NYC - Part 2

Besides sushi, the other highlight of this trip was the Meat Packing District, Chelsea Market, and of course the High Line.  If you like people watching, High Line is an incredible place, I would avoid it on the weekends as it's way too many people in such a small place. Unless you like that kind of thing and it is New York after all. 

NYC

Traveling in perfect weather is always ideal.  Luckily I had such an opportunity.  Usually when conditions are difficult, the weather makes us miserable, the whole trip can easily been marred.  When the conditions are just right everything is so much more enjoyable and great!  This was one such trip and I had a great time taking photos from it.  It was such a short trip and only wished that it would last a bit longer.  Until next time! 

24 Hours in the Outer Banks

With a very tight schedule and trying to beat traffic I spent a significant amount of time traveling back and forth from N.Va to OBX.  It was about 5 hours drive down with some road construction traffic.  24 hours at the beach house and another 5 hours back with even more road construction late at night.  The family decided to leave early Friday evening because we were trying to beat the usual Saturday rush in and out of OBX.  As there is always traffic to and from this location, as it took the others about 9hours to get down and a repeat of that experience would be a nightmare. Who wants to spend their vacation in traffic for most of the day?

Despite not knowing that my stay would have been so short I still enjoyed myself at the beach. I personally don't like the beach all that much but it's always good to visit and oddly enough I like swimming in the pool on the beach rather than the ocean itself.  This time around the ocean water was really cold due to our unusual mild summer and the pool was warm and refreshing.  I think the really nice thing was the rental house was right on the beach with its own private access and the pool was larger than the previous year.  I think I also realized that I really enjoy having a private pool and not having to worry about other kids and people getting in my way as I get to share it with only friends and family. 

If I had known that I was going to leave so early I would have taken more photos but for now enjoy what I have.

Pick Your Own Blueberry

First time blueberry picking at Butler's Orchard.  Pretty amazing place, large spacious area with acres of blueberry trees/shrubs to choose from.  Best of it all it was relatively in-expensive.  I enjoyed eating as I pick and photographing a few of the berries before I consumed them.

The cutest blueberry bandit I've ever met. She appeared from nowhere and picked at our container and then walked away with a handful of berries in her mouth as her mother calls for her. The only time I was happy to have been a victim of thievery.

ベジタリズム - Vegetable Rhythm

This video showed up on my FB feed and I saw the most amazing and catchy thing I've seen from Japan in a long time.  The kids dancing are amazing! It really matches the song so well.



Here are the lyrics to the song in Japanese and the translation.  If you want to see more information about this song see Makiko Itoh's explanation: Japanese Culture: What's the story behind the "Vegeta-rhythm" (ベジタリズム, bejitarizumu) video?

今日は野菜で やさしい気分で 鍋に入れたら ベジタリズムだよー ママはメニューで パパは会社で みんな笑顔で ベジタリズムだよー きって やいて むいて あげて にて むして そのままー なまー ベジタリズムだよー 悲しくなったら 鍋にいれよう みんな好きだよ ベジタリズムだよー 伝えたいんだ 愛しているんだ 大好きなんだ ベジタリズムだよー かぶに ぽてと せろり ぱせり かぼちゃ とまと まとめてー なべ きって やいて むいて あげて にて むして そのままー ベジタリズムだよー なまー

Vegetables today If you put them in a pot with happy thoughts It's Vegeta-rhythm Mama with a menu Papa at work Everyone with a smile It's Vegeta-rhythm Cut them up, grill them, peel them Simmer them, steam them, as they are - raw It's Vegeta-rhythm If you become sad Put them in a pot Everyone likes them It's Vegeta-rhythm I want to say I love them I like them a lot It's Vegeta-rhythm Turnips, potatoes, celery, parsley Kabocha, tomatoes, everything together in a pot Cut them up, grill them, peel them Simmer them, steam them, as they are - raw It's Vegeta-rhythm

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Which one is your favorite vegetable?