Our dining area and a secret new restaurant

Our new place in Sunnyvale is coming along and our dining area is ready!! It is decorated very neat with the wine/wine glass racks which are wedding gifts from our friends. Steven's Paris map looks very nice there because its frame color marches the candle holders which are also given as wedding gifts :)





The first dinner in the new dinning area was chicken roast in the clay pot. I cooked it with shiitake mushroom, renkon (lotus root), onion, garlic, and zucchini and it was FANTASTIC. The chicken was very juicy and aromatic and the lotus root was the surprisingly tasty. I want to try root vegetable dish in this clay pot next time.




"Yes, we would like an outside table, please. " Shhhh! This is a secret restaurant. The truth is.....leftover of this big dish were served as a lunch in the patio next day. :)

Our house is mess!!

We are in the midst of moving and a lot of boxes are all over in the house. We got these boxes and wrapping paper for free thanks to Craig's list and internet. Hope we can finish the moving this weekend. No food pictures this week because I packed kitchen stuff already and cannot cook :(



But we are going to see a soccer game (Japan National team VS US) tomorrow !!! I already checked out the Japanese players yesterday in the middle of work hour. Hee, hee, hee....Heard the US team is strong despite of the unpopularity of soccer here in US. Hmmmm, I want Japanese team to win....I will have Steven forget his nationality for a day and force him to cheer Japanese team.

My favorite player (GK), Kawaguchi kun.

Mamemaki

One of the seasonal events in Japan on Feb 3rd, Mamemaki. Wish shutting out the bad sprits from the house and bringing the good sprits in by throwing soybeans. We call out "Oni wa soto.(Demon, go out!)" when we throw some outside of the house and call out "Fuku wa uchi (Happiness, come in!) when throw some inside. After the throwing, you eat soybeans the same numbers as your age. We usually leave the beans thrown on the floor for a while but Steven picked them one by one right after. I am so lucky to have such a clean husband :):)