Minami green thumb

After all the plants we've neglected & killed in this household, Minami might be the greenest thumb of us all.

お墓参り - visited the grandparents, the great grandparents, and aunt.

I guess our families always went late to visit the cemetary so we were surprised to a huge Memorial Day procession with flying planes and all!

Minami refuses to get close to any reptile...

I enjoy my share of snakes, lizards, and komodo dragons but Minami will have none of it. Where did I go wrong?

Meerkat photobomb

It seems Minami already has a list of animals she must see: flamingos, giraffes, and hippos.

Minami like those Haribo gummy bears from Germany, compliments of Jeff M!

I mixed in a "healthy" vitamin supplement gummy bear with Minami's German Haribo gummy bears.

I've created a monster: Minami likes Japanese cucumbers over cheaper regular cucumbers, and wild sockeye salmon over cheaper farmed Atlantic salmon. But these happen to be my preferences too.

Minami's lunch is Japanese cucumber sticks with creamy sesame dressing and flaked wild sockeye salmon over 7 grain rice medley.

Frozen yogurt

Minami's favorite.

Lunch at Nick's in Seal Beach: breakfast burrito and corned beef sandwich

It's been awhile since Minami and I visited Nick's in Seal Beach.

Our new wheels for the week, Ford Escape.

Sometimes the simplest auto amenities in a rental car like Bluetooth connectivity are reminders that we live in the future.

Minami's cloth diapers, vacuum sealed and ready for storage. An end of an era.

Space Bags are great! Shrinks everything down into a solid brick for storage.

Giant sholompo soup dumpling at Wang Xing Ji. Minami doesn't believe that there's boba inside (instead of pork & crab & scalding soup).

Wang Xing Ji dumpling house in San Gabriel has decent flavors but I will say the food is way too salty and rich.

Colburn School of Music

Perhaps Minami will be more of a music pro than a filmmaker.

A new lucha libre wrestler is born!

Looks like Minami had a good time at the Getty.

Getty Minami

Glad I finally caught up with the Getty - Minami Cali approves.

Getty fabulous: overheard someone say the president of S. Korea was visiting and therefore there are a lot of men in black security...

There's a lot of official looking men in black with ear pieces and firearms here at the Getty... hmm?

Rosey day in LA

Minami is making friends with squirrels in the rose garden behind the California Science Center.

Spring for the pool

Getting warm enough in Cali for the pool - well pool for me, spa for Minami.

It's official

Today is Minami's 1st "official" day in public off diapers... kind of scary!

A DBZ attack photo with Minami was bound to happen...

Minami doesn't pose, she performs... which leads to blurry photos.

Union Station ice cream break

I can't expect to travel this many train miles without fueling Minami with ice cream.

Colburn Cafe: halibut with mango salsa, black rice, & bok choi... I thought it was good but Minami was not impressed.

Now we're off to Union Station to catch a train to the OC.

Civic Center dowtown LA

I think one of the regular Asian nurse actress's from the TV show ER is here at the Colburn music school...

The Colburn music school dog is missing! And Minami is sad...

Looks like they took the dog statue and Colburn away for fixing. I hope they bring it back or they'll have to answer to Minami California!

Hiroshima style okonomiyaki and eclair parfait

With a decent pork Hiroshima style okonomiyaki beginning, we found a good ending with an eclair parfait.

Monjayaki, seafood okonomiyaki, and Hiroshima style okonomiyaki with the folks!

Parents are in town so this time we're on the hunt for Hiroshima style okonomiyaki at Gaja Cafe.

Sorry Minami but just because it's a pink dress doesn't mean it's cute to me.

Need to work on Minami's fashion sense. Death by pink is not the way to go.

Geocaching beginnings and movie locations in the LB

My 1st Geocache find with Minami, and right in our front yard where we can literally see the spot from our balcony. The movie reference is inspired as I'm a filmmaker myself. Now Minami and I will be watching "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" to further appreciate the find and our LB view. Thanks!

IAMMMMW - Spencer Tracy

coord.info

Use a smartphone or GPS device to navigate to the provided coordinates. Look for a micro hidden container. When you find it, write your name and date in the logbook. If you take 

Minami bringing a little pink to spooky hallways

If Minami was a ghost in this infinite hallway, I'd probably crap my pants.

Minami is not so excited about Shanghai style dumplings

At Emperor Noodles for some Shanghai style dumplings.

Minami tricycle jack

Minami beat out 2 kids to get a tricycle but then road it out the toddler park & into the big kid's bike lanes. That was a bit of a scare.

California and the cars

The weather couldn't be any better for all the events going on outside.

Downtown LA bound via metro train

Minami has been on the train many times but this may be her 1st evening ride.

California Science Center

Interesting purple sky light at the California Science Center.

Minami Cali Kamehameha!

Minami Cali Kamehameha!

Night at the museum

We were going to the California Science Center but Minami has yet to see the Natural History Museum.

Commissioned Minami for a painting

I almost bought a $14 porcelain color palette for Minami's watercoloring, but then found a sauce dish at Daiso for $1.50.

Paying it backwards

Minami's art education is already paying off - when I need a birthday gift, I just commission a painting from Minami Cali and it's a fone deal.

Minami unCalifornia

Minami dental appointment: epic fail. According to Minami, "むりです." Which mean "not possible" in Japanese.

Minami gave me the slip

While waiting to get into the bath tub Minami peed all over the bathroom tiles. So I panicked and jump out of the bathtub and slipped on pee, as Minami slipped on pee - twas a butt nekked screaming peepee slip'n slide hell. So I'm done for the day.

Playing Craps

Just caught Minami planning to poop in the privacy of her bed, under her blanket, but we made it to the bathroom in time and she's now happily pooping and singing on the can.

Minami painting and her subjects.

I try to minimize my coaching of Minami's art but I can't help myself.

Minami watercoloring at home.

Minami did the pencils, I did the inks, Minami did the coloring.

Daiso adventure time

Yano girls played dress up at Daiso in Gardena but I'm the one that bought a bunch of misc stuff.

Minami Cali on the hunt

Minami found all of her 10 Easter eggs.