生徒さんの学園祭へ行きました。My student's English musical show

It's the season of school festivals again.

今年も学園祭の季節がやってきましたね～

Like every other year, I went to see my student Ruru's ESS English musical performance.

今年も恒例で、生徒さんルルの高校のESSの英語ミュージカルの発表を観に行きました

I always went by myself every year, but this year the Suganami's said they were going too, so we decided to meet up.

毎年ひとりで行っていましたが、今年は菅波ご夫妻も行くということで、現地で待ち合わせをすることに

I overslept a little and I did manage to arrive before the performance started, but when I arrived, the auditorium was so packed and it was imposssible to watch from the front seats. So I had to stand at the back and watch.

私、ちょっと寝坊しちゃって一応公演にはギリギリで間に合ったんですが、着いたら講堂の中はぎゅうぎゅう状態　とてもじゃないけど前に行ける感じではなく、結局最後列の立ち見組になってしまいました

The Suganami's were there on time and they told me that they saved me a seat at the front, but it was too crowded I couldn't go to the front. I felt so bad...

菅波夫妻はすでに着いていて、私の席も最前列で取ってくれていたらしく…でも、そこまでたどり着けなくて・・・。申し訳ないことをしちゃった

Ruru played the main role, Snow White, and she was amazing! There were a lot of returnees around her but her pronunciation was as good as them and she put in feelings into the lines so well and I was so moved. I heard from her mother that she put in so much effort and devoted her whole summer for this.

ルル、主役の白雪姫でがんばっていて、とっても良かったです　帰国子女がたくさんいる中で発音も同じくらい良かったし、セリフに感情もこもっていて、感動しました。　ルルママいわく、これにすべてをかけて、今年は夏休み返上でがんばったんだって聞きました

(from left: Ruru's mom & Yukari(Mrs. Suganami))

Ruru's mom is such a powerful person. She can seem like a strict mother but she's actually really cute and not only she cares about Ruru's studies, she makes sure Ruru can experience many things so that she can have a wider perspective.

ルルママ（写真左）、ものすごーーーーーくパワフルな女性です　一見すごい教育ママかと思いきや、とってもお茶目で、ルルにも勉強だけでなく、視野が広がるようにいろいろなことを経験させてあげていてすごいです

I just want to say, Ruru's voice was so beautiful and she was so good at singing.

それにしても、ルル、声がすごくきれいで、しかも歌がとっても上手でした

The performance will definitely be something she will remember her entire lifetime. It's so important to have these kinds of experiences in your younger years.

きっと今回の公演は一生の思い出になりますね。青春時代にこういう経験をしておくことって、ほんと大事だなあって思います

手づくり酵素ダイエット。Homemade Enzyme Diet

I read a book called "Homemade Enzyme Diet". It's a book my friend Yukari, who is an editor at a publishing company edited.

『手づくり酵素ダイエット』という本を読みました　出版社でエディターとして働くYukariが、校正担当した本です

I haven't tried making the enzyme drinks in this book yet, but the recipe seems easy, so I'm thinking of trying. Letting it ferment for 5-10 days is a pain, but if I can get used to it somehow, it probably won't be as bad.

まだ、実際には本に書かれている酵素ジュースを作ってみてはいませんが、レシピ自体はとても簡単そうなので、試してみたいなって思ってます　発酵させるのに５日～１０日間かかるのが少しだけめんどうかなって思うけど、なんとか慣れてしまえば、そんなに苦じゃなくなるよね、きっと

Enzyme juice made with fresh seasonal fruits sounds very healthy. If I would start making now, I'd probably try the special enzyme juice made with 20 autumn fruits and vegetables.

旬の果実でつくる酵素ジュースって、いかにも身体によさそう　今の時期からだとやっぱり、「２０種類の野菜と果物でつくる秋の酵素ジュース」でしょうか

嬉しい再会。Catch up with another old student of mine

Met up with my former student, Miho, for a catch up. We enjoyed a nice dinner at an izakaya near Shinagawa station.

元生徒さんの美穂と会いました　品川で夕食を楽しみながらお話しました

She is a veteran engineer working in a big company for 15 years, and recently the company started dealing car parts, so she's been going on business trips to the States often. She's the only Japanese employee over there, and she's working hard, surrounded by so many foreigners.

彼女は、大手の会社で技術者として１５年も働いてるベテランで、最近は、自動車の部品も扱うようになったから、と、しょっちゅうアメリカに出張に行っています。　今では、向こうで日本人ただ一人で何十人もの海外の人たちに囲まれて切磋琢磨してるんだって言ってました

I forgot because it was such a difficult name, but she is certified with this special skill, and she's the only woman in Japan who has this certification. Isn't that great?

難しすぎて名前は忘れてしまったんですが、なんとかっていう（適当でごめんなさい～）専門技術の資格を持っている唯一の女性なんだそうです　すごい～

She gave me hand cream from loccitane as a gift. (Thank you!) It smells really nice. It's the scent of sakura (cherry blossoms). It has a watery texture and it spreads so smoothly and hydrates my skin well, so I really like it.

ロクシタンのハンドクリームをいただいちゃいました　いい香り～　サクラの香だそうです　ゆるめのテクスチャーで、伸びもよくてみずみずしい使用感で、とっても気に入りました

At our home, my husband uses more hand cream than I do, so I told him we should use it together, but he said he can't use such a luxurious hand cream.

我が家は私よりも旦那さんの方がハンドクリームのヘビーユーザーなので、一緒に使おうとしたら、「こんな高級なの恐れ多くて使えないよ」だそうです

マクロビオティック・レッスンの献立。Macrobiotic Cooking Class Menu

Here is the macrobiotic meal I had in my second cooking class the other day.

マクロビオティックの学校、２回目の調理実習の献立です

Inarizushi(sushi pockets) cooked with brown rice instead of vinegered rice.

酢飯の代わりに玄米を使ったいなりずし

Brown rice and Inarizushi match great! I personally like it better than the vinegered rice.

いなりずしに玄米、合います～～～　私は酢飯より、こっちの方が好きかも

I'd made simmered hijiki seaweed by myself before, but it was the first time making a macrobiotics version, without using sugar and mirin(sweet sake). It's flavored with only soy sauce but the sweetness of carrot and burdock really does the job and it tasted so good.

ひじきの煮物は自分でも作ったことありましたが、マクロビオティックの、お砂糖やみりんを一切使わないバージョンは初めて　これ、しょうゆだけの味付けなのに、人参とごぼうの自然な甘みがたくさん出ていて、とっても美味しかったです

This taro and corn salad is like Japanese potato salad. You mash the boiled taro with a mortar, and it's best to not mash it too much and try to keep a little of its shape.

この里芋ととうもろこしのサラダは、和風ポテトサラダって感じ　ゆでた里芋はすり鉢ですりつぶすんですが、つぶし過ぎないで形が残るぐらいがベストだそうです

Chinese yam dressed with natto(fermented soybeans).

長いもの納豆和え

The teacher recommends eating natto with daikon(Japanese radish) or seaweed. I personally like eating natto with just soy sauce and Japanese mustard. Or, I also like to put a lot of chopped leek because it brings out the flavor of the soy beans.

料理の先生の納豆のおすすめの食べ合わせは、大根か海藻なんだそうです　私は、個人的には納豆はからしとお醤油だけがいいかなぁ。　あ、それか、長ネギなら、たくさん入れても納豆の元々の美味しさが引き立つので好きです

This time, we used kombu(kelp) and dried shiitake mushrooms instead of wakame seaweed for broth to make miso soup.

今回は、わかめでなく、昆布と干しシイタケでだしをとってお味噌汁をつくりました

We made fruit jelly again, and this time we added some seasonal fruits into the straight fruit juice with agar.

そしてフルーツゼリーもまた作りました　今回はストレート果汁のジュースと寒天に、季節のフルーツも足しました

You can use the core of corn which you use to make the salad to make broth for cooking soup, or you can put it in the rice cooker when you cook rice to make the rice tastier. It's nice to use every bit of ingredients you use to cook.

サラダに使ったとうもろこしの芯は、スープのだしにしたり、ご飯を炊くときに炊飯器に入れると風味が出るんだそうです。　そんな風に、とことんまで食材を使い切れたら、本当にいいですよね

I love no waste recipes!

食材をムダにしないレシピ、素敵

回転寿司の美登里♪　Midorizushi, a sushi-go-round

The other day we went to the restaurant floor in the Seibu department store after shopping in Shibuya. We were going to eat at the usual Tempura restaurant, but guess what we found? There was a really bright-lit restaurant, almost like a convenience store, and that was Midorizushi! The place where the main shop is in Umegaoka, and they also have one in Mark City in Shibuya. It's the sushi-go-round that people are always making a long line for.

先日、渋谷でのお買いもの帰りに西武百貨店のレストラン街に行きました　いつものてんぷら屋さんに行こうとしていたら・・・何があったと思いますか　コンビニみたいに煌々とひときわ明るいお店があって、何かと思ったら、美登里寿司が入ってました～　あの、梅ヶ丘が本店で渋谷のマークシティにもお店出してて、いつも長い行列になってる回転寿司屋さんです

My husband and I both got so excited once we saw Midorizushi, and we completely forgot about eating tempura and went straight to the sushi. And we got in without having to wait in line.

私も旦那さんも美登里寿司を見たとたんにテンションアップ、てんぷらのことをすっかり忘れてお寿司一直線　しかも並ばずに入れました

Like normal sushi-go-rounds, the sushi comes around on a conveyer belt next to the tables and in front of the counter. What was interesting about this place was that there was another belt on top, like a railroad, which carries what you ordered instead of the already made ones that come around. The sushi you ordered gets delivered to your seat in the shape of an express train. It's so much fun and children must love this!

普通の回転寿司屋さんと同じで、テーブルの横やカウンターの前をベルトコンベアーみたいにお寿司がまわってるんですが、このお店でおもしろかったのは、その上にもうひとつレールみたいなものが　回っているすでにできあがってるお寿司の他に自分の好きなものを注文すると、そのお寿司が自分の席まで特急に乗って届く仕組みになってました　楽しい～～～　小さい子とか喜びそう

Look how much we ate!
こぉんなに食べてしまいました

I'd never eaten that much sushi at a sushi-go-round. We ate sitting across from each other, and by the time we finished, our plates were stacked up so high that I couldn't even see my husband's face, or anythig at all. We ate so much it was barely funny.

回転寿司であんなに食べたの、初めて　最後の方には、山高く積んだお皿が高すぎて、向かい合って座っていた旦那さんの顔どころか、姿も見えなくなってしまいました　ちょっと、ジョークにならない量だったかも？

Sushi uses a lot of sushi vinegar, sweet sake called mirin, and other ingredients, so the taste is actually quite strong. I got so thirsty from eating so much of it. So I even had dessert which I'd never ordered at a sushi restaurant before. I had strawberry ice cream. That was really good.

お寿司って、すし酢とかみりんとかの調味料がたくさん入ってて、なんだかんだで味が濃いですよね　たくさん食べたからか、何だかのどが渇いちゃって。。　今までお寿司屋さんでは頼んだことのないデザートまで食べてしまいました　ストロベリーソフト　おいしかった～

妹からオランダのお土産♪　Souvenirs from Holland

My sister went to Holland during her Summer break and she got me a lot of souvenirs. (She always does every time she goes on a trip. Thank you!)

妹が、オランダに旅行に行って、たくさんお土産を買ってきてれました

Did you know the author of Miffy lives in Holland? There's apparantly a Miffy house there too.

オランダにミッフィーの作者が住んでるってご存知でしたか　ミッフィーハウスというのもあるんだそうです

She got 2 of the same Miffy T-shirt, for me and my husband. So adorable!

夫婦お揃いでどうぞってくれた、ミッフィーTシャツ　かわいい～

What's famous about Holland is its artists like Vermeer and Van Gogh. She went to the National Art Museum and another museum I forgot the name of, and got me Vermeer paper napkins and a van Gogh plastic folder.

オランダといえば、フェルメールにゴッホですよね　国立美術館と、もうひとつ美術館（名前聞いたけど忘れちゃいました）に行って、それぞれフェルメールのペーパーナプキンとゴッホのクリアファイルを手に入れてきてくれました。

Before she went on the trip, she was saying she's not going to the Anne Frank house. She was saying something like it would be hard for her, feeling the harshness of human history. But the trip was a tour, so the tour guide took her there.

旅行前は、アンネの隠れ家には行かないって言っていた妹。　人間の歴史の残酷さを身体に空気で感じちゃってつらいから…って。　だけど、ツアーで申し込んだ旅行だったらしく、結局ガイドさんに連れていかれてしまったそうです

There, she got me an English version of Anne's documents. The contents were wonderful, they were simpler and easier to understand than any of the documents I collected when I did the English play "The Diary of Anne Frank" about 3 years ago. I really wanted to have this earlier! My siser is learning Italian so she got the same book in Italian.

そこで英語版のアンネの資料を買ってきてくれました。　これが、中身が本当に素晴らしくて　３年ほど前に『アンネの日記』の英語劇を公演した時に集めたどの資料よりも簡潔かつわかりやすくまとめられていました。　このブックレット、もと早く出会いたかった～　妹はイタリア語を習っているので、イタリア語バージョンを購入したそうです

She said, "It's the worldwide Nissin!" and gave me a cup noodle she found in a supermarket in Holland. And also an instant noodle similar to cup noodles. She also gave me another one, and it was a cup noodle she bought in Japan. I asked her "Why?" and she said she was just happy that the tennis player, Nishikori was on it so she bought it. Oh I see...

「世界の日清だよ～」と言って、オランダで見つけたカップヌードルも　そして、カップヌードルもどきのインスタントラーメンまで　もうひとつもってきてくれたのが、なぜか日本で売ってるもので、「なんで～？」と聞くと、テニスの錦織選手がのっていてただ嬉しくなって買っちゃったんだそうです。　なるほど…

白衣の天使。A Ministering Angel

I met my former student Sayuri, after 2 years and we had dinner together.

生徒さんの小百合に２年ぶりくらいで会いました～

When Sayuri was in Phoenix English School, she was a normal office worker. After finishing her course she had a big change and went to Nursing school. She studied for 3 years, took the qualification exam and now she's working as a nurse.

小百合、英語学校に通っていた頃は普通のOLさんでしたが、修了後、一念発起、お仕事を辞めて看護学校に入学。　３年間の勉強の後、資格を取って、今では晴れて看護師さんとして働いています

She wanted to learn a skill for her future and decided to take this path. I'm amazed by her decision making and action.

将来のために手に職をつけたいから、と、この道を決心したんだそうです　すごい意志力と実行力

The place we had dinner at is the soba restaurant, Matsugen. When my friends come to Ebisu we often go there together. The food we eat before the soba is really delicious.

お店は、松玄というお蕎麦屋さんに行きました　よく友だちが恵比寿に来てくれた時に一緒に行きます。　お蕎麦の前に食べる一品料理が美味しい

The salad with crab flakes on top is very good. Sayuri especially liked the dressing.

ほぐしたカニがトッピングされたサラダ、美味しいです。　小百合は、ドレッシングが特に気に入ったみたい

Handmade tofu, a specialty of the restaurant.

お店特製の手作り豆腐

Grilled conger eel with no seasoning. When you eat, you put salt on it.

あなごの白焼き。　自分で塩をかけていただきます

Kamo-nanban which I love, the one here is an orthodox type and the noodles are already in the hot soup. (Kamo-nanban is soba noodles with smoked duck.)

鴨南蛮が大好物の私　ここのは、最初から温かいおつゆに入ってるオーソドックスなタイプです。

It was nice catching up with her and having dinner together.

近況をいろいろ聞いたりしながらの楽し～い食事でした

ジュリアロバーツ鏡の女王Mirror Mirror starring Julia Roberts

We went to see the movie "Mirror Mirror".

映画『白雪姫と鏡の女王』を観にいきました

Snow White used to be the main focus of the story before, but in this movie the Queen is the main character. That's what I really liked about it.

今までは、白雪姫に焦点を当てたものが王道だったけど、これは悪いお妃様が主役　そこがとーっても気に入りました

Julia Roberts plays the role of the villain, the Queen! Her selfishness was so extreme it actually made her seem charming.

そして、ジュリア・ロバーツが悪役の女王様役　あまりのわがままさが返って微笑ましいというかほんと、チャーミングです

You know the actress playing Snow White? Phil Collins' daughter. I was looking at her thick eyebrows and thinking I've seen them somewhere... And then realized she looks just like the girl playing Anne in the black & white version of The Diary of Anne Frank. She also has that very strong and independent presence just like Elizabeth Tayler in her younger years.

白雪姫役の女優さん、あ、フィル・コリンズの娘さんだそうですが、彼女の太く濃い眉毛を見ていて、あれあれ？どこかで見たことある～？と思っていたら…。　思い出しました　白黒映画版の『アンネの日記』のアンネ役の女優さんにそっくり～　あと、若かりし頃のエリザベス・テイラーの凛々しさも彷彿とさせる雰囲気かも

Millie Perkins from "The Diary of Anne Frank"

『アンネの日記』より、ミリー・パーキンス

This movie isn't the kind of movie that will get an Academy Award, but it was very light and easy to watch and I really enjoyed myself watching it. It's a good movie to watch when you don't want to think too much and just simply enjoy it.

アカデミー賞を取るタイプの映画ではないと思うけれど、軽いタッチなので、深く考えずに、ただただおもしろ楽しく観れる、とても素敵な作品でした

博多と東京パンケーキ食べ比べ。Comparing Hakata & Tokyo pancakes

The other day when I was talking about the pancakes my husband and I ate in Hakata, my friend told me that the pancakes they have in the cafe in Daikanyama T-site is also really good, so I went with my sister.

こないだ、博多で食べたパンケーキの話をしていたら、代官山のTサイトにあるカフェのパンケーキもすごく美味しいと聞き、妹と行ってきました

It was just like the pancakes I dreamed of when I was a child, 2 thick layers, I was so excited the moment they brought it to our table.

小さい頃に憧れていた、厚い２段になったパンケーキで、テーブルに運ばれてきた瞬間にテンションアップ

On top of the plain pancakes, you can have toppings if you want, and I chose the seasonal fruits and whipped cream.

プレーンなパンケーキの上にお好みでトッピングができると言われたので、季節のフルーツと生クリームを注文しました

The pancakes I had in Hakata which were much thinner, really matched with whipped cream, so I also tried it there, but I thought maybe thick pancakes don't need whipped cream. The pancake itself is just so big and full, so it's really satisfying just by its looks and taste.

博多で食べた方のパンケーキは薄いタイプで、それに生クリームがすごく合って美味しかったんです。　それでここでも試したんだけど、厚いタイプには生クリームはなくてもいいかも　パンケーキ自体がパンチが効いてるというか、すごいボリュームなので、それだけで目も舌も満足できちゃう感じです

We were greedy and ordered one plate each, and because the pancakes were so big, even though it tasted so good we couldn't finish the whole thing. Next time, one plate for the two of us would be just right.

欲張って私たち一人一皿でたのんだら、大きくてボリュームもすごくて…美味しかったにもかかわらず残してしまいました　今度行くときは２人で一皿をシェアしてちょうどいいねってことに

It might sound like I'm exaggerating but they were pancakes which made my childhood dream come true.

オーバーかもしれないけれど、子ども時代の夢をかなえてくれるパンケーキでした

During the trip to Kyushu this summer, my husband and I went to a pancake shop called Campbell Early inside the JR Hakata station building.

この夏旦那さんと九州に行ったときにも、博多の駅ビルでキャンベル・アーリーというお店でパンケーキをいただきました

We ordered a pancake, fruit parfait, and drink set. Mine was raspberry and blueberry. The bottom of the parfait had a yogurt flavor and tasted light and fresh. I don't really like things that taste very sugary, so it was the parfait for me.

オーダーしたのは、パンケーキとフルーツパフェ、ドリンクのセット。　私のは、ラズベリーとブルーベリー　下の方がヨーグルト味で、甘すぎるのが少し苦手な私にぴったりのさっぱり系のパフェでした

My husaband usually eats 2 times as fast as me but when we had pancakes there, it was so delicious I finished earlier than him. That never happens!

いつもは彼が２倍くらい早く食べ終わるのに、ここのパンケーキが美味しかったからか私の方が先に完食　こんなこと初めて

I checked their shop card to see where else they have that shop, but it only said 2 locations in Fukuoka. Too bad!

他に店舗ないのかなぁと思いショップカードを見てみたけれど、福岡に２店舗のみの展開でした。　残念～

I'm really hoping they will open a store in Tokyo someday.

ホントこのお店、東京に進出してくれたら嬉しいです

手作りのエプロン＆三角巾♪そして…　Handmade apron & bandana and..

I'm so excited! My friend Ayu, made an apron and bandana for me. (Thank you!)

嬉しい～　Ayu が、エプロンと三角巾を手作りしてくれました

It's so cute! The design, like around the chest, is like a dress and it's so nice.

か、可愛いです　胸元の辺りとか、ワンピースみたいでホント素敵

She also gave me a matching scrunchie, saying "I also made something extra for you".

しかも、「おまけもあるよ」って言って、おそろいの生地のシュシュまで作ってくれていました

I brought it with me to wear in macrobiotic cooking lesson, and my classmates said it was cute and asked where I bought it. I told them my friend made it, and then the others surrounded me as well and kept saying it was so cute.

マクロビオティックの教室に持っていって着たら、クラスメートたちからも「可愛い！」って　どこで買ったの？と聞かれ、お友だちが作ってくれたのって言うと、他の人たちも集まってきて「カワイイ～」の連呼でした

Ayu said, "I didn't have so much cloth so it might be a little short in length and the bandana might be a little small too. I'm not really good with the sewing machine but I hope you forgive me!"

Ayu が言うには…「生地もギリギリだったので、丈とか短いかもしれないし、三角巾も小さいかもしれないカモ。あんまりミシンは得意じゃないケドゆるしてちょーだい♪」

Not at all!

It was just my size and the design is so cute! She's not bad with sewing machine at all. The gathering stitches were beautifully done. I forgot to take a picture so I can't show you, but the other side is also patched with a different pink cloth and I'm amazed.

全っ然そんなことないーーー