Onigiriman's Lists

This is a collection of random weblogs written by Onigiriman reflecting his opinions and personality, his likes and dislikes. Any and all comments are welcome. All material is copyrighted. Reproduction without the express written permission of the author is prohibited.

Onigiriman's List of things

Monday, December 15, 2003

More about...ME...
Paiky says: too much information! information overload! AGGGGHHHHH!
Okay, maybe its too much, But here's the continuation with shorter answers... but remember, no one is forcing you to read all of it...

LAYER SIX: In the past month have you...
Drank alcohol: Duh....
Made Out: None of your business...
Gone on a date: With Musubi-chan
Gone to the mall?: Yeah! That's when I got the dent in my car...
Eaten an entire box of Oreos: Never.
Eaten sushi: Yeah, I had chirashi-zushi at Makoto in DC. It was pretty good, but not as good as the sushi at Sushi Gen in LA. Tell Toyo, the proprietor, I said "hi".
Been on stage: No way...
Been dumped: Not really.
Gone skating: Nope
Gone skinny dipping: Hahahahaha. I wouldn't dare.
Dyed your hair: I live as God made me. I'd never put markings on my body--like tatoos--or extra holes for rings, either. I think God gave me just the right number of holes, and all are functional...
Stolen anything: Gulp...

LAYER SEVEN: Ever...
Played a game that required removal of clothing: I think almost everyone has played strip poker, no? If you haven't, then you should. Or eve better is Yakyu ken. Hahahaha!
Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: Well, YEAH!
Been caught "doing something": I'm not sure i understand this quesiton.
Been called a tease: I wish...
Gotten beaten up: So many times, I coulnd tell you ...
Shoplifted: Gulp...

LAYER EIGHT: Getting Older
Age you hope to be married: Been married, twice.
Numbers and Names of Children: One daughter, no names, please...
Describe your dream wedding: A private ceremony with only the essential people in attendance.
How do you want to die: Quickly.
What do you want to be when you grow up: You mean grow up even more? I wanna be known for helping others.
What country would you most like to visit: Right now, Japan, so i could see my daughter...

LAYER NINE: In a girl
Best eye color?: Brown.
Best hair color?: Dark Brown or black
Short or long hair: Long
Height: Shorter than me, okay?
Best first date location: Sushi Gen... Good sushi is always a turn on...

LAYER TEN: In The Numbers...
Number of people I could trust with my life: Two, maybe four...
Number of CD's I own: Not sure, 200? I used to own more than 500 albums. For you youngins, its that black vinyl disc with grooves in it.
Number of piercings: Zero
Number of tattoos: Zero
Number of times my name has appeared in the Newspaper: Four times?
Number of things in my past that I regret: Too many and not enough...

Sunday, December 14, 2003

A list about my favorite subject...ME...
But first about the car: Some have remarked that it looks completely different. Well its the lighting, the first photo was taken on a sunny snowy day. The second on an overcast day. But they are definitely the same car. And for the record its a dark green. CaptGaijin (I didn't know you still read this site) questioned my driving ability. True, my eye situation is not really condusive for driving, but I have been doing it for so long that I can do fairly well even in unfamiliar areas.

Anyway, I haven't done a list lately, and since I've received a couple of e-mails lately asking me about info about ME, so here;s another one--although I'd be the first to admit that I am amazed that there'd be anyone who'd want to know more about a pudgy over-the-hill geezer... Anyway, I found this list on Consummate_Leah's site and stole it. Thanks, Leah.

LAYER ONE: On The Outside
Name: Onigiriman, um, the pic on the right is current, the one on the far right is 8 years and 20 (!) lbs. lighter ago.
Birth date: 12/15/1955, which would make me 48 tomorrow...
Birth place: LA
Current Location: VA
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Black, but really dark brown if you look REAL closely
Height: 5'5.5" on a good day... a REALLY good day. I used to be 5'7" but that was before I started shrinking.
Righty or Lefty: Righty
Zodiac Sign: Sagitarius, Ram (Chinese zodiac)

LAYER TWO: On The Inside
Your heritage: Japanese
Shoes you wore today: Skechers; I kinda of like them, they fit my feet very well.
Your weakness: Musubi-chan, beer, any kind of chips, chewy Spree, Tropical Skittles, dark chocolate, pop corn, potato salad, bacon-mushroom-swiss cheese burger. Is there a pattern here? I fail to see any veggies... No wait, I have a weakness for asparagus and spinach. But no fruits, and certainly no dairy products.
Your fears: Being unable to support my family
Your perfect pizza: There is not such thing to a lactose intolerant slob such as me. A cheeseless pizza, you say? I've tried one, and that's far--way far--from perfect.
Goal you'd like to achieve: Stop procrastinating and get my work done. Gotta publish. It's actually mostly written, all I have to do is put the chapters together... This relates to "Your Fears"....

LAYER THREE: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
Your most overused phrase on AIM: Hahahahaahah.
Your thoughts first waking up: I'm screwed. See above.
Your best physical feature: This is a toughy, even for a narcissistic punk like me. Well, I know its not this six-pack of a stomach I have; as in a six-pack of lumpy soft dinner rolls. Yuck. Anyway, many of you have seen me or my photo. Maybe you can tell me what my "best physical feature" is... Woah, don't all rush to click on the "add comments" link at once now... (Actually, to ask you to tell me is pretty narcissistic; maybe even more so, no? Haha, but tell me anyway...)
Your bedtime: Anytime between 2AM and 6AM.
Your most missed memory: Just being with my mom and my daughter.

LAYER FOUR: Your Pick
Pepsi or Coke: Coke--diet, caffeine-free Coke.
McDonald's or Burger King: Well, they're both pretty bad, but I would have to say Wendy's bacon burger.
Single or group dates: Definitely single. More romantic... and controllable.
Adidas or Nike: Adidas Superstar Hi-tops. I love these shoes. I would never wear Nike. Why would I wear shoes that advertise a millionaire--Michael Jordan jumping with legs spread? In fact, why would anyone wear clothes that advertised the maker? I never wear Ralph Lauren Polo, Tomy Hilfiger. I would never use a Louis Vitton or Gucci. Why would anyone wanna wear something that said GAP or *gasp* fcuk? Will someone shoot the genioius who thought up that name? These companies would have to pay me. Why would anyone wanna be someone's billboard sherpa for free? Now a distinct design is good. It shows originality and imagination. Go Adidas.
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: I flipped a coin and it was Lipton.
Chocolate or vanilla: CHOCOLATE! Dark, bitter chocolate. No milk choco for me...
Cappuccino or coffee: Coffee, black. And lots of it.

LAYER FIVE: Do You?
Smoke: No, but I used to. I've been smokeless for 3 years. Read "Addictions" in an earlier post below.
Cuss: Not as much as I used to. I used to sound like the proverbial truck driver. I worked at a factory and cussing was de rigour for "guys". I go back to visit occasionally and think, "Did I actually talk like this?" I mean, fuckin' A. Damn straight I did. Every fuckin' word out of my fuckin' mouth was modified by a bitchin' expletive. If I didn't utter a fuckn' "bleepity bleep" at least once every mother fuckin' sentence, I woulda shit in my pants and felt like a dickless wonder. And in case you are wondering, yes, I actually did use to talk just like that. Can you imagine? (O_o) Dayum. I musta been one stupid fuck with shit for brains.
Sing: Yeah, I love to sing. I once won a contest and got a free trip to Japan. Not that I was any good, the competition was bad. Hahaha. Re: NLUTE in the JA Journal for more detail.
Take a shower everyday: Um... no. I mean I shower, when I go out--to work, dinner, play--or when guests come over or when I do extraordinarily dirty work around the house. But in the spirit of full disclosure, I must admit that I don't shower when I'm just hanging around the house, much to the chagrin of Musubi-chan. She always tells me how long its been: Bless him father for he has sinned, it has been X days and Y hours since his last shower... Is this honesty thing getting outa hand?
Have a crush(es): HAD. More than once, twice, three times a la.... oops. sorry. Didn't we all have crushes? Usually with older women? No wait, I forgot that the cool people never had crushes. *rolls eyes*
Think you've been in love: I know I've been in love, and still am. I used to think that love was something concocted by authors and artists who wrote about them in stories, movies or songs. Well, I learned different when I met Musubi-chan. Okay, laugh if you want. but its true. Really corny, but true.
Like(d) high school: No, did not. But I liked my high school years 16-18: that's "years-old", NOT 1916-18, dummy. (talking to my imaginary blogger friend). This was when I was in a band. Re: NLUTE. Photo is when I was 18 back in 1974...
Want to get married: Done it twice... But the second is the winner.
Believe in yourself: Used to... lately? hmmm....
Get motion sickness: Nah, not really, except on the ride Free Fall. That made me pretty woozy. Does that count?
Think you're attractive: Yes, but for different reasons that the "Physical feature" above. At 5'5.5" and nearing 50, I am not what you would consider "a specimen". But I think if once engaged in conversation, I can make myself attractive on different levels. Unfortunately for me, it has often turned out that height does matter to many women. "Oh, the guy must be two inches taller than me" (where do they come up with figures like that?) or "I would never go out with someone shorter than me." And they say men are shallow. Geez, at least we admit it...
Think you're a health freak: No. I believe health is important. I run when I can, and lift weights to keep up muscle mass, but I consume potato chips and beer witout regard to caloric intake. Re: "Weakness" above.
Get along with your parents: Yes.
Like thunderstorms: No, thunder and lightening frighten me. It's the things you can't control that scare me. In LA, there weren't many storms. In Japan neither. But here in Virginia, they have some monster thunder storms. And it pours like it's nobody's business. Speaking of which, it is 4:45AM and there's about 3 inches of new snow outside...
Play an instrument: Hmmm... I played the piano in a band, but I played by ear then. I never took a lessons until later. I always wanted to play in a piano recital, so I practiced my brains out for two years and finally got the opportunity to play in a recital--Old Black Magic: Oscar Peterson arrangement. I got good reviews from the audience and my teacher. Satisfied, I retired. I also took violin lessons for a couple of years, but if I played one now, it would sound like a cat screaming. I can play a few chords on a guitar, but then who can't do that?

Cont'd tomorrow

Sunday, September 21, 2003

: I'm Hungry :
Damn! Nafarious and her discussion of mayonaise and fried foods; and Takunishi talking about tomato sauce got me thinking too. Let's see, 5 cloves of garlic, sauted, with sweet Italian sausage; add diced onion and freen pepper, mushroom and olives, add two tins of whol tomatos, a wine glass of merlot and lots of Italian seasoning, some salt and pepper and bay leaves.... simmer for at least two hours. Serve with linguine. I love to eat... so let ask a question. If you died and went to heaven--or hell, depending on your perspective--and the proprietor of the joint told you to choose one cuisine to eat for the rest of eternity, what would it be? My candidates in no particular order:

Japanese: Sushi, sushi, sushi. Need I say more? I also love tempura, although this is almost cheating since tempura really originated from Portuguese. But the source and relationship is now so vague that I guess we can call it "Japanese". I also love tofu, soba noodles and nimono (roots boiled?). I am not a fan of udon--usually too soft, with no "koshi" (al dente). And while I love yakizakana (grilled salted fish), I'm not sure if I could eat that with dried seaweed, miso soup, pickled radish EVERY morning for breakfast. I guess I'm too Americanized.
Chinese: It uses all kinds of meats, seafood, vegetables. The range is wide: steamed fish and Peking duck on one side to gyoza and ramen on the other. I mean, really, what self-respecting Asian guy would disagree? Drink? Laochu is one of my favorites, along with Tsing Tao. For morning, the okayu (rice porridge) is rather tasty, and I can certainly live with daily afternoon dim sum. On the down-side, it could be too fattening. They use a lot of oil.
Italian: I also love pasta--espepcially linguine and penne. Tomato sauce is a good source of lycopene. And I just plain love tomatoes. Like Chinese, it uses a wide range of meat and seafoods. And remember, Italian isn't only about pasta. Eggplant parmiagian (sp?) is wonderful. Italian antipasti, like hams, saugages, grilled and pickled vegetables, are incredibly delectable. And, of course, the king of football foods: Pizza! And don't hold the anchovies...
American: Steak and potatoes, Big Mac and fries, bacon and eggs and pancakes and biscuits and gravy. Can you spell: Haert atactk? Of course, pizza and gyoza are no slouches in the coronary attack department, but if I'm gonna go, how about a little pizzaz? Huh? I just notices... are these words--pizza and pizzaz--related?
Thai: I love Thai curry, and the dishes. They are in variety similar to Chinese, except with a kick to it--although Shisen also has a kick to it--and "exotic" ingredients such as lemon grass and coconut milk. When I go eat Thai, I alway order their whole fish dish. Mmmm. And Padtai (sp?) to sate my pasta craving.
Korean: Another winner. Many of the dishes are similar to Japanese--noodles, sushi, nabemono (soup/stew?)--but what separates Korean food would be their inclusion of MEAT. Korean BBQ? Man, is that good or what! Of course there is the cold noodles in summer and on of my all time favorites stone-bowl bibimbap (sp?). This has the namul (sp?) and raw egg on hot rice that is placed in a HOT stone or cast iron bowl. The top is cool, the inside is hot, and the rice that lines the bowl becomes crunchy/crispy! If ever there was a reason to introduce a Nobel prize for food, this would be it. And don't forget kimchee, particularly kakuteki (kimchee radish, gakdukki? I apologize to my Korean readers, I could never transliterate Korean). On the downside, Korean sushi is okay, and I certainly prefere Japanese takuan (pickled radish) and soba to the Korean version.
Mexican: Almost forgot. The confort food I was raised on. Burritos? Get a Hollenbeck at Manuals. Tacos? An al-Pasteur at King Taco. Refried beans? I'm kinda glad most people don't eat it, cuz I usually eat it for them. And I could eat tamales all day long. Guacamole? Is there a person on this earth who doesn't like it? Unfortunately, while seafood dishes exist--fish tacos don't count--they are not eye popping.

And the winner is.... Hmm, either Chinese or Italian, I think. Its hard to choose between the two. To be honest, of all the choices above, I think Japanese or Thai--although both good--would come in last. Ramen is Chinese, so is gyoza. Thai flavors explode in the mouth, so I could tire of this after a while. Japanese food--real Japanese food--is very subtle and for me can get boring at times--yes, I crave sushi and soba and tofu. But that's because I don't eat it everyday--remember, the deal is you have to eat one cuisine everyday for eternity. And yes, you read correctly, I don't think I could eat sushi everyday... Does this mean I have to turn in my degrees in Japanese?

Ha! It's precisely this kind of post above--and probably the hurricane updates below--that convinced some to unsubscribe to my Xanga. Not that I blame them, of course. My entries tend to be long winded, and often devoid of content. As many of you know, there are a number of Xanga sites that are sexually explicit. Yes, I read them sometimes, 'cause they can be pretty funny; and while I might be a "sensei", I am not a prude. But I guess some people thought I would write some explicit things as well, since I have made a few comments on some of these sites. But I don't, so perhaps that is why they unsubscribed. Mostly, the reason why I don't write stuff like that is because I'm too old, and the things I did would be pass� for most of you out there... No wait, that's not the real reason. It's because I don't want to offend anyone... Um, that's not really it either. I guess its just plain embarrasing since I am not really very anonymous on this site. Too many people know me. Now, if I had a truly anonymous site... hehehe...

Sunday, September 14, 2003

: About Me :
Who gives a sh*t, right?!? Well, I do. So here's a few things about me that you may not know even if you've faithfully read the installments of "Not Living Up To Expectations":

I am lactose intolerant. I never eat milk chocolate. But I do like dark chocolate. In fact, I'm addicted.
I grade papers on the train to and from work. Its the best way to kill travel time. Besides, when I get sleepy--or actually fall asleep--on the Metro, I find that I am a fast but easy grader... good for my kids.
I like dark chocolate.
I like Mexican/south-of-the-border food, and am disappointed that there are no good places in the DC area at reasonable prices. My gawd, the best place is--get this--Chevy's. I mean, Chevy's would even make it on my top 20 list in SoCal. I went to a place in Vienna called Anita's that advertised itself as the most authentic Mexican food in NoVa, and ordered a Hollenbeck. The cheese that was melted on top of it tasted like CheezWhiz... Yeah, real authentic. If you're in LA, go to El Tepeyac--the locals call it Manuel's, the owner's name--on Evergreen in East LA. If you go at night go with 4-5 guys, cuz it kinda scary, but its the best food for the best price! They have a branch in San Gabriel, but its not the same. Go to the original--crap, I can talk about food forevah!
I use single ply instead of double ply toilet paper. No Charmin for me, it runs out too quickly. And my butt will live even without its gentle caresses.
Nasonex over Flonase. Only people with hay fever will know what these are. hahahah.... why am I laughing?
Okay, just came back from shopping... Musubi-chan wanted to get a drink and I ended up having 8 pints as I watched the Carolina Panthers (Bruins) beat the Bucs in overtime--sorry Hanzo, but I gotta root for a team that stocks itself with UCLA Bruins. Anyway, my head is light... what the heck am I gonna teach class tomorrow? Anyway, the Dude Hamamoto said that King Tacos in East LA rules, and he is right to a degree... They serve a El Pastuer at King Taco that they don't have at El Tepeyac and it is friggin good--of course you have to be an Eastsider to appreciate it, and as all my faithful readers know, I am a dyed-in-the-wool LA Eastsider. BUT El Tepeyac is the king, King Taco comes in at a very close third! hahahaha What's second? You ELAC cholos chime in and guess what it is.
I love all kinds of music everything from classical to hard rock... For me, there is no "genre" to like or dislike--ok, maybe disco--but there is good and bad in EVERYTHING. I'm a Mozart and Beethoven fan, could care less about most of Bach. I enjoy McCoy Tyner, Ron Carter, Miles Davis, Noel Pointer, Maynard Ferguson, Stan Getz and lots of other jazz, but I can do without Chick Corea. I'm a Beatles fan, but only between Help and Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band--before and after I can do without (Long and Winding Road? Hey Jude? Boooooooooring). I am really into people who challenge the music scene with something that is new AND innovative... Of course this is only my opinion.
Old Fogey? Yeah, but I listen to new stuff too, although it is influenced by my love for REAL rock and roll. I listen to mainstream people like Dave Mathews--who else has a violinist and a saxophonist in his band--I listen to new/different/marginal folks like Fuel, Nine Days and DC Talk (Christ! Christian music?!?).
I am stuck on Sketchers shoes lately. In fact, almost every pair I wear--from athletic shoes to dress--is Sketchers.
I wear briefs, not boxers. There's something about it just hanging there, y'know what I mean?
Man, can you tell I''ve been drinking? I'll talk about ANYTHING, like: FAVORITE SEX POSITIONS! Just kidding. I think my kids would faint if I wrote something like "missionary" or "doggey-style". Indeed, they would croak if I wrote what I REALLY did, and Musubi-chan would kill me. Does anyone know the scissors? hahahaha, just kidding, again. No letters, please....
I love potatoes. When I was courting Musubi-chan, she mentioned my love of potatoes... No, you pervert! Not to use but to eat! Everytime we went to an Izakaya (pub) in Japan, I would order at least on potato dish. Never occured to me until she mentioned it, but I guess I really like potatoes.
Medically and physically, I suck wind. I have a scar on my right cornea which prevents me from seeing in 3D. You guys who can see normally, appreciate what you have. When something jumps off the screen from a 3D movie and your the only one who doesn't flinch... well that's pretty pathetic.
I exercise semi-regularly, which is to say I exercise regularly when I exercise--15 miles running a week--but when I slack off I do nothing, like for the last 5 weeks. My excuse: School started and I was busy... Okay, pathetic excuse, and I'm paying for it, 6 lbs. worth... Crap!
I am a caffeine-holic but cannot take it... Yeah, whadda wuss. Any coffee after 2PM and I can't go to sleep. But I drink it anyway, and regret it the next day. I'm so sleepy from lack of sleep, I have to drink coffee again, and then I can't go to sleep again, and the cycle repeats itself... Pathetic.
I was raised a Republican but am now a Democrat... with many caveats. I am pretty left leaning with regard to social issues, but I am middling to right on economic matters. Tax cuts? I'm all for them, but only to a degree... there are many issues that must be addressed and can only be fixed through the taxes we pay... this is really tough. I think we need an Asian politician to represent this very REAL and reasonable middle ground--hehe, actually it's the middle I perceive so everyon else can disagree. But I nominate Nefarious_hatter...

Almost 12 midnight (EST): Time for this Cinderella to hang it up. Further lists coming...

Sunday, August 17, 2003

Weekend Report Good mooohning! [-Like Mr. Wicky-] Not much doing this weekend... except for the sports bar Friday night, it has been pretty quiet... Except for last night's dream... I wonder if it's because our plumbing had been giving us problems recently or if I had serious potty training problems as a child... but I better not go into too much detail, otherwise more than a few may stop coming by to visit...

Putting Things In Order One of the interesting things I've noticed on Xanga--before it went down--is that there are a number of people who make lists. I have taken up this practice, too, because I've come to think that it helps arrange your thoughts and priorities--even if its just food or movies. I stole this Alphabetical list from dAnxdAn, with a few minor alterations. Hope you don't mind Dan...

AGE: 47
BESTFRIEND: Musubi-chan and my TV
CHURCH: My own heart
DREAM DATE: Musubi-chan (What else am I gonna write?)
EXCITEMENT: Going to a restaurant with a great rep for the first time; beginning of college football season
FOOD: Favorite: Bacon swiss-cheese burger with avocado and sauteed mushrooms, and a side order of onion rings and/or chili fries; Dislikes: Sea urchin, sea cucumber, soggy udon.
GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Getting a Ph.D.
HAPPIEST DAY IN LIFE: The day my daughter was born
INTERESTS: UCLA Football
JAPANESE FAVORITE: An autumn night in Shinjuku about 9PM right after a rain, when all the neon lights look brighter and reflect colorfully off the pavement, total urban cool.
KOOL AID: Peace Corp, Red Cross
LOVE: Musubi-chan (What else am I gonna write? UCLA Football?)
MONEY: Never enough...
NICK NAME: Onigiriman (duh!), sensei...
OUTFIT U WORE TO SCHOOL: White shirt and navy bow tie, with salt-and-pepper corduroy pants
PRESENT I WANT: 32" HDTV in time for football season to watch UCLA (are any of my kids rich and famous yet?)
QUESTION ASKEd TO U THE MOST: How old are you?
RADIO STATION: Used to be KRTH 101-LA, oldies music, as I am a child of the 60s--which, by the way, RULES... Nothing today would exist without the 60s...
SPORT: Passive: college football; Active: running (approx. 15 miles a week, except last week) and weight training, but I'm a light wieight...

With IS, my first Westside girlfriend, on the SW corner of 1st and San Pedro in LA. Check out the pants! ca. 1973
TELEVISION SHOWS: Current: CSI; Reruns: ST:TNG
UR #1 FAVORITE SONG: All Along the Watchtower... Now playing... There is no song that even comes close to this classic... Written by Bob Dylan, and performed by Jimi Hendricks, an unbeatable duo...
VALUABLES: Musubi-chan (What else am... ah, forget it)
WHERE YOU LIVE: DC suburbs in VA.
XTRA INFO: Have a scar on my cornea, and therefore am sensitive to light, have no depth perception and had to give up major sports like baseball, basketball, ping pong--not that I woulda been drafted or anything...
YEAR BORN: 1955, 30th year of Showa
ZODIAC SIGN: Astrology: Sagitarius; Chinese calendar: Ram, which is this year...

Monday, August 04, 2003

Top Ten Japanese Eats--Response:
Amazing... You talk about food and everyone chimes in... which is always a good thing.

To Masumi: The umeboshi at Umehachi is Kishu ume. But its the preparation, man. I swear, everyone who reads me and likes umeboshi has got to try this at least once in their life. It really is good. She also asked if I like tofu, and the answer is an unqualified yes! I eat tofu all the time, and pretty decent tofu is available here, so its nothing that I really crave for when I go to Japan. I eat it cold (yakko), hot (yudofu), fried (age-dashi), and as well as prepared in other dishes. I make a mean butadofu (pork and tofu), but my specialty is tofu pomodoro: tofu cooked on a grittle then covered in sauce of fresh tomato, mushroom, onions and parsley, topped with fresh basil when served. Mmmmm. It's kinda like Giappone nuovo. I got the recipe from Taiyo Sankan, soccer crazy pub in Hachioji. I told the master that I was returning to the US and would never have the chance to eat his tofu again, and so he gave me the recipe. What a guy!

Some may have wondered why sushi was not on the list. That's easy. First, sushi itself is a broad category, I love madai, but do not eat uni (sea urchin) and hate hoya (sea pineapple--yuck). I also don't particularly crave shell fish. Clams? Better with linguine. Oysters? Fried is best. Crab? I love crab cakes. Ama-ebi? Shrimp is for tempura... Just give me the raw fish. Takunishi79 commented that he ate sanma sashimi yesterday! Your profile says you live in Georgia. Where did you eat the sanma sashimi? In your dreams? If your for real, you should share the love, dude...

And as tak79 and those_days pointed out, Mos Burger is overpriced. And many may not prefer its taste, but I think it's just different enough to make it worth it. But Kai, burger to burger, In'NOut wins hands down (but it doesn't beat Astro Burger). Like I said, I'm probably just weird... Besides, at #1 I figure it was good for a laugh!

Clarification: Yes, gurlekka, I have kids, and yes, dorkus_maximus, they are about your age... BUT, they are about your age EVERY year. They never seem to grow up because when I wrote, "my kids", I meant, "my students" and evey year, they're around 20-22 years old. Year in and year out, it seems like I'm the only one getting older... By the way, I do have a daughter (real one, my own) who is living with her mother in Japan. She's 16. I have one stepson here in DC and two more in Japan, all three from my current marriage: 21-25 in age. AND--are you guys sitting down?--I also have two grandkids in Japan with another coming soon. Yes, Onigiriman is a ????? (grandpa)... although they call me ??????? (driver), since they only know me as the guy who picks 'em up at the airport...

Pretty busy today: full schedule--son's interview, departmental meeting, class, grading midterms--ugh! But I'll return to the story as soon as possible. I gotta do some research!

Sunday, August 03, 2003

Top Ten Eats...
I Love food. Ask my kids. I can't stop talking about it sometimes. I was going to list my ten favorite foods, but realized that the category was to broad. So I paired it down to foods I like to eat when I'm in Japan. So this is my Top Ten...

10. Umeboshi (salted plum) is generally okay--inside onigiri, with chazuke. But there is one umeboshi that is good enough to make me look forward to it when i go to Japan: Umehachi. This company has two branches in Tokyo that I know of, Kunitachi and Hachioji. YOu can also order online. the one to eat is called Godai Ume. It's sweet and more like okashi (confection) rather than a salted condiment. But its pricey.
9. Kamasu/sanma: Kamasu is translated as "barracuda" in the dictionary, but I'm not sure that's right. It's much small than what we might imagine as barracuda. Anyway, salted and hiraki (opened as if butterflied) is a great fish to broil. Its great with rice or sake. Kamasu is hard to find in the US, unless you're on the west coast or New York. Sanam is equallyu delectable, particularly in September and October shen you can eat really fresh sanma. I'm not sure why this particualr season, but when you broil it, you can eat the innards as well and it almost has a sweet taste to it. this is the only season you can eat it as sashimi as well. I used to make a day trip to Shiogama in Miyagi Prefecture every year just to eat it. It's THAT good. If you go, and they serve it with a kind of miso, ask for it on the side. Note that the sanma they catch in Chiba (I think in Choshi) is not the same as the sanma they catch up north in Miyagi. There is a noticeable difference in taste.
8. Tonkatsu is a favorite of many, and there are many good places. I just make sure that I go to a place that is not too cheap and has good customer turn over. I've been to places that are cheap when I was a student and paid the pirce later. I learned the hard way that there is a chance of the oil being old, and that'll make you sick if you're sensitive. There is a good place in Tama City, Tokyo, near Nagayama Station (Keio Line) called Ume~ya. I know, the name sounds corny, but the preparation is solid, the tonkatsu sauce is a family secret--so they say--and you get to grind your own sesame seeds. Of course the shredded cabbage is all-you-can-eat.
7. Tempura is truly one of the finest in Japanese cuisine, although it's allegedly Portuguese in origin. Shrimp and vegetable tempura is certainly good, but when available, I eat anago (sea eel) tempura. It comes out so soft and fluffy! Oh gawd, I'm drooling right now even as I recall its succulent texture and taste..... Aaaargh! Tabetai!
6. Soba can be found anywhere in Japan, and there are many good places. But if I had to go to only one, it would Sarashina Jingoro in Kunitachi, Tokyo. They use Shinshu soba and it is always al dente. The best dish is the Tanuki soba. This is different from most--usually Tanuki soba is just the deep-fried batter used for tempura. Here the topping a Kakiage--a mix of vegetables and seafood deep fried in batter--and it comes out so hot, I have to wait a few minutes for it to cool down. So I usually have to dig down beneath it to start to eat the soba first--don't want to let it get soggy. Note: This shop is south of the station. Do not go to the Sarashina north of Kunitachi station.
5. Okonomiyaki, for those who don't know, a dish with shredded cabbage mixed with a flour batter and cooked on a grittle. It also contains other vegetables and meats. There are two competing styles of okonimiyaki, regular, which is associated with Kansai, and Hiroshima-style--I once referred to it as Kansai-style and was scolded by a Kansai person, "Okomiyaki was created in Kansai, so that name itself already implies Kansai. Kansai-style would be repetitious." Excuuuuse me. I digress... MY peronsal choice, however, is Hiroshima-style. The "original" okonomiyaki mixes the batter with the other ingredients. In Hiroshima style the batter is thinly spread on the grittle like a crepe and the cabbage, bean sporuts, green onions, pork slice, octopus and other things are mounted on top, then flipped over. There is less batter and hence less filling. While the best place to eat it is in Hiroshima (duh!), you can get a good one in Tokyo. There are a number at the Shimo-Kitazawa station of the Inokashira Line, but the closest to the real deal is Otafuku. Leave the exit directly from the Inokashira platform and turn right. Fortunately, I can make this at home, which I do for my kids who study Classicla Japanese... they deserve a break...
4. Tora Mangen is a Chinese restaurant and perhaps doesn't belong on this list, but it is the best Chinese food for any price (except Hong Kong Flower Garden--the original store--in Milbrae, CA). Tora Mangen is so good and became so popular that there is a chain of restaurants with similar but different names around the San Tama region (Hachioji, Tama, Machida area). By Japanese standards, it is inexpensive and the food is first rate... The Yakisoba is to die for, and the Nira Manju is scrumptuous. <sigh!> The main store is on a small street two blocks west of Hachioji Station on the Keio Line.
3. Ramen is ramen? Well kinda. I konw people who swear by the instant Chikin Ramen, but I suspect its mostly out of nostalgia. The best ramen I've ever eaten was at a place called Bannai, in Kitakata City, in Fukushima. It is a journey to get there, but if you ever find yourself near Aizu Wakamatsu, then its not too far. My dad is from this small city, which is why I know about it, so you may say, "Big deal, every town has their favorite ramen shop." But this is truly exceptional ramen. To give you an idea as to how good it is, they have tour buses from Tokyo lined up outside from 10 in the morning. Honest. the best, naturally, is shoyu ramen. I rarely eat any other style anyway. I stick to the basics. Of course, when I feel the carnivore, I eat the Chashu ramen, and the negi ramen is also good. Bannai's popularity has grown and they now have shops in other cities, including a number in Tokyo, but they are not as good. Apparently, they get their soups stock concentrated from the original store, and they dilute it with local water, so the difference must be in the water. Kitakata makes good sake as well, so you know the water is good.
2. Madai or tile fish? Whatever, its the best fish on the planet, particularly, sashimi. It is best in the cold months when they are a bit more fatty. I could eat it forever. If there is leftover--a very rare case--I pour shoyu over it and keep in the fridge until the next morning and eat it for breakfast: tai chazuke (tea over white rice). I'm usually in a good mood all day. the best place to get tai at a reasonble price is in the asement of Keio Dept. Store in Shinjuku AFTER 6pm. Everything goes on sale. But beware of the Obatarians (pushy middle-aged ladies), they are very aggressive. But I'm an ojitarian (male counterpart), so I just kinda push back... haha...
1. Mos Burger. I know you are probably laughing now, but this is the one thing--well, Tora Mangen, too--on this list that is impossible to get in the US. The other things, you can get in some shpae or form in varying degrees of quality, but a Mos Burger cannot be had. The filler in the burger... mmmm, how Japanese. The thick slice of tomato... they're secret sauce... This is the first thing I eat when I get to Japan, every trip. Okay, so I'm wierd, so sue me!

Sunday, July 27, 2003

My All-time Top 10 Movies
1. Tampopo (1985)--Best postmodern film; I have seen this movie at least 20 times and everytime I find something I didn't notice before, EVERYTIME.
2. Casablanca (1942)--Cynical, realistic, patriotic, all in one! And Bogart and Bergman to boot.
3. Pulp Fiction (1994)--Thoughtfully violent, violently thoughtful; best film for Jackson and Travolta.
4. Patton (1970)--The classic war movie, George C. Scott rocks.
5. The Sound of Music (1965)--don't laugh, Julie Andrews has a great voice, and I like musicals.
6. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)--best movie about race (sorry Spike), Gregory Peck's best flick.
7. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)--best Stephen King adaptation, and best never-say-die message.
8. Field of Dreams (1989)--I like baseball and corn; only drawback is that the character Terence Mann is really J.D. Salinger (Catcher in the Rye, as if you didn't know) in the novel Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella.
9. Godzilla (1954)/Them (1954) --tie. Both are great anti-nuclear bomb films; Godzilla attacks Tokyo, giant ants take on LA.
10. White Christmas (1954)--Did I mention I like musicals and corn?

Breakdown: By Era: 90s-2, 80s-2, 70s-1, 60s-2, 50s-2, 40s-1 (pretty good distribution). Print: Color-7, B/W-3 (not bad given the time frame). Genre: Drama-6, comedy-0, musical-2, foreign-1, science fiction-1 (I'm counting Godizilla and Them as one;). Although Tampopo and White Christmas may be considered comedies, they are commonly categorized as I have done it. Some comedies rate as "great"--"Some Like it Hot" being the best example--they just didn't make the top ten.

I mentioned in the previous post the site for movielens where participants rank movies from 1 (awful) to 3 (ok) to 5 (must see). Not that it matters to anyone, but I thought i'd lay down my basic guidelines.
1 is for movies that I hate with a passion, like Spaceballs (or any Mel Brooks movie from History of the World on) and Disney's Aristocats for spreading their racial profiling techniques to young children through cats.
2 is for movies that are I regret seeing. These include predictable stinkers like Jaws 2, Aliens 3, Rocky IV, Star Trek VI and most other sequels, as well as some that many would find good, but I found unintersting to me, such as Pretty in Pink (inane 80s fluff), the Shining (bad Stephen King adaptation), Mars Attack (just stupid), and Pretty Women (I am not a Julia Roberts fan).
3 is the rank I give to most movies. They were ok. I saw them, I have no major complaints: from Cool Hand Luke to Ramancing the Stone to Training Days. But none of these movies I would not see again, unless I was completely bored or under threat of death--which are pretty muchthe same to me, but it has to be on TV, I will not rent the video.
4 is the rank I give to movies that I would see again. It had to somehow pique my interest in any of many different ways, such as the gender-bender Victor/Victoria (Julie Andrews), the pathos through science fiction/horro in Edward Scissorhands, the action of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the adrenalin rush of Aahnolds best flick, The Predator (better than T1 and T2 combined). I will see them on TV or even rent the video.
5 is for the classics, and these I will see over and over, so much so that I will even buy the DVD, although I don't have all of them yet. These include the titles above but also others such as Close Encounter of the Third Kind and The Day the Earth Stoo Still (intelligent use of special effects), Beauty and the Beast (first movie to bring teard in my adult eyes), the Natural (baseball, good adaptation of Mullamad), Jaws (first movie to scare me without using supernatural beings), Bonnie and Clyde (for being 60s cool), and Roman Holiday (for teaching me never to take myself too seriously). And if you're wondering there are a few J flicks on this list as well, incuding Seven Samurai, Ballad of Narayama (with Ogata Ken), Ran, and Woman in the Dunes.