Hawaii Mom Blog: October 2015

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October 30, 2015

Tsukiji Fish Market and Restaurant Revisited



I have to say I wasn't super excited when my Mom chose Tsukiji for her birthday dinner, but I have to admit our dinner experience went above and beyond my expectations.  Located on Ala Moana Shopping Center's Ho'okipa Terrace, Tsukiji offers an extensive buffet of traditional Japanese, Chinese, and Korean dishes.  You'll find a great spread of fresh sushi, crab, New York steak and ramen and udon noodles made to order.  The dessert bar includes cookies, jello, brownies, bread pudding which all pair well with their soft serve machine.  Yes, a soft serve machine!

I also wasn't aware of their great cocktail, beer, wine and sake selection.  They offer flavored mojitos and margaritas (yum!) as well as wine by the glass and bottle and beer on draft.  Excellent!

I personally think the quality of the food has improved and if you hadn't been in awhile, you should give Tsukiji another try.  The buffet has great value and is perfect for large groups as there really is something on the buffet line for everyone.  My favorites are the steamed ginger fish, kabocha, and kimpira gobo.  I love the zenzai as well.  My daughter loves the selection of sushi and pairs it with a big bowl of udon.  The rest of the adults chowed down on the crab and steak.

What also sets apart this buffet are the discounts it offers!  We were able to take advantage of the kama'aina discount as well as the senior discount (65 and older).  They also offer a children's discount for ages 6-9 years.  What an incredible savings!  

The service at Tsukiji is also outstanding.  It was very easy to make a reservation and it was great that they called a day before to confirm the details of my reservation.  When we sat down for dinner, someone was always coming to check on us as well as constantly clearing used plates.             

Tsukiji has three private dining rooms that would be perfect for parties.  Parking is plentiful at Ala Moana Shopping Center.  Great atmosphere!

Tsukiji Fish Market and Restaurant
Daily:  11am-2pm and 5pm-9pm
(808) 237-5444
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Visit Spokane: Riverfront Park

Spokane Falls at Night

Spanning over 100 acres, Riverfront Park, once home to The World's Fair, is a beautiful place to visit while in Spokane.


You can spend hours walking the numerous trails through the park, traversing the bridges, watching the waterfalls, and perusing the many sculptures.
The Joy of Running Together Sculpture

Upper Falls Dam
Remains of the masonry foundation of the water-pumping plant after the great fire of 1889
Suspension Bridge
Willie Willey Rock
Spokane Falls

We wish we could have spent more time at Riverfront Park - there was so much more to see and do, like taking a ride on the carousel, train, or sky ride!

Riverfront Park is definitely a must-visit if you're in Spokane!

Riverfront Park
507 N Howard St
Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 625-6601
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October 29, 2015

Oreo Mummy Treats

Chocolate covered Oreos are one of the treats we love making, especially for the holidays or special occasions. My kids and I decided to make Oreo Mummies. 

I must say, it was not as easy as I thought it would be. Melting the chocolate can be difficult if not tempered right. I first melted the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds, stirred the chocolate chips and microwaved it for an additional 30 seconds, but it started to get thick and cease up. I used another batch of the chocolate chips and tried melting it over the stove at very low heat which turned out creamy and worked much better. It got a little messy but my kids had fun trying to cover the chocolate over the Oreos.


Ingredients:
• 2 bags White Candy Melts 
• 1 package Double Stuff Oreo
• 1 bag of M&M's
• Lollipop Sticks

Instructions:
First insert the lollipop sticks into the Oreos. Melt the candy melts in a pot over the stove at very low heat. Mix until melted. Remove from heat. 

Next, dip the Oreo in the chocolate. Add two M&M's to make the eyes. Set aside to harden. You can also put it in the freezer for a few minutes to harden quickly. 

To get the mummy look, melt more chocolate in a pot over the stove at very low heat. Once the chocolate has melted, pour the melted chocolate in a ziplock bag and snip at the corner. Drizzle the chocolate over the Oreo in criss cross patterns to make it look like mummies. Let it set in the fridge until it hardens. Enjoy!










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Watch Simmer Sundays on CookSpace.Kitchen!

Sharing my Easy Beef Stroganoff recipe.

Earlier this week I attended a lunch to celebrate the launch of the first video of Simmer Sundays, a weekly series featuring fabulous beef recipes by Moms.  Simmer Sundays was produced by CookSpace Hawaii in partnership with the Hawaii Beef Council and partly funded by the Beef Checkoff.  Dale Sandlin, managing director of the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council spoke about working towards promoting the use of beef in the diets of Hawaii’s families for better health and nutrition. 


Delicious lunch made up of all CookSpace Hawaii's tried and true recipes.

Last month, I (nervously) filmed my video sharing an Easy Beef Stroganoff recipe.  I had prepared the dish a few times for my family.  At first, I wasn’t sure if my kids would like it because we don’t eat a lot of beef at home.  But they loved it!  The recipe is simple and doesn’t take a lot of time to prepare.  It also doesn’t require an extensive list of ingredients.  Now I feel more confident that I can introduce other beef dishes into my children’s diets.  Beef provides nutrients like zinc, iron, protein and B vitamins, and half of the fat found in beef is mono-unsaturated.

The beef the Moms use in the recipes of Simmer Sundays was graciously provided by Michelle Galimba of Kuahiwi Ranch and member of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture.  A new video will be featured each Sunday on www.CookSpace.Kitchen.  Hope you enjoy the series as much as I enjoyed being a part of it!
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Visit Japan and Singapore: Laduree



Ever since my first visit to Laduree in NYC, I fell in love with the luxurious French maker of macarons and when I visit a new city, I check to see if it home to a Laduree location.  While each location is uniform in the soft green pastel decor and offers a rainbow variety of macarons, I've found some nice distinctions.

In the Singapore location, there was a special Laduree macaron offered.  The chocolate macaron was decorated with 22 carats gold leaf.  They advertised that it was the universal symbol of success, beauty and eternity and was known to give a higher IQ, and possesses the legendary powers contributing to a long and vital life.  But really, they had me at special.   



I forked over the $7.90 Singapore dollars which roughly converts to about $6 US dollars and took a bite (after pictures of course!).  While the chocolate macaron was perfect and divine, I didn't care at all for the metallic taste of the gold leaf.  There goes increasing my IQ.  

As for the Shinjuku, Japan location, I was delighted that they served ice cream!  I had a refreshing chocolate soft serve topped with raspberry sauce and raspberry macaron crumble.  I thought the macaron would be chewy, but they were crisp and gave my dessert a nice crunch.  What a genius idea for broken macaron cookies!





A visit to Laduree is always a treat for my senses and a fun way to indulge.  Looking forward to more visits!   
     
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JELL-O-Filled Mandarin Orange "Jack O' Lanterns"

Since we had a bunch of mandarin oranges on hand, as well as several boxes of JELL-O, I decided I could turn them into cute and fun treats for Halloween.

This JELL-O Filled Mandarin Orange "Jack O' Lanterns" activity/recipe is very kid-friendly!

Simply take some mandarin oranges (one box of JELL-O will fill approximately 8-10 shells, depending on size), and draw the Jack O' Lantern faces on with a permanent marker.

Next, slice the top off of each mandarin orange, then scoop out the insides.

This part was pretty tricky.  And messy.

After a lot of trial and error, I figured out how to carefully scrape the insides with a knife and dig in so I could easily pull out all of the flesh (note: the fruit will most likely not stay intact, but you can use it for smoothies, popsicles, etc.).

Then I prepared the JELL-O according to directions, filled each shell with JELL-O, and refrigerated for a couple of hours.

It's the perfect portion for a snack or dessert!
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Visit Seattle: Gregory's Bar & Grill

Next to the Red Lion Hotel Seattle Airport is Gregory's Bar & Grill, where we dined on an inexpensive breakfast buffet.
Assorted Breads and Pastries

Assorted Beverages

Potatoes and Eggs

Sausage and Bacon

Waffles

Assorted Yogurts, Cereal, and Fresh Fruit
Although the price has gone up from a few years ago, the breakfast buffet is still a great deal at just $10.95, and kids eat free!

We dined on Bacon, Eggs, Potatoes, and Waffles until we were full!

You can also order items off the menu, but the buffet was too good of a deal to pass up!

Service was efficient and friendly, and Gregory's is definitely a great place to have breakfast in Seattle!

 
Gregory's Bar & Grill
18220 International Blvd
Seattle, WA 98188
(206) 248-8185
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October 28, 2015

Mummy Dogs

One night last week I decided to make Mummy Dogs for dinner.

I made them partially because I wanted to try and make something fun and creative for the kids, but also because I was too lazy to make anything else.

Hot dogs + crescent rolls = a very easy dinner!


They didn't turn out exactly like how I hoped they would (next time I'll need to wrap the head better) but the kids still ate them up, and it was indeed a very easy dinner to make.

Mummy Dogs Recipe

Ingredients:
  • 1 can of crescent roll dough
  • 8-count package of hot dogs
  • Mustard (for the eyes)
Directions:
  • Heat oven to 375°F 
  • Roll out crescent sheet dough and pinch together perforations.
  • Cut dough into 1/4" to 1/2" slices
  • Wrap each hot dog in dough slices, making sure to leave a space for the eyes.
  • Bake for 14-17 minutes until dough is golden brown.
  • Dot mustard to make eyes
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Visit Japan: Magnolia Bakery


The amazing banana pudding is a must try!

Who else is super excited about Magnolia Bakery coming to Hawaii???  The bakery giant which is famous for their banana pudding will be opening a cafe serving breakfast, lunch and dinner November 12th!  My friends have been raving about their banana pudding so since I was near their Tokyo location, I went to see what all the fuss was about.  

I arrived at the bakery about an hour before closing and the place was almost empty.  My friend had remarked that she never saw the bakery without a line!  

Omotesando location

I made a beeline for the banana pudding and although I just had a frozen s'more, I wanted to get a taste of it right away.  It's just banana pudding right?  How can it be that amazing?  But it was!  It was delicious.  The consistency and texture was rich and creamy and I loved the good sized banana and vanilla wafer pieces.  Yum!  

I didn't let myself finish it for fear of sugar shock from all my desserts that hour, but I definitely had to take the rest with me.  The staff was super friendly and offered an ice pack to keep my treat cold on the way back to the hotel.    

I am so excited about the Ala Moana location!  I am looking forward to trying all their goodies as well as having breakfast, lunch and dinner at the cafe!    



Super cute Halloween decorated cake.

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Visit Coeur d'Alene: Roger's Ice Cream & Burgers


Our traditional ice cream stop during our travels brought us to Roger's Ice Cream & Burgers in Idaho. 
Birthday Cake

Butter Pecan

Cookies & Cream

Moose Tracks

Roger's serves Cascade Glacier Ice Cream in a variety of flavors.

I opted for Moose Tracks in a Cake Cone (they didn't have any sugar cones) - loved the vanilla & fudge combination!

It's the first shop I've ever seen weigh ice cream, and the kid scoops were small compared to other shops, but they were the ideal size for my youngest two kids (my oldest probably would've been happier with a single scoop).

Prices were reasonable, and Roger's was a great stop for ice cream!

Roger's Ice Cream & Burgers
155 West Neider Ave.
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815
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October 27, 2015

Shop, Eat, Play, and Create at Ward Village

Our family loves going to Ward Village.  We shop there a lot, we eat there often, and we love to play there - whether by going to the movies, Dave & Buster's, or events.

Last night I attended a Ward Village Shop-Around that introduced me to a new facet of Ward Village - Create!  I had no idea that there were so many retailers that offer a variety of workshops at which you could create everything from greeting cards to clothing!

To start off the Shop-Around we met at Kahua Cafe (located in the rear of Na Mea Hawaii/Native Books), where we dined on nibbles made by Owner/Operator Po`ai Lincoln.

From top left clockwise: Mini Raspberry Scones; Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes; Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich; Brownies
The cozy shop also offers Ka`u Coffee, `Awa, and more!

Once we fueled up, we started the Shop-Around!

CHAI Studio
At Chai Studio you'll find beautiful clothing and home decor from all around the world, including many one-of-a-kind pieces, and they also offer workshops so you can make one-of-a-kind products too!

At CHAI Studio we made our own Indigo Scarves.  We participated in an "accelerated class" of 15 minutes (normally takes 2 hours), where we folded up a plain white scarf, clamped it between two discs, soaked it in water, and dipped it in all natural indigo dye.

Due to time constraints, owner Amerjit Ghag and her team from CHAI Studios had to assist with the remaining steps, but in the end we all were rewarded with beautiful, unique, indigo-dyed scarves!
From this...
to this...
to this!  No two scarves are alike!
At the Indigo Workshops, guests can also make beautiful Dream Catchers and Slip Dresses. Meditation and other types of workshops are also offered.

Click here for their upcoming DIY Studio workshops.

Clay Cafe
At Clay Cafe, guests of all ages can let their creativity shine as they paint dishes, mugs, animals, characters, and more!

We painted a plate using a Bubble Technique. In a cup was a mixture of soap, paint, and water. With a straw, we blew some bubbles and let them fall onto the plate.

After popping the colored bubbles, which left behind pretty hues, we repeated the steps with different colors.
I can't wait to see what the final product will look like (it takes about 7 to 10 days to be ready for pick up).


Clay Cafe is a great place for playdates or parties!

Na Mea Hawaii
For the past 10 years, guests have been attending Na Mea Hawaii's lauhala classes, making everything from bookmarks to hats!

At Na Mea Hawaii, we took two pieces of lauahla, some raffia, and ribbon, and transformed them into a cute angelfish ornament!

The lauhala weaving is a great class for all ages! In addition to such cute ornaments, you can make purses, bracelets, and more! They also offer a variety of other classes, such as lei hulu, net making, and chanting.

Click here for the event calendar.
Two strips of lauhala turned into...
Angelfish ornament!
Mori by Art + Flea
Some of you may have been to the monthly Art+Flea events, which showcase wares from local designers and artists.  Mori, the retail space, offers the same types of products you'd find at the monthly market.

At Mori we were able to make adorable potted succulents with Luna Amante.


We also made a fun Sunday Funday greeting card using a Japanese Woodblock Printing technique with EngiNERDart.


Sunday Funday!
Click here for upcoming workshops at Mori.

At the end of the Shop-Around, we dined on popular dishes from Kincaid's.

Oysters
Spicy Ahi

Furikake Ahi
Crab and Artichoke Dip
Teriyaki Tenderloin
Key Lime Tarts
Kincaid's is a family-favorite, and they'll have an upcoming Honolulu City Lights Trolley promotion, so be sure to follow them on Facebook for updates!

Speaking of the Honolulu City Lights Trolley, Ward Village has many more holiday events coming up, so check out their events page for details on the latest happenings.

And yes, the holidays are just around the corner, so don't forget to stop by Ward Village for great gift ideas, including many that you can create yourself!


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