Often seen in Asian retail shops and restaurants near the cashier, the Japanese maneki neko, is the cute little sitting cat figurine with one paw beckoning forward. Maneki means to beckon and neko is cat. Today, it’s seen as a symbol that brings good fortune. Some say if the right paw is raised, it means …
photo by Stephane D’Alu Zen Buddhism was introduced to Japan by a Japanese monk traveling back from China during the 12th Century. Since then, Zen teachings have become deeply engrained in Japanese life and culture. Ikebana (art of flower arrangement), chado (way of tea), and martial arts are a few examples of how Zen Buddhism …
Okay, please forgive me but this isn’t an Asian dish, but an Arab dip. Living in Kuwait for over four years, I was addicted to this eggplant dip called mutabal. I’m not really sure what the correct spelling is, but that’s what it sounds like. I also really miss the chicken shwarma but I can’t …
Here in Seattle we’ve had some pretty nasty weather the last week; snow, freezing rain, wind storm and just plain cold. It was so bad that they closed the airport temporarily, tens of thousands lost power, and there were a ton of accidents. Many from the East Coast think we are pathetic because we can’t …
At the start of the Asian New Year, there are many feng shui practitioners and Asian astrologers who make predictions for the coming year; some call them feng shui predictions. From my studies, feng shui is about living in harmony with nature, so how can one make predictions? They should really call them Chinese Astrological …
Creating Fear by Manipulating Feng Shui Symbolism Read More »
Recently, I’ve noticed more and more people are interested in rice. Maybe it’s the new trend because so many people are becoming gluten intolerant. Rice is so versatile that I am really taking another look at this staple ingredient. In general, our family tends to stick to basic white rice. But, recently I’ve been trying …
On Saturday, Eddie Horikawa, my friend who is 91 years old and my ikebana teacher’s husband, was honored with ninety other Nisei veterans and received the Congressional Gold Medal for their WWII service. Nisei, are second generation Japanese American; those born in the United States to Japanese immigrant parents. It was an honor to see …
Instead of shopping for art for your walls, why not create your own. As I was spring cleaning and changing our calendars to 2012, I was feeling that it was a shame to throw away some of the beautiful black and white photos of famous architecture from around the world. So, before I threw them …
Here in Seattle there is a controversial issue regarding plastic shopping bags. The local environmentalists want to ban these bags from supermarkets, retail and convenience stores and charge 5 cents for paper shopping bags. You can read more about this issue in the Seattle Times article by clicking here. I understand that “plastic” just doesn’t …
At the local community center in my neighborhood, this rock sculpture/seating area is located just right outside the entry. Six rocks hanging in a circle: interesting? Maybe… but from a feng shui design perspective, it’s very poor design. This is a community center, with beautiful gyms and rooms that can be used and …
You just can’t separate rice and Asians. Many Asians eat rice daily and if we haven’t had rice for a few days, we sure do crave it. In Hawaii, our family gatherings will often include pasta or potatoes, but regardless, we always have a pot of white rice. That’s just how it goes, you gotta …
photo by jez atkinson What I love about the New Year is that it always brings new energy and hope. Although in reality there is no beginning or end to our daily lives, it gives us all a chance to embrace change and set new challenges. The Universe never stays the same. Things are always …
