Cal wins Big Game 34-28!!

This year, I had a chance to view the Big Game at the U.S. embassy in Akasaka, Tokyo. Thanks to the liberal and gentle Ambassador to Japan John Roos from Stanford, we the Cal alumni were also invited to his official resident to share the moment when the Golden bears beat the Cardinal.

And Yes!! We surely did it!! Cal, finishing the game by 34-28 by spoiling poor Stanford's hopes, won the coveted Axe for 7 times in 8 years. Wheeee!!!

I also had great opportunities to see Ambassador Roos, who is such a nice person besides he studied at a school in Palo Alto, and Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who was also studied in the south Bay for some reason. He brought his wife Miyuki, a well-know extraordinary Japan's first lady who insists that she has been to Venus by UFO before and was a good friend of Tom Cruz in the previous life.

Anyway, they are all good people by hosting & feeding us very nicely. We took pictures together though PM Hatoyama left the venue before he witnessed the historical moment when Cal won the Axe again.

In the end, the bear-throated roar echoed across the Akasaka area as we cried of triumph in front of the robust gate of the official resident of the U.S. Ambassador to Japan.

Go, Go Bears!!!

Ritsuko's Departure

Today I took a day off to give Ritsuko a ride to Narita Airport. She is leaving Japan for Tunis, Tunisia for work alone...no, with her cat Miko.

I picked her up at her place at 14:20 and arrived at the airport at 16:45. Did it take 2 hours? Yap, but not because of an enormous traffic jam in Tokyo, but we took 30 min. break at the Shisui Service Area, which is about 10 km to the airport, for the poor kitty who had been under lots of stress in my car. No wonder she is not really used to driving.

Leaves at the service area turned into red. Fall has come already and I was glad to share the beautiful moment with Ritsuko (and Miko kitty).

Though the flight to Paris departs at 21:55, we had to be at the airport by 17:00 for Miko. As soon as I dropped Ritsuko at the departure floor, she went to the animal quarantine office with her cat. I caught up with them after finding a parking lot at the airport.

Ritsuko moved so busily at the airport from the quarantine office to luggage service counter to pick up Miko's traveling cage (quite big!) which had been sent a day before. Ritsuko stopped by bank counters to exchange money from yen to dollar and to transfer fees to an international cargo service company...

Finally, we went to a restaurant to have dinner, Ritsuko's last supper of the year in Japan. Though she said she felt like TENDON (Tempura over rice), but soon Ritsuko changed her mind when she found a Chinese restaurant. We had hot-spicy noodle with Mabo-rice and Gyoza pot stickers.

After the meal we had a cup of coffee and talked for a while. I really miss her because we spent almost every weekend together for Salsa lessens, movies and to enjoy gourmet dinner!

About 2 hours before the departure, Ritsuko moved to the check-in counter to check her luggage and her cat. We then went to the departure gate to say good-bye.

Ritsuko was about to cry... and I was, too. Being left in an empty airport -- because Ritsuko's flight was the last one of the day -- I really wish her health and good-luck to the new position in Tunisia.

See you Ritsuko in Tunis, maybe sometime next year before summer!

Birthday Month is Over!

June 17 is my birthday and thus June is my birthday month. Besides, more than few of my good friends are born in June, too. So why not we celebrate the special month?

June 1: Maki-chan and I held a Birthday party for Naomi-san, whose birthday is June 3, at a Sushi restaurant in Shibuya. As the restaurant, Shun-Ka-Shu-Toh, is not able to offer any special birthday treat, we move to L'occiditane Cafe after the dinner for tasty birthday cake and tea/coffee.

June 6: Pre-Birthday dinner(?) with Ritsuko at a French restaurant in Kagurazaka, Gus.

June 12: Joint Birthday dinner with Mika-san, who was born on June 7. Pastelaria Gojo in Ichigaya held nico-strings concert on that night and we enjoyed the beautiful music, dinner and my watercolors of Kagurazaka views on the wall!

June 15: Opening of the gourmet/art colaboration event with Italian chef Kazunari Yokoi and my watercolors from Italy at the Pastelaria Gojo. Naomi-san and Maki-chan held a birthday party for me and the chef offered special dishes for us! Mr. Yokokawa from the Defence Ministry sponsored! huge birthday cake for us and for others at the venue on the night! (How sweet of him!) Maki-chan and Naomi-san gave me a Penguin-shaped special cocktail shaker...WOW!!

June 17: My Birthday! Mika-san's father, Mr. Yano, sent me a HUGE flower basket. I took cab to go home, to bring the flowers. Late at night, my boyfriend, Jiro-san, took me a restaurant in Kagurazaka and gave me flowers.

June 21: My parents and I celebrated Father's day/Birthday. I brought specially arranged birthday cake, Dad's favorite strawberry short cake, and Mom gave me a beautiful blue beads necklace. Thanks Mama and Papa! Thanks to both of you, I'm here and loved by many people!! I love you, too!!

June 27: Oka-san visited to see my watercolors at the Pastelaria Gojo. Because her birthday was on the previous day, chef Secchan arranged a special birthday cake for her!

June 29: Mama and her friend Ikegaya-san came to see my watercolors at the Pastelaria Gojo. Ikegaya-san gave me a pretty cloisonne brooch.

====EXTRA====

July 1: Azusa-chan's birthday. I gave her aq good-luch charm and handkerchiefs. As she was struggling with her work until late at night, I somehow tried to help her... (I came back in my room at 27:30! or 3:30am of July 2.)

July 2: Kawamura-san and Ikeda-san came to see my watercolors at the Pastelaria Gojo during lunch time.

July 3: Mieko-san and Mutsuko-san came to see my watercolors at the Pastelaria Gojo. We enojoyed dinner and nice chat there.

July 4: A small treat for Azusa-chan's belated birthday at the Pastelaria Gojo with special birthday cake by Secchan. We enjoyed music concert of Masaharu Fukuyama at night at the Saitama Super Arena. Oh...he was such a gorgeous guy... As Azusa-chan was starving, we moved back to a Chinese restaurant in Ikebukuro for dinner and shared the REVERB of the beautiful moment with Fukuyama.

July 5: Birthday Dinner (Lunch) with Ritsuko, who just came back from Afghanistan, at an Italian restaurant in Hiroo, Aqua Pazza. We, of course, enjoyed their Aqua Pazza and enjoyed a stroll in the area after the dinner. Thank You Ricchan! My best friend!!

Le Petit Paris de Tokyo --> L'estate in Italia

The first half of my art show at a Tokyo cafe/restaurant Pastelaria Gojo was over on June 12. On the following day me and my boy friend went to change pictures at the venue to start the second half of the exhibition "L'estate in Italia" -- a month-long collaboration event with my watercolors and special Italian dishes & sweets -- from June 15 through July 18.

Though the restaurant was closed, some of my friends visited me to see watercolors. They were somehow lucky as they could see a total of 16 pieces of my works for the two exhibition at the same time.

Thanks to my boy friend, I could finish putting picutures well. The venue changed from Petit Paris to Italian cities in a instant.

I hope many people will come to see my art show and will enjoy special Italian treats.

Illustrator Debut!

A book by my French Friend Dora Tauzin "Petit Paris de Tokyo" has been published in May. As the book carries some illustration of mine... I was able to debut as an illustrator at last!

The book is about the charm of Tokyo's Kagurazaka district, one of the city's oldest dining area filled with Michelin Starred restaurants. Because of French schools, such as a high-school and language institute, the area has lots of French-speaking residents.

My friend and the author of the book describes Kagurazaka as "Little Paris in Tokyo, " and she asked me to paint her favorite scenery.

Because publishing company declined to print the book in full-colors, my colorful illustrations also came out in black/white... a sort of sad.

So, another friend of mine who runs a cafe in the area let me hold my art show at her place, Pastelaria GOJO in Ichigaya-tamachi, Shinjuku.

Although the exhibition will end on June 12, Friday, I will also have another exhibition at the same venue from June 15. On the opening day of the show, my friend and Pastelaria GOJO

will hold a special opening/birthday party for me!

Double Rainbows in Tokyo!

It is not common for Tokyoites to see rainbows in town.

However, I was able to see one for the first time in the last decade (or two!).

AND the rainbow was doubled!!!

In the early morning, it was raining soooooo hard, so I gave up walking to the metro station and got a cab for work. I worked 8-9 hours straight, and, when I was almost done, my colleagues pointed out window and shouted "RAINBOW!!"

Is it gonna be a good sign of something? Or this incident itself might be the LUCKY ONE.

Anyway, I felt soooo good afterwards.

"Somewhere/ Over the Rainbow...s" Shall we sing?

Bella Primavera!

Spring has come! I really feel good because I'm neither cold nor hot in this season!

Especially when I walk along with the beautiful cherry blossoms, I feel happiness--I don't need anything else! but these beautiful, baby pink flowers!!

However, the best season with the cherry blossom doesn't last long...at most 7-8 days, usually.

That's why people here in Japan have special feelings when they admire the flower.
(As the flower with sentimental, bitter-sweet memories, in the midst of graduation season=fiscal/business year starts in April=here!)

But, thanks to the less-than-usual rain and colder-than-expected weather of this year, we could enjoy being love with the cherry blossoms from March 23 to April 8 in Tokyo (and could be much longer in northern regions).

Many freshmen were greeted by the flowers this year at their entrance ceremonies for schools and companies/institutions. So the cherry blossom of this year may be a symbol of hopes, rather than sentimental farewells. And...I'm glad for them=freshmen and cherry blossoms!=too!!!

Pasta Carbonara e Chocolate Salame; Italian Cooking Class II

It was my second time to join the Italian Cooking Class by Davide. As I really enjoyed the last lessen and had more than enough review sessions at home, I finally decided to take another one from him.

Tonight menu was Pasta Carbonara and Chocolate Salame. Pasta Carbonara? Not Carbonara Spaghetti? Davide prefers short pasta rather than spaghetti as the sauce goes better with short, twisted shaped ones. Unlike popular carbonara sauce with lots of fresh cream, his recipe was much lighter and even tasted better and --- SO EASY TO COOK!

Here is his recipe for the pasta and dessert.

PASTA CARBONARA (Ingredients for 2 people)

#250g pasta (fugirri)

#80g of Pancetta (or bacon)

#2 eggs

#1 table spoon of cooking oil

#a spoon of unsalted butter

#pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Beat eggs and whisk until blended. Add 2 spoons of parmesan and blend the cheese with the eggs. Bring water & salt to boil in large pot. Meanwhile, fry the bacon seasoned with pepper (use butter preferably) over med heat until crisp.

When the past is done, completely drain the water, and put the past into the bowl with eggs and Parmesan to mix them.

Stir in hot bacon and finally season with salt, pepper and a little bit of oil.

Serve with grated parmesan cheese & black pepper.

CHOCOLATE SALAME (Ingredients for 6-8 persons)
#3 eggs (yoke only)

#3-4 table spoon of sugar

#75g of butter

#4 spoons unsweetened cocoa powder

#1/2 cup of Rum or Marsala

#100g of dry Biscuit
#Finely chopped walnuts of Amaretti (Optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Combine egg yolks and sugar. Whip yokes until thick and lemon colored. Add cocoa and butter partially melted. Beat until combined. Add the crumbled biscuits and transfer the mixture into a metal foil. Use hands to shape a 'salame' and wrap with the metal foil.
Put in the freezer for about one hour.

Italian Cooking Class!

I love cooking. But I had never been to cooking school. I just ate, memorize the taste, and then tried (and error? not really) & learned how to cook eventually.

Tonight, I joined an Italian cooking class held at a local community center to learn 'something new.' As a matter of fact, I received an e-mail from unknown person who asked me to join his cooking class.

I checked his homepage and blog and decided to join his class which to provide "Special Italian cooking recipe from grandma."

The teacher, Davide, is originally from Milan. He is not a chef, but a good cook. (He formerly worked for a financial sector as a computer engineer but was recently fired due to the latest global financial crunches. He unexpectedly came to have many free time so that he decided to hold Italian cooking classes for his gastronomic friends. He found me somehow via facebook.

Tonight menu were Funghi (Mushroom) Risotto and Tiramisu' ; both of them were my favorite dishes from the country. After the lesson, we enjoyed eating them with glass of red wine.

MUSHROOM RISOTTO

Ingredients for 4 persons

# 1.5 litter of broth

# 5 tablespoons olive oil

# 6-7 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

# 1/2 pack of dried 'porcini' mushrooms

# 1 clove of garlic sliced

# 1/2 onion, diced

# 2 cups Arborio rice (A special kind of rice for risotto.)

# 1/2 cup dry white wine

# sea salt to taste

# Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

# 2 tablespoons butter

# 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Put the dry mushuroom in a bowl with warm water for 20 minutes.

2. In a pan, prepare the broth over low heat. (Mushroom stock cubes can be used, instead.) Make use of the water from the mushrooms above.

3. Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms (dry and fresh) and the garlic, cook until soft, about 10-15 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid , and set aside.

4. In a new pan add 2-3 tablespoon olive oil and stir in the onion. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring contiguously, until the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

5. Stir in mushrooms with their liquid and cook for another 10 minutes.

6. When the rice is 'al dente' add Parmesan, butter (and possibly Truffle Oil) and fresh parsley, remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

TIRAMISU'

Ingredients for 4-5 persons

# 4 egg yolks

# 2 table spoons of white sugar

# 1 pinch of salt

# 4 egg whites ("snow" whipped)

# 500g mascarpone cheese

# 2 packages ladyfingers (strip type biscuits)

# 2 espressos + 1/4 cup of "Amaretto di Saronno" (almond) liqueur.

# 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine egg yolks and sugar. Whip yolks until thick and lemon colored.

2. Add mascarpone to whipped yolks (un poco a poco...a bit by bit!) Bean until combined. In a separate bowl, whip the whites with a pinch of salt. Gently fold into yolk mixture and set aside.

3. Dip the lady fingers biscuits in the coffee and liqueur mixture and lay them in the bottom of a large glass bowl. Spoon half of the cream filling over the lady fingers. Repeat lady fingers, and filling layers. Refrigerate several hours (about 5-6 hours before serving!) or overnight. Garnish with cocoa powder only when ready to serve.

Valentine's Day Gyoza Party

On the St. Valentine's day I invited my sweetest girl friends to enjoy Gyoza Party (Pot stickers Party) at my place. I have a huge electrical hot plate to cook pot stickers, about 50 pieces or so, all at once!

Many girls spend this special day with their boy friends, we, this year, decided to hold a GIRLS' Party to make the day much sweeter!

Including myself, there were 5 girls tonight! And we finished the plate within one hour! (Why not?)

Then we moved to the second main dish "Roasted Stuffed Chicken" cooked by REMOSKA (=my favorite Czech made Magic Pan)! It was so soft & juicy...and girls finished the chicken within 30 minutes...

Though we ate alot, we did not drink much tonight (...I think). ONLY one bottle of sparkling wine and another bottle of Japanese Sake from Nagano Prefecture.

Everybody was so happy to share the sweet Valentine's Day 2009.

Will or Denzel?

That was a question from a good friend of mine, and also one of the latest topics featured by the Vanity Fair.

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/politics/2009/01/screenwriters-have-your-quill-ready.html

Many people may have thought that the whole inauguration ceremony were JUST LIKE A MOVIE. It was surely impressive, moving and exciting to be a witness of the historical moment when a young and clever, and good looking!, man becomes the 44th President of the United States. Millions of audience, you could see on TV at a glance, was not Computer Graphics, but the real! Yet the music played at the site was not LIVE, but recorded on the previous day. (We cannot blame China, any more!)

Well, who would I cast if we film the story of Obama's glorious triumph?

I would vote for Will Smith, rather than Denzel Washington. Although I'm a great fan of Denzel, I would cast Will because I would love to depict his half life story, mostly emphasizing on his Dream and Romance of young Obama. In my casting list, Beyonce is placed the top for the role of Michelle. Halle Berry might be the next candidate for the role.

==MINA's Casting for the Movie "Yes, We Can!"==
Barack Obama: Will Smith
Michelle Obama: Beyonce
Mama Obama: Meryl Streep
Papa Obama: Morgan Freeman
Young Obama: Jaden Smith (Will's son.)
John McCain: Steve Martin

Greeting Card Design for 2008-09 Winter

Here is my greeting card design of this year's winter season (2008 Christmas--'09 New Year). I painted this when I was traveling in Nagasaki in late November. It took about 30 min. to finish the outline and colors.

I came back to Tokyo with this piece and soon started printing greeting cards.

As the church, Oura Tenshudo, is known as the symbol of the wish for peace of the people of Nagasaki, I thought it should be suitable to show the piece to my friends, to share the wish for peace at the time of Christmas/New Year.

I sent out about 300 copies of Christmas Cards/New Years greetings with this design along with my wish for the world peace.

May the year 2009 be filled with peace and happiness for you and your dearest ones!

Year of KIMONO

I play the piano, but I don't play the Japanese harp (koto).

I play the flute, but I don't play the Japanese flute (shakuhachi).

I play the violin, but I don't play the shamisen (three stringed Japanese instrument).

I love coffee, but I cannot serve Japanese green tea in a proper, authentic way.

I love flowers, but I didn't take any lessons of Japanese flower arrangement.

What am I? Where am I from?

Questioning myself, I have recently set my goals of this year.

One of them is... to be able to do something very Japanese.

So, I tried to wear kimono by myself.

As a matter of fact, the majority of Japanese girls nowadays are not able to wear kimono, not summer yukata, by themselves. When we have to wear kimono for formal occasions, we have to go to beauty salon to do our hair, and to put on OBI, a wide belt for kimono, which usually take 2-3 hours, or $200-$300.

During the New Year's vacation, I came by my parents' place and asked Mom to teach me how to tie obi. First of all, Mom did obi to show me how. I untied obi and tried again and again... And finally, I managed!=Photo left.

I also kept practicing to do obi by myself. At home I wrapped cushions with obi and... Yes, I did it!

So, now what?

I need to go out somewhere to show off my beautiful kimono and beautifully tied obi!!