The Falls by J.C. Oates

The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates

If you were a fan of We Were the Mulvaneys, then this is a book that you will also like. To be honest, I am not a big fan of Oates' prose style and have a hard time connecting with her characters.  Although this book borders on a Meal for the Mind, it was more just a Light Snack for the Brain.   

The setting of her book is an interesting historical element.  Based in the Niagara Falls area, it delves into the Love Canal crisis before it actually made front page news in the 70's.  This story line element is what almost pushed it into a meal for the mind, but alas that part was never a focus or fully developed question for the reader so it fell short.

What she does develop is a lost and guarded woman who in fact remains guarded even to the reader, who has a life of tragedy in some ways and extreme happiness that she can never seem to be content with.  This is a waiting for the other shoe to drop kind of female lead.  Throughout the book there are a host of loose story lines that never seem to go anywhere; as well as story lines that are developed but don't seem to tie into the main story.  

This maybe what some readers connect with however.  Oates seems to create these family dynamics and characters that are like people we know with flaws and issues.  Like those friends, neighbors, co-workers, we seem to only get to know some aspects of the characters and never really feel fully tied to them.  The story lines too are like life, messy and complicated, and she never pretends to tie everything up in neat bow at the end of the books.  

It was an okay read. I was compelled to finish the book even though I never felt fully vested in the characters or the outcome.  However, if you are a fan of her particular writing style (which is very unique) then this is a book you might want to pick up at your local library.

• Series: P.S.
• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (August 2, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060722290
• ASIN: B005DIAE9G

Vending Machines Okinawa, Japan

VENDING MACHINE BEVERAGES IN OKINAWA JAPAN

So I recently traveled to Okinawa, Japan and although this is not what I would typically include on this blog, I was fascinated by the vending machine options I encountered.  Vending machines are a big thing in Okinawa; in fact, you can hardly travel two blocks without passing one.  Even out in the middle of the farming areas, you will find (see) a lone vending machine waiting to be used.   Often the vending machines are paired- a Coca-cola machine that has more "American friendly" beverages and a second machine that offers more native beverages.  Sometimes these machines offer both hot and cold drinks.  As the temperature was a humid 80+ on the days we were there, I stuck mostly to the cool drinks.  

Often as I selected my beverages I had no idea what they were called, but most bottles could be deciphered based on the pictures used on the labeling.   I am an adventurous one, so I tried a little bit of everything. Some were really tasty and some did not have the best taste, but were none the less refreshing on a hot day and quenched my thirst.

The left hand picture is of a sparkling peach soda.  Very similar to flavor sparkling waters in the states, it had a light refreshing taste with an interesting combination of tart and sweet aftertaste.   The picture on the right is one of many green tea options.  This is particular one is a straight chilled green tea that taste like many green teas I have had in the states.  If you enjoy green tea in general, as I do, this was a good option.

                     

The left hand picture is of another tea option but not one I would recommend to anyone who does not drink a variety of tea flavors.  This is a flower infused tea (jasmine or hibiscus maybe) and one might say it smells like sweaty socks.  It does not have the most pleasant flavor, yet on a hot day I found it more thirst quenching than some of the other drinks I tried.  The beverage on the right is actually a Coke-cola product that I really liked (I actually selected this beverage several times on the trip especially after I caught a cold).  The C.C. Lemon is exactly what it seems like.  I high vitamin C, carbonated lemonade.  It was tart with a nice bubble tanginess that I really enjoyed.

                

 The next two are fruit based beverages.  The one on the left is a green apple infused beverage that is crisp and very tart.  I tend to prefer tart drinks over sweet so I liked this one quite a bit.  The one on the right is a cherry infused beverage.  This one was actually one of the sweetest beverages I had while over there.  Most of the drinks are lower in sugar than many states (in fact there are not "diet" drinks although you can find Pepsi Max and Coke Zero- that is about it).   This one was a bit too sweet for me but it had a really nice cherry flavor and was a big hit with younger audiences.

               

The last two are again tea based.  The one on the left I believe was a honey and lemon version and was really quite tasty.  The one on the right was a coffee infused tea that was pretty strong in flavor, but I really liked it.  If you enjoy both coffee and tea in general, this would probably be a good selection.  I also really liked the label on this one.... it seemed perfect for me. 

"..to enjoy your meals and talks on dining."

             

If you are interested in reading more about vending machines in Okinawa and Japan in general, there are several websites that have additional information.  Although I did not see any, I have read about vending machines that sell live crabs and other interesting items. Just Google search "Vending Machines in Japan" to find out more.  

United Airlines

UNITED AIRLINES TRANS PACIFIC FLIGHT FOOD

Say what you will about airplane food: To be honest, this was my first time dining on a flight so I was a bit excited.  I did not have high expectations because most of my preconceived notions come from TV, movies, and years of bad press.  Okay, it is not fancy or super high class.  It is edible, it does have flavor, and in my experience it was served with a smile and friendly demeanor.  United Airlines also fed me a lot.  Granted, each meal was not extensive, but three (four if you count the pretzels) different servings adds up over 12 hours.  

After the light pretzel snack was the Chicken and rice steamer with salad, roll and a brownie for dessert.  All the food was fresh and hot.  Not overly flavorful but the Honey Dijon dressing gave it enough boost to suit me. The brownie was delicious. Can't really go wrong with chocolate. 

Next up was a light snack of a turkey sandwich and Vanilla Gelato.  Tasty and light it hits the spot and to be honest, after being served this I thought no more food till I disembark the plane... but I was mistaken.

About and hour and a half from our arrival at our destination they stewards again came around with another meal. This time it was an omelet, spinach kiesh and sausage patty, roll and almond cookie.

Granted it was not five star dining, but it was good, it was hot, and it was edible.  It was not much different than what I might make for myself at home from a microwave meal; but, I was okay with that.

On the return trip I found a very similar dining experience but there were some different options to select from.  After the pretzel and beverage service came the first in-flight meal .  I selected glazed salmon with rice option.  The flavor combination was quite tasty.  The standard garden salad was fresh and crisp, which I always appreciate.  The roll was fresh but a very dense bread as it was on the trip out so it was not my favorite.  However, the packaged brownie was the chocolate fix I needed after a mad dash through the airport to catch the flight.  

The mid flight snack was pretty much the same, though the sandwich was a carved ham instead of the thin sliced lunch meat.  The "ice cream" was a plain vanilla, but light and refreshing.

Alas the picture quality on the last meal is not great- turbulence and picture taking evidently don't go well together.  The last meal was really tasty pasta dish that was served at just the right temperature.  

All in all, I would say that in-flight dining has come a long way from the stories I used to hear.  Granted, it is pretty similar to food that I could heat and eat in my own kitchen, but it fulfills the need of a weary traveler.  I enjoyed the food and overall the service on both flights was pretty good.  If you are heading across the Pacific, United Airlines does a nice job of making a really long flight a bit more comfortable. 

http://www.united.com/web/en-us/content/travel/inflight/dining/default.aspx

Blue Seal Okinawa, Japan

BLUE SEAL- OKINAWA, JAPAN

One of the treats of traveling is trying new things.  Granted, I have the luxury of being able to be very adventurous when it comes to food.  I have no known allergies and almost no strong or overwhelming dislikes of food or flavors.  This was a great benefit when traveling overseas.  Even at an Ice cream joint, there are options that you wouldn't normally encounter in the States.   The first two pictures illustrate some of the options available (though you may need to zoom in on the pictures to really see the various flavors) both unique and familiar.  Blue Seal is a staple in Okinawa and can be found in several locations, serving up both hot food and cold deliciousness, it is a recommended stop for travelers.  

So on my first visit to Blue Seal I selected a Beni-imo shake.  Beni-imo is a local variety of sweet potato that is very common in local cuisine.  The purple color comes out in the cooking process and makes for a lovely lavender colored dessert. If you like American sweet potatoes than this dish will not come as a shock.  The flavor is similar and makes for an interesting taste sensation.  On the right, is one of my favorite treats that is available in the states in limited locations.  Green tea is a staple of Japanese cuisine and it is a flavor that I enjoy.  Green tea ice cream is one of my favorites because I generally prefer tart or tangy flavors to sweet.  Green tea ice cream is a wonderful closer for a rich meal.   

            

If you are an ice cream lover this is a fabulous stop while traveling.  Though I did not dine there, the hot food smelled delicious and for those less adventurous, covered most of the American staples you would find in a Braum's or Dairy Queen. As was my experience in all the food establishments in Okinawa, the service was quick, efficient, and eager to ensure clear understanding of what you wanted. Depending on exchange rates most of the ice cream dishes averaged $3-5 in American Dollars.

http://en.blueseal.co.jp/museum.html

Kuroshima Grill: Kokusai Street, Okinawa; Japan

After a fun midday shopping excursion on Kokusai Street in Naha, we stopped to grab a lite bite to eat and get out of the incoming drizzle of rain.  However, we popped into a restaurant that was more of a fine dining place than a lite snack.  After perusing the menu we decided to order a meal and simply share it.  The Lady Set seemed to be the perfect selection (as we were all ladies).

The lady set is a full meal that had a lot of variety to it.  Starting in the lower left hand corner: White rice, sea grapes in a vinaigrette, salad with a Japanese dressing, tofu in a cucumber glaze, custard, soy sauce, miso soup, steak and vegetables.  Each dish had a unique flavor that was almost like a taste roller coaster.  The beef was cooked perfectly to my taste preference (medium) and the vegetables were soft but still had a lite crisp to them.  The big surprise was the pickled sea grapes, which if you like pickled foods I highly recommend trying.  They were tangy and delicious.

This was one of those accidental dining experiences that was a good, but made you wish you had stopped for a full meal instead.  The menu had many delicious options that would have made for a really nice evening meal.  The flavor and presentation of the food was wonderful and the service was (as always) courteous and efficient. Cost depending on exchange rate will be about $15-20 per meal.

Sushi-Go-Round, Okinawa; Japan

Oh how I love Sushi! So of course I was excited to try out the sushi scene in Okinawa.  This particular restaurant is just outside of the American Village shopping complex in Chatan.  When you arrive you can be seated at the bar or in a booth that has a sliding partition to make the dinning experience intimate to your party.The great part about this restaurant is the options and variety.  If you have a particular craving you can simply order from the extensive menu (complete with pictures for ease in ordering).

However, if you want to try a little bit of a variety of options then sit back and watch the options come to you.  The center of the restaurant is the prep area and surrounding that is a conveyor belt of deliciousness.  As you sit in the booth you can watch various sushi rolls pass you and when you see something that tempts your taste buds, simply reach out and pluck the desired plate from the belt. Pricing for the conveyor belt is based on plate color.  There is a chart both on the wall of the restaurant and on the side of the booth below the passing belt.  

Another great feature about this restaurant is the Green Tea.  On the end of the booth next to the prep area is a hot water tap and a canister of powdered green tea, maccha.  Dump in the desired amount and fill with hot water for a warm tea to enjoy while dinning.   The following pictures show the various rolls that I selected to try... sad that I could not try them all, but a stomach is only so big.   In the first picture there is a yellow plate with a seaweed wrapped tuna and avocado roll.  This roll had a tangy dressing drizzled over it giving it a crisp and delightful flavor. The blue plate was a seafood salad wrapped in seaweed. Although this roll did not have a powerful flavor, it was a light and creamy taste that was enjoyable. The white plate was a shrimp roll which paired with a soy/wasabi mixture was a delightful taste sensation.

The next two taste adventures were a tempura mackerel roll on the left which was crunchy and delicious.  On the right is a seared soy infused mackerel roll which was awkward to eat but had a pleasant burst of flavor.

The dinning experience was great and I thoroughly enjoyed sampling a variety of delicacies that were offered. At the end of the meal the waitress comes to your table and scans you stack of empty plates to create your ticket. Depending on how much you like sushi and how hungry you are the price range varies quite a bit.  You will likely spend about $8-10 (depending on the exchange rate) at the minimum.

After our sushi lunch we headed across the street to the second level of the main pavilion in American Village to grab some dessert at the Frozen Yogurt place.  In general, this does not vary from stateside FroYo establishments except for a few of the options of yogurt and toppings.  It is the same- fill the bowl and weigh it at the end system so your price range is $5-10. 

Below are the flavors that I tried out and enjoyed very much.

The Maccha is a green tea flavor and the Litchi is a very tart and tangy flavor.  I paired these with the mango and some granola for a really great flavor combination that was an excellent way to finish off a great lunch stop.

Gajumaru Treehouse; Naha, Okinawa; Japan

The Gajumaru Treehouse is a restaurant that sits off of Highway 58 just outside of the Naha Airport.  It is visually hard to miss and is one of those restaurants that the exterior simply begs for you to stop in and dine.  The parking for this restaurant is a bit messy as it sits right next to a rental car company and tour bus company.  Although this was a fun experience, I can't say that the food was as impressive as the exterior.  Just for clarification, this is not a natural tree.  The entire facility is man made with an elevator to take you up to the dinning area.   The interior does offer some very nice views of the bay and surrounding city, but it is very small so seating is limited.

There is some fun glow-in-the-dark artwork inside the elevator to enjoy on the short ride up to the dinning facilities.  Next to the hostess stand there is a framed article that gives the information about the Treehouses claim to fame, Shabu-Shabu.  There are both tables and a version of Japanese style seating available.

There was a reservation for a large party (a tour group we found out) that took up the entire table area of the restaurant so we were seated in the Japanese style section.  This is not fully traditional as there is an open area under the table for your legs and feet. It will show your age and agility though when you try to get up with people sitting around you.

When entering this seating area you must remove your shoes and place them on the shelves provided.  There are slip on shoes that are available when you leave the area, which you do for drinks and salad. There is a drink bar that has water, a variety of teas, and coffee to select from that you can simply go over to at anytime.  I tried the jasmine tea which was quite delightful.    

The menu is compact and easy to read/ understand. I selected a spicy chicken dish while one of my dining companions ordered the Shabu-Shabu. 

This was an interesting food experience in the combination of the dish.  In the top left corner you have Miso soup, which is a fish broth.  The strength of this soup varies by restaurant; sometimes with an overpowering fish base taste, sometimes just a hit of fish thus making it more broth tasting.  The dish in the upper middle was a fried reedy vegetable that was similar tasting to fried okra though it was not served hot.  Upper right is a dish of white rice.  The chicken was not as spicy as I thought it would be, in fact it was more just like an herb pan seared chicken.  The flavor was not bad but the chicken was a bit on the dry side.  Then there was a floret of steamed broccoli, a stem of the reedy vegetable that is similar to okra, three potato wedges and a small bit of what I would call cavatini (noodles and a red sauce). I am not sure if the portion sizes of these or the combination was more interesting. None of the flavors were off putting but neither were they sensational.

The Shabu-Shabu was an interesting experience just to watch.  There is a hot plate built in to the table that the wait staff turns on when they deliver your basket.  The basket is simply a wire basket with what looks like a piece of wax paper lining it, then filled with water.  The basket sits on the hot plate and the water slowly comes to a boil.  You are given plates of ingredients like tofu, vegetables and the meat (in this case bacon) of your choice, that you can add into the boiling water to cook.  Directions were provided to help guide you through the process.  There were also dipping sauces, soy and a mustard sauce, to use as you preferred.  Overall, my dining companion indicated that there was no overwhelming flavor to her concoction, but it was okay.   

It was an experience, and when you are traveling that is what you look for.  It was a fun place to checkout and now we can say that we have been there and tried it.  The service was good and there were some nice aspects.  The price rang, depending on exchange rates, will fall in the $10-15 range per meal.

http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/gajumaru-treehouse-diner

YYY Club: Ie Island Resort, Okinawa; Japan

Off of the Northwest coast of the Okinawa Island lies Ie Island.  A short ferry ride will take you to this scenic and beautiful get away that has lovely white sandy beaches.  This little side trip while staying in Okinawa was a wonderful adventure of sights and food. After arriving, getting checked in and taking a trip to the beach; we stopped in for a quick bite to eat at the YYY club resort restaurant.  Being an adventurous eater, I opted for the Mt. Gusuku burger, and a mountain of burger it was.  Layered with lettuce, tomato and beef; this towering burger was hard to get your mouth around.  The burger was juicy and hit the spot after a morning of lounging on the beach.

 A multi-course dinner was included with our stay, so after a relaxing afternoon we headed down to a culinary experience that made my night.  There were three options: Japanese, Western or BBQ.  I selected Japanese while my less adventurous traveling companions selected the Western (One hoping that would mean avoiding fish- but alas that did not pan out quite as planned).  First is the Western Dinner.

Seven Course Western Menu

Table Settings- can you figure out which utensil goes with each course? (Even our knowledge of Pretty Woman did not help with this). 

Course 1: Salsa Infused Fish Cocktail- Tuna, Squid, Octopus with Cilantro, lime, and Mango Salsa

Fresh baked bread rolls and baguette

 

 Course 2: Pan fried Chicken on bed of Greens 

Course 3: French Onion Soup

Course 4: White Wine Orange Sauce with clams and white fish 

Course 5: Garden Greens Salad with tomato, corn and sesame dressing 

Course 6: Grilled Sirloin with corn, zucchini and carrot 

Course 7: Dessert Selection On the right is a Roll Cake (Nutmeg based) with coffee; on the Left triple layer chocolate cheesecake with hot tea

 

Some of the other dessert options were: apple tart, New York Style Cheesecake, Beni-umo cheesecake, White Chocolate and Beni-umo Cheesecake, and Chocolate cake. All of them looked fabulous and sad that I could not try them all.

Multi-Course Japanese Menu

I was extremely excited about this meal and could hardly contain my enthusiasm.  I tried every item although there were a few that I did not eat much of.  

First Tray- Starting from Bottom center and working clockwise: Squid Roll, Octopus, Seared Duck, Tuna and Squid with Wasabi , dish of soy.  The squid/octopus roll was delightful and unexpected.  I wish I could tell you what exactly was in this delicious confection, but there were some lost in translation moments throughout the evening.  The raw octopus/squid on the right was chewy and had an ok flavor, but there was nothing really powerful about it.  The seared duck was tasty alone, but I preferred it with a bit of the soy sauce.  The raw tuna was absolutely may favorite on this tray.  Dipped in the wasabi and soy mixture, it was delightful. 

Tray 2: Pork Spare Ribs

What can I say about this dish that will make up for the blurry picture.  This was a delight for the taste buds in its succulance and tenderness.  The meat was so perfectly prepared that it just fell off the bone.  It had a nice flavor with the right amount of spices and not overly salty as is common in the States.

Tray 3: Leaf wrapped barbecued white fish

This was a tangy dish which was unexpected from its appearance and smell.  The fish, once unwrapped had a really nice sear to it but the glaze somewhat indicated a more tomato based flavor.  Instead this fish had a nice citrus glaze that brought out the flavor of the fish and complimented it nicely.

Tray 4: Miso soup, white rice, 

pickled cucumber, pickled eggplant, 

and fried white fish with greens and soy broth.

This tray had some hits and misses for me.  The miso soup is a traditional dish that varies per restaurant.  Sometimes it is a lite broth with just a hit of fish and other times the fish is almost overpowering.  In this case the fish was a bit strong but once I added a bit of the rice, I enjoyed it much better.  Pickled dishes are not like American pickled dishes.  These had a much stronger vinegar base and far less sugar to off set.  The cucumber pickles were tangy and quite delicious, the eggplant however did not win me over, but I tried a bite before deciding.   The fried white fish dish was really good, and I was a bit sad when it was all gone.  The fish was crisp and the greens set off the taste nicely.

 

Tray 5: Green Tea and Sweet Potato Mousse

The meal was capped off with light and refreshing Sweet Potato Mousse (the sweet potato is a staple in many meals in Okinawa, but the potato turns a purple color when cooked unlike American varieties).  This mousse was not a sweet dessert, instead it was a palate cleansing dessert that topped off the meal rather nicely.  Coupled with the after dinner green tea, you felt full but not so painfully full that you wonder if you can move. 

The Next Morning: A Breakfast Buffet Like I Have Never Seen

This was not your typical American breakfast buffet, no sir.  This buffet had a blend of cultural staples from Japan and America.  I did not get a picture of the fruit/salad bar which had extremely fresh pineapple; nor did I get a picture of the juice bar which had about 8 types of juice including guava. 

However, below is a picture of the array of foods offered: 

Hashbrown triangles/ Toast (with cheese, ham, cream sauce)     Fried Rice/ White Fish Picata

 

Grilled Horse Mackerel/ Fried vegetable and noodles                  Loin Ham/ Sausage 

 

Simmered Beef with Potato/ Scrambled Egg                             Steamed White Rice

 

Chinese Dumpling/ Mustard/ Soy Sauce                       Miso Soup/ Vegetable Soup

 

Fried Burdock Root/ Sauteed pork with egg                 Soy sauce/ Pickles (variety)

 

Assorted Breads (rolls, Pancakes)

I did my best to try a little bit of everything, but there was a lot!  I failed to get pictures of the fresh fruit and salad bar which was absolutely the best part for me.  The fresh pineapple was so juicy and full of great tangy flavor.  There was also a huge beverage bar with hot coffee, hot/cold teas, and a variety of juices.   This was a great finale to my food adventure at the YYY club.   Everything was freshly coked, perfect temperature, and really quite tasty (even if it was a dish that felt odd to eat for brunch).

http://www.ie-resort.com/english/