Month: February 2016

Weekly Small Pleasures (#5)

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Diet Overhaul:  If you’re on Facebook, you’ve probably seen those food videos from the likes of Tastemade and Cooking Panda that speed-up the prep and cooking of different dishes. The dish is shown from start to finish in a matter of a minute and only after my newsfeed was inundated with these videos was it confirmed for me, the amount of sugar and salt that’s in the American diet. Getting older means my body is evolving, so I can’t eat like I used to, not just because it’s not good for me, but because unhealthy food and large portions just don’t taste good or satisfying to me like it used to. Late last week, I decided to cut sugar, salt, pork, and beef from my diet for three months for a necessary detox. I’ve been told it’s commendable, but yesterday was day 3 of smaller portions, veggies, and tofu, and truth be told, I had a multi-sensory dream of eating wafu steak and a “traditional” loco moco the night before and it was not pretty. Being from Hawaiʻi, where food is so much a part of our local culture, it’s not surprising that …

Life is a Highway

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My love for travel comes from both of my parents.  I recently came across a photo of my mom in her early twenties posing with some friends in front of the Republic of Chile signage along Route 5 .  It is remarkable that I also traveled on that same road when I decided to bus it back to Santiago, Chile from Bolivia.  Life moves on, but geographical landmarks will always remain and remind us of those who came before us. I am grateful that my mom was not afraid to explore new surroundings, but I cannot imagine what a road trip must have been like during the 1950’s, for I am now spoiled with the comfort of large travel buses that purr you to sleep on initial departure from the bus terminal. Thanks to my mom’s travel stories, when it was time for me to spread my wings, I never hesitated nor doubted myself, as I knew if she could do it, so could I.  Let’s hope I can also instill in my daughter the …

Umibiraki

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  Yurihama is the sister city of Hilo and I was incredibly blessed to dance at the annual Hawaiian Festival one summer. On that trip, after meeting with government officials, we were whisked away to a beach and participated in an umibiraki ceremony. The ceremony was led by a Shinto priest tasked with declaring the sea “open and safe for swimming”. School children were then led by their teachers down to the ocean for a dip, officially kicking off the swimming season. Most Japanese adhere to the swimming season, so it was lovely to witness a formal ritual for something we take for granted in Hawaiʻi, where swimming season is year-round. Lately, I’ve been feeling like the world around me is so much more casual than I’m used to and it’s probably because there is not enough ritual in my life. For me, transitions marked by ritual, give me necessary pause. They allow for reflection on what has transpired and for visioning on how to progress into a next phase, so if I’m feeling like marked transitions are necessary for my own well-being, then perhaps incorporating ritual more intentionally in my life is a good …

Weekly Small Pleasures (#4)

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Last month, I read a great New York Times piece by Sheila Heti, “Letter of Recommendation: Sick Days” and was grateful for the reminder that sometimes, being sick is necessary to get ahead. That being said, although I appreciated the article, I did the exact opposite and didn’t listen to my body when I started getting sick. I thought I could power through, but my flu blew up, which finally led me to see to the doctor, get some meds and a lot of rest, and now, I’m feeling a LOT better, so here’s to resuming my weekly small pleasures posts! As Doe Zantamata said so well, “Taking time to do nothing, often brings everything into perspective.” Amazingly Talented and Funny Singers. After watching Adele’s Carpool Karaoke with James Corden and her posing as an Adele impersonator for BBC, I was content to know that one of my favorite singers had a wonderful sense of humor, but then she went ahead and blew my world yet again. Adele showed up on the Ellen show this past week and pranked some poor workers at Jamba Juice and it was glorious! Then, as if that …

Que se le ofrece, Caserita?

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Outdoor markets in Lima, Peru, can always be interesting and rewarding, especially if you are looking for fresh products or tasty treats. As you pass by a stand the vendors will loudly greet you with “Que se le ofrece, Caserita?” (What can I offer you, lovely customer?) and it can get overwhelming seeing all that they have to sell, but this should not deter you from walking through an open market. Some of my most memorable experiences of living in Lima come from these open markets full of vibrant colors, bustling noises, rich conversations and intense smells. During a lunch outing with my cousins we decided to visit the neighborhood of Lince and eat at a small cevicheria stand at the local market where the fish being prepared for the customers was brought over from the adjacent stand. Seeing all the fish and seafood options was mind-boggling but soon realized I didn’t need to worry as I was going to be eating the catch of the day in my ceviche dish and wouldn’t have to …

Share Your World – 2016 Week 6

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What is your favorite word? Absolutely.  I don’t use it very often, but I love when I hear it as it sounds so positive.   What is your least favorite word? Sorry.  I dislike how some people tend to use this word instead of “excuse me”, when they really did not do anything wrong, but perhaps bumped into them.  I don’t know how it came about that folks tend to think using “sorry” is appropriate, as it is asking for forgiveness for the wrong reasons.  What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?  Any challenge that stimulates my interests turns me on creatively. Meditation bells and yoga calms me to channel my spiritual being.  Usually music will bring out my emotional side.   What turns you off? Seeing others take advantage of those without a voice.  There are some people with power, status and resources who tend to take from these individuals (either an idea or project) and never give them credit. Sometimes I find out after the fact and I wish I had known …

Weekly Small Pleasures (#3)

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1. The Pixie Chino from Old Navy.  I’m in love. It’s extremely rare to find pants that fit me well and are equally flattering. For most hula people, shopping for pants is always a challenge. If you’re not a hula person, you may be wondering why. The constant sway of hips requires one to dance with knees bent, which means hula thighs are much more muscular than one might expect and so the search for pants that can accommodate thick thighs never ends well and usually means we walk out with yet another pair of leggings, but not this week! Thanks, Old Navy! Yes! 2. Being Sick. I started feeling sick on Tuesday and then it escalated to the point I couldn’t get out of bed two days later. I shouldn’t have been surprised, considering everyone around me was getting sick, but this was humbling. I haven’t been this sick in almost 5 years, so being vulnerable and weak forced me to slow down. It also made me realize that I need to re-tweak my lifestyle formula, including stress management, diet, sleep, and exercise, to stay healthy. …

Celebrate Me When I’m Alive

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In the last month and a half, I have had a number of friends and loved ones pass away.  I am always saddened of course, because losing someone means a part of you no longer exists in your living life.  But more often than not, I am motivated and inspired to reflect on the following thoughts:  Am I living a life that I love?  Am I living to my fullest potential?  Am I spending my time the way I want to spend my time and not spending it in a way that is expected of me or as a result of guilt?  These thoughts help me to make sense of the loss and to find new meaning in what I believe life is all about. One such loss was the passing of my good friends’ mom, Mrs. Lam.  She was a firecracker and definitely loved living life to the fullest.  I had the honor of sharing the fond memories of her that everyone had written down for me to read during Mrs. Lams’ service.  And …