Sunday, September 10, 2006

DINNER


DINNER, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.

Monday, September 04, 2006

なると


なると, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.



Went to Hokkaido fair in Shinjuku Isetan, and got THE fried chicken at Wakadori Naruto from Otaru. We've been to this place when we traveled to Hokkaido last year. Ohhhh, it tastes SO Good!!

Sunday, September 03, 2006

カボチャソフト


カボチャソフト, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.



While waiting for THE fried chicken, had pumpkin ice cream with seed sprinkled over it. Sugar for my blood!

Sunday, August 27, 2006

DINNER


DINNER, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.


Had left over of crab last night, made crab fried rice for dinner with some veggies.

Saturday, August 26, 2006

蟹!


蟹!, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.

Made crab don with crabs we got from Hokkaido. Happy!

Thursday, August 24, 2006

アマエビ


アマエビ, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.


My favorite raw pink shrimp from Hokkaido! Yam yam.

牡蛎


牡蛎, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.


A friend of mine sent us a bunch of sea food from Hokkaido - scallops, crabs, shrimps, and oysters. Since we don't eat oysters, I grilled them and fed to my mother. Well enjoyed with beer.

Sunday, August 20, 2006

PRACTICING


PRACTICING, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.

PARTICIPANT DAISUKE



Kobayashi family came over. R was practicing feeding bottled milk and how to ease a baby, with a help and patience by Daisuke.

Sunday, July 30, 2006

ジャーン


ジャーン, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.

Inside of it were: Juicy (rice with veggie and pork bits), black rice, fried bitter melon, fu-iri-chi, gobo chikuwa, so-ki (pork lib), purple sweet potato, and green with sesame seed. Was pretty a lot we couldn't finish.

母娘弁当


母娘弁当, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.

Instead of buying Tofuyo, my favorite fermented Tofu in Awamori (Okinwan liquor), bought this lunch box for our dinner.

きしもと食堂


きしもと食堂, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.

沖縄すば!



Went to Shinjuku Isetan to check out Okinawa Fes. Had some pork products, dragon fruit juice, and this Oknawa Suba after we waited in line for about 15 min. It was gooood!

Sunday, July 23, 2006

Peach & Pa


可愛い!, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.

Met up with Peach & Stevie, after shopping in Omotesando with Z. They're busy preparing for their wedding in Nov. We're so glad Peach is commited to look after Stevie!!

DUDE!


DUDE!, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.


Walking around Harajuku with Z, found this sign board and immediately reminded me of Stevie and Joel.

Sunday, July 09, 2006

LUNCH


LUNCH, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.

Had lunch in Ginza with my man and mother. She ordered Soba Zushi - sushi made with soba instead of rice.

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

kick

Hiroko woke up at two in the morning suddenly. She was kicked. However, it wasn't the usual kicking suspect, but was in fact Tonchan giving her a nice kick from the inside.
Instead of being excited at this new development, though, she was just tired and didn't like her abdominal muscles being stretched and now kicked from the inside!

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Sushi Yohei

Went to Nishi Ojima with Jen and Renfield to check out the sushi place that I've been wanting to go to. It serves Edomae Sushi, but nothing is raw.

The meal started with entree: Zuke Maguro (marinade tuna), abalone and its liver, pate of horse mackerel and liver of sole fish, squid, and shrimp head. Pate was awesome. You might can't imagine the combination of head meat of horse mackerel and liver or sole fish, boiled with water and garlic to mix together, then cooled to be a pate. Too bad I couldn't drink, it was a perfect accompaniment for sake!

After wooing-ahhing of entree, the master started making sushi. Zuke Maguro (marinade tuna), marbled sole marinade in sweet vinegar, marbled sole marinade in sesame oil and soy sauce, with a spice of mater's bad jokes here and there, red squid, marinade and lightly grilled horse mackerel, squid lightly cooked in soy sauce, giant clam, shrimp, Sayori (Japanese needlefish) marinade in sweet vinegar with sweet shrimp crumb underneath (awesome!), lightly grilled Ayu (sweet fish), by now Jen's mind is swept by the delicacy of sushi, forgot a few shots of sushi photos, red squid with sweet soy sauce on top, marinade and lightly grilled sardine, clam cooked in sweet soy sauce, conger eel with sweet soy sauce on top (melts in your mouth!), and fried egg with grated scallop eyes mixed. We were stuffed!

The distinction of his sushi is that each peace is designed to be completed. The blend of neta (fish on top of rice) and rice perfectly matches to make one. Ordinary sushi is rather easy to imagine its taste: it's a fish on top of rice. As long as the fish is good, it should taste good. So, some people might be disappointed by the difference of his sushi and regular sushi that we believe what it is.

It wasn't a happy night despite of the wonderful meat we had; Renfield got sick on the way back....

Sunday, June 18, 2006

RED BULL MINI


RED BULL MINI, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.
Shopping with Jen, saw 6 of these Red Bull Mini cars in Omotesando.

Friday, June 02, 2006

Monja


Went out with Jen for dinner at Komugi, a Okonomi yaki restaurant in the neighborhood. Filled ourselves with Okonomiyaki and Monja. Although she had a small blood blister on her toe, she was happy with her Yuzu Sour Shochu.

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Commuting Bus

Crowded commuting bus in a hot and humid morning. One of those so called "mentally challenged" people who suddenly bursts out, sings, mumbles, regardless of the surroundings but, assuming, be in one's own world which is far, far beyond our understandings. Repeating the same phrase over and over and over in the crowded bus.

Next to it, a mother with a daughter of age 4 to 5, with picture cards, trying to teach her how to count. Mother's voice was loud, not sure if she was aware of the tone, maybe competing with the "special" one's shout, or was devoted to teach her daughter intensely. But it somehow didn't look heartwarming scene at all. Mother's voice sounded so tired, just like a machine repeating. Not pleasant at all.

"How many apples do you see?" "Three." "Which is larger, 6 or 4?" "Six." Behind the dialogue, the "special" one shouts whatever doesn't make sense to no one but himself.

No other conversations were heard on the bus, even though it was packed.

It's just insane. Drive me nuts. Get me out here.

Was not a great beginning of my morning, but it was only a dawn of my miserable day...

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Had Singapore chicken rice for lunch with Aki in Azabu Juban. So good, had another cup o' rice for myself...!

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

あき&はるか


あき&はるか, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.

Haruka came to town for her visa at US embassy. Went out dinner with her and Aki at Turkish restaurant in Shibuya.

Sunday, May 14, 2006

IKEA


IKEA, originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.

Went to IKEA in Minami Funabashi with my mother on Sun. Crowded with family with kids, super cheap stuff. Dangerous...

Saturday, May 06, 2006

Karatsu

Sky was gray and windy this morning, we borrowed umbrellas from Yoyokaku, and head to the famous Karatsu castle, so called Maizurujo (dancing crain castle). It had elevator (is it a trend these days? Good for elders/challenged people for sure) up to the top of the castle at 100 yen. Took a look around inside of the castle, with some swords that Renfield was keenly taking photos.

Rain started, and we walked around the city, hit Hikiyama Museum that exhibits (actually, it's a storage in show case style) the carts used in the Karatsu Kunchi Festival. Most of these are made late Edo era, more than 150 years old, made with many layers of papers and Japanese lacquers, and still used at the festival every year.

Kept walking toward the station, we had lunch at arcade, and checked out some pottery stores of Karatsu Yaki. Purchased very simple 2 sake cups.

Returned to Yoyokaku, hit bath before the dinner of Shabushabu of Saga beef for the night. Delicious!

Friday, May 05, 2006

Iki Island Day 2

Woke up around 7:00, hit onsen before breakfast.

Typically ryokan's breakfast tends to huge. At this Hirayama Ryokan, they had huge TOFU called Shima dofu sitting on the table, among the other dishes from the island, including organic vegetable salad from Okami's firm.

After the breakfast, Okami gave us a ride to a Katsumoto cho port via picking up her 3 grandchildren and a friend, to take a boat to an island called Tatunoshima.

Elder grandchild, Koto chan looked interested to Renfield, as he didn't look like a local at all, she became a friend of his since then, and we took the boat to the island together.

In 10 min, we arrived a small island with beautiful beach and water. Sand was so smooth and water was emerald green, unlike the other beach of Japan. Hung around for a couple of hours, got on the boat to get back to the port.

Said good by to Koto chan and Okami's camp, took taxi to the other side of the Iki Island to take a ferry to the main Kyushu Island.

Walked around Yobuko port after got off the ferry, snacked some local goodies, took bus to Karatsu heading to a ryokan called Yoyokaku. This is the main reason we came to Karatsu!

Tired from the all travels, I was glad to see the bath with iris leaves. It was a boy's day/iris festival according to an old event calendar of Japan.

Dinner was off course fabulous. Stuffed ourselves, again, we went to lounge to read for a couple of hours.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Iki Island

Pigeon woke me up around 5 in the morning, didn't expect I heard coo in such city area of Nagasaki.

Took morning bath, had big breakfast, then checked out and went to Nagasaki Station to catch a train, Kamome (seagull). It had big leather seats, and slippers (!?), and a drink free of charge. Could be a better train than Shinkansen (bullet train).

Arrived Hakata before noon, the city was already crowded since it was the local huge festival day, Hakata Dontaku. Escaped by bus to the port, we got on board of Jet Wheel to Iki Island. The water was calm and in 1 hour, we got to the port of Ashinobe. Really Genki Okami (owner) of Hirayama Ryokan was waiting for us at the port, and gave us ride back to the Ryokan. Heard it was a stormy day the previous day, and so bad that the ships had to change the course to come in the island. How lucky we are, and I am such a fair weather woman!

Hit Onsen first, relaxed, read some, and we moved on to a dining room for dinner. Okami was telling on the way to Ryokan that her husband was on a ship to catch fish and they had many Japanese flounders and the other kind. Surely our expectation rose, the dinner started with apricot liqueur and sea urchin in a shell!!. Sashimi was also good, no fishy smell at all. They had fresh squid sashimi, which was so fresh it was clistal, and still faintly moving!! We were so full I couldn't finish the sea urchin rice at the end.... This island can grow rice, oats, fruits, vegitables, and off course rich in sea food.

Crawled back to the room, waited for stomach to digest the dinner, we went to a special massage of leg/feet for myself, and the dead sea mud pack for the man.

Hit Onsen before going to bed, and the night was over.

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Nagasaki

Left home early to Haneda Airport to catch a flight to Nagasaki. Got there before noon, left laggage at Ryokan Sakamotoya . First we went to China town (very small compare to the Yokohama one), and had lunch of Chanpon for myself, and Sweet and Sour Pork for the man at Kouzanrou.

Took tram up to the final stop close to Glover Garden, and took incline elevator. Hung around the garden for a while, checking out the houses the foreigners used to live back in the days. These are all in Western style, but interestingly they used the Japanese roof tiles, so the overall figure is quite unique. The weather was nice, almost 30C degrees.

Got a little tired from the sun, we went back to the Ryokan, took bath, and waited for the local gourmet, Shippoku course meal for dinner. Off course we stuffed ourselves, and went to bed a lot earlier than we usually do.

Monday, April 03, 2006

青山墓地


青山墓地
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.


Walked around during the lunch break in Aoyama Cemetery. Windy day today, expected the cherry blossom falls like snow, but just a few.

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Nancy's Sobetsukai

Uploaded photos from last Sat's Nancy's farewell party. Since Renfield was sick, I left him at home in bed, and joined her and the gangs from 13:00 in Roppongi Hills.

Early evening, we moved on to Hartland, hanging out while Steve and Ed were smoking cigars.

Then we walked down the Roppongi street toward Nishi Azabu, to a Spanish pintxos urant that Ed knew.

Monday, March 27, 2006

Saturday, March 18, 2006

ラーメン大好き


ラーメン大好き
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.

ワタリガニパスタ Blue crab pasta


ワタリガニパスタ
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.

親子


親子
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.


Blood is telling...

紅白梅


紅白梅
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.

紅白梅


紅白梅
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.

しだれうめ


しだれうめ
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.

まんさくの花


まんさくの花
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.

FIRE!


FIRE!
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.


He was helping my father by burning the leaves&branches.

ミモザ


ミモザ
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.


Tall Mimosa tree at home.

CAT ON A LEASH


CAT ON A LEASH
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.


The owner of this cat says "she give me her hand, just like dogs". Poor cat...?

TODAY'S LUNCH


LUNCH
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.


Went to a pizza restaurant, and ordered blue cheese and red cabbage pizza for myself, while Renfield is eating the non-cheese pizza.

Friday, March 10, 2006

梅


梅
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.



Japanese plum at our front yard blooming, its scent fills the air. Sign of Spring approach.

Monday, March 06, 2006

土佐ジロープリン


土佐ジロープリン
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.



Tea break at the office. Today's sweet is Tosajiro Pudding - the pudding stuffed in the real egg shells.

土佐ジロープリン


土佐ジロープリン
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.



Miyuki san holding the Pudding, the sweets from Tosa, which is the old name of Kochi Pref.

Saturday, March 04, 2006

TODAY'S PURCHASE


TODAY'S PURCHASE
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.
KIMONO


Bought this Kimono at Antique Festival. It's used but in very good condition, AND my size!
東京の地酒が試せます


Went to Antique Fair in Heiwajima with my mother today. On the way back, we stopped over the Sake Festival in Azabu Juban. They had 13 kinds of sake from each Sake brewer in Tokyo. Off course we HAD to taste them. At 6th try, we quit so that we could actually walk back home. My mother purchased Yuzu Zake (Orange Sake) made by Nakamura Shuzo in Akiruno City.

TODAY'S PURCHASE


TODAY'S PURCHASE
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda.
YUZU ZAKE

Monday, February 27, 2006

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Cold call

Working at the office, answering random calls, mostly cold calls, but sometimes you get interesting calls. Today, a guy named himself Kobayashi, don't know if it's his real name, but anyway, says wants to speak to our president. Off cause I won't give him such an easy access. Usual course of giving him some ordinary conversation to de-motivate the person to pursue.
"Well, he's not a Japanese and he doesn't speak the language." I said.
Then he said "Is he clever?"
I thought that's a very rude question to ask but thought I should give him more challenges.
"Does it something to do with your phone call today?"
He didn't give me any answer to this question, such a shame. If he had came up with something intellectual, smart answer, I would've considered passing this call to my boss, and give this person a more challenge in English...!

Friday, February 10, 2006

My Grand Father - Minoru

I didn't know him when he was physically unimpaired.

He suffered a cerebral infarction (stroke) when I was still a few months old. It left him paralyzed on the left side of his body, and also he could not speak too well. To me, he was what he was, I didn't even question why my grandfather was different from others.

Regardless of those impediments, he wasn't my favorite member of the family, to be honest. Very strict, harsh, stubborn... I guess I wasn't his favorite grandchild either, as he always doted on my brother, the only boy among the grandchildren. Well, his fate was to inherit the family so he enjoyed the sweetness while he could before challenges come. I was, on the other hand, free from such traditional customs as I was a girl, my fate was to be kicked out from the home. World is not fair, but no complaints.

Grandpa was a hardcore gardener. He had hundreds of bonsai and many trees and stones placed nicely in the garden. It's impressive now that I think of his physical condition that he was looking after so much of green. I always got yelled at, for example, if I took leaves, dug the ground, or planted some flowers. My friends rarely came to play at my house because they also got yelled at.

Time goes by, and as I left the home and started my own life, every time I visited my home, it made me sad to see the number of bonsai keep decreasing. It was obvious that he was getting old as I could see it in his movements.

At new years day, I visited my home and brought lots of taiyaki, a sweet shaped red sea bream stuffed with sweet bean paste. It's his all time his favorite, and he had 4 pieces of them that day. It made me nervous he ate so many.

He died in his sleep. Autopsy says artery rhexis behind his ear was the cause. Probably he didn't suffer. His face looked peaceful, almost smiling.

I think it was him who was the most frustrated by his physical challenges. For 34 years, out of his life of 85 years, he struggled, irritated with his own body. He must have had a lot he wanted to say but his body wasn't simply capable of. He was finally free from those distractions.

The garden back at my home looks bare now. His favorite yellow plum, roubai (chimonanthus praecox), is in full bloom, as if it's sending him off quietly but as best it can with its sweet scent.

Friday, January 06, 2006

Bus rider back home

Overheard a conversation between two senior ladies on the bus way back to home from work.

One lady said she was worried about her daughter not getting married.
"I was worried about her going out when she was young, and was careful not to let her go on date with some boys, but now I regret what I did. If she had more chances of meeting, she would've been married by now."

The other lady was telling her that she was embarrassed by her daughter married to a man not from the good family.
"Children of my brothers and cousins all married to the people from the good family. My daughter is the only one not married to such a good family. Even my husband's end relatives also married to decent family. I'm so embarrassed."

The grass is greener on the other side of the fence.

One is not happy about her daughter being single. One is not happy that her daughter doesn't belong to decent family that she can claim to her relatives. Probably both of them were trying to comfort each other by telling their own stories, but to me, it sounded as if they were trying to high light how they were unfortunate.

How can you blame not being married? It could be her daughter's choice. How can you measure "good family"? What's the criteria of being "good family"? Doesn't it matter if the daughter is happy with the one she chose to marry?

People can't stop comparing. They don't look at little happiness in their lives but seek more what they don't have. People are greedy. They want what the others own but they don't. They won't ever be satisfied.

As walking back to home after the bus ride, said good luck in my mind to those ladies, I saw the lights on at my home, my little happiness that someone is waiting for me.

うちの兄弟

 宮兄弟のチョコレートを発見。やってみた。