Visiting friends in SF

We are in SF to see our friends in San Francisco. This is me and Bay bridge.
San Franciscoの友人を訪ねに行きました。まずはワタクシとベイブリッジの写真をぱちり。

We went to Ferry Terminal and grab a bite. They had Farmer's market there and everyrthing looks yummy. Steven and Clark got pizzas and Dennise got a humburger.
フェリーターミナルでランチを買います。ファーマーズマーケットをやっていて何でもとてもおいしそうです。StevenとClarkはピザ、Denniseはハンバーガーをゲット。

I got a ramen!! Tell you the truth, I was not expecting a lot at this stand but IT WAS GOOD! I had pork ramen with soft boiled egg. Yum! We sit on the grass and had our lunch. Oh,Yeah.While I was waiting for my ramen to serve, I ran into my running friends! Small wrold!
私はなんとラーメン！まあ、こういうところですので、あまり期待していなかったのだけど、すごくおいしかった！ポークラーメンに温泉卵をのせて。おいしい！芝生の上に座りみんなでランチ。そうそう、ラーメンを待ってる間にランニングチームの友達にばったり会いました。びっくり。

They had a skate link there and I wanted to skate!!!
スケートリンクも開業中。滑りたかったな。

Clark is going to college next year and has grown up like the pic above. He was a little boy 7 years ago. Time flies…。
Clarkは来年は大学生で上の写真のように成長したけれど、7年前はこんなだったんですから。時のたつのは…。

After the lunch, we went to Green Apple book store and stopped by their house. They have a beautiful Victorian house near the Golden Gate Pan handle. Love the ceiling and their old furniture.　
ランチの後はGreen Appleの本屋さんにいって、そして彼らの家に行きました。とても美しいVictorianハウスで、何とGolden Gate Pan handleのすぐそば。天井やモルディング、古い家具が美しい。

I also love their dogs, Lucy and Ziggy. They showed us their new tricks and soooooo cuuuuute!
We had a great time this afternoon. Dennise and Clark are so funny together and we laughed too much...We are so bummmed because Allyson couldn't join us because of her work. Next time you all need to come down to visit us!
Lucy とZiggyもかわいい。どんどん、大きくなるこの人たち。いろいろな芸を見せてくれました。DenniseとClarkの二人は本当におもしろくて今日は笑いすぎ。お仕事中のAllysonに会えなくてとても残念ですが、今度は皆さんでウチにいらしてねえ。

Breakfast on Steven's days off

Steven has been off this week so we are weekend mode everyday. We usually have a brunch on weekend so we have been brunching (?!) everyday this week. Yesterday, we had scramble egg on English muffin. We sprinkled Truffle salt which Sumiko gave us. Ohhh, it was soooooo gooooood! Thank you, Sumiko san!! The orange fruit on the plate is very riped persimmon.

今週、Stevenはずっとお休みなので毎日が週末モードです。週末は普通ブランチをする私達なので、毎日ブランチング（そんな言葉はない）しています。昨日はスクランブルエッグをイングリッシュマフィンにのせたもの。すみ子さんからいただいたトリュフソルトをふりかけて、いただきました。おおお、おいしい！すみ子さんありがとうございました！お皿の上のオレンジ色のフルーツは熟れた柿です。

Now, today was different. We had a Japanese brunch! We were very lucky that we got some home made mochi from our friend. I made natto mochi with grated daikon. Ohhhhh, this was heaven!! Thank you Nakano san!
そして今日は趣向の違うブランチ。和食ブランチをいただきました。実はラッキーにもホームメイドの新鮮なお餅を私達のお友達からいただいて、納豆モチにしました。大根おろしかけてね。いやあ、天国です、新鮮なおお餅って。中野さん、ありがとうございました。

Now we have six mochi left. We need to save five for New Year's soup so I could have one when Steven is not looking....Yeah, he is focused on the book he is reading in the living room now. Now is the time!! :)
さて、6個になっちゃいましたよ。5個はお雑煮用に残すとしても、あとの1個はこっそり食べても平気じゃない？あ、Stevenはリビングルームで真剣に本読んでる。今だ！ぱくり。:)

Merry Christmas!

We were a little busy around the holiday so we decided to not have a Christmas tree this year. However, I decorated inside of the house here and there.

今年は年末ちょっと忙しかったのでクリスマスツリーはナシにしました。でも、家の中をちょっと飾ってみましたよ。

We have pretty Christmas cards on the mantel.
きれいなクリスマスカードが暖炉の上に。

in the living room and kitchen....
リビングルームもキッチンも飾りつけ。

in the hallway....
廊下もね。

Steven has just got home from a long business trip so we had a nice quiet Christmas by ourselves. Scalop appetizer, avocado cream canapé , and Dungeness crab with crab butter sauce. I made the sauce with crab butter (That's right, it is Crab guts!), butter, onions, garlic and herbs. The dessert was cream puff from Beard Papa. Mmmmmm delicious.
Stevenが長い出張から帰って来たばかりだったので、クリスマスは静かに2人ですごしました。ホタテの前菜、アボカドクリームのかなっぺ、カニとカニ味噌のソース。ソースはかに味噌、バター、にんにく、玉ねぎ、ハーブで作りました。デザートはBeard Papaのシュークリーム。ああ、おいしかった。

Hope you had a great Christmas, too!!
皆さんもいいクリスマスだったでしょうか。

By the way, at night of the day Steven came home, our couch was very crowded. Hey, it looks like I didn't take care of you guys while he was gone. Stop that look!
ところで、Stevenが帰ってきた日の夜。カウチは込み込み。ちょっとお、何だか、彼がいない間、アンタ達をかわいがらなかったみたいじゃないのよお。やめてよね、そういう態度。

BAJR Year End Party

My running team, BAJR had a bonenkai (Year End Party) today.

I brought appetizer and dessert.

We did a white elephant and I got a portable DVD player!! Who doesn't want this?! Now I can watch movies ANYWHERE. There were a lot of goofy gifts with laugh after laugh. I brought $1 plastic daikon grater in an iPad box & an Apple store bag. :) I felt bad that I got a DVD player for that! Oh, well I was lucky this year, I guess.

Good food, Good people, Good laugh. How fun was that!?
Look at me and Marie chan in our team shirt. Don't we look like promo-girls? Hee, hee, hee...

I had great running time/experience with them this year. It is almost a life changing encounter. Thank you, guys!!

Nutcracker

I went to see Nutcracker today. It is not an ordinary one. It is the one that my friend is in!! Well, she is my friend's daughter. She got a relatively big role which is one of Clara's friends. Considering she has just came from Japan and joined this ballet school, it is a very big deal!
クリスマスのお決まり、胡桃割り人形を見に行きました。ただの「胡桃割り…」じゃないよ。お友達が出ているんだから。うーん、お友達のお嬢さんだけれどね。彼女は主役のクララのお友達の一人を演じたのだけれど、それはわりに大きな役なんです。数ヶ月前に日本からきて、このバレエ団に入ったばかりなのにあの役をいとめるとは。

She was VERY cute and good on the stage. Too bad I could not take pics. After the show, I waited outside of the back stage to see her. I saw a lot of adoreble little dancers.
舞台上での彼女はとてもかわいくて、上手に踊れていました。写真を撮れないのが残念でした。バレエのあと裏口で待ち伏せしていたら、他のかわいいダンサー達が出てきましたよ。

Here she comes! She is holding the flowers I gave her! Great job!!
あ、彼女が出て来ました！よかったですよお!!

I took a pic with this little princess who is going to be Clara in 5 years. I promised her I will come to see her in Clara role.
5年後にクララになる彼女と写真を撮りました。そのときは絶対に見に行くからと約束したの。