Eleven Months

The past month was filled with firsts:

• Junior's first trip to California
• Junior starting at nursery as I returned to work
• Junior's first independent steps

Walking practice at the London Transport Museum



Shopping for leaves at the park




Walker, we don't need no stinkin' walker


Junior has been doing well so far at nursery. I took him for a few hours of 'settling in' the week before I returned to work, and he loved it. The first full day was perfect - no tears, he ate and slept, and he remembered me when I picked him up. The second day was not so good. He cried all day, and his teachers told me that his two top front teeth were coming in. I'm not convinced. He has been teething for months now, and they still have not emerged. The third day went better. I think he is adjusting to the new routine; enduring a growth spurt while mastering the art of walking; and catching a bad cold all at the same time (in fact, he developed a fever over the weekend). It's a lot for a little person.


For my part, returning to work was at once strange and familiar. Nothing has changed, yet everything is different. Predictably, they had no desk, laptop, or mobile ready for me so I spent three days hanging around and using other people's computers when possible. My role is still being defined. Right now it is a relief not to have too much pressure or responsibility, but I suspect that will change as my project develops and they get more dependent on me again. I'm enjoying it while it lasts.

Pic of the Week: 25-31 Jan

Sushi Breakfast at Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo


This photo is from my business trip to Tokyo last October. I accompanied a customer who had a special interest in learning about authentic Japanese sushi, so we arranged for one of our suppliers to take us to the tuna auction at Tsukiji on a Friday morning. We went to Daiwa Sushi for breakfast at 6:45. While it was decidedly some of the most delicious sushi I have ever eaten and most likely will ever eat, seeing all those massive fish put a damper on the morning for me. After gulping down a few bites of toro, I ordered a piece of tamago (egg), pictured.


Click on the photo to see a larger version on flickr.

2009 round-up

Here it is: my last post of 2009 and it's #100, to boot!


2009 has largely been the Year of Work for me. At the beginning of the year, I was brushing off my CV and had started looking for new places to work. In March, a visitor sent by our parent company helped steer me into a new career path, which ultimately led to two promotions and a very busy year. At one point in June I worked so many extra hours that I got an entire week's holiday as compensation. (Not that I have used it - I had to cancel my holiday this week so I'm carrying over 5 days into 2010 and I'm determined to use them.)


Needless to say, my social life has suffered a bit and I'm afraid I have not been a very good friend, at least in real life. Online, my Bryn Mawr chums sucked me into the Facebook vortex, where I happily reconnected with friends from JET, SOAS, CPS, various previous jobs, even Berkeley High. Armed with an iPhone, I can tweet and update my FB status on the go...


***


Despite my heavy work schedule, I still managed to use 2 passports on 3 continents.

Stockholm in April




California in May/June




Southern Spain in September




Tokyo in October




Vienna in November




***


2009 was also a Year for Family. In addition to visiting my parents and sister, I also reconnected with most of my cousins.



photo from my aunt, circa 1986




at my sister's wedding in 2005



Sadly, my grandfather passed away in June, but his spirit lives on.


***


Finally, in the blog world, 2009 was a Year for Photos. I have enjoyed sharing my Pics of the Week with you. Here is one final Pic of the Week from our Jordan trip that made it into the desk calendar, but somehow didn't get a mention on the blog.





So with a laugh and a smile, I wish you all the best in 2010! Happy New Year!

fishy tokyo

I spent a week in Tokyo for work last month. Well, I say work. My company sent me over to accompany a customer whose basic mission was to eat as much sushi as possible.



Akihabara electronics district



Tokyo subway


We managed quite a bit of sightseeing, some shopping, and lots of eating.



View of Shinjuku from the top of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building



Maid cafe in Akihabara



Asakusa






Shibuya


We also went to Tsukiji fish market and were given special access to the tuna auction. The other tourists were sooo jealous that we got to go inside.












Sushi for breakfast at 6:45 AM






Conveyor belt sushi in Tokyo Station



Takoyaki in Roppongi



Dinner at Ninja Akasaka









Doing the 'Lost in Translation': drinks on the 52nd floor at the Park Hyatt Shinjuku





It was a great trip. They treated us very well and most of our 'work' did not feel like work. It had been six years since my last trip to Japan; it was interesting to see how much has changed and how much is still the same. I have never spent much time in Tokyo (so I wasn't the best tour guide but don't tell!) Still I found it easy to get around and I think we hit the main targets. I was sad that I didn't have a chance to see any of my friends, and I missed the countryside, but it is nice to know that I can still go back.


My photos did not come out as well as I would have wanted. I broke my Canon PowerShot A620 on the last day of our Spain trip. S was good enough to let me borrow his Nikon Coolpix 4600 but I didn't get along very well with it, so I used my iPhone most of the time. I have just ordered a new Canon PowerShot G11. More camera than I need? Probably, but all the camera I want!

Pic of the Week: 28 Sep - 4 Oct

Düsseldorf, October 2007


I went to Düsseldorf / Köln for a tradeshow two years ago and managed a bit of sightseeing before work started. It was a lovely city and I had a nice time.


Click on the photo to see a larger version on flickr.

snowy monday

we interrupt pic of the week to bring you these photos from the snow storm! i had so much fun walking to work this morning. (not so much fun once i got there, but i still think every monday should start with a childlike sense of wonder at the magic of snow. the californian in me still loves big, fluffy snowflakes and heavy boots.)









i wish i could say that this apparent balance problem resulted in a snow angel, but alas, no such luck























today's snow was unusual and brought much of the country to a standstill. having lived in snow country, i think vast portions of the northern - and southern - hemisphere are laughing at us. i'm not alone.

wasabi peas and memes

At work, I have a google alert set for the keyword 'wasabi peas' and I get several hits everyday. It's fun to see how many people write about wasabi peas - all different contexts, all different parts of the world. Food blogs, restaurant reviews, diet tips. But mostly just random mentions among other thoughts.

The point is, this week the author of verygoodtaste.co.uk posted his Omnivore's Hundred, a list of 100 things he thinks every omnivore should try at least once, including wasabi peas (number 31). My hit count has gone way up. And I thought it might be fun to try it, too. I've never done a meme. If you want to share how many of the 100 you have tried, consider yourself tagged.

Here goes.

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment on VGT linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison: only once. not my fave.
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile: had alligator once. not quite the same, but close enough.
6. Black pudding: pass!
7. Cheese fondue: yum
8. Carp: i've eaten gefilte fish. it's ok.
9. Borscht: mamasita loves beets and borscht. unfortunately, i don't.
10. Baba ghanoush: i do love eggplant/aubergine, however.
11. Calamari: fried calamari, as well as raw squid
12. Pho: had this recently. actually asked them to send it back to the kitchen and cook the beef. the raw pink of the meat just put me straight off my meal. it was lovely once it was cooked, but i'm aware that this is a horrible food faux pas. it won't happen again.
13. PB&J sandwich: absolutely! i still love these. guilty pleasure.
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart: not sure that i have actually had a hot dog from a street cart, come to think of it. do vending stations at baseball games or costco count?
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle: er, had white truffle. not sure about black.
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes: there was blueberry wine in the area where i lived in japan. very sweet.
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream: another of mamasita's favorites. i quite like it, too!
21. Heirloom tomatoes: not unless they were cooked. no raw tomatoes :(
22. Fresh wild berries: we had a blackberry bush in our backyard when i was growing up. does that count? if not, i have definitely eaten my share of fresh berries elsewhere.
23. Foie gras: i'm not against it for political or ethical reasons. i just think it sounds, looks, and smells nasty.
24. Rice and beans: many times, many ways.
25. Brawn, or head cheese: no, thank you!
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper: i don't think i've tried it, but it sounds good.
27. Dulce de leche: not straight, but in ice cream
28. Oysters: had raw oysters once. i gagged. sorry, no more for me!
29. Baklava: mmm...
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas: yes, i've had them, packaged them, branded them, sold them...
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl: i prefer chili in a sourdough bowl. not a big fan of clam chowder.
33. Salted lassi: not salted, but lassi, yes
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float: mamasita and i agree on this: yum!
36. Cognac with a fat cigar: cognac yes, but noooo cigars
37. Clotted cream tea: not sure if i can count this, but i'm sure i will have it at some point in my long years residing in england.
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O: managed to miss out on the jell-o shots in college. not sure how or why.
39. Gumbo: i'm not sure if i have ever eaten it, but i did wash s and b's famously disgusting gumbo pot years ago when they were roomies in LA. b made gumbo at thanksgiving. i visited over new year's. the pot was still in the sink since no one could face washing it. truly awful.
40. Oxtail: i think i'm too squeamish for this.
41. Curried goat: curry yes, goat? no, i don't think so.
42. Whole insects: managed to avoid them in japan.
43. Phaal: sounds good, but i haven't tried it yet.
44. Goat’s milk: does goat's cheese count?
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more: not knowingly
46. Fugu: it's ok
47. Chicken tikka masala: i lurve this!
48. Eel: ate enough eel in japan. i'll eat it if it's served, but i don't go out of my way to order it.
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut: reminds me of the 2002 salt lake city olympics, my highest krispy kreme consumption ever.
50. Sea urchin: twice in one day. 'you liked it so much at lunch, we ordered it again for you at dinner!' gee, thanks.
51. Prickly pear: seems like something i ate long ago at walden school.
52. Umeboshi: i love umeboshi. we have a jar in our office and i eat them straight from the jar.
53. Abalone: after prawns, the first seafood i actually enjoyed eating.
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal: never had a big mac. i prefer the chicken sandwiches. but having said that, it has been years since i last went to mc d's.
56. Spaetzle: if i haven't had it yet, i'm sure i can rectify that during our bike trip. (three weeks!)
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips: another walden food.
61. S’mores: who hasn't had a s'more?!
62. Sweetbreads: by accident. my sister and i thought they sounded good - sweet, bread. ha. our parents told us the next day...
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs: i have to rule this out on the basis of my lifelong love of kermit the frog.
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis: again, too squeamish.
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini: remember the scene in big with the caviar? that was me.
73. Louche absinthe: i have always wanted to try absinthe, just not gotten around to it yet.
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill: (he must have been getting hard up toward the end of his list, eh?)
76. Baijiu: i have had japanese shochu; not quite the same
77. Hostess Fruit Pie: never. can you believe it?
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong: didn't really like it...
80. Bellini: liked the bellini, though!
81. Tom yum: yum, indeed
82. Eggs Benedict: i prefer my eggs fried over hard.
83. Pocky: another popular item that my company can't keep in stock.
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant: not to my knowledge.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare: only ate rabbit once, in france, during a homestay when i was 14. je ne l'aimais pas.
87. Goulash
88. Flowers: japanese kogiku
89. Horse: not just horse, but raw horsemeat (in japan)
90. Criollo chocolate: never met a chocolate i didn't like.
91. Spam: had spam musubi in hawaii. it's awful.
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa: i don't think so, but it sounds good.
94. Catfish: once, if memory serves.
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox: i'm not a big fan of lox. call me a bagel purist.
97. Lobster Thermidor: had lobster many ways, but strictly speaking, i'm not sure if i have had lobster thermidor.
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee

Wait! Where's #100? Click over to see what it was. Those who know me well will know why I did not only strike through it, I struck it completely off the list.

So now, the big question is: will my blog show up on my google alert message Monday morning? (Update: it was there! Freaky...)

08.08.08

Everyone seems to be talking about the date today. In my little world, today's date is refreshingly free from the confusion that I usually face as an American working at a Japanese food company in the UK.


Our products all require a 'best before' date, called an expiry date in the UK, as opposed to an 'expiration date' in the States, or a 'shomi kigen' in Japan. What makes our job at work even harder is that each region has a different convention for writing the date.


Japan uses year/month/day

Europe & the UK write it day/month/year

We, the confused Americans, insist on month/day/year, which I have to admit doesn't make much sense.


No wonder, then, that I often gets calls from customers asking about products that appear to be out of date already. I have to assure them that 08.11.07 means 'best before 7 November 2008,' not that the product actually expired on the 8th of November last year. But it gets even more complicated with the few products we import from the States. The same date would mean August 11, 2007 in my native California!


This is why I insist that our labels are printed in DD MON YYYY format, with the first three letters of the month spelled out.


But today, it doesn't matter! I gleefully scrawled 08/08/08 on everything. Tiny pleasures, eh?


So in the spirit of the day, I am now watching the Olympic Opening Ceremony (taped earlier). Must say, I'm impressed so far. Can't say I agree with the way that China has gone about their planning, but I still love the Olympics despite myself.

sugar rush

feeling unappreciated at work? overlooked? ignored?


try my simple solution for winning friends and becoming instantly popular: bring in a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies.

• watch those frowns turn upside down as your colleagues reach in to grab one
  
• get a tiny thrill when they say, "thank you!"
  
• delight as they heap praise on your "delicious" cookies and ask for your "secret" recipe
  

then sit back and watch the hours fly by.


*this method is particularly effective on a monday. also works on friends and husbands.

germany in japanese

I spent 48 hours in Düsseldorf and Köln over the weekend, adding a new country to my list and a stamp to my passport. I have never been to Germany before; German is one language I have never studied; and until I actually arrived at Düsseldorf Flughafen, I didn't realize how unprepared I was. The excitement of going to a new place was balanced with a tiny sense of vulnerability and unease. But I was soon reassured that everyone was friendly and helpful.

Perhaps the oddest thing was the large presence of Japanese people and businesses, especially near the main train station (Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof) and on/around Immermannstraße. (By the way, have you noticed that I am showing off my keyboard skills by using funky letters like ü and ß? Wait, there's more.)




I don't usually take plane photos, but I wanted to capture my first impressions of autumn in Deutschland. The leaves were turning and the sun was shining. Lovely!


I had a great view of the city from my hotel as well. I stayed, as you do in Germany, at the typically Japanese business-style Hotel Asahi. Upon entering, I was greeted not with signs saying Willkommen but ようこそ. Strangely, it felt immediately familiar and comfortable.



My "penthouse" room was on the secret 12th floor. I say secret because the elevator only went to 11 (insert Spinal Tap joke here). From there, I had to use my room key to open a door to a staircase that led to the top. Très chic and exclusive.



I rushed out to the balcony to take some pictures, only to discover that it was a shared balcony... In other words, I could see into my neighbors' rooms and likewise, they could see into mine! I promptly ran back inside and shut all the blinds.




I had about three hours to look around the city before dinner. I got a city map from the front desk and walked up Klosterstraße. It reminded me a bit of Lille; pretty, quaint European churches, shops and details mixed with rather nondescript sprawling streets and buildings. But I chose to focus on the pretty bits, and my walk took me straight to the heart of the Altstadt (Old Town).










I did some quick chocolate shopping at Cafe Heinemann and headed to the banks of the Rhein River in time to catch the last sun of the day.














But it wasn't all fun and games. I was there for work, which meant I was there for some serious talks and even more serious eating and drinking! (OK, I admit it was hard to think of the trip as "work." I love this job!) On Sunday and Monday, I attended the ANUGA Food Fair held at the huge Koelnmesse venue.






After having Japanese food for dinner on Saturday at the trendy Sushi & Soul restaurant in Düsseldorf, it was a nice change to try a traditional German meal in Köln. I wasn't entirely prepared for 1 meter long sausages and mayonnaise-y potato salad!




I had a nice, short trip. I have to admit, though: it was great to come home to smoke-free Britain!