Happy Lunar New Years

In celebration of Chinese New Years we had a charsiu bao with our Fendu croissant this morning.  

  We talked with the young man at the next table who showed us a photo of his  lab named Penelope also.  We began to compare nicknames, and he had a cute one-Penny Pie- and a same one, PenPen.  Also Pennypoli.

  

Penny the scent hound, was interested in the charsiu bao.

R said Penny barked at MiuMiu, resident cat, at Craig Sensei's studio.  How rude.
Lesson was a bit difficult because of a new concept.  Hope everything falls into place.

Here we are Penny.
(Pets in the City)

 

Setsubun Party at Consulate

                                                         

To celebrate the coming of Spring, we went to the Japanese Consulate for their Setsubun Mamemaki Ceremony.

One of the cute "oni"
volunteers.

Oni masks.

The garden was set
for seating guests.

  

Masayoshi Kazato,
executive director of the all Japan Sushi Federation 

He explained that all sushi chefs must know about bacteria, parasites, cleaning and sharpening knives, cutting methods, and preservation of fish and rice.

Always make sure the chef dips his fingers in vinegar before making  sushi (about every two or three).   Vinegar serves as flavor and helps keep germs down in the rice and on the fish.

Ehomaki sushi traditionally
eaten in one gulp for
luck.

Chef Kazato making Ehomaki
for guests.

The Mamemaki (bean
throwing) ceremony.
Here is the Red
Oni being chased out
by the children.

So out comes the big bad
Oni.

   

Here comes the Consulate
General to save the day!

                         "Oni wa Soto, Fuku wa Uchi"
                        (Demons out, Luck in)
                         Here's to a good 2014.

Dropped Penny off at Aloha Dog...

   

 ….then me at the mall while R went to a lunch meeting.
 

I headed to Island Vintage Coffee next to Center Stage to have my lunch.

Cheese and ham croissant and latte!

Did my rounds and bumped into an old friend I hadn't seen in a couple of  years.   We first met when we were classmates at Tachikawa Chujogakko Japanese school a long time ago.

The changing skyline of Kakaako.

Today started off with breezy blue skies but by afternoon it was raining pretty hard .

There's Penny at Aloha Dog eager to come home.   She had all those really cute dogs as playmates.   Bedlam ensues when a new dog or person comes in, but it soon becomes quiet, I'm told.

Passed the Honolulu Farmer's Market held every wednesday afternoon by the Blaisdell Arena.

We were told by friends about natural Raw Foods for pets.  They're medallions of raw ground chicken, lamb or grass fed beef, bones and vegetables,  frozen and given as is without cooking.

Couldn't wait until saturdays when it's sold at the Farmer's Market at Wards so I had ordered it on sunday and it was delivered today.

Penny vacuumed  up her one third of a medallion in seconds and wanted more!
No, no.

After awhile she became so energized she ran through the forest (of table and chair legs) and rent and tore at helpless (stuffed) creatures in her way!
Wow.  Great food. 

 Setsubun is coming on Feb. 3rd.   It's the day to throw roasted soybeans at the front door from inside the house to drive away the oni - evil spirits- while yelling "bad luck out, good luck in " (oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi).

  

http://kimonokimono.blog17.fc2.com/blog-entry-3102.html

I thought about Setsubun when I saw this drawing from an ad announcing illustrator Okada, Kazuko's exhibit on a Japanese blog I follow.

After you throw the beans at the oni (evil spirits)  to drive them away you pick up and eat the number of beans corresponding to your age  (Good luck in, "fuku wa uchi"), although this festival is celebrated in various ways across Japan.

It was pretty gusty and cold outside so just a light dinner of wine and pasta.

Penny found a new toy which occupied her awhile - so no walking today.

Eating. Again?

   Went to Zumba (Melinda) this morning.  The song Royals was a bit hard but fun to dance to because of the rhythm.  But she and Yanos, who we have tomorrow,  are good teachers and are easy to follow.

   Then went to Chez Kenzo for lunch with EL where we gained back whatever calories we had lost .  But did we care?  

  

The pumpkin and bacon sauté we shared.

El's crab cake sandwich.  We found out we had lived in D.C. at about the same time.

Chicken bao Kenzo style.

We even had chocolate macadamia nut ice cream.

After dropping Penny off at Aloha Dog, R and I went to Costco and also looked for an air cleaner.

The day started to get colder and R was hungry so we stopped in at nearby Tanaka Saimin.  I was full but was tempted by a bowl of small wontun min with vegetables (won bok, bok choi)

Hard to resist saimin.

Penny was happy to come home after a day's playing with the other pups.

Rainy day in Waikiki, Hashioki collection

Without the blue skies and sunlight and crowds, it's hard to recognize Waikiki at first.
    

International Marketplace
soon to be replaced by Saks

The waves were rough but not like the North Shore.
Even on a rainy day the ocean is beautiful.

My Hashioki (chopstick rest) collection.  I don't know what I thought I was going to do with them but looking them over again and dusting them off was something to do on a rainy day.

                                                     
 Three Penny faces.  She has many others but these are her "sulking" ones.   

On the way to Uncles we passed a Pro Life demonstration at the Capitol by March for Life supporters

A little further on Chinatown was blocked off for the  Chinese New Years festival.   Musn't forget to buy narcissus.

At Uncles
Our waitress turned off the lights above the photos 
I wanted to snap to get rid of the glare.
What a big catch and how do the men stay balanced on those boats!  Such skill.

Friday!

    Dropped Penny off at Pets in the City, then croissants at Fendu.  R always thinks the trees in Manoa make the air more breathable and fresh.  
    I once took a Feng shui class and the teacher said Manoa valley has excellent Feng Shui which is why the Chinese Cemetery is located there.
  

The air does seem more breathable in Manoa, but it could be just the coffee and croissant.

Off to Craig Sensei's studio where we were greeted by MiuMiu, resident cat.  She checked to see if that sassy dachsund was with us.   No?  Thus we were graced by her presence throughout.

A fun and informative lesson as usual.  I still can't believe I'm singing!   That says much about the instructor.

Pear and gorgonzola pizza at CPK did much to make the chores at the city satellite and post office pass quickly.

Minamoto Kitchoan is still in festive New Years mode.
Bought a kasutera, a type of sponge cake brought to Nagasaki by Portuguese merchants in the 16th century.
They're good cold from the refrigerator, or sliced and toasted served with tea or coffee.

The piles are being put in the Ewa construction site  where Bloomingdales and other stores will be two years from now.

Site of the old Sears.

Can't see it but there's a big smile on Penny's face.  She was happy but exhausted after playing with the other dogs.

maintenance

   Today our efficient maintenance guys came to do the quarterly aircon filter check.  

Changing the filters.  Also adding algae tablets.
Thank you!

Air conditoner filters
We are advised to put the air conditioner on and stay indoors when the vog gets bad, so these are important.


Penny thought she had to bark and she did.
All through their visit. 
Keeping Pudgie from flying around and Penny quiet kept me working too.

Penny acting silly and begging  for a tummy rub which she always gets.  She has us trained.

Left Penny at Pets in the City-luckily  her friend Boomer was there.  We went to Chez Kenzo and had our usual.  

This time we tried the fried ice cream for dessert.  (Yes,  always room for dessert).   Then off to pick up Penny.