Kung Hee Fatt Choy!

3 02 2025

We celebrated the new lunar Year of the Snake variously at the Studio.

My “Jin Dui Sisters” group of five friends scheduled a midday meal in Honolulu Chinatown a while ago, and I am excited to meet up with them in a few days.

The Jin Dui Sisters

LISEE (red envelopes) are in order for dear ones younger than the giver. In our rural neighborhood, we also fed the dragon some money.

Li see

Then, of course, traditional foods: JAI (a vegetarian dish that I didn’t make this year), GAU (a sweet, firm and sticky pudding made with sweet rice flour), and savory JOONG a.k.a. dragon boats filled with rice, seasoned fatty pork, salted egg yolk, mushrooms and peanuts.

Gau
Joong

I brought out my tea cozy so we could enjoy a hot beverage all day long. The basket was a good idea for the couple of days when stormy weather knocked out our electricity!

Hot tea

May your rice bowl be full this new year, and blessings always.

~ Rebekah


Comments : Comments Off on Kung Hee Fatt Choy!
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Categories : About me, Food, Friends & Family

Road trip from Kaʻaʻawa to Kāneʻohe

2 04 2024

Living in Windward Oʻahu, the closest “civilization” is  the town of Kāneʻohe. We go there for medical services, mall shopping, pet care, restaurants, car servicing—you get the idea.

Along Kamehameha highway, the main drag, I notice the various landmarks between here and there. Come along for the ride.

Approaching the ironwood trees

Kaʻaʻawa Valley

Hawaiian flag

Kualoa Ranch

Shell ginger

Monkeypod tree

Toward Kāneʻohe

The big tree near Kaʻiulani’s house

Doctors’ offices at Windward Mall

Charging station for the electric car

My ZipMin soup from Zippy’s restaurant. One size only!

Condiments at Zippy’s

Good meeting place

CVS

Be well.

~Rebekah 


Comments : Comments Off on Road trip from Kaʻaʻawa to Kāneʻohe
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : About me, Food, Travel

Chinese New Year dinner for 8

11 02 2024

My gracious cousin Dorette hosted dinner last night at her hillside home overlooking Diamond Head in Honolulu.

It’s the Year of the Dragon! Guests contributed tasty dishes: colorful salad, salmon, sweet and sour spare ribs, stir-fried veggies, hot soup, jai, and gau.

Time flew, and before we knew it, it was past midnight. 

I got reacquainted with Jeff and Liane Liu who repped me and my art at Island Art and Framing years ago when I first dared to show my paintings. They are still in the art business, now at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider hotel in Waikīkī.

My cousin luthier Nate Ching came, too, as did my chorister sister Sharon Sawdey.

Darling husband Pete brought champagne, and Dorette served hot Chinese tea from an heirloom tea cozy.

Wood dragon

At sunset

 

Beautiful place setting

Details

Family photo

Gracious host

From “Everyone, Eat Slowly: The Chong Family Food Book”

My Aunty Yun’s recipe

 

Welcoming front door

All in all, a good time was had by all.

Continued new-year blessings! Be well.

~Rebekah


Comments : Comments Off on Chinese New Year dinner for 8
Tags: , ,
Categories : About me, Food, Friends & Family

When the electricity goes out

17 01 2024


Yesterday’s massive power outage on Oʻahu gave me pause to reflect on how our family might prepare for emergencies better at the studio.
• For starters, we will go to the hardware store and buy another battery-powered lantern. We prefer this to open-flame candles.
• Always have hot water ready in the automatic kettle for beverages, although hottest tap water will work instead.
• Update our emergency stores of canned goods.
• Maintain garden with timely raking of leaves and disposal of fallen tree branches.
• Keep the car fueled up, and remember we can charge our phones in the car if needed.
• Reassure the dog that everything will be all right. Our JJ knew something was different—no lights, very quiet outdoors, coddling by his peeps.

Water, light, playing cards to pass the time

• If you need to open the fridge, think of all the items you need and take them all out at the same time.
• Keep the propane tank for the bbq grill filled.
• Invest in a portable AM/FM radio. If you have a solar water heater, take baths while the sun is shining.

What tips do you have?
Be well!
~Rebekah


Comments : Comments Off on When the electricity goes out

Categories : About me, Food, Friends & Family

Chocolate: there’s good news and bad news

6 02 2023

First the bad news. Did you know that chocolate is bad for dogs? I had heard that, but I didn’t realize how bad! One recent morning we got up to find an empty wrapper from a chocolate bar on the coffee table. We had eaten 3 ozs. of it for dessert the night before. “7 ounces” was printed on the wrapper, so I calculated that 4 ozs. was gone. And, our dog JJ was still in bed looking lethargic. JJ had injested the 70% dark chocolate candy!

I immediately phoned our VCA Animal Hospital, that wasn’t opened yet, and was referred to Poison Control that charged $95 to answer the phone. After answering some questions, I was given a case number to present to the vet, 25 minutes away, when I got there. All of this was done in the car while Pete drove to save time during the 7:30 a.m. rush hour traffic.

Long story short, JJ could have died if he wasn’t attended to quickly. As it was, he had a seizure. The vet induced vomiting seven times, and all the chocolate came out. They gave the dog an I.V., and JJ was under observation at the vet for the whole day. Pete brought JJ home with Rx and special food, and thankfully our beloved dog is back to his jaunty self. Whew!


And now for the good news! Hallmark has adapted my niece Lizzie Shane’s novel “Sweeter Than Chocolate” for a movie that will air again this Thursday and Saturday. Her parents came from Alaska to Hawai’i to view it last Saturday with other family members on her Uncle Karl’s large screen TV. So much fun! Lizzie even sent some samples!

Until next time, be well.

~Rebekah


Comments : Comments Off on Chocolate: there’s good news and bad news
Tags: , , , , ,
Categories : About me, Food, Friends & Family

Farm Fair at Kualoa Ranch

9 07 2022


The Hawaii State Farm Fair down the highway at Kualoa Ranch goes on for one more day on Sunday. We ran out of energy earlier than in previous years, but not before scouring the plant booth for herbs, and the produce booth for bananas, tomatoes, and a pineapple.

We stood in a long line for fresh lemonade in a quart size Mason jar. We made the rounds in the agriculture exhibit tent. And we admired the 4-H farm animals.

Our grandkids are off island this summer, so we skipped the kiddie rides and the ponies. Finally, we headed home before any appetite lured us to the plate lunch line; tacos seemed popular.

If you are on Oahu, you might consider taking in this rural experience.

Be well.

~Rebekah


Comments : Comments Off on Farm Fair at Kualoa Ranch
Tags: , , , ,
Categories : Food, Hawaiian, Travel

Punahou class reunion sweetness

14 06 2022

The Class of ’67 gathered for its 55th reunion this past weekend from Thursday through Sunday. Scheduled events included informational talks, a dinner for ourselves plus one guest each, the Alumni Luau for all alumni under a huge tent on Middle Field, and a potluck picnic at the beach at Bellows AFB. My contribution to the potluck was several home-baked mountain apple pies, my specialty.

My family was disappointed, thinking that there was no pie at home to enjoy. I surprised him with two pies that I baked this morning to freeze and enjoy later. That’s done!

Be well.

~Rebekah


Comments : Comments Off on Punahou class reunion sweetness

Categories : About me, Food, Friends & Family

« Previous Entries