Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Farewell party for our Director... Matsushita san!

Sad to say it is our last day working with our SAME Director, Matsushita san! He will be transferred to Machizukuri Department of Shizuoka City Hall starting tomorrow. He was kind, gentle, supportive and attentive head for us! We're gonna miss him a lot!

I am thankful to him for all the support he and his wife extend to our NAKAMA group. Hoping he'll continue to support us!

He's not only our director but also like our brother and ... father!↓The "father" with the DOKUSHIN (single, unattached, unmarried!) children!

buddies!My desserts... I'm not on a diet anyway!Matsushita san's enjoying his album... a gift from Miyamoto san!flowers from SAME stafflike father and daughter!
Looking forward to a part II party to his home in Fujieda. I actually missed the part I last January! 'till we meet again... Matsushita san!The farewell party was held in a buffet restaurant, HASSAI located at 7th floor of Parco.

... and yup... our next Head will be my hubs former classmate and friend... Mr. Odamaki. OTANOSHIMINI!

Introducing... Kotomi chan!

I met an amusing Japanese Shizuoka Ken Dai student in my work at SAME today. She fascinates me in many way! Her name is Kotomi! What's unique about her is that she is good in Tagalog language and a little bit Ilocano... talo po ako don! She's good in English too!
Actually, she had been in Cordillera for almost a year as NGO volunteer. Well... she showed me some of her photos during her stay in the Philippines... oh my... I envy her coz she had been to places like Rice Terraces and experienced the ways and traditions of natives in the north! She's friendly... talkative with sense... boyish... steady... funny and very interesting!
The first time we spoke, I knew I liked her, and hoped we'd be friends. The more we spoke, I knew we'd be friends. Hopefully!!! Keep in touch and good luck... Kotomi chan!

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Joy in planting a cherry blossom tree

My hubs and I decided to plant a cherry blossom or sakura tree... so we bought a baby tree in Makiya today and planted it in our yard. We don't consider planting sakura tree for some special event. Spring influenced us to plant it. As experts says... if you do decide to plant cherry trees, you get a double bounty, the spring show and the fruit to boot!
I wish a good life for our sakura tree. May it grow big and beautiful!
It's really exciting to think watching it grow and hopefully blossoms someday! Looking forward to having hanami picnic in our yard someday! Over ba?!

World Sweets Fest 2009

...or SEKAI KASHI MATSURI is being held in Twin Messe since March 20~29. I received some compliments tickets from Liza to this event. I invited Amie yesterday afternoon to see the exhibit. My hubs and lola went with us.
The event was great. We enjoyed the artistic cakes displays.
I love sweets and I am beginning to like Japanese confectionery most because they are low in calories.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

One night in Shimada City

As I am posting this eh kauuwi ko lang po from Shimada with my friend Amie. Daig pa namin si Cinderella kc past 12:00 midnight na kami nakauwi!
The reason kung bakit napadpad kami in Shimada was that my jazz singer friend, Maritess invited me tonight to guest in her radio program... "One Night Jazz" in FM Shimada which is being aired every Wednesday night from 8:00pm to 9:00pm.
I was interviewed regarding the objectives and activities of our Philippine NAKAMA Organization. I enjoyed their program and it was a pretty exciting experience!
Inside the radio boothOn-airAfter the program... with Maritess , the navigator- Ms. Terada & director- Mr. MakitaAng tatlong nagdadalaga!!! Look M'tess with her new hair cut... looks younger huh!...with the charming navigator of Maritess program... Ms. TakedaThe whole troupe... with Maritess no. 1 fan and ever kind, Yasuhara sensei, their cool son, Saimon and our gentle guy- Lion kun (Ti-ha) from Myanmar... oppsss he's not in the pix... coz he was the one who took this photo!
After the program, Yasuhara sensei invited us to a cozy ethnic-like Izakaya near Shimada station. The whole troupe were of course invited! That was a treat from Yasuhara sensei... hontouni gochisosama datta! We did had a lot of funny conversations especially about the upbringing of childrens! We also became more excited when we met these two English ladies-- Kate and Sakura next to our table. They're so funny, friendly and weird! (^-^)v
Below↓ ang siga po ng Shizuoka na dumayo sa Shimada!
YOZAKURA! The first blooming sakura I encountered in Shimada stationAlong Shizuoka stationA cup of coffee b4 we went homecge na po... tulog na ako! (^3^)mhwaaah!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

From Okitsu to Shizuoka

Two of lola's relatives have gone this week. Lola attended the funeral for the other one... and Papie was asked to attend for another one today. Papie asked me to accompany him. The funeral was held in Okitsu... lola's home town. We just offered incense, had some bowings, hand in our condolence money and escaped the vigil ceremony!

Below is a map from Okitsu Station. From the station on the left side near the school was the resident of the deceased relative and on the right side along Route 1 road near Suruga bayside is lola's home while at the back of the station on the right side on the mountain side was lola's late brod Jiro's house.
It's a tradition that after giving a condolence money, guest is given a gift usually in a paper bag with some goods on it like what we received today. Among the stuffs inside the bag that somewhat unusual to me is this Shimizu tea in can. I am familiar to Shizuoka tea but this is my first time to encounter Shimizu tea in can.After our business in Okitsu... we went back to Shizuoka and at the station in Parche... we had our dinner in Jourdan. Below is a dessert but it was my dinner!Downtown scene from ParcheEKIPA underground parking. It is a computerized system parking.
Our car can be seen on the monitor. The station rotary. Under this is the EKIPA parking.

Not bad for cheap buffet

Today, papie and I had our lunch in a viking restaurant... named Global located in Mariko. We are new to this place but the name of the restaurant sounds international so to our curiosity, we gave this place a try.

Our first round

inside part of the restaurant

Well, it's been a while since we've had an eat-all-you-can buffet meal and it turned out to be interesting! The foods are not that bad and the cover charge is reasonable! We tried and kinda like the yakiniku, sushi, fry stuffs especially fried rice in butter and some sweets stuffs.
Oh ahh... even if you are on a diet... there is no reason you should stop enjoying restaurants... especially viking style!!! (^-^)v

Friday, March 20, 2009

Shizuoka Airport... soon to open!




The new Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport located between the city of Makinohara and Shimada is scheduled to be opened for business on June 4th, 2009.
It will serve as an airport of Shizuoka, offering domestic flights and some Asian cities flights.
Liza phoned to me that she's working there today (hawak n'ya po kasi ang Sanitary Department!) and invited us to come over to see today's thanksgiving event of the locality!
My husband and I decided to drop-by there to have a look of the new airport and most of all to see Liza!
We went there by car and we passed thru Yoshida interchange but we are disappointed because there are no nameboards or any sign on how to get to the airport! All we did is to ask somebody in order to reach the place! Yup! the place is still not registered even in our car navigator!
Luckily... we got to the airport... just take a look at the photos above on how it is!
The event was almost over when we arrived. Liza was there with her sis in-law working at the event! Liz was in full cover of her face... me masked na... me cap pa! You can really suspect her as a suspicious woman like yung kawatan sa mga ATM! hehehe!
Well... the event was just like an ordinary local event and foods were sooo-sooo!
The good part is that we experienced to walk on the port's runway because the event was held at the center of the port ground.
That's it folks!

Japanese fast-food sushi

Sushi is one of my favorite thing! Papie treated me for lunch in our favorite KAITEN SUSHI restaurant today. It is a conveyor belt system sushi restaurant.
It is a place where I find delicious and full assortment of sushi!
Some of my fav... especially this Shirasu (white bait) sushi roll
Sushi turns around the customers
We pick up sushi we like and eat itAnother fav... koebi (shrimps) sushi roll and negitoro (meat tuna) rollWe had enough!Kaiten Sushi restaurantFlash! Flash! Flash!
We went home after our lunch. We got a package from Sachan... her omiage from Kyoto and Osaka! Thanks for remembering... oishisoooo!!! (^-^)d


Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Jonalyn's home sweet home

At long last nakarating rin kami sa new house ng friend naming si Jonalyn!
She's been inviting us since last year... hayun natuloy din kami today. After my radio recording at SAME with Liza and Dang plus with our new friend young Lisa... we drove together to Jonalyn's home in Mise-cho. Amie followed and joined us too!

We enjoyed her new home which was build last summer. It is a typical modern Japanese 2 storey ideal home! Yup... we love her counter kitchen!

The visit was fun... lalo na ang kwentuhan! We enjoy our INSTANT snacks... hontouni gochisosama deshita... and congrats to Jonalyn's son... he graduated from his kinder and he'll be grade 1 this spring!

Hanggang sa muling dalaw!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

AL vs JK

This is a forwarded email about history lesson people don't mind reading !

No history teacher told us the following( I suppose)...

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.
John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.
John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.
Both wives lost a child while living in the WhiteHouse.

Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.
Both Presidents were shot in the head.

Now it gets really weird.

Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy.
Kennedy's Secretary was named Lincoln.

Both were assassinated by Southerners.
Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson.

Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808
Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born 1839
Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born 1939

Both assassins were known by their three names.
Both names are composed of fifteen letters.

Now hang on to your seat !

Lincoln was shot at the theater named "Ford."
Kennedy was shot in a car called "Lincoln" made by "Ford."

Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.

And here's the "kicker":
A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe, Maryland.
A week before Kennedy was shot, he was with MarilynMonroe.

... and Lincoln was shot in a theater and the assassin ran to a warehouse.
Kennedy was shot from a warehouse and the assassin ran to a theater.

Creepy, huh?

Morning breakfast in Asty

Sachan spring vacation in Shizuoka is over! We accompanied her today to Shizuoka JR Station. We went out early so we had our morning lunch first in Asty's Numazu Sakana Ga Shi Restaurant. It's been a while since we had this Japanese breakfast set. Shibaraku nanode... NATSUKASHII aji datta!!!
Typical Japanese breakfast... onigiri set ... rice with dried fish set!
Sachan will have a 4 days trip with friend in Kyoto and Osaka before she go back to Niigata City.
Enjoy your trip!