Life of Larisa or LOL

...when it comes to computers---among other things. This whole time I've been in Japan, I thought I couldn't blog because the homepage for Blogspot was in Japanese...I was worried that my blog would either be in Japanese or I wouldn't be able to figure out how to maneuver through the pages to actually, well, BLOG. But here I am, over half way through our trip and I have successfully figured it out! So, have you seen "European Vacation"? If I thought the camping, Maui, and Big Island excursions were trying on my patience and skills as a married mother of one...WOW! Traveling abroad is stressful! I am super excited and feel very lucky to have gotten this wonderful opportunity...but...the road to hell is paved with good intentions...what's the road to Japan paved with? The Flight: It was over eight hours long. That in itself was enough to drive me insane. I think it's been over ten years since I've been on a plane over five hours. And it seemed

We are going! We are excited. We are anxious. We are flying for an atrocious amount of time. I'm unsure of my blogging capabilities/limitations while in Japan. I'll be back in a week with what I hope are lots of cool adventures from a foreign country. Japanese food. Japanese Starbucks. Japanese hotel. Japanese iPhone photos. Japanese Facebooking ! Japanese nature and beauty. Japanese culture, language, art, people... Japanese blog in a week or so...stay tuned!

Ladies night. It just can't happen enough. Once a month, four of my girlfriends and I get together to gab, eat, and partake in adult beverages. We all have kids and spouses, so it's nice to get a small piece of our former selves back when we meet for a few hours of girl time. I was especially excited for this outing, as we were trying a new restaurant! New to me anyway. Isom and I had attempted to eat here once, but when we realized they required reservations, our plan was foiled. So, thanks to Lehua for calling ahead for us ladies. The parking was a bit of a pain (but maybe this was because it was sprinkling and I didn't want to get my hair wet). Once we were seated things started looking up. The atmosphere is hip and young with art, lights, and chains . My iPhone doesn't do well with pictures at night or in dark lighting, so my half ass description will have to suffice. We were in the back amongst several tables of birthday celebrations. Good sign...the

...has the world's biggest pancakes! And we got to eat some. Furlough Friday is quickly becoming eating Friday. On our recent date night, Isom and I ate at MAC 24/7 in Waikiki. We enjoyed our outing and wanted to share it with Gabe. Gabe is a breakfast kid. He loves waffles, pancakes, SPAM! I heard MAC 24/7 was known for their pancakes, so when Isom asked for a breakfast suggestion...I actually had one! Off we trekked. After sleeping in and putting off eating until after 10:30 a.m., we were hungry. Our appetites were ripe for eating more than usual. I'm not a huge pancake lover (I prefer French Toast), so I let Isom and Gabe decide which of the monstrous pancakes we would enjoy. They chose Blueberry. We sipped on coffee and cranberry juice while we waited, and then...the pounds of pancakes came out. I wasn't sure if our waiter was going to make it to our table with the platter of pancakes he had. OMG ! You've never seen pancakes this big. And I like big. We each too

...was the best idea ever...that, and drive- thru Starbucks. Mai Ly and I had a great time last night. We were surrounded by Twihards- --or adult Twilight fanatics ( I'm not excluding myself from this group ). Besides watching the re-release of "Twilight" followed by the midnight showing of "New Moon", we watched a sea of what Mai Ly so endearingly labeled as "freaks". We saw several Edward look alikes (one of whom was a girl). We saw two "Bella at the prom" girls. We saw seat saving with "Volturi robes". We saw crowns, "New Moon" paper plate lanyards, people faking disability to get better seats...it was all pretty nuts. At least 3000 people were at Ward for the double feature or the midnight showing of "New Moon"...H mm , at $10 a pop (they inflate their ticket prices)...well, you do the math. Don't forget the soda, popcorn, and hot dogs folks were buying too. Lucky for us, I made a little goo

...is a beautiful morning walk. Mai Ly and I are now three for three. We have walked every day this week. Monday was town. Tuesday was Mililani . Today was Lanikai . It seemed like a good idea...until I sat in traffic for over an hour. Hate to beat a dead horse but... when's that rail system gonna get built? Apparently the 8 car wreck that occurred at 5 this morning was now affecting my 8 a.m. commute. Ack ! By the time I finally reached the windward side, I needed a treat...so I stopped into Starbucks for my first Cranberry Bliss Bar of the season. Yum. I walked it off... We calculated that the loop was close to three miles. The weather was perfect. The company was great. The health benefits worth the drive. There were no wildlife sightings (except for the "wild" Lanikai cat), but there were lots of beautiful houses sighted. The biggest being at the very end of Lanikai ...so big we mistook it for a hotel. Seriously. So, I'm super curious...who lives there? And how

...my sorority sister Katie. NOT ME. I love to host a party so when the opportunity presented itself to host a baby shower for my Alpha Gam sister Katie---well, I took it. I made cupcakes and cleaned and decorated and waited for the guests to arrive. We played games and watched as Katie opened what turned out to be bath after bath after bath present. Yes, it's a baby shower...but no, we did not need to take it so literally! But, come to think of it, babies always look cutest (and smell nicest) right out of the bath. This is the first baby for Katie and her husband Ben. How they are getting through nine months of not knowing the sex of the baby is way beyond me. I can't even make it through the week without knowing what's happening next on "Grey's Anatomy"... The guest of honor enjoyed an afternoon that was all about her and the rest of us enjoyed an excuse to get together and enjoy delicious pupus ...oh, and the upcoming arrival of who they affectiona

...everyday. Well, almost everyday (and I wonder why I have a weight problem). But I also have a wait problem. I can't wait for anything. Can't wait for Thursday ("New Moon"). Can't wait to buy all the new Christmas Starbucks crap. I mean stuff. Every year I can't wait for Egg Nog . I can't wait for books to come out in paperback...must get hardback. I clearly have issues with patience...and instant gratification. This is why I love my iPhone...so much at the tip of my fingers...no WAITING! I digress. Day two of the week and day two of walking. Mai Ly and I did the Mililani neighborhood loop this morning followed by lunch at The Shack with Isom and his co-worker Dan (who should re-think his current vocation and look into stand up comedy). Not only did we enjoy a meal, we enjoyed great laughs...and then leftover baby shower cupcakes. I wonder if "leftover" counts as a cupcake flavor? After the guys left, we were headed to Ross Dress For Less..

...and I took a picture with him! Thank goodness my friends all indulge me in my dorkiness. What would I do if I couldn't take a picture in front of a $33 dollar cutout of Robert Patinson in Nordstrom? I might fade away. After a four mile walk around the outside of Diamond Head (lighthouse, surf, million dollar homes view), we...okay, I, changed my clothes in my car (I'm stealthy like that) and me, Cara, and Mai Ly met up at Nordstrom---for the sole purpose of seeing a cardboard cutout of Edward Cullen from "Twilight" (in case you live under a rock). There is a black and white AND color version of the cutout. There is a Jacob one as well, but who can be bothered with that? Not me. Thanks to the Nordstrom salesgirl who only mildly rolled her eyes when Mai Ly asked if we could take cardboard Edward down for a photo shoot. I'm sure she's over it just like the folks of Forks,Washington---but guess what, I'M NOT! After the glamor shots, we looked at "Twili

I won't be making the same mistake twice by reading this book again. Trust (that's Nene lingo)---I love "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" and I was super excited to see that one of them had already wormed their way into a book deal, but I'm always leery of a book that takes two people to write---especially when it is a biography. I mean, can't you write your own story? And Nene , if you're reading this (she says...many times...in her book that "the bloggers " are full of *%@t!), I love watching you, but I think the team at Touchstone publishing could have helped you out some more with your book. I think everyone has a story to tell, and Nene has loads of interesting and scandalous stories to tell---I just hope for her next book (I'm sure there will be a second), her ghostwriter does a better job. And possibly the editors, jacket cover artists, chapter decor advisers ...it was all a bit---cheesy. So, as Nene is so famous for saying--

...especially when they aren't "Furlough Fridays". Although it is Friday the 13 th , the day has been mostly good---aside from the fact that I fell into the wall on my back porch (don't even ask...I can't begin to explain in detail my klutzy ways) and banged my shin really hard on the table at the Target Starbucks. Oh well, at least I had a delicious NEW beverage to enjoy. I HEART my fabulous barista who introduced me to Black Tea Lemonade sweetened with Vanilla Syrup. YUM! I met Cara and Mai Ly for this Starbucks before we wandered the aisles of Target. Shopping is fun, but shopping without kids and with the company of your girlfriends...even better. I had a small list of must get items---and as I look over my receipt now, realize I actually purchased none of them! I did acquire a few things for the baby shower I'm hosting this weekend, a much needed black cardigan sweater, and "New Moon" party plates, napkins, and buttons! Target shopping tr

I've been walking...off and on...for over a year now. In that time I have lost no weight. But, I have chatted incessantly with my many walking partners (it's a revolving door around here) and seen some pretty cool places. I have walked in almost all areas of Oahu. Windward, Leeward, Town, Central. I have walked Kailua Beach with Malia where the scenery is the beautiful blue Pacific flanked by million dollar homes. I've walked Mililani suburbia with Pua where house fires, feral cats, and high school drivers abound. I've walked up the hill to Makapu'u Lighthouse with Mai Ly where we saw whales. I've power walked with Michelle (back in the days of Marathon prep). I've walked Aiea Loop trail with Isom and Gabe and seen the beauty of where nature and man meet (picture cars rushing down H3 surrounded by green hills and waterfalls). I've walked and talked my way all over the island. Last week Mai Ly and I walked in Central Oahu Regional Park. It

Traffic. Waiting. Sun scorched. Drizzle. Pour! Our day off from work and school consisted of the Wahiawa Veteran's Day Parade . This was a first for us. We can now add "parade participants" to our resumes. Gabe "did his best" (the Boy Scout motto) to hold the Den flag, walk a straight line, not throw a fit. And we in turn did our best not to get too aggravated at the long wait prior to the parade or laugh (in their face anyway) at the shear chaos of having six year old boys hold up an unbelievably large banner, while walking in the rain. After a few blocks of walking behind another Boy Scout Troop (and holding up the one behind us), the sunny skies turned to gray. Then the mist came. This feels nice. It's less than a mile up the road. We can make it. Then the RAIN came. So much for an "uneventful" event. The boys were troopers though (more than I can say for us adults). They marched along with pride...wet uniforms and all. The parade ended at W

I just finished reading Stephenie Meyer's "New Moon" . This would be read number three...in less than a year's time. She is an average writer telling an old story...you would think there wouldn't be so much hype. But there is. And I'm part of it. I love these books. Despite having read it twice before, this morning I woke up early (6 a.m.) to squeeze in some chapters before the day started...I was worried I might not get the chance to read about the Bella, Jacob, and Edward love triangle. After dropping Gabe off at school and before meeting Mai Ly and Cara for a morning walk---I read. After meeting Isom for lunch and before picking Gabe up from school---I read. After picking up Gabe from school---I read. I knew the story, the characters, the ending, but still I carried the book with me everywhere over the past week---hoping to be delayed somewhere---so I could read. I do consider myself an avid reader. But, the great thing about the "Twili

Last night I saw the cheapest concert I think I'll ever see. Lena and I met for our postponed date. We got our mochi crunch popcorn and settled in for the two hour MJ fest that is "This is It". I really believe that everyone is a fan of Michael Jackson. People will say they aren't, but they really are. Just like it's "cool" to dog on corporate America, Simon Cowell, and "The Real Housewives"...but secretly (or not so secretly as is the case with me) people love these things. Thrive on them even. It's the same with Michael Jackson . Whether you knew him as the little kid fronting "The Jackson 5", the 80's pop icon, the troubled adult with strange habits, or through all the other famous musicians and dancers he inspired along the way---everyone has something to say about him. The audience in the theater proved that Michael bridges generation, cultural, and economic gaps with his toe tapping rhythms. Seated behind us w

I never guessed that I would be learning words when I started on this cupcake journey. So far I have been forced to define (Google...whatever) kirsch , caster sugar , fennel , Armagnac ...I mean, I just don't think these are everyday words for most folks. Are they? I mean, there's no " Fennelbucks ", " Coffee Bean and Kirsch Leaf", "Caster cookies". Who are these cupcake book people trying to fool? I put off making the orange and Armagnac cupcakes for two reasons. One, I had a lot of other baking to do (Halloween, Princess Parties, for myself). Two, I didn't have any Armagnac . Until a few days ago anyway. I am the proud possessor of BRANDY now. So on Friday, when the two Pommerenk girls were over to play with Gabe for furlough Friday, I baked cupcakes. I finally had "right out of the oven" taste testers again! Thumbs up from each of the kids. And from me too. I am partial to the cakes with citrus...and of course liquor. The oran

The only thing better than date night is "surprise" date night. The weekend plans were already set. Or so I thought. We were going to enjoy Furlough Friday with our friends Danica and Mia, followed by dinner with the families (theirs and ours). Saturday was shopping for cold weather clothes (can't freeze in Japan and Washington!). Saturday evening was dinner and a movie, otherwise known as a date...with my friend Lena. But wait, what's this? The Pommerenks have offered to have Gabe over? Spending the night even? Sold! I couldn't whip out the iPhone fast enough to let Lena know of the change of plans. Had it been that long since we'd gone out? Probably not. But around this time of year (excessive school events, holiday fundraising around every corner, Boy Scout this and Boy Scout that...) I've been feeling lost in all the 6 year old social events! What about me?! (yeah, yeah...I'm an only child...what do you expect?) After a day of shopping (what a perf

What do you do when you wake up too late to find good parking at the beach? Go movies! Sunday we saw a matinee of " Astroboy " . But first we drove through the Burger King drive thru for two Whoppers (no mayo) and one Veggie Whopper (bring on the mayo). My big purse comes in handy. A grande personal Starbucks cup, three Whoppers, and the usual crap I carry around...no one was the wiser as we walked into theater five ready to eat lunch and watch " Astroboy ". My memories of this movie will forever be triggered whenever I smell that distinctive onion/whopper smell...I don't know what it is, but there is definitely a unique Whopper odor that permeates my skin. It lingers all day --every time. At least they are consistent. " Astroboy " was action packed and used the voice talents of Nick Cage ("Valley Girl", "Gone in 60 Seconds", "The Rock") and Kristen Bell ("Heroes"). The story line gets five out o

Happy 100th post and happy birthday to Danya! She turns three and my blog celebrates 4 months of taking up space on the Internet . Today started out...late. The alarm went off at the usual 6:20 a.m., but for some reason, no one got up. At 7:03 I woke up in a panic. Shower, dressed, and breakfast in 15 minutes...seemed unlikely. But, we made it. The morning gods were on our side. With Gabe dropped off, I was looking forward to a morning walk...rain. The sunshine gods were not on my side. Instead, I put the finishing touches on the Princess Cupcakes I made for Danya's birthday party. I finished in time to sit in front of the t.v. while I ate my raisin bagel with cream cheese for breakfast. What's on? CBS was showcasing things from 1990...a time machine theme. As I chomped on my bagel I was able to watch a cast reunion of "Murphy Brown" and to follow that up--- Vanilla Ice performing his one hit "Ice, Ice Baby" . I know it's been awhile since I've wa

Purple is my favorite color. I love it so much that I am even willing to make it my hair color. So I did---with the help of a friendly styling assistant at Marsha Nadalin . It's been my little secret of fun. As I walk through my day---the baking aisle at Safeway, the Young Adult section in Borders, Starbucks...I wonder who notices the specks of purple peeking out among the curls of black. Apparently no one. So, me and aforementioned assistant decided to take it up another notch. We agreed that pink was the logical next color. Sitting in the chair, relaxing and reading "Rolling Stone" , I daydreamed about what comments I might hear from the other Mililani Moms (this is not an organized crime group but...). "Sorry." says the FSA (Friendly Styling Assistant). "We don't have pink." Oh. Trying hard not to show my disappointment. "But we have this fabulous red.". Oh! Showing my pleasure with the new color choice. This will be fun! The end res

The moldy pumpkin should have be a sign to me...a foreshadowing of how this year's Halloween would go... We finally got invited to a Halloween party this year. I'm usually the one hosting such events. For some reason, even though I'm not technically employed anywhere (my house does not count), I seem to be busier than ever. So, I never found the time to come up with my poetic (or not so poetic) rhyming EVITE for The Majors Halloween Bash. Our friend Julie to the rescue. She and her family hosted a terrific evening for their colleagues, friends, and lushes alike. Maybe you can guess which category I fell into. Speaking of falling...I'll preface this post with this: I don't usually lose myself in the bottom of the glass, bottle, keg...whatever. Saturday was the exception and definitely not the rule. Definitely not. Really. (College doesn't count...that was years ago.) The good of Halloween---our costumes. Isom and mine to be more specific. Isom as Hulk Hogan wa