Harumi's Japanese Cooking

Very useful Japanese food recipe book for people who live overseas. Harumi Kurihara suggests to use basil to replace shiso, tahini or unsweetened peanut butter to replace sesame paste.

For dinner, I cooked "Warm Aubergine Salad", "French beans and Asparagus Chilli Style" and "Chicken Saute KariKari Style". First two vegetable dishes can be served "warm" (not hot), so no need to juggle many things before serving.

Pray for Japan

Sewing Machine

My sewing machine and overlocker are finally checked in for repair. It usually takes up to 2 weeks and I was going to rent one while waiting, but realized that additional $25 can make it "express repair". So my machine should be back on Monday. I have a day off on Tuesday !! I can devote whole day for sewing !!!

Helpless

I feel so helpless. My country is suffering so badly, all I can do here in Sydney is donation. I read that British Red Cross mentioned that the donation to Japanese Tsunami Appeal could be used for other humanitarian disasters in the UK. So I donated to Japanese Red Cross directly.　

My feeling never clears. I was going to have body massage and hair cut etc...but when I think of Japan, I think that I should save up those money for donation. Although donating money doesn't change my feeling...

The Rest in Noise

We went to Opera House today for some good music.

THE REST IS NOISE:

Takemitsu - Nostalghia

Britten - Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge

Stravinsky - Apotheosis (from Apollo)

Webern - Five Movements, Op.5

Xenakis - Voile

Strauss - Metamorphosen

Inside the hall. It's funky.

Earthquake in Japan

Thankfully all my family is fine. It's so scary though... Mum was shopping in the city, went into a nearest restaurant and went under the table. She needed to walk all the way from Ginza to Shinagawa to pick up my niece (her granddaughter) from day care, then walked back home with 3 years old. My sister was cleaning all the smashed wine glasses when I spoke to her. Dad was in tube (apparently tube is quite safe if not moving). Luckily it was stopped one station before his stop, so he walked home. Quite few of my friends are staying in their offices as there is no way to go home.

Thanks everyone for checking about my family in Tokyo !

Gold Bracelet

Beautiful bracelet from Satomi Kawakita Jewelry.

Did she read my mind ? This is exactly what I want !