Yesterday evening we tried out a new family outing - participating in a flashmob! Yakudo members organized several practices this past week and on Friday, we all met at the Eaton Centre, centre court, to perform our dance for Japan.
One of our Yakudo members choreographed the dance, along with the taiko rhythm and fue part. I had the pleasure to play the fue part. Alia learned the dance and Kyra kept me company. Due to heavy snow on Wednesday, Eric's business travels were cancelled this week and he was able to be there for the show!
With only a minor run-in with mall security, we pulled off a pretty cool flashmob! A lot of people showed up. Yakudo has a very big extended family. I'm sure the hundreds of people lined up at the Apple store for the new iPad2 were happy to have a little entertainment while waiting their turn!
Have to say that it was pretty cool to be a part of it. In japanese, "Nippon Gambatte" roughly translates as "Good Luck to Japan".
Our family's version of the flashmob.
Zoomed in version of flashmob (not filmed by our family)
Guess we can now say that we were part of a flashmob!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
La Cabane à Sucre
Voici quelques photos de notre visite à la cabane à sucre.
Sucrerie d'Antan (Saint-Lazare, QC)
Et une petite anecdote pour aller avec ces photos...
Pendant le diber, en attendant la soupe, je suis sorti "en secret" pour aller voir le monsieur qui fesait bouillir l'eau d'érable.
Je me suis approché et je lui ai dit bonjour et lui ai demandé pour du "réduit". Le monsieur fait une pause sérieuse et me regarde... "Tu connais ça du réduit?" Je lui réponds que oui, j'ai un oncle qui a une érablière et je connais ça.
Il fait une deuxième pause très sérieuse, me regarde dans le blanc des yeux et me dit "Il faut que tu gardes ça pour toi... Je ne veux pas me faire envahir par d'autres..." Et il me verse un verre de réduit. Je le remercie et retourne à l'intérieur.
A la table, j'ai secrètement fait gouter au réduit aux enfants et aux adultes. Une petite cuillère à la fois... Mais au moins ils ont eu l'occasion d'y gouter!
- Eric
Sucrerie d'Antan (Saint-Lazare, QC)
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| Un bec sucré! |
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| La tire! Yum! |
Pendant le diber, en attendant la soupe, je suis sorti "en secret" pour aller voir le monsieur qui fesait bouillir l'eau d'érable.
Je me suis approché et je lui ai dit bonjour et lui ai demandé pour du "réduit". Le monsieur fait une pause sérieuse et me regarde... "Tu connais ça du réduit?" Je lui réponds que oui, j'ai un oncle qui a une érablière et je connais ça.
Il fait une deuxième pause très sérieuse, me regarde dans le blanc des yeux et me dit "Il faut que tu gardes ça pour toi... Je ne veux pas me faire envahir par d'autres..." Et il me verse un verre de réduit. Je le remercie et retourne à l'intérieur.
A la table, j'ai secrètement fait gouter au réduit aux enfants et aux adultes. Une petite cuillère à la fois... Mais au moins ils ont eu l'occasion d'y gouter!
- Eric
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| La gang! |
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| Tarte au sucre, crèpes et grandpères! |
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| Les érables! |
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| Tourtière, omelette, saucisses, fèves au lard et oreilles de crisse |
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| La belle tire! |
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Just Add Shoyu
Just Add Shoyu is a cookbook recently published through the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto. I purchased my copy back in November but only recently opened it. Last weekend, I made chow mein (with homemade noodles purchased at Haru Matsuri). All I can say is yum, yum, yum!
I have also tried the okonomiyaki (which was ok even though I left out the yam) but it was a little soggy. I have never eaten 'the real' thing so I'm not sure if it is supposed to have turned out the way it did. They did taste good tho.
Yesterday, I followed the recipe for sushi rice to make inari-zushi. It was the first time I used kombu while cooking the rice. For those who are not familiar with kombu, it is a version of seaweed (nori) that is much thicker and tougher than the nori used to make maki rolls. Pieces of kombu are added in with the rice water (or in water for soup broth) to add flavour. It is discarded after cooking. I have to say (and so did my dad and Alia and Kyra) that they were very good!
At the end of the book are stories from the Japanese Canadian community, war time stories, New Year's traditions. I have yet to read the whole thing but I am looking forward to having some extra reading time after April 1.
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| final result |
Yesterday, I followed the recipe for sushi rice to make inari-zushi. It was the first time I used kombu while cooking the rice. For those who are not familiar with kombu, it is a version of seaweed (nori) that is much thicker and tougher than the nori used to make maki rolls. Pieces of kombu are added in with the rice water (or in water for soup broth) to add flavour. It is discarded after cooking. I have to say (and so did my dad and Alia and Kyra) that they were very good!
At the end of the book are stories from the Japanese Canadian community, war time stories, New Year's traditions. I have yet to read the whole thing but I am looking forward to having some extra reading time after April 1.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Joyeuse St-Valentin
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| Pre-Valentine fondue. Yumm! |
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| Les fleurs de St-Valentin! |
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| Valentine sushi! |
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| Valentine Sushi Dinner! |
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Celebrating Report Cards - continuation
This morning we went for our danish and coffee at St. Lawrence Market. We also picked up some cheese and baguettes for our family Valentine's Day fondue tonight. The girls came away with free keychains! Whoa, did we spend that much on cheese to earn a 'free' gift? ;)
This past Monday, I was at the girls' school for parent-teacher interviews. I don't the chance very often to see what is going on at school like I used to. Before I started working, I used to volunteer in the classroom or help out with hotdog lunches. So I like going on these evenings were I can see what the girls have done in school (since a lot doesn't seem to come home very often).
Here's Alia's project on the lifecycle of the maple tree.
Kyra's page from class book project in art class.
Kyra's story she wrote with a classmate.
This past Monday, I was at the girls' school for parent-teacher interviews. I don't the chance very often to see what is going on at school like I used to. Before I started working, I used to volunteer in the classroom or help out with hotdog lunches. So I like going on these evenings were I can see what the girls have done in school (since a lot doesn't seem to come home very often).
Here's Alia's project on the lifecycle of the maple tree.
Kyra's page from class book project in art class.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Celebrating Report Cards
On Friday, the girls brought home their 1st term report cards. Yes, it may seem late for 1st term but that is a whole other story which I will not get into now. As usual, the girls are doing very well and as a parent, I kinda liked the new report cards. (Which I know where a pain in the butt for teachers to fill in - I was a witness to the mayhem at my school.) We try to do a special activity as a celebrating for all their hard work and effort. In the past it meant a trip to Chuckie Cheese (the only time we went there as a matter of fact) or a new book.
At suppertime, Eric asked the girls what special activity they wanted to do to celebrate the good report cards. Kyra had a hard time deciding on something other than Canada's Wonderland (which is closed for the winter)!!! We were caught off guard (and pleasantly surprised) when Alia jumped in with her request - she asked to go to 'Lawrence Supermarket' (her words but what she meant was St. Lawrence Market downtown) for breakfast! Oh my goodness our kids are growing up to be foodies! Can't blame her. Who wouldn't want a nice croissant, strudel or mega muffin for breakfast!
Since we couldn't make it there this weekend, we decided to go to What a bagel and Starbucks for breakfast. We will go to St. Lawrence Market next Saturday morning for Alia's celebration breakfast of turnovers and molten lava muffins (but then she might surprise us by choosing something else)!!
Saturday morning, Kyra finally decided she wanted a Tim Horton's bagel belt as her treat! Ok.
Good Bye Chuckie Cheese! (phewf! Personally, I am glad!)
At suppertime, Eric asked the girls what special activity they wanted to do to celebrate the good report cards. Kyra had a hard time deciding on something other than Canada's Wonderland (which is closed for the winter)!!! We were caught off guard (and pleasantly surprised) when Alia jumped in with her request - she asked to go to 'Lawrence Supermarket' (her words but what she meant was St. Lawrence Market downtown) for breakfast! Oh my goodness our kids are growing up to be foodies! Can't blame her. Who wouldn't want a nice croissant, strudel or mega muffin for breakfast!
Since we couldn't make it there this weekend, we decided to go to What a bagel and Starbucks for breakfast. We will go to St. Lawrence Market next Saturday morning for Alia's celebration breakfast of turnovers and molten lava muffins (but then she might surprise us by choosing something else)!!
Saturday morning, Kyra finally decided she wanted a Tim Horton's bagel belt as her treat! Ok.
Good Bye Chuckie Cheese! (phewf! Personally, I am glad!)
Friday, February 4, 2011
Commuting Wisdom 1
I have started to take the bus to work. It's not a long commute: 15 - 20 minutes, 2 buses and 5 - 10 minute walk.
This morning the Rocket bus arrived first. The Rocket buses are express busses that only stop at major intersections. At the last second I decided to take it and then walk the block back to my normal stop. The difference is on corner of the shopping mall or the other. We are talking the width of the Zellers parking lot. I thought I was being smart and it would be faster than waiting for the regular bus. I was wrong.
While I was walking, I counted three other buses that would have stopped at my regular stop! The positive outcome is that I had an extra five minutes of exercise today.
The lesson learned: getting on the first bus will not always get you to your destination faster!
This morning the Rocket bus arrived first. The Rocket buses are express busses that only stop at major intersections. At the last second I decided to take it and then walk the block back to my normal stop. The difference is on corner of the shopping mall or the other. We are talking the width of the Zellers parking lot. I thought I was being smart and it would be faster than waiting for the regular bus. I was wrong.
While I was walking, I counted three other buses that would have stopped at my regular stop! The positive outcome is that I had an extra five minutes of exercise today.
The lesson learned: getting on the first bus will not always get you to your destination faster!
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