New improved yard

As was mentioned in this space last month, weed pulling day was very fruitful. Here are a few photos to document the carnage. Before pictures are not available, but be assured that in the back, less dirt was visible, and in the fron, there were fewer flowers (and a big jade plant).

Obon to pick

Leina is not only a practitioner of obon (the ancient Japanese fan dance), but also a teacher. Along with Miki and four other teachers, Leina has sixty students, who are attending class thrice a week--Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays--in preparation for the 60th anniversary of the Japantown Obon Festival, in celebration of their ancestors (no website provided).

A few weeks ago Leina had pressured Erica to host a barbeque for some of their old high school crew. So Erica agreed, and together they set it up for Monday, with an evite and everything. But then obon practices were announced, and Leina had a conflict. So she tried to bail on Erica for the cookout. Erica was pissed. Leina said she couldn't skip obon because a few of the other teachers were already skipping it, so she had to be the responsible one and not skip it.

Finally, it was realized that Leina could suggest cancelling the class, seeing how it was the day before July 4 and who wants to be practicing dancing when they should be preparing for the celebration of the birth of our fine nation? So she suavely managed to get the class changed, and this coming Monday will be enjoying grilled artichoke hearts and sweetbreads instead of dancing in an ancient Japanese style.

How Bazaar, How Bazaar

There are very few words in the English language that contain two consecutive "a"'s. Aardvark is the only other one which comes to mind. On Sunday, Leina happened to participate in one of these rarest of words. It was the twice annual Marin County Japanese Buddhist Church Bazaar. Not to be confused with the Marin Country Japanese Buddhist Church Rummage Sale, items for which are accumulating in Leina's garage. Leina was up early and full of adrenaline. There was teriyaki involved, but mostly the afternoon involved Leina asking Auntie what she should do next, Auntie telling her, and Leina doing it. Literally dozens of people attended this event and many homemade items were bought and consumed. The day was considered a success by all involved. Somewhere one hand was clapping. Leina generously brought a selection of her vast collection of cotton kimonos for the volunteers to wear, these were spread far and wide among the volunteers -- young, old, male, female, Japanese, non-Japanese (just kidding with that last one). Sadly, not all were returned. Leina chased one man down who was trying to walk off with a kimono, but when she stopped him she realized that he was an ojichan, felt bad for him and gave him a second, nicer kimono, as well.

LA Wedding

Leina had almost exactly 24 hours in L.A. at Christine's wedding. She managed to show Laticia that she was a good tennis player (which was a suprise to herself as well) and spend some quality time withe Ernesto, who picked her up at the airport. She also saw a bunch more of her CSULB friends, and danced the Chicken Dance like a pro.

She flew out and back at 6:40something in the morning. Erica and Tony picked her up on the way back. Leina bought them some crossiants before they went home for breakfast. Additionally, Leina had thoughtfully brought Erica and Tony a little gift from L.A.--a package of Japanese hot fries.

playing the ponies

Last night, in preparation for her brief jaunt to LA, Leina went down to Bay Meadows racetrack. She went with John, Erica, Tony, and Charles, Jun, Noriko, Uto, and Yumi. This was also an alleged going away party for Masa, but then Masa didn't come. They drove four cars. Leina was extra-excited about seeing the band Pride and Joy, but once she got there, she barely saw them. She bet on two horses--She's Salty and K.O. Love. Neither won, or even showed. Charles' friend gave him a hot tip on a horse in the sixth race--Stand by Your Flag--but it also didn't even show. Overall, Leina's gang bet $30 dollars over two races and didn't pick a single winner. There was a moment when everyone was excited that there was a Japanese jockey, but it turned out that Tony was reading the program wrong.

Leina drank a two dollar beer, and despite the fact that John and Tony looked high and low for the promised one dollar hot dogs, once they brought a stack of seven to the table, Jun, Noriko, Uto and Yumi had already left, and Leina only ate half of one, with ketchup and relish, because there were no mustard packets. Tony had to eat three and a half.

More weddings

It was two weeks ago, now, that Leina was at a wedding from one of her CSULB friends. She went to the ceremony but didn't know anyone. Then there was a break and a big reception (over 400 people) at the Fairmont. Fancy. But Leina was still feeling symptoms of West Nile Virus, so she skipped the reception. And felt really guilty about it.

Tomorrow, Leina is off to a wedding in LA. She's catching a 6am flight down there, and a 6am flight back the next day. Leina is in this particular bride's top ten, which is one reason she's coming. Although it seems that the bride might slip into Leina's top 25, depending on how Leina was feeling that day about Aptus posse. Leina has this unusual characteristic of being more valued by her friends than she values them. Probably about six people would call Leina her BFF. And we've heard about the numerous weddings she's taken part in. Leina, in order to reciprocate, will need at least 9 bridesmaids, likely more, when she eventually ties the knot.

What to cook?

Leina was inspired by her BBQed pork consumption last weekend. She announced that she is ready to try some real cooking. Not yaki soba, not stir fry, not japanese curry, not 'white stew.' Leina hopes to move on, to expand her repitoire ground beef and little chunks of chicken. This is still in the planning phases, but yesterday she was on the record inquiring "Cornish hens or seared halibut?"

cook out

Tony was planning to cook a lot of pork and invited Leina over on Sunday. Charles was also invited, but at first Leina didn't want to bring him because she said that he didn't like pork. Tony found that hard to believe, because everyone likes pork, even people who say they don't. Perhaps some don't like overcooked pork, or undercooked pork, or burnt pork, and some may not like the calories and fat that pork has, but properly done pork is a food that everyone likes--they just might not admit it to themselves.

It was unclear which of the above reasons made Charles a swinophobe, but Leina brought him along anyways. When they arrived, the pork was already slow cooking on the grill, and Tony, having been debriefed on Charles' tendency not to prefer pork, attempted to casually offer a hamburger to Charles. He had already ground some beef for spaghetti and meatballs the next day. He also offered bratwurst to Charles, which are 100% pork, but in sausage form. Tony did not know that Leina had already told Charles that she had told Tony that he didn't like pork, and Charles got upset and decided that he was going to eat whatever was offered no matter what because he wanted to be a good guest. So of course, when Tony tried to be polite and offer beef, Charles tried to be polite and accept it, and therefore a hamburger and bratwurst that neither party thought was necessary were made.

Leina felt really bad that she didn't help with the meal aside from bringing green beans, which is all that was requested of her. She did, however, bring yaki soba, a stir fry noodle, an onion, a carrot, and a 1/4 head of cabbage (Leina has a rule--don't pay more than 50 cents a pound for vegetables). She brought this in case Charles wasn't going to eat any of the meat, which, of course, he did. And Tony and Erica did not let her make the yaki soba--but she was able to leave it behind. They had it for dinner.

sick

Unsurprising based on her active weekend (which also included a stop at Joe's Cable Car for a merchandise infused burger and a big celebratory dinner at the Turners' and picking up her bound copy of her thesis--the cover is blue), Leina got worn out. She was sick this week. She thought she had West Nile Virus. Lucky for all of us, she didn't. She's feeling better now.

Party in the Mission

On Friday she found parking in the Mission before Jessica Goldberg's gallery opening. It's called josephine and debudda (lack of capitalization intended). Afterwards she got picked up by Khalil who was also in the Mission, and they found parking again and went to a Mexican place called Puerto Allegre. This place was really full, but Raymond and his office was going to be there. They got a table and ordered a pitcher of margaritas but then Raymond's office showed up and there was no room for them so Leina and Erica and Tony left.

They found Serena, who was driving her Magnum which gets 11 miles the gallon but sure looks cool, and found parking in the Mission a third time before going to a different Mexican place called La Rondalla, and ordering a big pitcher of strong margaritas. There Leina saw the son of Mr. Turner's best man at his wedding, who she'd met twice (once when he was a waiter for her and once when he walked into the office). But she didn't say anything to him because he probably didn't know who she was and would think, 'Hello, stalker,' if she did.

new pic

Yes, there's a new photo to the left. If you don't like it, tough. It isn't so easy to post these things. Maybe, just maybe, if you send Leina a better picture of her, she will send it to me and I will put it up. Here is the original photo, from the fake birthday party.

Weed Pulling Day

Saturday was a Leina family tradition, Weed Pulling Day. Twice a year, every year, all Leina's relatives come (except Auntie Evelyn this time), along with friends and roommates, and they pull weeds from Leina's backyard. Weeds duly pulled, the beautiful rocky, dusty landscape was again visible.

In all fairness, reports indicate that more than weed pulling occurred this year. They also chopped up a decades-old jade plant, and eliminated many plants whose time had come. And many of those plants were replaced by newer, better, healthier plants. Leina was very concerned that she would not have enough sandwiches for the gang, even though she had purchased 16 rolls and fixings to complete therm. Fortunately, there was ample food for all. Angie and Miki and Sanders also helped themselves to limoncello while the rest of the gang worked.