2. Fur Elise: Junior high school, Richard Clayderman was all the rage. Everywhere you go, his rendition of Fur Elise was playing on some radio or cassette player. I bought a jewelry box with laser etched Fur Elise sheet music on the lid (the same way it's etched in my mind) the first day of my piano lesson.
3. Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps (Doris Day): I was really into Ballroom dancing while in grad school. It was Ann Arbor, with six months of winter so you have to be creative when it comes to staying active. The movie Strictly Ballroom just came out and it was my favorite song in the whole movie. I bought the soundtrack CD and listened to it over and over again. I even briefly considered using it as music for the first dance at my wedding, but eventually gave up because 1. Jason wouldn’t have been able to learn the moves by wedding date, and 2. the lyrics wasn’t really suitable for a wedding.
4. Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again (phantom of the opera): the first musical Jason and I saw together, in Boston’s Wang theatre while I was there for the summer. We could only afford the student ticket, which were two rows from the ceiling and we could barely make out the figures on stage. I loved all the songs in that musical but this one struck a special cord, maybe because we were in a long distance relationship and I was *constantly* wishing that he was somehow here again. I listened to that song a lot in my dorm room in Ann Arbor. Hum, these were the days!
5. Carnival (Natalie Merchant, Tigerlily): I like the lyrics and the music of this song. Am hypnotized and mesmerized by it. I like it so much in fact, that I forgot I had the CD and bought a second copy. I see now that the onset of my senility was much much earlier than I thought.
Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?
Hsin-li, because we never talk about music when we see each other, and this will be a good way to find out her interest.
Rachel, because she is also a dog-lover, and she is quirky and her writings make me laugh. I want to know if her choice of music is a reflection of her personality.
I was going to stop at two because I am really new at blogging and the people I can think of tagging have all been tagged. Then I thought of Yann at Allrecipes.com. I stumbled onto his/her blog when an ex-colleague of mine told me he could find my food photos by searching LynnInTokyo on google. I did the same search and found Yann’s blog. Yann is probably in charge of photo editing at Allrecipes.com and seems to like my photos and posts them on his/her staff blog. I thought it would be good for him/her to share his/her music interest. But I’m really not sure how often he/she checks that blog and what Allrecipe.com’s policy is on staff blog, so this could be a dead lead.
So there you have it Karen, not so interesting I'm afraid. Thanks for the tag, it brought back memories.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Renters Unite
Hey all you Tokyo renters, good news! Renters are finally fed up with the ridiculous and for the most part unreasonable damage that landlords have been charging when tenants move out (ex. house cleaning, replacement of wallpaper, carpet, light fixtures, etc) . The Tokyo Municipal government put together a rule book governing what expenses the landlords are responsible for.
Since I just saw it on the news, I wasn't able to find anything except for this little blurb on the internet. To put everything in a nutshell, repair of daily wear and tear, such as marks on wallpaper made by a clock or uneven color on carpet due to placement of furniture, are to be paid by the landlord. Based on the new rule, tenants were able to take landlords to court and waive most of the so-called damage.
I am going to get myself a copy of the rule book and learn my rights. When we moved out of our previous house, our landlord charged us almost $1200 for housecleaning even after my cleaning lady and I labored for 8 hours on the house. I won't let it happen again.
Renter's market, here we come!
Since I just saw it on the news, I wasn't able to find anything except for this little blurb on the internet. To put everything in a nutshell, repair of daily wear and tear, such as marks on wallpaper made by a clock or uneven color on carpet due to placement of furniture, are to be paid by the landlord. Based on the new rule, tenants were able to take landlords to court and waive most of the so-called damage.
I am going to get myself a copy of the rule book and learn my rights. When we moved out of our previous house, our landlord charged us almost $1200 for housecleaning even after my cleaning lady and I labored for 8 hours on the house. I won't let it happen again.
Renter's market, here we come!
Valentine’s Day Part 1: Lost Dog Found
It happened while I was walking Libby in Aoyama cemetery. I let Libby off leash as I always do in places where there are no people or cars. Suddenly, she rushed ahead tail wagging. Following the direction she was going, I saw a -mix dog standing at the end of a row of tombstones, also off-leash. Libby took an instant liking to the shiba-mix and pranced around him in her play-invitation pose. The other dog seemed a little weary and mostly stayed still. When I got to where both dogs were, I realized something was wrong. There was no owner with the shiba dog. I looked around and called out to see if anyone is around but there was no answer. On a closer look, the shiba dog had on an old leather collar but no tag was attached. He appeared disoriented and a little apprehensive when I reached out to pet him. By the look of white hair on his muzzle and head, he must be around 8 or 9 years old. I decided that I couldn’t leave this Ojichan (old man) in the cemetery all by himself. Luckily, I was walking Libby with a multi-purpose adjustable leash with a hook on each end, so I hooked Ojichan shiba on to the other end of the leash and thought of what I should do next.
Bringing him home is not practical because I have no idea whether he’s house trained or not and I really can’t afford to have stained carpet in my apartment (wouldn’t the landlord just be waiting to pounce on that!). Leaving him in the yard is out of the question too because for one thing it is cold at night and he could bark all night in a strange environment, and if he'd been living on his own for long, he might have caught some disease and might give it to Libby. Thinking quickly, I decided to bring him to the Kouban (police box) at Omotesando crossing. Maybe the owner has reported the missing dog to the police, besides, the J-cops need some real work to do.
I was surprised at how well Libby and Ojichan shiba walked together on the same leash. As if knowing his rescuee status, Ojichan shiba walked two steps behind Libby, and when Libby stopped to sniff something, he waited until she’s done before taking a sniff himself. Thoughts of keeping him for myself crossed my mind, just fleetingly.
The arrival of Libby and Ojichan shiba caused a stir in the tiny police box (I counted seven cops in such a small space). As a standard procedure, I was asked to leave my name and contact information (I know this from a previous kouban experience). We then discussed in length what should be done with Ojichan shiba, since nobody has reported a missing dog. At first they wanted me to take him home with me, but I managed to persuade them that it’s better for them to keep him temporarily. They said they could keep him for two days, but if nobody claims him, they will need to send him to the shelter, but agreed to call me before they do so. While I negotiated with the J-cops, Ojichan shiba sat in a dignified posture outside the Kouban watching the fashionable Omotesando crowds milling about. He even patiently put up with one of the cops’ attempts to find out what tricks he knew. Once in a while, his ears would prick up, as if recognizing something or someone, but he soon went back to his calm observation mode.
Forty minutes after finding Ojichan shiba, I bade him farewell and wished him good luck. Walking home, I started to wonder if I had done the right thing turning him to the police. What if they send him to the shelter without telling me first? I heard animal shelters are extremely short of space and most dogs are only given two to three days before they are put down. Had I inadvertently sentenced Ojichan shiba to death? Will he have a better chance if I had taken him in? As I started making dinner, my agitation grew and I decided that I should put up some flyers in the neighborhood first thing in the morning telling Ojichan shiba’s owner to go to the police box to claim him. I mentally picked out the places where I would post the flyers and counted how many copies I'd need. I even emailed my Japanese friend to come up with a catchy title so people would take notice. (Wouldn’t you know it? The only time I don’t bring my T-1 on walks, something like this happens. It would’ve been so much better if I had a picture. Of course, taking a photo with my phone never crossed my one-track mind.)
Just when my paranoia was running rampant (images of Ojichan shiba pleading for his life with his eyes swirled wildly in my head), the phone rang. It was the police. The owner was found! Five minutes later, the owner called.
The dog actually lives in Roppongi (so the dog detective lady’s theory that says dogs who get lost rarely go out of a half-mile radius did not apply here) and ran away from home. His name is Saab, and the owner is on her way to collect him from the police.
This is what I call a happy ending.
Bringing him home is not practical because I have no idea whether he’s house trained or not and I really can’t afford to have stained carpet in my apartment (wouldn’t the landlord just be waiting to pounce on that!). Leaving him in the yard is out of the question too because for one thing it is cold at night and he could bark all night in a strange environment, and if he'd been living on his own for long, he might have caught some disease and might give it to Libby. Thinking quickly, I decided to bring him to the Kouban (police box) at Omotesando crossing. Maybe the owner has reported the missing dog to the police, besides, the J-cops need some real work to do.
I was surprised at how well Libby and Ojichan shiba walked together on the same leash. As if knowing his rescuee status, Ojichan shiba walked two steps behind Libby, and when Libby stopped to sniff something, he waited until she’s done before taking a sniff himself. Thoughts of keeping him for myself crossed my mind, just fleetingly.
The arrival of Libby and Ojichan shiba caused a stir in the tiny police box (I counted seven cops in such a small space). As a standard procedure, I was asked to leave my name and contact information (I know this from a previous kouban experience). We then discussed in length what should be done with Ojichan shiba, since nobody has reported a missing dog. At first they wanted me to take him home with me, but I managed to persuade them that it’s better for them to keep him temporarily. They said they could keep him for two days, but if nobody claims him, they will need to send him to the shelter, but agreed to call me before they do so. While I negotiated with the J-cops, Ojichan shiba sat in a dignified posture outside the Kouban watching the fashionable Omotesando crowds milling about. He even patiently put up with one of the cops’ attempts to find out what tricks he knew. Once in a while, his ears would prick up, as if recognizing something or someone, but he soon went back to his calm observation mode.
Forty minutes after finding Ojichan shiba, I bade him farewell and wished him good luck. Walking home, I started to wonder if I had done the right thing turning him to the police. What if they send him to the shelter without telling me first? I heard animal shelters are extremely short of space and most dogs are only given two to three days before they are put down. Had I inadvertently sentenced Ojichan shiba to death? Will he have a better chance if I had taken him in? As I started making dinner, my agitation grew and I decided that I should put up some flyers in the neighborhood first thing in the morning telling Ojichan shiba’s owner to go to the police box to claim him. I mentally picked out the places where I would post the flyers and counted how many copies I'd need. I even emailed my Japanese friend to come up with a catchy title so people would take notice. (Wouldn’t you know it? The only time I don’t bring my T-1 on walks, something like this happens. It would’ve been so much better if I had a picture. Of course, taking a photo with my phone never crossed my one-track mind.)
Just when my paranoia was running rampant (images of Ojichan shiba pleading for his life with his eyes swirled wildly in my head), the phone rang. It was the police. The owner was found! Five minutes later, the owner called.
The dog actually lives in Roppongi (so the dog detective lady’s theory that says dogs who get lost rarely go out of a half-mile radius did not apply here) and ran away from home. His name is Saab, and the owner is on her way to collect him from the police.
This is what I call a happy ending.
Monday, February 07, 2005
Chinese New Year is When?
What day is it now? Is it Feb 6th? Is it Chinese New Year (CNY) yet? I mean, I knew the elusive (to me only?) CNY is just around the corner, but I didn’t know exactly when until my friend told me (to make it even more elusive, the date changes from year to year because of the wonderful thing called the Lunar Calendar). As it turns out, it’s this week, Tuesday? Wednesday? I didn’t expect it to sneak up on me like this. Not that it would’ve made any difference. Growing up, my family never really celebrated CNY. Can you believe I’d never received a single Hong Bao (Ang Pao, 压岁钱，年玉) or whatever you call it until I was a grownup in Singapore? Yes, the Singaporeans, as I found out, have this wonderful tradition of giving out Hong Bao to not just kids, but all unmarried adults too! So the S$1 Hong Bao that I received at the “tender” age of 25 was the very first Hong Bao in my life! Talk about a deprived childhood!
To this day, I never quite figured out exactly why my family didn’t bother to celebrate. Was it laziness? Lack of interest? Or because our domestic helper always goes home to the countryside on CNY, leaving nobody to do the cooking and cleaning? I will never know. I remember only once, when my cousins came to Shanghai to spend the winter holidays, we had fireworks at night, but that was the extent of the celebration. No new padded jackets or shoes, no elaborate New Year’s eve dinner (年夜饭) and certainly no Hong Bao.
Most of our neighbors start buying foodstuff for the New Year (年货) in December. Meats were cured and hung out to dry, hens are brought back from the market and kept in the kitchen (to be fattened so they are ready to be cooked by CNY), relatives from other cities start to arrive. You could feel the festivity in the air. But all is quite in the Chen household. Things went on as usual, as it does any other time of the year. I remember my mom explaining it to me this way, “ People make a big deal out of the CNY and cook copious amount of meat and fish because they don’t usually eat them on a daily basis. Since we eat meat and fish everyday, there is no need to make CNY a special occasion.” I can’t believe I bought that! Ok, so it’s true that back in those days the majority of Chinese people, even in a big city like Shanghai, lived on monthly salaries of about $10 and meat dishes do not make daily appearances at dinner tables of ordinary households. And it is true that we were fortunate enough to have a diet with a heavier dose of meat and fish than other people, but is that the reason to skip the celebration altogether?
I remember my cousin, who goes to his fraternal grandparents’ house for CNY every year even though my grandmother (his maternal grandmother) did not like it. Could you blame him? His fraternal grandmother cooks, among other things, an Eight-Treasure-Duck (八宝鸭) every CNY. I’ve never had it, but from what I heard, it must be pretty darn tasty.
Of course, CNY is not all about the food (I am sure there are other things but having never experienced it, I wouldn’t know what they are, now would I?). If I just want the food, I can always buy or even make it myself if I so wish, but you can’t make up for the experience, especially from a child’s perspective. I guess what it comes down to is that if you have kids, even if you don’t want to be bogged down with all the “tradition” you should make an effort for your kids’ sake so they don’t miss out on anything. When they grow up, they can decide if they want to carry on the tradition or say to hell with it, but parents should do their part to make sure the kids at least know what it is about.
There you go, another reason why dogs are so much better kid-substitutes. Libby’s happy with a bone or some liver cakes. No need to make a whole roasted pig on CNY to keep her happy!
To this day, I never quite figured out exactly why my family didn’t bother to celebrate. Was it laziness? Lack of interest? Or because our domestic helper always goes home to the countryside on CNY, leaving nobody to do the cooking and cleaning? I will never know. I remember only once, when my cousins came to Shanghai to spend the winter holidays, we had fireworks at night, but that was the extent of the celebration. No new padded jackets or shoes, no elaborate New Year’s eve dinner (年夜饭) and certainly no Hong Bao.
Most of our neighbors start buying foodstuff for the New Year (年货) in December. Meats were cured and hung out to dry, hens are brought back from the market and kept in the kitchen (to be fattened so they are ready to be cooked by CNY), relatives from other cities start to arrive. You could feel the festivity in the air. But all is quite in the Chen household. Things went on as usual, as it does any other time of the year. I remember my mom explaining it to me this way, “ People make a big deal out of the CNY and cook copious amount of meat and fish because they don’t usually eat them on a daily basis. Since we eat meat and fish everyday, there is no need to make CNY a special occasion.” I can’t believe I bought that! Ok, so it’s true that back in those days the majority of Chinese people, even in a big city like Shanghai, lived on monthly salaries of about $10 and meat dishes do not make daily appearances at dinner tables of ordinary households. And it is true that we were fortunate enough to have a diet with a heavier dose of meat and fish than other people, but is that the reason to skip the celebration altogether?
I remember my cousin, who goes to his fraternal grandparents’ house for CNY every year even though my grandmother (his maternal grandmother) did not like it. Could you blame him? His fraternal grandmother cooks, among other things, an Eight-Treasure-Duck (八宝鸭) every CNY. I’ve never had it, but from what I heard, it must be pretty darn tasty.
Of course, CNY is not all about the food (I am sure there are other things but having never experienced it, I wouldn’t know what they are, now would I?). If I just want the food, I can always buy or even make it myself if I so wish, but you can’t make up for the experience, especially from a child’s perspective. I guess what it comes down to is that if you have kids, even if you don’t want to be bogged down with all the “tradition” you should make an effort for your kids’ sake so they don’t miss out on anything. When they grow up, they can decide if they want to carry on the tradition or say to hell with it, but parents should do their part to make sure the kids at least know what it is about.
There you go, another reason why dogs are so much better kid-substitutes. Libby’s happy with a bone or some liver cakes. No need to make a whole roasted pig on CNY to keep her happy!
Friday, January 21, 2005
I Quit
I finally did it. I turned in my resignation on Monday. Yes, I am finally leaving this company after almost three years. I’ve been wanting to do this for as long as I can remember, but was somehow always pulled back. To be fair, the people in my department are all really nice and sweet, even if sometimes I don’t always agree with the ways they do things. If I didn’t like the people I worked with, I I wouldn’t have lasted this long. BUT, all things were not peachy. Little things that you think you can deal with become a big source of frustration over time, and I finally decided that I don’t have to live my life this way. Why torture myself? If working is becoming a tumor that poisons my quality of life, why not remove it altogether? So that’s what I did.
It’s actually scary. I am only 31, going on 32. I have half of my life still ahead of me. What am I going to do with it? Any suggestions?
Ever since my boss signed my resignation form and made it official this morning, I’ve been having this sickening feeling in my stomach. Where do I go from here? How will I spend my days? Work was my safety net, however much I hated it, but now that it will be gone, I kind of miss it.
It’s actually scary. I am only 31, going on 32. I have half of my life still ahead of me. What am I going to do with it? Any suggestions?
Ever since my boss signed my resignation form and made it official this morning, I’ve been having this sickening feeling in my stomach. Where do I go from here? How will I spend my days? Work was my safety net, however much I hated it, but now that it will be gone, I kind of miss it.
Inauguration
I was going to stay up and watch GWB II's inauguration ceremony. Actually I wanted to listen to his speech. But I give up. It's not going to start until noon, which means 2am Tokyo time. Need my beauty sleep. I'm sure his speech will be plastered all over the internet tomorrow. I'll find out then. Yawn
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Kitchenware Galore
The most satisfying experience on my trip back to the US this time, besides spending time with my parents, will have to be my shopping spree of kitchen products.
Jason's 5-day trip to Atlanta to visit his brother proved very conducive for the expansion of my kitchenware collections. Without him rolling his eyes and tapping his watch, I could browse through the endless collections of stylish toys for the kitchen for as long as I wanted. I lingered for hours, losing myself in front of all kinds of baking pans, pastry tools, and everything I have ever wanted for my kitchen, and some that I didn't know I needed or even existed.
The Discount Route
I was not discriminative as to where I shopped. Did you know Ross and Marshalls, the discount clothing stores, have an amazing range of household products? It was at Ross that I fell in love with the cutest 4" spring form pan and bought out the stock (only two, but I would've bought more if they had any). As long as I was going the mini route, I also bought six tartlet pans. Images of mini New York styled cheesecakes and mini lemon tarts danced in my head. Aaaaaah, the potentials are endless. Gone are the days when I look at a recipe and sigh because without inviting people, there is no way for Jason and I to finish a whole cheesecake without doing some serious damage to our waistline and cholesterol level. Now, I can simply cut the recipe down and make cake for two!
At Marshalls, I found a treasure trove of J. A.Henckels knives at a steep discount and told myself that one can never have too many knives. With some self-control, I managed to only buy a chef’s knife, a bread knife, and a paring knife (just in case one day I get inspired to make my own turducken). Admittedly, Henckels knives are not the sharpest but they sure look good, and at that price, it wouldn’t be too wasteful to replace them in a year or two.
Other finds include a cheese slicer with marble board; a pizza stone; mini loaf pans; shiny brass maple leaf shaped cookie cutter (it’s so huge that I will probably never use it to cut out cookies, but such a beauty to behold); and a Kitchen-Aid garlic press with ultra ergonomic handles (with this super smasher, Jason will never know how much garlic I put into our food, mwahahaha!).
Crafty Tools
Did you know crafts store also sell cake-decorating tools? Ever heard of a cake even-bake strips? Neither had I, but I am now the proud owner of two sets. It is a long strip of silvery insulating material. You soak and saturate it with cold water and wrap it around the outside of a cake pan before putting it in the oven. I am guessing that the theory behind it is that it provides an even temperature all around so the cake doesn't rise too fast in the middle and doesn't crack on top. From the same crafts store, I also bought a cake leveler, which looks like a saw with notches to help you slice cakes horizontally for easy decorating.
Specialty Stores
Please do not think of me as totally out of control, because I do know where to draw the line, or rather, the weight limits of airline luggage drew the line for me. Not far from my house, there is a Le Creuset store. These things cost a fortune in Japan, which is why I still cannot justify buying one. The day I went, the entire store was 25% off (American price)! Imagine my delight when I felt the weight of the caste iron frying pan in my hand and admired the tomato shaped casserole. The sales clerk was ever so polite and knowledgeable (and very much gay), but I was firm. I was not going to haul back a heavy caste-iron pot in my suitcase, no matter how cheap. In the end, I only bought a book (Crème Brulee The Bonjour Way by Randolph Mann) and these cute little guys.
Were you able to guess what they are for? They are pot-lid holders. Aren't they the darnest things? Well, if I can't have my Le Creuset caste iron casserole, I am entitled to indulge myself in these virtually weightless essential items, am I not?
Silicone Everything
It seems that silicone baking pans and tools are the latest trend in home-baking nowadays. I’ve read about them, but had always imagined them to be stiff shapes like the metal pans, only made of plastic. The first time I saw one in the store, I was taken by surprise, for they are totally pliable. Sure, I had my doubts. Can they really withstand temperature up to 500F as said? Will things really not stick to them?
Doubts not withstanding, I decided to give these light and packable things a try. Factoring in how often I use each type of baking dish, and how likely things are to stick to each type, I narrowed down my purchases to just a 9-inch cake pan and a 10-inch tart pan. Cakes are notoriously hard to get out of pans, and although my tart pan with the removable bottom ensures my tart comes out undamaged, I could never manage to pry the bottom off and always had to serve the tart with the bottom of the tart pan. I also bought two silicone baking mats for lining cookie sheets, and a butterfly-shaped cake pan for when I am in the mood to make a butterfly cake, maybe in the spring? Throw in a couple of spatulas, I’ve got all the silicone my kitchen needs, for now.
* Saw some silicone baking pans at a special event’s corner in my supermarket after I came back to Tokyo. They are coming to Japan too! But get this! They cost 4300yen! That’s like 40USD for a frigging baking pan! Boy am I glad I loaded up on them at $8 a piece.
The Crème Brulee Torch
You probably noticed that I got a cookbook on crème brulee at Le Creuset. What good is a book if you can’t make it; and how can you make it without a proper torch? The nice gay clerk at Le Creuset apologized for running out of the torch but pointed me to another store, Le Gourmet Chef . There I found a Crème Brulee torch set (complete with four 4-oz ramekins) on sale for $19.99. How could I resist? I chose a red one with heart-shaped ramekins, and bought a canister of butane as advised by the clerk, as the torch came unfilled.
It was only after I got home that I realized the problem: the butane canister would never in a million years get past airport security! So I did the only reasonable thing to do: I made a batch of crème brulee before returning to Tokyo, so as to use my brand new torch at least once, in case it gets confisticated. Then I burned off the remaining butane in the torch and packed it in my carry-on, hoping that at least this way, I could explain that without fuel, it doesn’t pose any danger to anyone. Luckily, the torch made it through security check without fanfare. Now I just have to find a butane canister in Tokyo to fill my torch so I can churn out crème brulees from my very own humble kitchen.
Classic creme brulee with some homemade cran-apple-orange relish
Jason's 5-day trip to Atlanta to visit his brother proved very conducive for the expansion of my kitchenware collections. Without him rolling his eyes and tapping his watch, I could browse through the endless collections of stylish toys for the kitchen for as long as I wanted. I lingered for hours, losing myself in front of all kinds of baking pans, pastry tools, and everything I have ever wanted for my kitchen, and some that I didn't know I needed or even existed.
The Discount Route
I was not discriminative as to where I shopped. Did you know Ross and Marshalls, the discount clothing stores, have an amazing range of household products? It was at Ross that I fell in love with the cutest 4" spring form pan and bought out the stock (only two, but I would've bought more if they had any). As long as I was going the mini route, I also bought six tartlet pans. Images of mini New York styled cheesecakes and mini lemon tarts danced in my head. Aaaaaah, the potentials are endless. Gone are the days when I look at a recipe and sigh because without inviting people, there is no way for Jason and I to finish a whole cheesecake without doing some serious damage to our waistline and cholesterol level. Now, I can simply cut the recipe down and make cake for two!
At Marshalls, I found a treasure trove of J. A.Henckels knives at a steep discount and told myself that one can never have too many knives. With some self-control, I managed to only buy a chef’s knife, a bread knife, and a paring knife (just in case one day I get inspired to make my own turducken). Admittedly, Henckels knives are not the sharpest but they sure look good, and at that price, it wouldn’t be too wasteful to replace them in a year or two.
Other finds include a cheese slicer with marble board; a pizza stone; mini loaf pans; shiny brass maple leaf shaped cookie cutter (it’s so huge that I will probably never use it to cut out cookies, but such a beauty to behold); and a Kitchen-Aid garlic press with ultra ergonomic handles (with this super smasher, Jason will never know how much garlic I put into our food, mwahahaha!).
Crafty Tools
Did you know crafts store also sell cake-decorating tools? Ever heard of a cake even-bake strips? Neither had I, but I am now the proud owner of two sets. It is a long strip of silvery insulating material. You soak and saturate it with cold water and wrap it around the outside of a cake pan before putting it in the oven. I am guessing that the theory behind it is that it provides an even temperature all around so the cake doesn't rise too fast in the middle and doesn't crack on top. From the same crafts store, I also bought a cake leveler, which looks like a saw with notches to help you slice cakes horizontally for easy decorating.
Specialty Stores
Please do not think of me as totally out of control, because I do know where to draw the line, or rather, the weight limits of airline luggage drew the line for me. Not far from my house, there is a Le Creuset store. These things cost a fortune in Japan, which is why I still cannot justify buying one. The day I went, the entire store was 25% off (American price)! Imagine my delight when I felt the weight of the caste iron frying pan in my hand and admired the tomato shaped casserole. The sales clerk was ever so polite and knowledgeable (and very much gay), but I was firm. I was not going to haul back a heavy caste-iron pot in my suitcase, no matter how cheap. In the end, I only bought a book (Crème Brulee The Bonjour Way by Randolph Mann) and these cute little guys.
Were you able to guess what they are for? They are pot-lid holders. Aren't they the darnest things? Well, if I can't have my Le Creuset caste iron casserole, I am entitled to indulge myself in these virtually weightless essential items, am I not?
Silicone Everything
It seems that silicone baking pans and tools are the latest trend in home-baking nowadays. I’ve read about them, but had always imagined them to be stiff shapes like the metal pans, only made of plastic. The first time I saw one in the store, I was taken by surprise, for they are totally pliable. Sure, I had my doubts. Can they really withstand temperature up to 500F as said? Will things really not stick to them?
Doubts not withstanding, I decided to give these light and packable things a try. Factoring in how often I use each type of baking dish, and how likely things are to stick to each type, I narrowed down my purchases to just a 9-inch cake pan and a 10-inch tart pan. Cakes are notoriously hard to get out of pans, and although my tart pan with the removable bottom ensures my tart comes out undamaged, I could never manage to pry the bottom off and always had to serve the tart with the bottom of the tart pan. I also bought two silicone baking mats for lining cookie sheets, and a butterfly-shaped cake pan for when I am in the mood to make a butterfly cake, maybe in the spring? Throw in a couple of spatulas, I’ve got all the silicone my kitchen needs, for now.
* Saw some silicone baking pans at a special event’s corner in my supermarket after I came back to Tokyo. They are coming to Japan too! But get this! They cost 4300yen! That’s like 40USD for a frigging baking pan! Boy am I glad I loaded up on them at $8 a piece.
The Crème Brulee Torch
You probably noticed that I got a cookbook on crème brulee at Le Creuset. What good is a book if you can’t make it; and how can you make it without a proper torch? The nice gay clerk at Le Creuset apologized for running out of the torch but pointed me to another store, Le Gourmet Chef . There I found a Crème Brulee torch set (complete with four 4-oz ramekins) on sale for $19.99. How could I resist? I chose a red one with heart-shaped ramekins, and bought a canister of butane as advised by the clerk, as the torch came unfilled.
It was only after I got home that I realized the problem: the butane canister would never in a million years get past airport security! So I did the only reasonable thing to do: I made a batch of crème brulee before returning to Tokyo, so as to use my brand new torch at least once, in case it gets confisticated. Then I burned off the remaining butane in the torch and packed it in my carry-on, hoping that at least this way, I could explain that without fuel, it doesn’t pose any danger to anyone. Luckily, the torch made it through security check without fanfare. Now I just have to find a butane canister in Tokyo to fill my torch so I can churn out crème brulees from my very own humble kitchen.
Classic creme brulee with some homemade cran-apple-orange relish
Friday, January 07, 2005
A Somber New Year
2005 began with a somber tone. The tsunami that hit South Asia and parts of Africa during last year’s Christmas season still rings fresh in everyone’s mind. I admit I had been immersed in my own little world of cooking for my parents and keeping my dad company, as well as shopping the sales for the past two weeks. Of course I knew about the tsunami, and read it on CNN’s website, but maybe it was because I didn’t watch any TV at my parents’ place, it didn’t hit me until yesterday as to the extent of damage and casualties those areas suffered.
Yesterday, a day after coming back to Japan, I turned on the TV for the first time and tuned into CNN to see Soladad O’Brian reporting live from Phuket. The TV screen is filled with corpses wrapped in white or blue sheets and secured with duct tape. Workers with facemasks sprayed giant open-air morgues with what I assume to be anti-infectants while flies swarmed around, and volunteers worked to obtain dental record or fingerprints for identification purposes.
Sitting there watching, I thought about how it could’ve easily been us. We love Phuket’s pristine white sandy beaches and have visited twice while living in Singapore; and Maldives, paradise on earth, is where we spent ten blissful days in May of 2003. I logged onto the website of Soneva Gili, the resort we stayed in Maldives, and found it closed due to tsunami damages. Luckily, all guests and hotel staff were unharmed but some staff lost family and homes on other atolls. My thoughts couldn’t help but turn to Mo, our Guest Relationship Officer with the bubbly personality who took care of us 24-7 while we stayed on Soneva Gili. I hope he and his family are ok. One of Jason’s colleagues was in Sri Lanka with his wife and two young children when the wall of water came crashing in. They climbed to the top of the hotel building and prayed for the water to not rise any further. Lucky for them, it didn't.
For every survival story there are thousands who were not so lucky, and the long-term economical and ecological effects in the area is hard to estimate. With disasters of this scale, one of the immediate priorities is to prevent outbreaks of deadly diseases such as cholera and dengue fever, achievable in part by ensuring clean drinking water and other basic hygiene standards. WHO is calling for 66 million USD in donation to help combat disease outbreaks. Here is an example of what your money can do, according to WHO:
US$10 ensures…
…that one person has access to safe drinking water for four days. Individuals must have access to 10 litres of safe drinking water per day, to reduce the risk of waterborne diseases, particularly the onset of various diarrhoeal diseases such as cholera.
US$50 ensures…
…that 70 people have access to basic medical care for a period of three months. Populations living in overcrowded temporary shelter accommodations are at increased risk of disease and will require an increase in medical attention.
US$100 ensures…
…that 10 people can be treated fully for diarrhoeal diseases (including cholera). Diarrhoeal diseases are a major cause of mortality among populations who may not have access to basic human needs.
US$150 ensures…
…that full surgical care is available to one person. Following catastrophes, it is estimated that approximately one percent of the population requires access to full surgical care. An additional ten percent of the population will require care for minor trauma and injuries.
Donation is easy, just click here.
Yesterday, a day after coming back to Japan, I turned on the TV for the first time and tuned into CNN to see Soladad O’Brian reporting live from Phuket. The TV screen is filled with corpses wrapped in white or blue sheets and secured with duct tape. Workers with facemasks sprayed giant open-air morgues with what I assume to be anti-infectants while flies swarmed around, and volunteers worked to obtain dental record or fingerprints for identification purposes.
Sitting there watching, I thought about how it could’ve easily been us. We love Phuket’s pristine white sandy beaches and have visited twice while living in Singapore; and Maldives, paradise on earth, is where we spent ten blissful days in May of 2003. I logged onto the website of Soneva Gili, the resort we stayed in Maldives, and found it closed due to tsunami damages. Luckily, all guests and hotel staff were unharmed but some staff lost family and homes on other atolls. My thoughts couldn’t help but turn to Mo, our Guest Relationship Officer with the bubbly personality who took care of us 24-7 while we stayed on Soneva Gili. I hope he and his family are ok. One of Jason’s colleagues was in Sri Lanka with his wife and two young children when the wall of water came crashing in. They climbed to the top of the hotel building and prayed for the water to not rise any further. Lucky for them, it didn't.
For every survival story there are thousands who were not so lucky, and the long-term economical and ecological effects in the area is hard to estimate. With disasters of this scale, one of the immediate priorities is to prevent outbreaks of deadly diseases such as cholera and dengue fever, achievable in part by ensuring clean drinking water and other basic hygiene standards. WHO is calling for 66 million USD in donation to help combat disease outbreaks. Here is an example of what your money can do, according to WHO:
US$10 ensures…
…that one person has access to safe drinking water for four days. Individuals must have access to 10 litres of safe drinking water per day, to reduce the risk of waterborne diseases, particularly the onset of various diarrhoeal diseases such as cholera.
US$50 ensures…
…that 70 people have access to basic medical care for a period of three months. Populations living in overcrowded temporary shelter accommodations are at increased risk of disease and will require an increase in medical attention.
US$100 ensures…
…that 10 people can be treated fully for diarrhoeal diseases (including cholera). Diarrhoeal diseases are a major cause of mortality among populations who may not have access to basic human needs.
US$150 ensures…
…that full surgical care is available to one person. Following catastrophes, it is estimated that approximately one percent of the population requires access to full surgical care. An additional ten percent of the population will require care for minor trauma and injuries.
Donation is easy, just click here.
Thursday, December 30, 2004
America the Great
So I've been back for more than a week now and since I was away for so long, I am experiencing a reverse culture shock. Here's a short list of things I find good and bad:
Good: the big-assed SUV Washington Flyer taxi that swallowed up our two suitcases without a blink
Bad: Pre-Christmas shopping madness with full parking lots and long lines at the checkout
Good: Post-Christmas sales at discounts you won't believe
Bad: Having the hardest time finding things in your size, when wasitlines are too big even on some size 0, but pant legs are too long because at 5'5" you are a dwarf
Good: Self-esteem is up when you compare yourself to the overweight American mass and think that maybe you can slack off on gym
Bad: Checkout clerks are so slow it's like watching them in slow-motion (I miss Japanese cashier's efficiencies)
Good: the big-assed SUV Washington Flyer taxi that swallowed up our two suitcases without a blink
Bad: Pre-Christmas shopping madness with full parking lots and long lines at the checkout
Good: Post-Christmas sales at discounts you won't believe
Bad: Having the hardest time finding things in your size, when wasitlines are too big even on some size 0, but pant legs are too long because at 5'5" you are a dwarf
Good: Self-esteem is up when you compare yourself to the overweight American mass and think that maybe you can slack off on gym
Bad: Checkout clerks are so slow it's like watching them in slow-motion (I miss Japanese cashier's efficiencies)
Good: The self checkout at the supermarket that lets you scan and pay without the help of a cashier
Bad: Sales people who greet you and expect to be greeted back. Why am I obligated to answer the question, "How you're doing?" every time I step inside a store. Why can't they just be like the Japanese sales people, and simply bow and say welcome?
Good: Fountain sodas tastes much better than the ones you get in Asian countries
Bad: Portions are so big in restaurants that you share an appetizer and a main with your girlfriend and still have to remind yourself not to gorge
Good: Being able to buy produce at 1/6 the Tokyo price
Bad: Twenty-four isles of floor to ceiling grocery shelves, not one bottle of clam juice
Good: Wide roads, cheap gasoline, and cops ticket idiots who park on the road and block traffic
Bad: Having to drive extra carefully because without congestion, you might actually go over the speed limit and get ticketed
Good: Carrying only $50 in my wallet because everything can be paid in visa
Bad: Make it almost everything, because Neiman Marcus only takes AMEX and their own charge card. Whatever happened to "Visa: All it takes" or "'There are some things money can't buy, for everything else there is MasterCard"???
Great: Getting free wireless connection in the kitchen!
Good: Fountain sodas tastes much better than the ones you get in Asian countries
Bad: Portions are so big in restaurants that you share an appetizer and a main with your girlfriend and still have to remind yourself not to gorge
Good: Being able to buy produce at 1/6 the Tokyo price
Bad: Twenty-four isles of floor to ceiling grocery shelves, not one bottle of clam juice
Good: Wide roads, cheap gasoline, and cops ticket idiots who park on the road and block traffic
Bad: Having to drive extra carefully because without congestion, you might actually go over the speed limit and get ticketed
Good: Carrying only $50 in my wallet because everything can be paid in visa
Bad: Make it almost everything, because Neiman Marcus only takes AMEX and their own charge card. Whatever happened to "Visa: All it takes" or "'There are some things money can't buy, for everything else there is MasterCard"???
Great: Getting free wireless connection in the kitchen!
Friday, December 17, 2004
Lazy Woman’s Solution to Christmas Cards
This year, I am too lazy to even send out e-cards. I am wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year on my blog. I know it’s a little impersonal, but believe me each and everyone of you is on my mind when I send you my season’s greetings.
Anyway, I am off to go home tomorrow and will stay for two and a half weeks. My turducken is scheduled to arrive before Christmas and I will let you all know how it goes. If any of you will be in the DC area between Dec 19 and Jan 4 and want to catch up, email me!
Anyway, I am off to go home tomorrow and will stay for two and a half weeks. My turducken is scheduled to arrive before Christmas and I will let you all know how it goes. If any of you will be in the DC area between Dec 19 and Jan 4 and want to catch up, email me!
Technical Matters
Only recently after browsing through some other people's blogs did I realize the lack of extra features on my blog template. Essential things such as Links is prominantly missing. So I decided to upgrade my template.
Searching blog's add-ons yielded free downloads of web counters and message boards. In an effort to create a fully-loaded blog, I decided to install them. The webcounter never worked for some reason, but the message board seems ok.
Next step was to add some links, but again, blog's suggested code didn't work. So I went to my friend Hsin-li's blog and stole her source code. Now I have a very short link section, yippy!
I also want to categorize my blog entries, divide up my profile to include Jason and Libby, so on and so forth. So many things to do but so little time!
Searching blog's add-ons yielded free downloads of web counters and message boards. In an effort to create a fully-loaded blog, I decided to install them. The webcounter never worked for some reason, but the message board seems ok.
Next step was to add some links, but again, blog's suggested code didn't work. So I went to my friend Hsin-li's blog and stole her source code. Now I have a very short link section, yippy!
I also want to categorize my blog entries, divide up my profile to include Jason and Libby, so on and so forth. So many things to do but so little time!
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
In the Spotlight
Last week, after coming back from a business trip, I went into Allrecipes.com to look for something to cook, and what do I see on the top page but a picture submitted by yours-truly. On closer look, I discovered that my photo gallery has been featured on the “What’s New” section! Allrecipes.com, my cooking bible, featured moi on their front page!
“I would like to thank Allrecipes.com for giving me this chance to showcase my food pictures. It is such an honor just to have my username mentioned. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people whom I have subjected to my cooking. Thank you for being my guinea pigs! Most of all, I thank my husband, whose uncompromising taste buds and vehement objection to eating the same thing every week inspired me to be the best cook I can be…… (blah blah blah blah blah)
But alas, fame is so short-lived (one week). By the time you read this blog, the link to my photo gallery has already been removed. However, you can still look at the photos by going to the following page:
http://allrecipes.com/community/userphoto/gallery.asp?id=1100430
“I would like to thank Allrecipes.com for giving me this chance to showcase my food pictures. It is such an honor just to have my username mentioned. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people whom I have subjected to my cooking. Thank you for being my guinea pigs! Most of all, I thank my husband, whose uncompromising taste buds and vehement objection to eating the same thing every week inspired me to be the best cook I can be…… (blah blah blah blah blah)
But alas, fame is so short-lived (one week). By the time you read this blog, the link to my photo gallery has already been removed. However, you can still look at the photos by going to the following page:
http://allrecipes.com/community/userphoto/gallery.asp?id=1100430
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