A few of my favorite things from the past week....

-Caroling with Heidi at the Old Folks Home
- Driving thru the neighborhoods in South Pasadena to check out the Christmas Lights with Lauren and Heidi.
- The ability to check out the fashion trends of a neighborhood, before I go, so I can pack appropriately.
-Cynthia introduced me to her favorite version of THE NUTCRACKER, designed by Maurice Sendak.  Amazing!
-Watching Christmas movies while wrapping presents.
-Love Actually!
- TokyoMade market (like UniqueLA but in Tokyo!) looks awesome!
-Finding a restaurant for X-mas dinner that will make the whole family happy (and getting reservations!)
-Spending time with dear friends and family.

Currently Reading...

Envy (A Luxe novel) by Anna Godbersen

Heidi and I both love this series of books (The Luxe) by Anna Godbersen, it's like Gossip Girl in Victorian times.  Seeing as I love Victorian period literature and I adore Gossip Girl, its the best possible combination a girl could ask for.  And who knows if society girls were as superficial back in the 1800s as they can be now, but I enjoy the idea that not much has actually changed.   Girls still love to dress up, boys still gravitate towards the most attractive and interesting girl in the room.  And The Luxe books are fun, fast, and light reading.  Perfect for the holidays.

Prickly Pear Fruit

I've been curious about the prickly pear cactus fruit for years.  Ever since I was a little girl and discovered a homemade jar of Prickly Pear jam in my mother's pantry.  The jar was never opened and used, I have no idea how it tasted.  Was it sweet, sour, or incredibly bitter?  Who knows?  I just remember it being a vile shade of green, like mushed peas.

So, how surprised was I, to find that the inside of a prickly pear is actually magenta, like dragon fruit.  The fruit itself reminds me of a guava, sweet but full of seeds.  Well, I hope they were seeds and not spider eggs (as the urban legend of the cactus filled with spider eggs, was all I could think about while cutting into the fruit!)

And I think I will consider using the prickly pear in future cooking endeavors, perhaps a pie or martini?  Well at the very least I know what I will be eating the next time I get lost in the desert.

At what point do you just walk out? - Dating Dilemma Thursday

Bad dates seem to be a dime a dozen these days.  I don't mean to sound cynical or incredibly jaded, but in all honesty, I think I'm currently batting one bad date a month on average.  The last one was with a friend of a friend, who kept asking me if I was uncomfortable around him, because I was crossing my arms: bad body language.  I explained it was a pinched nerve and it was the only comfortable position to hold my arm. Apparently, he didn't believe me as he asked me four times why I was giving off such mixed signals with my body language.  But that was minor, compared to the fact that he monopolized all the conversations, and spoke with anger and menace when talking about his family.  I have never been so happy to cut a date short, as this one was extremely awkward.  Surprisingly, it never occurred to me to walk out, I simply wanted to see how bad the date could get.  Which got me thinking, at what point does one actually walk out on a bad date?

Here are the results of a random Ichat poll: Under what circumstances have you walked out on a date?

NJ: "I walked out when a guy broke down and told me about his first suicide attempt.  Apparently he forgot to take the plastic cover off the razor he was planning to use.  Depressed AND Dumb!"

WB: "I have never walked out on a date.  However, I once dropped a girl off early, after she got really pissy about how the night was going."

RH: "I've never walked out on a date, but I should have.  There was a girl, who I went to pick up at her place, while I waited, she proceeded to ignore me as she flirted with her new male roommate.  When we finally got to dinner, she spent the whole time texting her roommate.  It was awful!"

BS: "I have never.  But if I were to walk out, the date would have to be just terrible, completely unbearable.  For instance, she would have to say something so racist that I couldn't even stand to look at her.  But if we rode together, I would still give her a ride home."

I guess, I should confess, I have only walked out on a date once.  It was a guy I had been dating for a few months, who announced, at my friend's birthday party, that he had spent the last weekend sleeping with another girl.  It took me a moment to internally debate the proper etiquette of how to best handle this situation.  But the night ended with me in my car, calling the boy who was still in the bar, and telling him, "I hope you have money for a taxi."  Then driving home, alone.  And puking from anxiety (I don't think that part was acceptable Emily Post protocol.)

Personal Message to one of my Readers....

Currently Reading...

The Risks of Sunbathing Topless and Other Funny Stories from the Road.  Edited by Kate Chynoweth

There is nothing like reading travel stories to get you prepared for a journey.  Since I leave for Tokyo and Beijing next week, this is the perfect book.  The stories are funnier than the majority of travel tales found in most books of collected works.  Not to mention, a bit more relatable.  The truth about going to far flung destinations, way outside your comfort zone is that adventures are messy, things go wrong, passports get lost, and sometimes you end up in jail (all things that have happened to me at one time or another!).  The best adventures are never 100% perfect, and if they were, the stories and memories would never be as magical.

If you are looking for a few funny, short stories, written by some well-traveled girls, I highly suggest picking up this book.

A few of my favorite things from the past week....

-"My favorite color is neon beige." (best quote from the film PRECIOUS)
-10 Reasons you should never get a job - article by Steve Pavlina (fabulously thought-provoking!)
- Scotch tasting and appreciation class with Heidi and Lauren...they let us mix our own scotch!!!
- Heidi's Office Holiday Party (a fantastic evening with a "disco cowboy theme."  See photo on right)
- Dinner parties at Hans' house (I've known him since I was a very small child and its great to have people you've known for so long in your life)
- Pho at Gingergrass (so perfect for a cold, rainy night)
-Homemade real Indian chai (recipe courtesy of my dear friend Drew, I spent a few hours on Saturday tracking down black cardamon pods!)
-Muppets Singing Christmas Carols!
-Parcel packages (I know they have been around forever, but these theme packages just make me happy!)
-Poladroid (I had forgotten how much fun it is to make my pictures look like polaroids!)

Pocket Fuzz

Pocket Fuzz is one of my favorite companions for international travel.  Here are a few photos I found of our trip to Australia together:

Found photos

Was going through an old digital camera and found some random shots I took last January, while shooting a web series at the Westmoreland lofts:

So it wasn't my thing...

I was on a bad date two weeks ago.  It started to go south, when the guy asked me what I was planning to do for the Thanksgiving holiday, and I told him that my best friend and I were taking a 3 day cruise to Ensenada.   Now, although, he had never actually been on a cruise, he felt obliged to inform me that my plans sounded like "hell" and in his mind, being on a cruise ship was the equivalent of being stuck in prison.  AWESOME!

Good news, since I thought that guy was a moron, I stopped listening to him early on, and continued to look forward to my 3 day voyage at sea.  Cynthia and I took off from Long Beach, the Friday after Thanksgiving.  The line to check in and get on the ship took forever, but once we made it onboard, we were set and good to go.

We unpacked in our tiny, tiny room (it totally felt like summer camp!) and headed to the buffet (the first of many).  Once the boat took off, we got dolled up and headed to the dining room, for yet another meal!   Cruise ships are mostly about eating carb-loaded, bland food and drinking overpriced, watered down alcoholic beverages, with strangers I wouldn't normally associate with.  I suppose one gets what they pay for (and in our case it was a $200/3-day cruise), but who are these Thomas Kinkade-loving folk?  And where do they come from?  As much as I love playing anthropologist and studying the local cultures, I have to say, cruise ship people are not my kind of people.  And after 5 hours, I was bored, stir-crazy, and ready to get off the boat!  But I had 2 and a half more days ahead of me.

Then the rocking started.  We hit turbulent waters and I swear, over half of the ship's population suddenly got overwhelmed with seasickness, as the Carnival Paradise wreaked of vomit.  Mental note: next time don't forget candles!

We finally landed in Ensenada, Mexico...only to find cold, pouring rain!  So we settled in at Hussong's Cantina (birthplace of the Margarita) a former favorite watering hole for Hollywood starlets visiting Baja (Marilyn Monroe was known to frequent the bar.)

Back on the boat, with one more day to go.  Our last day was considered a "fun day at sea"... I read my book on deck, under layers of towels and blankets (it was so cold!), drank hot chocolate, and once again hit the bland buffet.  By the time the ship docked at 7 AM Monday morning, Cynthia and I were packed and practically the first people off the boat.

As un-fun as the experience was, I'm glad I can say I tried it and I know without a doubt that Carnival Cruises are not for me.  But there are plenty of other people who love them and think they are the bee's knees.  And unlike the awful man who took me to drinks before the cruise, I would never discourage anyone from giving it a try.

$200
3 days at sea
All-You-Can-Eat Bland food buffets
Who knows it may be your best weekend ever!

Dating Dilemma

Over the last month, I've been fortunate enough, to have met two (2!) super awesome, smart, funny, charming, attractive men, who not only seemed to be interested in me, but whom I was actually interested.  And in both cases, when we got to the end of the evening and were about to part ways, instead of asking for my phone number, they asked if they could Facebook me.  Of course I give permission, but what does that mean?  Do they want to email me? Check out my photos?  See who our mutual friends are?  Build their friend bank?

Maybe I'm old school, but I really miss guys asking for my phone number.  Even though, it meant a small dose of anxiety as to whether or not they would call, at least a girl could tell if the guy was really into her within a week.  If he didn't call by then, clearly he wasn't planning on it.  So move on.

I asked my trusty boys what goes through the male mind when he says: "Can I Facebook you?"

Boy 1: Either a guy just want to add another pretty girl to his friend list or he's shy and wants to get to know more about you.  However if he likes you he will pursue you.

Boy 2: Some girls I Facebook and that's the limit of where I want it to go.  "I'll Facebook you" is a good way to cut it off if you're not that interested.  But if it was somebody I was clicking with, I would ask for her number and also Facebook her.  Unless, it's a girl who I think I will see again soon in a social situation. Then I will just wait to see how it goes the next time I see her.

Hmmm...looks like its back to the drawing board for me.  Although, I will most likely see both of the boys at social functions in the new year.  I guess I just have to see how it goes the next time we all hang out.

Currently Reading...

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER! By: Barbara Robinson

The Herdmans are the worst family in town, they curse, steal, and bully all the neighborhood kids.  But when they get involved in the local Christmas Pageant, wacky insanity and chaos ensue.  This is one of my favorite holiday stories from childhood and every year at this time, I pull out a paperback copy of the book and reread it.  A totally happy, heartwarming story that reminds me of what it feels like to giggle like a 2nd grader, again.

Check out this mini-movie I found on YouTube, edited down from the 1983 TV movie, starring Loretta Swit and Fairuza Balk.  It doesn't really focus on the awesome, funny parts that made it such a memorable story.   Instead the mini-movie is a bit sentimental, but still worth checking out if you remember watching it as a kid.

A few of my favorite things....

-Finding a pair of boots I've been coveting on the sale rack, then convincing the store to give me an additional discount because the boots were the display model!
-Game night with Ray, Kevin and Luke..(Kevin and I totally beat Ray and Luke at Sequence!)
-Luke's Zale's commercial (he's the cute boy with the sparkler!)
-Free Japanese lessons to brush up on my conversation skills before heading to Tokyo.
-John Goddard's Life List (which made me feel terribly unaccomplished, but also inspired me to revisit a life list that I wrote when I was 17.)
-Small, intimate holiday parties with some of your closest friends.
-Mary Poppins at the Ahmanson (I love that she flies over the audience at the end of the show!)
-UniqueLA's holiday craft sale. (my favorite purchase is this ring by Plastique!)
-The Princess and the Frog...I love that Disney is doing 2-D animation again.  And this story is so happy and heartwarming, I really enjoyed watching it.

Dating Dilemma Thursday: Black Friday

Here is an interesting theory on dating, told to me by one of my favorite guys: "The cut off for going on a first date with a new person before the holidays is Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving).  If you haven't asked the person out by that point in time, you should wait until after New Years."
"Seriously?  Why set a limitation on when you can ask someone out?  Especially if they are a great person?"

He responded with a list of reasons, mainly that the holidays are such a busy time with parties, shopping, and catching up with family and friends, that its hard to focus on starting something new.  Plus the etiquette of whether or not to get a gift for the new person seems to be too much to focus on for this time of year.

Lucky for him, he was able to meet a nice girl the week of Thanksgiving, AND set up a date with her for Black Friday.  Perfect timing on his part.
In some ways, I am in agreement with him.  The weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years seem to fly by in a blur.  Seriously, its already December 3rd?  My social calendar is almost completely booked until January 4, I've actually had to schedule time for shopping so I wouldn't stress myself out.  Of course, I always make time for my dearest friends, and if someone special came along, I would make time for him, too.  But beginning something new during the holidays is tricky and a teensy bit stressful.

Now, many of my girlfriends, and a few guy friends think this theory is completely off.  The reason being that "timing will always be wrong, if you allow it to be."  In other words, if you meet someone amazing, go for it.  Don't worry about something so little, as the time of year.    And who knows, you could be lucky like my friend Natasha, who was set up with her now husband, Judson, early in December.  If they had played by the Post Black Friday rule they might never have met.

What do you think?  Is there any reason not to start something new, post Black Friday?  Email your stories to me at: kikuejewels at gmail.com

Oh and my solution to gift giving for a 2-3 week long relationship is simply to gift a copy of your favorite book.  It's not expensive, it's not sentimental, but simply thoughtful.  Perfect!

Fruit Sushi

Ahh...Thanksgiving.  The day when we gorge ourselves with turkey, stuffing, cranberries, mashed potatoes and gravy.  Bleh!!!  It is my least favorite holiday.  I haven't been a fan of the traditional foods since I was 5 years old, and overate too much stuffing, making myself sick, ruining forevermore the need and desire to eat any and all of the traditional Thanksgiving dishes.  So my family tradition has long involved a multitude of foods: turkey, ham, and sushi, along with salads and the traditional foods.  Since moving to Los Angeles, I spend most of my Thanksgivings with my family in Colorado.  There we celebrate by eating at the family restaurant  where my cousin Sven makes the most delicious meals...and I am not bound by any traditions to eat turkey, stuffing, or potatoes.  Instead, I change my order every year, depending on the mood.  Of course there are no leftovers at the end of the night (everything is so yummy, why would there be?) but that just makes the meal even more special...you have one chance to really savor all the flavors!

This year, I spent Thanksgiving in Apple Valley, California, with my Auntie Emi's family.  I have a lot of cousins and younger 2nd cousins, which make it lively and boisterous when we all get together.  And since, i knew there would be a traditional meal to look forward to, I had to make sure there was something that I could eat.  So this year, my contribution was Fruit Sushi...a messy, yet yummy, lightly sweet dessert.

What you need:
-Coconut Sticky Rice (buy the pre-made stuff from a thai restaurant or thai bakery)
-Mango
-Apples
-Asian Pear
-Papaya
-Persimmons
-Berries for garnish

Cut the fruit into sticks.  Set aside.
Take a piece of parchment paper and place it over a bamboo sushi mat, spread rice evenly over the paper (because it is so sticky, it helps if you plop some rice down, then cover it with another piece of parchment paper, then use a rolling pin to roll it out evenly.  Take off the top sheet of parchment paper before continuing.)  Place and assortment of fruit sticks in a horizontal line across the rice (click here to see an example using avocado).  Roll your sushi, being careful not to get the parchment paper stuck inside the roll.  Stick in the refrigerator for an hour, cut, and serve.  Use berries to garnish and make the plate look pretty!

Tuesday's favorite things

-Maira Kalman's NY Times Blog about slow food (I love her illustrations and whimsical way of explaining how she sees the world.)
-MI-5 (I've just discovered this fun BBC gem on Netflix, and I can't get enough of it!)
-Realizing that cruise ships aren't "your thing," but being grateful you were able to make an informed decision (and being even more grateful that you aren't still stuck on the boat!)
-House/dog sitting for 2 big dogs who LOVE long walks at night and in the morning.
-New Astrologyzone horoscope!!!
-This beautiful video from the New Zealand Book Council
-My talented friend Brooke's new website, showcasing her beautiful artwork (including a lovely piece I bought from her a year ago.)
-Babes in Toyland (I love Christmas movies...even the cheesy ones!)
-Brown paper packages tied up with string...I must begin my holiday wrapping!
-Dishing about good and bad dates, the economy, and other insane topics over gingerbread pancakes at IHOP.
-Holiday dress shopping (the invitations have begun to arrive daily!!)
-Being able to celebrate Thanksgiving with good family and friends.