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Savory & Manila: Clam Talk

February 15, 2015by have you eaten?7 Comments

At U-district farmers market, this cheerful, personable and warm hearted lady working the Hama Hama stand and I were chatting about their excellent quality of oysters. She recommended clams this week and they carried 2 kinds of clams, savory and manila. I bought both.

It was BEAUTIFUL today. It was around 50 degrees and sunny. Yes, SUNNY in Seattle. I am happy that I was able to have a relaxing Sunday. So, what I need is an easy but delicious meal on this relaxed early Sunday evening.

Combination of savory and manila clams, about 2lb.

Half of mayor lemon, peeled and sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Olive oil

Pinch of sea salt

Little bit of white wine

I put the above in my favorite Staub cast iron pot and put a lid on and left alone for about 10 min over medium low heat.

Sliced baguette (from Tall Grass Bakery) toasted in a Turk iron frying pan to accompany that.

There, all I need is to sit down and enjoy this simple and relaxed dish with Archie. I even have a cherry pie from Janeli’s Alki Pie Company in the oven right now.

I can’t ask for a better Sunday night than this. I hope you all had a wonderful Sunday.

life

春が来た: Spring in February – Perfect Saturday

February 14, 2015February 14, 2015by have you eaten?Leave a Comment

First this. Nice morning cuddle

Then this. Necessity.

Then farmers market. Nice apples at Tiny’s Organics.

Having a nice weekend. I hope you all have a wonderful one too.
Happy Spring.

life

FOB (fresh off the boat) Seattle: Love Letter to Seattle

February 13, 2015February 14, 2015by have you eaten?3 Comments

There were so many clouds to see through the window of the plane. The plane was about to land but I remember it was gray and wet. I thought it was the most beautiful place on the planet however.

February 13^th, 15 years ago I moved to Seattle from Tokyo. I love Japan and I am proud to be Japanese but I have never felt I belonged there. I have been wanting to get out of there since I was 5 years old. When I studied 1 year in college as an exchange student, I fell in love with this City. Ocean, lakes, mountains, trees…I even didn’t mind rain at all. I loved everything about Seattle. I tend to use my guts to decide something significant. So moving to Seattle was the easiest decision I have ever made actually. All I had to do was to follow my heart.

Here I am, 15 years later still in Seattle (I took a detour in Atlanta for a couple of years). Where is the best place to celebrate for this crazy life for 10 years and merry-go-round life for 5 years? There are millions of wonderful restaurants in Seattle but there is only one place I want to go with Archie for this kind of celebration, of course Emily’s place, The Corson Building. Archie, a couple of friends and I went there last night and their theme was “Winter Vegetable Dinner.” Her vegetables gave me so much more than just vegetables. She took “just vegetables” to next level while she uses spices I can’t really identify and made them taste so much more than just vegetables, but you can still identify each vegetable she uses. She is just like a magician. I do not know how she does it every time.

My love for Seattle will never go away. I am happy to call this city my “home” and I want to thank everyone who loves me and are always there for me. I have just a few and I hope you know who I am talking about.

life

Superhero: The Awesome Man

February 12, 2015February 12, 2015by have you eaten?Leave a Comment

Have you seen him before? He is quite cute and powerful. He is a super hero who can make me cheerful instantly. Just like snapping fingers.

I hadn’t eaten my lunch for a while at work only because I didn’t have enough time. Everyone, I mean EVERYONE is moving 100 miles per hour because of the major re-org. It feels quite unsettling.

Around noon yesterday, I got a call from reception saying that I have a guest. I was not expecting any visitors yesterday so I wondered who it could be but I headed to reception area anyways. Then there was Awesome Man! With cape, masks and everything…no, not really. Instead, he had a tiny bouquet of flowers in this cute glass vase, salad and canele from London Plane in Pioneer Square, Seattle (one of Emily Dann’s restaurant. http://www.thelondonplaneseattle.com/london-plane As soon as I received those from him, he quickly kissed me (yes, he kisses) a good-bye and left.

I barely had time to thank you, Awesome Man. Your gift brightened my day and lunch satisfied my stomach and soul.

If you see him somewhere, please thank him for me.

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Fake Smile?: Nah, Just a Happy Dance

February 11, 2015February 11, 2015by have you eaten?1 Comment

I admit that I can be an ass sometimes. I just can’t pretend to be happy for him or her when I don’t mean it (except, at business occasions, I can pretend no problem. I am getting paid for that after all).

“Oh, you look fabulous!”

“I am happy for you!”

“How exciting!”

“It’s wonderful to see you!”

“Your baby is so cute! (babies scare the crap out of me. And they look like monkeys most of the time except for Mira) Too many exclamation points, really. When I have to say these things that I don’t mean, I get tense and have to think really carefully before saying it. Most of the time, those words come out fake-ish. However, when I genuinely mean it, my words do not come out right away. My body starts doing some weird moves and I start stomping around with my ear-to-ear smile. Or when situations don’t allow for me to do this weird stuff, I usually do that in my head.

I don’t react too well when I sense that people are trying to fish for compliments. I do the opposite, I just don’t react as those people want me to. I could look quite cold. So, I got curious as to how many people I am doing my weird happy dance for gladly this morning. Except for my family, I have 10. I am happy to know that I can do my dance for these 10 people.

I can be an ass sometimes, but at least I am a happy-ass when doing my dance for them.

personal view

Powerful Message without Being Loud: All the Way from Tokyo

February 10, 2015February 10, 2015by have you eaten?2 Comments

Since the middle of January, our company has been in an odd place and I have been feeling unsettled. It’s quite tiring, both physically and mentally (maybe more so mentally). By the time I come home every night, all I can think about is my bed. Warm blanket and comfortable pillow, my dog and a book. Recently, I notice I barely can read more than 5 pages because I fall asleep so fast. Archie has to take my glasses and turn the light off for me almost every night.

Last night I came home dog-tired after learning my dear friend and co-worker was going to be released from his team soon. Like any other corporation, layoffs are happening. I work for a large corporation and all they do is cut people off every now and then so they can increase their stock price, which makes investors happy. I get how it works. At the human level however, I can’t agree with how they handled it. It is just inhumane. Yes, I understand this needs to happen but he is beyond my co-worker, he is my friend.

I was emotionally drained but I made it home. Then I saw this box sitting on my dining table. It was a package from my friend who lives in Japan. She and I have known each other for about 30 years. We haven’t been able to see each other at all for this last 15 years or so but we connected through Instagram (or Facebook, can’t remember…either way it was one of these social media stuff). She is positive, kind, supportive and beautiful. My favorite characteristic of her is her thoughtfulness. This package is full of her thoughtfulness. She remembered what I mentioned long time ago and she took time to go get them and send them to me. She is a mother of two and I know she does not have lots of time on her hand but she did it for me anyways.

As soon as I open the box, I was able to feel that. I felt like the package arrived just in time to tell me not to get discouraged by the distracting things happening around me. It felt like as if she was telling me “Cheer up. It’s going to be OK” with a lovely smile on her face. I choked up. I wanted to share this with my friend who would have to leave the team soon so he could hear her simple yet strong message.

So, today I shared this wonderfully and lusciously prepared short bread (no dairy and with simple ingredients) which my friend in Tokyo sent to me with my dear co-worker. I do hope he got her message. I hope at least he got to enjoy the moment he bit into the shortbread and brought a smile to him. Even one second.

She probably does not have any idea what’s going on in Seattle but I can tell you, my friend, you brought us something very special and hopeful. I will never forget that.

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food, restaurant

Buddies: Anthony Bourdain and I

February 9, 2015by have you eaten?1 Comment

I feel like Anthony Bourdain and I know each other. At personal level. After watching his shows millions of times, when he says, “this is delicious,” I can actually tell if he means it or not. I actually understand how happy he is when he is slurping his noodle bowl at this tiny street vender in Saigon. I do because I love slurping noodles and I can taste them when I watch his show. He and I should start traveling all over the world together to eat, eat and eat, especially Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia…beautiful Southeast Asia.

Ba Bar. http://babarseattle.com/ This is a Vietnamese restaurant with a French influenced bakery shop. This place is not your regular joint so you can’t have 6-dollar pho here. But they use happy cows and do not use any MSG. Store design and interior are very well thought out. It almost looks like the club or bar where hipsters go to inside. Wait staffs are actually pretty hip as well. Don’t get fooled by it however. They serve fragrant, satisfying and deeply comforting pho so you don’t want to leave any drop in your bowl after eating it. They are legit. Again, this bowl costs you 4 more dollars than regular pho, but you will not regret paying the 4 dollars extra.

I am day dreaming about Anthony Bourdain coming to Seattle and me taking him to Ba Bar to slurp Pho Bo Tai Nam together. I am certain that I can get his genuine “oh, this is delicious!” out of him.

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Do You Have Your Marching Band in Manhattan?

February 8, 2015February 8, 2015by have you eaten?2 Comments

Every time I hear this song, my throat tightens up as if I’m starting to cry but I always managed to stop right before that. This is a song I want to listen to inside of my car when it is raining outside, while hearing raindrops continuously hit the roof of the car. I sometimes actually stop my car to listen to the entire song then wait to see if my sorrow drips into my heart through a pinhole.

I have countless number of songs that are dear to my heart, but this is a special song and a favorite for the last 10 years. It is bitter sweet. This is a song that you want to listen to when you are remembering someone who is out of your life but you still wish that person, whether your grandma, your long lost friend, your English literature professor, a crush, whoever that may be, is still part of your life. And you day-dream about the time when you and that person happen to see each other at your favorite coffee shop, but it feels really strange so you guys only exchange an awkward smile. Then, you know that person is no longer a part of your life and you know that he/she knows that too.

You carry on your life but for one small moment, you think about that person. Maybe while selecting an Etta James vinyl record at this vintage record shop. Maybe when you are looking at this huge painting that you have no idea what this is all about. Or maybe at red light. Maybe when you are spreading almost expired cream cheese on a bagel. Maybe when you are at the zoo with your 5-year old niece looking at penguins on one Sunday during winter. Maybe when you can’t sleep and it is 2am and you are watching “Roman Holiday” by yourself but not hating the fact that you are alone. Or during the time you found comfort in the sound of a faucet leaking slowly, and finally you can let your tears run down your face.

Mine is “Marching band in Manhattan” by Death Cab for Cutie. How about yours?

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coffee

Meet Riley: Starbucks Flat White Expert

February 7, 2015February 7, 2015by have you eaten?3 Comments

Archie is a beer snob. He also is a coffee snob. Other than those 2 departments, he is not snob. Before we became friends, I was already a coffee snob. Starbucks coffee, really? It’s a chain just like McDonald, right? That was our attitude before I actually started working for this company. I have to admit espresso drinks are not my favorite. Well, usually.

I have been working here a little over a year and I haven’t gotten tired of coming in to the smell of coffee yet. It makes me happy every friggin’ morning. Like I wrote before, coffee fixes everything.

Flat White; creamy micro-form steamed milk poured over two ristretto shots of espresso (Casi Cielo beans). Ristretto shot is a smaller, more concentrated serving of espresso. This drink has more intense espresso flavor. Yes, if you are a Starbucks hater, I highly recommend to give it a try. I hear it a lot, that Starbucks espresso drinks are too milky and they only taste milk. I hear this all the time from Archie.

Riley is shy, lovely, cute and an experienced barista at Starbucks store on the 8^th floor. When she called my name when my flat white was ready, she was smiling ear to ear and said, “Mimi, look! I made a heart (latte art for flat white is usually a white dot) for you. Happy early Valentines’ day” I was actually able to hear excitement and pride in her voice. It was nice, such an amazing moment to share with Riley on Friday morning about 6:30am, on the 8^th floor of Starbucks office building. So, I snapped this photo right at the counter. She got so excited when I told her that I was going to write about her in my blog soon.

My coffee snobbish attitude is slowly diminishing due to this kind of moment. Also Archie had one the other day and he even said, “hmm, it is not bad at all.” That is huge. Just one short flat white might make your day and you might have a really nice surprise.

If Riley can make you one, even better.

personal view

Spring Came Early This Year: Daffodils and Kathy

February 6, 2015by have you eaten?2 Comments

Spring has come this morning.

Working in a corporate environment is challenging. You enjoy working with intelligent, knowledgeable, dedicated, passionate and friendly co-workers and you become friends with some of them. It is a challenging time for all of us at work. I am about to lose someone who is very close to me and who is nothing but helpful, always willing to assist me and always there as a good friend. I won’t be able to work with him any more in the same group. We get a cup of coffee together every morning, joke around a lot like brother and sisters. I have been quite confused, sad and emotional since I found out about the news.

Kathy came by this morning with a hint of spring. She was holding a bouquet of daffodils (so delightful and charming!) and said to me that I looked quite down for a last few days so she bought something to cheer me up. What a thoughtful person she is. If the world was full of these people, I guarantee it would be a better place.

Like Dalai Lama said, “The planet does not need more successful people. The planet desperately need s more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers and lovers of all kinds” Kathy, you are truly one of them.

I decided today is the 1st day of spring this year because of the daffodils I received this morning. It has been raining 3 days straight in Seattle now but who cares. Let’s celebrate the arrival of spring together.

Happy Spring!