sorry no pictures

Last weekend we went hiking and I was looking forward to posting my pictures about it, especially the "watch out for bears" sign, but I accidently erased them all. We went with two japanese girls from my cooking class the previous week, and their older german man-friend. The hike was about an hour and a half uphill, to a beautiful view of the countryside, city and ocean, and all to the enjoyment of a loudspeaker at the top playing Rod Stewart. Actually you could take a gondola to the top, and there was also a remote control car race track, childrens playground, concrete animals the size of small houses (unfortunately I didn't get any photos) and a little "chalet" where you could get fresh popped popcorn, beer, coffee, etc out of vending machines and ice cream and other treats from the counter. Somehow, I really don't feel like there were many bears around, although there must be if they felt there needed to be a sign there. If there is a sign, then there is something to worry about. We didn't see any that were alive and not made of pink concrete.
Our companions were all very friendly, although we are still a little unsure why Masae, who is a married Japanese girl, is hanging out with Hartmut, who is a married German engineer living here. His wife and 4 year old couldn't handle living here after 4 months so they moved back to Germany. Masae told us she picked him up at a bar. Afterward, Masae and her friend made Japanese style barbecue at Hartmut's really nice house. Actually, Nate cooked most of it. We ate and drank for hours and special highlights were fish ovaries (not good), grilled rice triangles (very good), various grilled beef, pork, squid, and vegetables. Grilled tofu, mushrooms and ramen noodles with vegetables, I think we ate continously for about 4 hours. Anyway, despite the confusing social ties, we had a really fun time.
The last couple of days I have had a cold, so today Alex and I made this little playhouse in the closet. Alex doesn't seem to really care about hanging out in it, but I think I might.
I have been really cutting back on my pastry consumption, but I must admit that I had one of the best things yesterday from the place near our house. It was a cream puff type thing, although the "puff" bready part of it was alot softer then you would expect. Inside was smooth and creamy vanilla bean custard and layer of real whipped cream. I am going to make everybody who comes here have one, it is one of the best yet, and it will give me an excuse to buy the cute little box set that they come in when you buy more than one. I will also have you know that, despite what you may think, I have not gained any weight and this is the last time I am going to write about my love of Japanese bakeries and desserts!
There are some new pictures of Alex and where we go for his playgroup that I posted, also some other random pics. I think Nate has pictures of our hike on his phone, I'll try to get them up too.

if you come I will feed you

For those of you thinking about visiting Kanazawa, i would just like to note that autumn is considered the best time to come. Supposedly there is a two day period where the weather is bearable, well, maybe it is more like 2 months. And for you those of you coming in winter or spring- just kidding! The weather is always great!
I went to a cooking class on Sunday by invitation of my Japanese teacher, crazy Yoko. We made Indian food, it was a mix of older japanese women, younger japanese women, JETS and me. I met some really nice japanese girls, one invited us hiking and over to a barbecue at her house on Saturday. I am excited, except for I think she is going to try to get me to eat nato, which I hear is totally disgusting fermented soybean the consistancy of snot. The class was taught by an Indian woman living here, today Yoko informed me that she was surprisingly only 22 or something, and how when she found out she was shocked and thought for sure that the woman was at least 29 (and told her so). She also talked about how Indian women are thick around the middle, and because she was a little chubby she probably looked older. I hope she didn't tell her that, too!
Nate had the last couple of days off and unfortunately we did nothing really exciting, except get a paycheck. Yoko took me today to visit a nursery school and we signed Alex up for next month, Monday and Wednesdays for 2 hours each time. It was very cute and seems really nice, Alex seemed to like it, it will be a big step for both of us. They do not speak any English at all there, hopefully it will all go smoothly. They were very sweet, and all the kids were very cute and friendly and there will only be 7 other kids in Alex's class.

fanfare

Today after visiting some Christians, Alex and I regrouped at Fanfare. We had a calzone stuffed with creamy mushrooms and sweet corn, finger sandwiches, and a flaky mandarin orange and custard danish to finish. Then I woke up and realized I was in Japan, not France, and I loved it anyway.

ryan atwood

Speaking of Ryan Atwood, I am sitting here eating flan and drinking instant coffee, downloading the O.C. as I type! I am so happy, especially after I had spoiled it for myself be reading the whole episode synapsis, before I discovered I could download it! I also just discovered the "Chateraise" a block away which has many delicious temptations-they have their own line of ice-cream treats, cakes, cookies, and even truffles. And also, of course, many bean paste items such as the one pictured here, which are pretty, but I still have quite accepted them as a worthwhile reward. Alex got a little ice cream cone fish stuffed with ice cream and bean paste (I thought it was chocolate, he doesn't know the difference) and I had a cream puff with chocolate ice cream inside. It is true that I have had flan and cream puff both within the last hour, but I earned by having to desperately communicate to the lady at the bike shop that I had a hole in my tire that needed to be patched. It is the only time so far I have actually had to pull out a phrasebook and it was useless, but it is fixed and we went on a bike ride up the street.

a poem

Here is an essay by one of Nate's students, I hope he doesn't mind me sharing it with you:

My summer vacation was very much.
Blue sky is every give me power.
Blue sea is every give me real.
Last summer exit. But I think.
My heart in forever 2005 summer."

why can't every shrine have a jungle gym

today is sunday and rainy. the bike has a flat (again). our espresso maker arrived this week (a wedding present that we thought was necessary to ship here) but apparently we don't have enough electricity in our apartment to run it. (?) anyone have any thoughts/suggestions on this, I just don't get it. We were supposed to get a real sized refrigerator but the only person we know to help us totally flaked out and I have been referred to as a "housewife" about 3 times this week. Not that I have a problem with housewives, I just don't feel I really fit the part. Although, I just had a vision of watching soap operas all day with a box of chocolates- not such a bad thing after all. Don't housewives also have to also take a lot of bubble baths and drink sparkling wine to escape their daily chores? Damn that moldy bathtub of ours!
I think I have been avoiding writing anything because I feel like maybe we sound like big bummers. Well, it is partially true, we are. But here are some very nice things that have happened:
I have had 3 japanese classes and learned all the alphabet and my one teacher is completely nuts and I love her. Her name is Yoko and she comes over and entertains me with gossip and drama and is very fun.
Alex and I have been to more playgroups, and although I still feel a little out of place, Alex seems to warming up to the other kids and activities.
I made a very successful sushi and miso dinner.
Our friend Maureen supplies us with endless supplies of British fashion/celebrity scandal magazines and sex in the city dvds, and I finally talked Nate into opening up his box of Ghiradelli chocolates that were supposed to be a present to his school coworkers (oh, wait, I guess I really am a housewife after all).
Nate has started to get up at 6 am to write which is inspiring me to think about getting up at 6 am to draw.
I have gotten e-mails that made me really happy and some that didn't make me happy but I was still happy to get them.
I have crocheted a little cat head. Instant coffee isn't soo bad.

my sweet boy

I am going to be using the flickr account for pictures, rather than Alex's old website. (If you click on the side scroll of pictures to the right of here, it will take you to the all the pictures). Sorry for the lack of pics, but now we will have more. promise!

my new japanese friend

For those of you who were worried about Nate and I being doomed to live our lives like cavemen, and all you moms out their who have been worried about Alex and I lost in some random Japanese alley surrounded by Pachinco Parlor gansters- I want to introduce you to my new friend. She is pink, quite entertaining (multi-functional), speaks English and, although she does not make it any easier for me to talk to you- she does have a fantastic camera, something I have been dying for. Finally, I can start photographing all the pothole covers and dark alleyways that I have been stranded in. And Alex. Sometimes money can buy happiness, and wait til I charge this sucker up- pictures to follow!
Nate and I finally went to the 21st Century Museum of Modern Art. It is mindblowing to me that such a unknown medium-sized Japanese city can have such a renowned collection of modern art. It was so comforting to be in a place where I felt like I knew what was going on, or at least the lack of knowing, this time, was something I was familiar with. I had a similar feeling of happiness when I was digging up my garden a couple of years ago and dug up a chunk of resin with plastic flowers imbedded inside. I still cannot figure out what that treasure used to be, but it had my name written all over it.