Super H Mart

Super H Mart by Finijo

Allow me to introduce you to my new favorite grocery store - Super H Mart. This is the Asian store that Mrs. Foster introduced me to a couple of weeks ago. It was so cool, that I took Marilyn and Connor back today to pick up some more delectibles.

Tous Les Jours by Finijo

Super H Mart has a great little bakery, Tous Les Jours, with a lot of delicious and uncommon (at least in the average American grocery store) baked goods. Connor is partial to the Rice Balls (a kind of donut ball with red bean paste inside), and Marilyn and I like the Pumpkin Pastry. We can also recommend the Red Bean Bread and the Creme Cheese Pastry. It is all pretty different from the sticky sweet pastry we are used to, so we tried a wide variety to see what was good - turns out that we enjoyed most of the selection.

CD Stand by Finijo

In addition to a French/Asian bakery, there are a lot of little differences in the shopping experience at Super H Mart. Starting with the variety of aromas (not all are as pleasant as the bakery) to the high end make up, perfume and jewelry stores located inside the store. Most grocery stores have newspaper stands at the entrance that include free weekly papers, but Super H also has a wide variety of CD's along side the free weeklies.

LG Flower Kimchi Refridgerator

One of the things we found most interesting was the appliance section. In addition to the expected rice cookers, we found bidets and something we had not seen before, kimchi refrigerators. They are funky compartmentalized refrigerators meant to store kimchee, a Korean staple of different kinds of pickled vegetables. The refrigerator shown is a designer model that includes a flower motif and crystals set into the door handle. Even if you aren't into Asian cooking, Super H Mart is an interesting cultural experience.

Julian in the Woods

I saw this video on a Current Pod and was taken by how much Julian reminded me of Connor when he was in elementary school. He had an affinity for trees that included "feeling their pain," his words, not mine. It was strange and wrenching at the same time. He no longer feels their pain, but he is very much eco-aware. We are proud that he is a recycler, but I wonder if he is more fascinated or repulsed by the composter...

Fragrance Commercials

I saw a clip of this parody of fragrance commercials on my favorite channel, Current. Alan Cumming is not only a talented actor and director, but he is funny as hell. I can't believe this thing has been around for years, but I am just now seeing it. Enjoy!

***Warning: Full Backal Nudity (a.k.a. ass shot)***

Truly Happy Thanksgiving

Thankful for Ada by Stem

Thanksgiving has been a rough holiday for me since I was a kid, but this year, in spite of all of the stress in my life and the strife in the world, I have been feeling pretty hopeful. I'm not sure why, maybe it is the chanting, maybe it is the recent health scare reawakening my awareness of how blessed I am, who knows? It has been an unbelievably difficult year in so many ways, but I am bending and not breaking, and it feels good.

I really am thankful every day for the blessed life I am leading. I am thankful for my family and friends and the support they give me - especially when times are tough. I am thankful for my job and the fact that I love my work and the people I work with. I am thankful for my health and for my practice. I am thankful for the challenges that I face that help me to grow and be a better person.

I got a call from my friend Patty in West Virginia this morning. She let me know that her grandson, the one I tutored when he was 8 years old, is sober for a year now, and he told her this morning that he has good memories of me and the help I gave him when he was struggling to learn to read. I was hard on him, but it paid off, so it was nice to hear that a mitzvah from 20 years ago lives on.

We will meet Mom and Dad at Buca di Beppo later today and enjoy a wonderful meal with the people we love. I will come home and pay bills, and be thankful that the loan came in and we can get to work on the plumbing soon. Today is a wonderful day and I am very thankful to be here to experience it and share it with all of you.

PS. Today, I am eating popcorn - just my way of honoring the Native Americans for giving us all of their land and, of course, popcorn! Thank you!! (sorry about the small pox :( )

Sales Monkey

Monkey Car Wash by Finijo

I was driving down 2920 in Tomball and saw this monkey suit being used to sell car washes. I'm not exactly sure why a monkey suit is being used to sell car washes. Apes are known for neither cars nor their bathing skills. I especially like the classy gold chain around his neck. Three cheers for one of the creepiest mascots a business could pick to scare off...I mean scare up customers.

McCafe

Best McDonald's by Finijo

I go to a McDonald's on W. Airport at Beltway 8 to meet with one of my clients, and I proclaim that it is THE best McDonald's in Houston. The staff are genuinely nice to the customers, the restaurant is clean, and the music piped throughout the McCafe is JAZZ. Not that crappy smooth jazz either - they play the real thing. Thelonious Monk, Mingus, and Coltrane. I mentioned to one of the cashiers that I was very impressed with how friendly and attentive they are, and she replied, "It's my job. They pay us to be happy." It was a little Stepford wife, but she was smiling and didn't seem to be drugged. I know, it's still a McDonald's with all that implies, but if you are going to a McDonald's in Houston, this is the one you should visit.

Inari

Inari Blue by Finijo

Mrs. Foster taught me to make inari yesterday. She picked out the groceries needed and I cooked the dish today. YAY!!! It was successful and simple and was enjoyed by all of us tonight as part of our dinner. Marilyn made the sticky rice with nori and black sesame seed rice seasoning.

Inari is made with Japanese rice, vinegar powder (or liquid form), pickled ginger and bean curd pockets. This dish has a really nice blend of flavors from the sweetened bean curd pocket to the slightly sweet and sour rice then topped by the tang of the pickled ginger (just a little goes a long way). I also used some kimchee for a few of them, because Marilyn doesn't care for a lot of ginger, but she determined that the ginger was good and better than the kimchee as a garnish.

Cook the rice, add the vinegar powder (it comes with the bean curd pockets), mix well, boil the bag of bean curd pockets for 5 minutes in the pouch they come in, and then scoop the warm (not hot) rice into the pockets when they are cool enough to touch. Top with a bit of pickled ginger and it's done. This is great finger food for parties, as well. Let me know if any of you try making it. :)

Sasaki

Sasaki by Finijo

Misa and her mother, Mrs. Foster came today to chant and do a home visit. After Gongyo, we went to one of Mrs. Foster's favorite restaurants, Sasaki then went to the Asian market, Super H Market on Blalock and got all kinds of yummy food to cook.

Sasaki Sushi Bar by Finijo

There is a sushi bar that is filled with Japanese chotchkies. I'm not a big drinker, but I noticed that Sasaki has a fully stocked bar with a variety of Japanese beer and sake.

Sasaki Reserved by Finijo

I love this little room, it looks like something out of an old movie to me. Sometime I think I will have to reserve the room, just for the experience. What a great atmosphere with the floor chairs and the rice paper doors.

Sasaki Main Dining Room by Finijo

Here is the main dining room with Misa seated and texting on her Blackberry. Just behind her is the karaoke room. If you are looking for authentic Japanese food, Sasaki is a good place to start. If you are looking for a bright, clean, and economical Asian market, Super H Market is fantastic, as well.

Dateline: Cats

Wiggy Sleeps Wierd by Finijo

Wiggy LOVES this old cat scratching post. She can be found nightly sitting on top of the post and leaning over to scratch the post upside down. She has no front claws, but must find the feeling of the rough rope on her paws to be a pleasant feeling. She looks quite

innocent in this shot, but beneath that adorable facade beats the heart of a killer ((shudders)).

Cats in Rays by Finijo

From the left we have Bodhi, Lena, and Saffie. They enjoy the window seat in my room immensely. Often they enjoy the seat just as you see them, together. They are usually thick as theives, unless Bodhi is doing something inappropriate. Notice that Wiggy is not a part of this little clique. I have no doubt that they would accept her, if she made the effort, but she is a strange and solitary creature. The only one in the house she has bonded with is Connor. She watches him when he is outside and cries at the window until he comes back in the house . With him, and him alone, she is a smitten kitten.

Cipher In The Snow

Does anyone else remember seeing Cipher In The Snow as a kid in school. It seems like I saw it multiple times, it was one of the free movies that the teachers could order when they were ordering filmstrips. It was wrenching and it made me cry each and every time I saw it. The premise is that there is a kid who gets off the bus and drops dead in the snow. As the investigator works to find out who this kid is, it becomes apparent that nobody gives a damn about him. Not his neglectful parents, not the teachers and not one of the students really notice him. The investigation essentially determines that he died of neglect or a broken heart or loneliness. It played on every childhood insecurity that existed, and it was used to teach students to be kind to one another and look out for each other. Heavy handed as hell, it has stuck with me all these years. I wonder if there have been any studies to show its effectiveness in stopping bullying. Only in looking up info about this film to write this entry did I find out that it was a Mormon production. The story was written by a teacher and won awards, but the film was produced by Brigham Young University.

Embarrassed :(

Embarrassing by Finijo

The downturn in the economy caused us to let our yard service go over a year ago. We managed to keep up with the mowing (to some extent), but we failed miserably to maintain the backyard and much of the yard became overgrown. The result can be seen in the photograph I took after Alberto and his son Norberto worked for 9 hours on the clean up. He's coming back Monday to work on the front yard and to do some roof repairs, but I doubt there will be anything close to this much debris after it's finished. Having the backyard cleared again is freeing. I feel it's the first step to preparing for the coming year, and like we will move into 2011 just a little bit lighter. It feels good.

Unexpected

Spectral Curtains by Finijo

I went to a meeting in Midtown today and found some things along the way that surprised me. This large old house has a boarded up window that appears to have at one time a set of curtains painted onto it. I'm not sure why someone would find it necessary, but it is visually striking to me nonetheless.

Surprise, Flowers! by Finijo

Across the street from the building I had my meeting in was this somewhat rundown old building on Caroline Street. On the wrought iron fence were the prettiest morning glories thriving in the midst of a pretty decayed urban area. There is beauty in the most unexpected places.

Street Art Garden

Broken Heart Garden by Finijo

This little piece of garden is a few steps outside the front doors of Brasil. Incorporating original artwork in a garden is something I find really enjoyable. It reminds me of when I once painted my grandmother's flowers. To clarify that statement, I used paint on the flowers in her garden to improve their appearance. I painted blue stripes on each of the petals of her with daisies. She was so pleased to think that she had a new species, she rushed to the phone to call the Arkansas Agricultural Commission and it was all I could do to stop her and explain the error. It's funny now, but she was so disappointed to have been duped by an eight year old with a set of paints. The only thing that was more of a disappointment that summer was when David (my older brother) called her and impersonated Tom Bonner, the newscaster who made the calls for Dialing For Dollars on the noon news show every day. David made the call and disguised his voice, then Grandma excitedly read off the "count and the amount," thinking she just won the cash prize, only to hear David start laughing at the other end of the line and say, "Gotcha again, Grandma!" Poor Grandma.

What the F@#$?

Smashed Car by Finijo

I walked outside today to take the company car to a meeting and this is what greeted me. I had been off for a couple of days and came back to a hit and run in the parking lot. Fingers crossed I will be able to get it fixed before the first of the year. My experience with bureaucracy tells me I am screwed though.

SGI Memorial

SGI Memorial by Finijo

Tonight I went to a memorial service for Katsuko Coleman at the Kaikan. This is the third memorial I have attended since I got my Gohonzon a year and a half ago. The service was beautiful and peaceful and I think it is a nice way to be remembered. Everyone chanted daimoku and sent Mrs. Coleman off in a most positive way.

Misa's Fruit by Finijo

The Japanese women at the Kaikan made tons of delicious food for the gathering after the memorial service. Misa made this beautiful fruit tray for the event. My photo cannot begin to show how pretty it really was. Good job Misa!

Annise Parker

Annise Parker

Marilyn and I ran to vote this evening before the polls closed. I will miss Mayor White, and think he did a great job with the city during his three terms. He also managed to make us believe that there was transparency in city government for the first time since Kathy Whitmire was Mayor. The election was close...too close. We will have to show our support for Annise Parker again in the run off election against Gene Locke.

Kofu Gongyo

Tiana's Experience by Finijo

I went to Kofu Gongyo today at the Kaikan and there was a dancer who danced in her native costume. I arrived just as her dance began, so I missed her introduction and the origin of her dance. She plays the prettiest little flowered drum as she dances. It was beautiful to watch. My friend, Tiana, gave her experience today and it was quite moving and inspirational. Kudos for telling your story and overcoming your challenges through the years, Tiana.

Catching Up Again...

Somewhere to Go by Serena Rose

Not sure what has gotten into me in the last few months, but I have not been able to keep up with my blog (and a lot of other things, as well). I think I have been preoccupied by a job that has been beating the shit out of me emotionally. I am over the hump now and feeling like I will be able to coast a bit through the next couple of months. We are planning a very laid back holiday season. Time to catch up with friends, family, and bills. Time to reassess the job, make a plan for the new year and try to have some fun, too.

Brace yourselves, I will be adding all of the blogs that have been in my head since I checked out on my birthday - feel free to read or ignore as you desire. :)

Beck's Prime on Halloween

Becks Prime Memorial Park (official photo)

I had dinner tonight at Becks Prime in Memorial Park with Mike and Bill. I didn't even know they had a location there. The atmosphere is serene on the patio, but there was a birthday party for a wealthy lad that was taking place inside the restaurant at the time, so the techno and dance music was a little annoying later in the evening. Mike and Bill brought their dog, Winston, who enjoyed trying to feast on anything that hit the ground. It was a very enjoyable evening and we need to do this kind of thing more often.