This summer is flying by. I have so much to share on my humble little blog, yet so little free time to sit and journal as I would like. (Photo above: Newport Beach at Sunset) Bebe E is still enjoying her swimming lessons and tomorrow marks our last day of soccer-for-tots. As I write, the Olympic ceremonies are on TV in the background, and there’s less than an hour left before Friday comes to an end. Instead of a recipe I am sharing...

Last week marked our final obon odori practice. (Read my post on obon.) As was our weekly routine for the past month: Bebe E and I attended practice with my Mom and our friends, Bebe E would enjoy a popsicle during the break, we would miss the second half because of bebe-bedtime, and then she and I would spend the night at my parents home to avoid having to drive late at night. On the evening of obon practice, each week my Mom would prepare...

Our summer is heating up with activities very quickly. This weekend Bebe E starts a soccer for tots class and Bebe E just finished up basketball for tots. We also started obon odori practice, which is a Japanese dance for the summer obon festivals. (Click here for my post on obon and okinawa dango, a Japanese sweet donut). Bebe E loved her first dance practice and especially the popsicle that was offered during break! This week, Bebe E is...

There are a handful of signature salads that I enjoy eating when I dine out, and the Chinois chicken salad is one such salad. A few years ago, I met my BFF (best friend forever), aka, Auntie S, at Wolfgang Puck’s Chinois Cafe in South Coast Plaza. She shared with me that she really enjoys their chicken salad so I decided to give it a try. I’m a huge fan of Asian inspired chicken salad, but I am p-i-c-k-y! There are very few Asian...

L.A. Stuff While I lived in Los Angeles, I used to go to King’s games maybe once a year or once every two years. I’ve never been a huge fan of ice hockey but the times I attended King’s games I always had a great time. The games were always fast paced, action packed, and there’s nothing like the sounds of blades cutting across the ice. Although I didn’t follow much of the King’s season, I did pay attention...

There’s nothing more traditional in Japanese cuisine than cold tofu simply garnished with sliced green onions, katsuobushi (dried shaved bonito) and fresh grated ginger. This is exactly how my Mom served hiyayakko (cold tofu) to us all the years my brother and I were growing up. (Photo Credit: Hideki Ueha) Hiyayakko often made an appearance at dinner as an accompaniment to a meal of grilled fish, steamed rice, miso shiru (soup), and...

There are only a few more weeks of school left. Last week, we attended Big Onechan’s (“Nene” or Bebe E’s big sis) high school swim banquet, marking the end of the season and the approach of summer. The girl’s swim program at Nene’s school is small (there are more boys than girls that swim), so at the beginning of the season some of the freshmen were moved to junior varsity or varsity. When she announced to us...

  Growing up, one of my favorite vegetable dishes was yaki nasu, or grilled Japanese eggplant, simply served with shoyu and garnished with katsuo bushi and fresh grated ginger. (Photo Credit: Hideki Ueha) Most kids don’t like eggplant, and I might be deemed weird, but growing-up, I loved most all vegetables with the exception of the “forbidden three”: brussels sprouts, bell peppers and bitter melon. My favorite was eggplant,...