thank you!

It might be an April's Fool thingy but apparently we were chosen as one of the top 40 Japanese food blogs in the blogosphere...thank you!

Check out the others here.

more virtual hugs

I'm glad I got my sakura walks in, yesterday was overcast and then after lunch it was sunny but very very windy, not very good weather to look at cherry blossoms.

On another note, My friend Nami of Just One Cookbook, just gave me many virtual hugs.

I won't pass this one on, but I will tell you 7 new things about me.

1. Really enjoy the cafe culture in Japan but dislike the noisy chatter, ruins the relaxing mood.
2. I've realized I need sunshine for "mojo", without it I kind of slow down.
3. I color my own hair because I have been disappointed by the way the Japanese salons do it, plus it costs way less and takes less time if I do it.
4. Dislike the pushy ladies at the market, they are also the ones who stand in the middle of the aisles to chat with other pushy ladies.
5. I like using little dishes for different foods, I just don't like having to wash all of them afterwards.
6. Dislike walking behind people smoking on the way to the train station, usually try to overtake these people so I don't smell like smoke by the time I reach the station.
7. Love the seasons in Japan, though I never know how much to layer in winter, always overlayer.

Thanks for the awards, Nami!

UPDATE: I just heard from my friend in Sendai, she has gone back to work but the transportation system is really limited.

Apparently the subway is running, but she is too scared to take it. I would be too.

Also, they have no gas because all the gas lines are broken. She is keeping positive and knows it will take a while for things to get back to normal.

I've also seen on television that the temporary housing to be built is at a stand still because they can't figure out where to put these structures--A lot of areas still have lots of debris and they don't want to put the temporary housing in the areas where the tsunami went through.

I was surprised to see that tap water from Osaka is being bottled and sold to the Kanto (Eastern Japan) areas (it is being sold in Osaka too)! (I personally don't drink Osaka's water straight from the tap, I run it through a charcoal filter because I find it has a slight odor if I don't...)

UP-UPDATE: About 11-ish last night the Tohoku area had another big one (I think it was magnitude 7), with a tsunami warning.

Sending some virtual hugs to all those in Tohoku and the surrounding areas.

To close this post, I'd like to share with you a tulip that bloomed on my lanai recently. It is Friday here, hope your weekend is a nice one.

sisterhood of world bloggers award

I made a new friend recently.

Her name is Nami and she is the author of Just One Cookbook, her blog has delicious recipes and yummy photos too.

We actually "met" through Foodbuzz.

She is actually from Japan and now lives in the States.

She recently presented me with the Sisterhood of World Bloggers Award.

Part of the award is that you have to share 7 random things about yourself. I've done something similar like this before, so I'm going to "re-share" these answers (if you don't mind...)

1. I like to wash my dishes in a particular order (cups, dishes, utensils) and stack them to dry so they look neat and organized.

2. I used to save my favorite food to eat last, but have since changed my ways and now eat it first, so I won't be totally full at the end of the meal not to eat it.

3. If I want something, like a cookbook, gadget or book, on the market, I usually cannot sleep and will hunt all over for it until I get it. (OCD? maybe.)

4. Most people think I'm "type A" (in Japan they consider this blood type to have characteristics of be quite controlling and anal) blood type, but I think I'm actually "type B" (in Japan they consider this blood type to be quite relaxed and easy going). (I actually don't know my blood type, do you know yours?)

5. I can usually wake up without an alarm clock at the same time every day. (changing of the seasons usually jams me up)

6. Only when I used to drive my father's Buick did the odometer go backwards.

7. I love tuna with kim chee sandwiches.

I usually don't pass on these awards, but I think we all need some "virtual hugs" these days, here are some great blogging women:

Deb of Kahakai Kitchen
Jalna of Photos by Jalna
Rowena of Rubber Slippers in Italy
Kathy of A Passion for Food (her site is now called "Kathy YL Chan")
Manju of Three Tastes
Barbara of Winos and Foodies
Su-Lin of Tamarind and Thyme
Paz of Cooking Adventures of Chef Paz

Just because I didn't list you, you can participate too, just write 7 random things about yourself and pass the award onto 15 people and link your post to this one.

To end this post, I want to share with you a recipe that I tried from Nami's site...horenso goma-ae (spinach with sesame sauce).

I didn't follow her preparation method, just the measurements for her sauce because I usually don't boil spinach, instead I wilt them in a non-stick pan.

So, I pre-cut my spinach, washed it well then wilted it in the pan. The water helps "steam" and wilt it.

Then to stop the cooking I blanched them in cold water and squeezed the water out with my hands.

I then coated the spinach with the sesame sauce.

This was delicious. I'm pretty sure you can use the sauce for other veggies as well.

Thanks Nami for a great recipe and for the award.

It is Friday here, hope your weekend is a nice one.

happy 101

I want to thank my blog friend, Jude, for awarding us this "Happy Award".

There are a lot of things that make me happy, especially when it comes to blogging.

Meeting new friends.

Trying new recipes.

Learning about different cuisines.

Finding out more about countries I've never been to before, or have been to.

I want to pass this award onto you, my readers, because reading your comments, good and/or bad, makes my day.

Well, of course I would like to only receive good ones, but one can't have everything, right?

Anyway, if you have some time, please pass this award onto someone, make them happy too.

Thank you again, Jude!

sunshine award

It's taken me awhile to post this, but I received this Sunshine award from a reader, Moni. (Thank you!)

According to her blog, "The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity and creativity inspire others in the blogging world." The rules once this award is received are as follows:

1. Post the logo on blog.
2. Pass the award on to 12 fellow bloggers.
3. Link the nominees
4. Let nominees know they have won this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to the person you received this award from.

With all this talk of snow and bad stuff going on in the world, I want to pass some "sunshine" on to the following bloggers:

1. Deb of Kahakai Kitchen
2. Rowena of Rubber Slippers in Italy
3. Barbara of Winos and Foodies
4. Kirk of Mmm-yoso
5. Martin of Kurashi
6. Mari of Biancorosso
7. Jalna of Photos by Jalna
8. Tamakikat of Ko Tamakikat Ahau
9. Dennis of Radiused Corner
10. Pomai of Tasty Island
11. Paz of Cooking adventures of Chef Paz
12. Deb of Deb & Her camera

Of course there are many, many more blogs on my blogroll that fit these requirements, so if I didn't name you, please link back to this post and accept this award.

Thank you for bringing some "sunshine" to my life with your posts and comments and thanks again Moni for the award!

one lovely blog award

The other day, I received this "one lovely blog award" from Kim, of Pass the Pocky. She says she is new to blogging and has a delicious blog, check it out!

I won't pass this one on because I think this award has made its rounds and there are so many lovely blogs out there, it would be hard for me to choose.

Thanks again Kim!

adorable!

I was going through my blog reader and apparently this blog is adorable! Thanks Mamatouille! I'm passing this award onto these adorable bloggers: Deb Rowena La Fuji Mama Barbara Paz Thanks again Mamatouille!

marie antoinette award

I received the Marie Antoinette Award from Lynne, a new reader of our blog a couple of days ago, sorry it took me so long to post.

The award is apparently for people posting about their everyday life. I'm not sure, but think that this award has made its way around the blogosphere, but if you'd like to receive this award, just link back to this post!

Thanks Lynne!

award and meme

The lovely Deb at Kahakai Kitchen was so nice to give me a Kreativ blogger award. There are options of passing on the award, doing a meme, doing a scenario or all of the above.

Since it is too hard to choose 7 bloggers, I will just do the meme.

7 things I did before:
1. drink only LION coffee
2. drive a car
3. work at the airport and do coffee demos at supermarkets
4. come home to meals cooked by mom
5. go to brunch on sundays
6. eat milk chocolate
7. buy lots of clothes/bags/shoes (things) with every paycheck

7 things I do now:
1. drink more tea and go to Starbucks
2. ride trains or walk
3. work at "home" (housewife)
4. cook my own meals (or buy them pre-made), try making things from scratch
5. blog and photograph everything I eat
6. eat dark chocolate, rarely milk chocolate and never white
7. buy books on food, including cookbooks...I also like to linger in tableware and gadget shops

7 things I want to do:
1. revisit Europe (mainly France)
2. learn more foreign languages (like Chinese, Korean, German & Italian)
3. move to a bigger apartment or house, maybe have a garden/yard
4. cook more recipes from my cookbooks
5. be able to read Japanese more fluently
6. have children
7. lose weight though I would probably have to stop blogging or being a foodie...

7 things that attracted me to Satoshi:
1. smile
2. love to travel
3. interest in living abroad
4. looks good in a suit
5. says funny things and eats whatever I cook no matter how bad it is
6. let's me go home every year
7. thinks I am stubborn (which I am) but is actually more stubborn than me

7 favorite foods:
1. dark chocolate
2. earl grey tea
3. macaron
4. pineapple shrimp
5. anything tex-mex
6. bread pudding
7. ice cream with "stuff" in it

7 things I say most often:
1. "Satoshi get up"
2. "Let's go"
3. "Did you take a bath yet?"
4. "Ki o tsukete" (be careful)
5. "Sumimasen" (excuse me)
6. "Onegai shimasu" (please)
7. "Arigatoo" (thank you)

If you would like to do the meme, just link back to this post!

I'd like to leave this post on a foodie note: about a year ago, I visited Fromage de Hikita, well, since I was in the area, I picked up a slice of satsuma imo (sweet potato) cheesecake...367 yen (about US$3.67) This cheesecake was dense, not too sweet. The crust could have been more flaky, the roasted sesame seeds on the top added to the subtle sweet potato flavor. This went nicely with some darjeeling tea and a splash of milk.

Thanks again Deb for the award and thought provoking meme!

blog award

I was fortunate to receive this award from Deb at Kahakai Kitchen.

Deb says, "Having spent some time in Japan myself, I love this Blog about Kat (transplanted local girl from Hawaii) and her husband, Satoshi's adventures living in the Osaka area of Japan. Great recipes, incredible pictures and great writing--this is one of my very favorite Blogs to stop by and check out."

Aww, thank you Deb. You made me blush!

Choosing 5 blogs to pass this on to was tough:

Winos and Foodies, Barbara's blog will make you wish you were living in New Zealand and Australia, just so that you can enjoy the same natural and delicious things she is.

A Passion for Food, Kathy's blog, a Hawaii transplant in the Big Apple, will make you gain 10 pounds just from reading all her delicious foodie adventures! (her site is now called "Kathy YL Chan")

Sourdough Monkey Wrangler, the adventures of a stay-at-home Dad and his delicious local adventures.

Paris Breakfasts, Carol's watercolors and photos will definitely make your mouth water and make you smile.

Kyoto Foodie, the best place to find out about where to eat in Kyoto.

Thanks again for the award, Deb!

rockin' girl blogger

When I read Rowena's post, I found out that she had nominated me for the Rockin' Girl Blogger Award. (eh, wow, thanks!)

According to the rules, you have to nominate 5 other female bloggers and they in turn nominate 5 more and this is how it gets passed around.

So the 5 that I'd like to nominate are:
Tea @ Tea and Cookies -- the topics that Tea posts about are thought-provoking and her photos are delicious
Sue @ My Korean Kitchen -- Sue takes in-depth looks at making the food of her culture
Carol @ Paris Breakfasts --Carol's watercolors and photos are beautiful
Ellie @ Kitchen Wench -- I love how Ellie writes, it sometimes brings a smile and her dog, Mr Woofy is a cutie!
Barbara @ Winos and Foodies -- Barbara's posts are thought-provoking and I love her foodie adventures.

There were so many blogs to choose from that it was hard to nominate just five. I hope you check out these rockin' girl blogs for yourself and maybe get hooked on them as well.

Have a nice weekend!