M.D.K

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

2010-06-30 Dinner on the box

We eat lots of vegetables. Tonight's dinner was salad over rice noodle, pork shabu shabu with grated Japanese radish, mixed vegetables cooked with soy source and sweet sake, fried tofu and grapes for desserts.

Can you guess which salad plate is for Zach? (Hint: Look for mini tomatoes.)

Saturday, June 26, 2010

2010_06_26 A trip to Tateshina in Nagano

We took our first trip on June 26th after we moved to Tokyo. To be honest, I had never heard of this place "蓼科 (Tatesina)" in Nagano prefecture before this trip. When our original plan to go to Hakone got canceled due to the hotel situation, we turned to our sister Ritsuko who has a membership to use high-quality facilities in resort areas and reserved a room at the hotel in Tateshina.

Unfortunately, the weather wasn't so good on the weekend as it was in the middle of the rainy season and we couldn't get a full view of the mountains.

We took an express train called "Super Azusa" from Shinjuku station which took us to Chino in about 2 hours. From there, we took a shuttle to the hotel.

Waiting for a shuttle at the outside of Chino station. Zach loves his phone.. They are inseparable!

We checked in at the hotel around 11 a.m. As our room was not ready yet and we were not cut out for sitting back at a cafe or hanging out at the resort to kill time, we decided to walk around the neighborhood a little... However, we encountered a tiny problem.. It was that things which were under the category "What's in the neighborhood" were not actually in neighborhood unless people had a car and all we had were our healthy not-so-lengthy legs.

We decided to talk to the cable car (.... Oops! Typo.. Yet, it'd be really cool if we could..) and to go to the garden on the top of the mountain. 5 km on the map. "It can't be that hard, can it???" ..... Well, it could be if it was uphill and a baby sitting in one's tummy.

Ready to be on board!

We took the cable car to the top. The closer it got to the station, the denser the mist became.

In to the mist...

It was very windy and chilly on the top... Walking the major trail in the park would take about 30 mins, but we could not enjoy leasury walk as we feared that we might freeze into one of those icy rocks.. So what we did was more like a heal-and-toe walking (or rather marching) and we got it done in 15 mins.

Walking in the water

Yes! We are on the right track! And Yes! I'm wearing fish-net stocking.

The bus runs once every two hours there. We managed to catch one on time. We were the only passengers on that bus. Our personal bus ride! How do the bus company manage to keep the buses running in the route, I wonder...

4 wheels are more powerful than 2 legs...?! I was ready to trade mine with the four.

When we got back to the hotel, our room was ready. As we walked in the room.. or more precisely "rooms", we were finally ready to enjoy sitting back and just relax! Do nothing. No more walking...

Japanese-style room

Western-style room with a balcony

Bedroom

The rest of the day was consisted of swimming in a heated pool and relaxing in hot spring, and stuffing ourselves at a buffet style restaurant, and watching a World Cup game Korea v.s. Uruguay.

Next day after breakfast, we took a walk in the garden and took off.

We could see a patch of blue sky when we got to the station. Oh.. how badly did we miss the blue in the sky!

Zach and Locomotive

A patch of the blue sky over the bridge

"Ekiben" (Railway boxed meal) is an equivalent of McDonald on the road trip in the U.S. (at least it is to me!), and I like eating Ekiben on the train as it enhanced the feel that we are on the trip!

Here's happy Zach with Bento.

Taking Super Azusa back to Tokyo...

No. 4 compartment, Non-reserved seat, No smoking

A swordsman at the platform

Where will our next destination be? Hakone? Nikko? ... So many places to visit around Tokyo!

Sunday, January 31, 2010

2010_01_31 Zach's Calligraphy

Care to guess what Zach's favorite kanji is?
So one night we decided to do calligraphy together.

"What's your favorite kanji, Zach? Which kanji would you like to write tonight?"
"Niku (meat)!!!"

Of course! I was almost certain that he would say "Katana (sword)" and was properly ashamed that I almost failed to remember his the favorite thing.. Meat! Then I remembered..

During a trip to Japan in March, 2009, we went to temples in Kyoto. And at one of the temples I got a wooden plague for Zach to write his wish.

His wish: "I wish I could eat a lot of meat."

His wish was fulfilled very soon when we had "sukiyaki" at my best friend's house the night. His wish was delivered and processed in the most efficient manner!!!

Back to calligraphy...
Zach dipped the brush in the ink.. and here is his first work!

Think, juicy, delicious 16 oz. Rib Eye

On the left is his third work - 24 oz. New York Steak

2010-01-30 Zach and his new sword umbrella

My Christmas present for Zach has finally been delivered! The Sword umbrella from ThinkGeek .com!! And now Zach and an umbrella are practically inseparable! Because it looks so much like a real sword, and because Zach does seem (and is!) an eccentric guy, people on the street, at a restaurant, and at work look alarmed, staring at him whenever he carries his umbrella.

The umbrella came with a thing (sheath?) to be carried on your back. Look how smoothly the umbrella can be unsheathed!

Yes, it IS an umbrella!!!

Monday, January 18, 2010

2010-01-11 Nice Catch!!!

"Yatta----!!!"

2010-01-11 Ritsuko's wedding

On January 11th, 2010, my elder sister Ritsuko and Tomohiro were married at Geihinkan which was built to welcome distinguished guests from all over the world to World Expo in 1970's. Kadomatsu, a pair of traditional Japanese decorations of the New Year, were placed in front of the building, which emitted an air of festivity in the air.

When we walked in the building, the reception table was set to the left.

On the table, we found the cats we made!!! (We finished sewing the cats and applied the last touch a few hours before the wedding... Phew!)

As we waited for the rehearsal to start, Zach and I took a walk around the building. Everything was neatly arranged, and the light coming though the glass ceiling was beautiful. Ritsuko, who has been known as "雨女（Pronunciation: ame-onna, Translation: rain woman / rain bringer)" did not bring rain but beautiful light.

Members of the wedding choir seemed very busy, running in and out of the chapel. But as soon as they noticed us taking photos, they tried to hide themselves or ran past us looking very apologetic. So we decided to wander off to where we wouldn't be obstacles of anyone...

Soon Ritsuko in gorgeous wedding dress showed up with a little nervous-looking Tomohiro. Ritsuko looked radiant!

My bridesmaids and I made bouquets for my wedding. So I know how difficult it is to arrange flowers! The bouquet she requested for the day was simply beautiful! The colors of white, pink and green, and the flowing line of them was very gentle just like Ristuko.