POLÉ POLÉ – LIFE with R

Borlotti beans, aka cranberry beans . . . . .

Have you ever seen or cooked this beans? I’ve seen the dried one before but I have never seen the fresh one. When AB and I went to Chelsea Market, AB found this beans and put some in the bag. He didn’t know what they are but he wanted to try cooking this mysterious pink beans. We took them home and searched who they are online…

And we discovered that they are borlotti beans. When we opened the bean pod, cute bicolored beans came out in my hands. “Oh, I know you but I’ve never had you”. Like you do for other beans, we boiled them with salted water first.

This time, we made a curry with borlotti beans. The way you cook is the same as when you cook Chili. I used curry powder instead of chili powder this time. It was good! We should eat more beans for our health.

Hot and Spicy Kimchi Soup

The other day, I went to a Korean Market in Korean town and bought a jar of Kimchi as well as thin sliced pork, a bag of rice. So yesterday, I made a kimchi soup for dinner. You just cooked sliced garlic, meats, vegetables, and kimchi in a pan at the same time, and add dashi soup (it’s a Japanese fish soup stock and comes in little pellets). This time, I used cabbage, mushrooms, thin sliced pork, and zucchini. Then, I adjusted the taste with salt and pepper and ….. here is the kimchi soup!!

What I usually do after eating the main part, I add rice or udon noodles and reheat the soup again. Believe me, it’s really good. The kimchi soup is perfect soup for winter. It makes your body warm~~~.

I found this shoes a couple days ago at the shoe warehouse sale in the town. I was looking for flat shoes for next Spring and they are perfect. It was cheaper than the retail price. You can’t always wear the heels. Let your foot relax and flat!

I found a cool web site posting snap shots taken on the streets in Tokyo. It’s providing the recent trend of fashion in Japan. As you can see, Japanese fashion is very different from New York fashion. People decide what to wear with their inspiration, so their fashion is unique and has originality. If you want to check their fashion more, please click here. Choose ‘English’ and go to ‘Street Snap’!

Good Morning,

It’s 2010! But to be honest, it doesn’t feel like the new year. We came home last night around 1ish, so we were lazy kids this morning. Anyway, we gotta eat to wake us up. For brunch, I made coffee, waffles, and kielbasa for AB and I ate the soba left over from yesterday. We respect our own culture.

Our New Year's breakfast

We didn’t do anything today. We tried to go to a movie theater in Manhattan, and we canceled at the last minute. Instead, we played Dominoes again since AB needed to win at least one time. Well, luckily AB won two times but that’s it. I won most of the time.

Later that day, we decided to eat out since we’ve been home all day. The place we headed to is Moto. It’s located near Hewes Station (J, M) or Broadway Station (G). I don’t know what category they are in. It could be Traditional American and could be Casual French…. I don’t know.

Pictures below are the entrance and inside of Moto. There is kinda sign outside but it’s not obvious. So, you might miss it if you’ve never been. It’s a kinda hidden restaurant, I think. Moto has a really neat decor inside with antique clocks and old-style lightbulbs. The last time when we went to Moto, we had meatloaf. Perfect meatloaf…. We got so addicted to their meatloaf. We expected to have it tonight also but they said they didn’t have it. Shoot!!!

Tonight, we had Marinated Mushrooms with capers & sherry vinegar, Rotisserie Pork Ribs ‘Herbes De Provence’ with mashed potato & green salad, and a couple of Coopers (Beer). I loved their marinated mushrooms. I’ll come back this place again soon. Next time, please let me bite your awesome meatloaf. PLZ!!!

A Happy New Year!

I can’t believe it’s 2010!

My last day of 2009 was busy on housecleaning. I got drunk from the afternoon on 30th, so that I had to do cleaning on New Year’s Eve. AB was at home but he had to work from home instead of going to the office. Actually his job was almost done by noon and I expected his help. However, he stood up, put on a coat, and left for his friend’s place with his new buddy, Catan. Man!

I put Christmas Decorations back in a storage, rearranged the living room, and vacuumed & wiped the floor. It was 3 pm when everything was done. Well, I left the bathroom (toilet and bathtub) cleaning for AB. “Participation is what counts”.

The room got nicer than before, I guess.

After AB came home around 4pm, we went to the seafood market near Grand Street Station (L) and got some scallops for New Year’s Eve Dinner. While I was cooking dinner, AB was devoted to his work, scrubbing the toilet bowl!!

Dinner on New Year's Eve

The dinner menu was chicken pilaf, scallops saute in butter with balsamic sauce, broccolini saute in garlic butter, and some seaweed salad. It was good, especially the scallops. Yum~.

After dinner, we played Dominoes! yea!

Look how many tiles I have compared to AB! I was in trouble! AB was about to win!!!!!

Gee…. My tiles look like Stonehenge.

And the result was……

I won!!! Wow!!! Poor AB…. feel pity for ya.

We played a couple times because AB begged me to play until he wins. Well, sadly but his dream never came true. When we looked up the clock, it was already 9:30 pm. So I started cooking soba noodles. Eating soba before New Year on New Year’s Eve is Japanese tradition.  Some people eat it at dinner time and some people eat it after dinner. We call the soba that we eat before the New Year Toshikoshi Soba or Year-End Soba. Is there any reason why we eat soba?? I think it’s related to longevity. Please read this for a full explanation. This year, we had dinner earlier (7ish) and ate soba at 10ish.

Eating soba before New Year is Japanese tradition

After we ate soba, we headed to George’s apartment near Morgan Station (L) to celebrate New Year. It wasn’t so cold outside, so walking toward his place from the station wasn’t so bad. The time we got to his place was 11:30 pm.

Before we knew it, the time was already 2010!!! Thank you for the no-countdown on MTV! Wow, we missed the moment…..

Anyway, Everybody! A Happy New Year!

At George's Apt

I was invited to my coworker’s place yesterday. The aim of this get-together was to get drunk from the afternoon. Her place is in the Financial District. First, four of us met at her building around 2pm and headed to stores together to get liqueurs and foods.

We bought a couple of different cheeses and hams for Hors D’oeuvres, and of course alcohols. The time we got back to her place was 3pm. Her condo was like a hotel room. There was a big open kitchen facing to a living room and a huge (truly huge) bathroom. What’s so funny was that you can see people working in the office across from her windows. Well, they can see us, too… us drinking from the afternoon on Wednesday. People were working in the office and we were getting drunk.


We first opened a champagne to celebrate this get-together. Four of us are working at different divisions. We talk often but never go out together.

We started drinking around 3 pm and when we looked up the clock,  it was already 11:30 pm (!!!). That’s 8.5 hours drinking! Wow, we did it!!!

The trains get slow after midnight so that it took a while to get home.

Today is my cleaning day since I blew it off yesterday. . . .  no help from AB (went to his friend’s place to play a game. Gee)!

These are our selections for today

Baba's 85th Birthday

The day after Christmas is AB’s Baba’s 85th birthday. One reason we came to Ohio this weekend is to celebrate her birthday together. On the 26th, we left Cincinnati by car at 10:00 am for Youngstown, OH where Baba lives. The time we got to her place was already 2:30 pm. What a big state, OH!

Baba was as usual: cheerful and powerful. Meowski was also as usual: big and fat (Meowski aka Lucky aka Kitsunya is Baba’s cat).

At Baba’s place, I ate 5 stuffed mushrooms that Baba made and I felt sick. It was awesome, I just shouldn’t have eaten them all once. Hot tea helped move them down.

We moved to Uncle George’s house around 5:00 pm. nmm~~ yum yum smells welcomed us at his place!!! He and his girl friend, Diane, prepared foods and they were amazing! They are both really talented chefs, I think. Oh~ their lamb meat….. smokey and juicy……  I’m so addicted…..

All Bakers who could be there tonight

It was a fun night. I think I gained weight over this weekend. Well, it’s Christmas so that’s good excuse. Who was waiting for us when we went back to Baba’s home? That’s Meowski! When everybody except for AB went to bed (AB left for a bar), we became a good friend.

Meowski on my lap

Meowski on my side

Birthday card that I made for AB's Grandma

Next Monday, AB’s Grandma becomes  89 years old!


（♥≧３≦）～┌iii┐HAPPY BIRTHDAY♥♥


So I made a card for her. It’s not as nice as a card sold at a store, but it’s a wallet-friendly. I struggled with a cake part, to make a paper cake more real cake. Eighty-nine is an amazing number…. Next year, she’ll be 90 years old.  Wow!!

It was a great weekend and I really enjoyed it, in spite of the tight schedule. I had to work on 24th until 2:30 pm and left for LGA to catch the flight leaving to Cincinnati at 5:00 pm. The flight was a bit delayed but got to CVG on time. Cool!  AB came to pick me up at the airport. Even though my flight was kinda late for arrival, we all could have dinner together at his parents’ house that night. The dinner was delicious. A lot of seafood and my belly was totally fulfilled. yum yum!

In the morning on the 25th, AB was being excited….. excited at the precious time that comes once a year.


Opening Christmas Gifts


We started opening the gifts around noon. I got a lot of presents. Being surrounded by many presents, I couldn’t stop smiling! I love this moment!!

Precious time, priceless. . . . .

And, Grandma is also happy!!

Showing her Christmas gift

Christmas dinner was amazing. I loved them all. Especially, the turkey was very soft and moisturized, and the homemade cranberry sauce was perfect to eat with it.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Baker,

Thank you very much for delicious meals and warmed hospitality. AB and I were really enjoyed every moment with you in Cincinnati.