I Voted for Luisa and Steve

 

How did your love story begin?

Was living in Japan. Stuffed my life into a backpack, headed to Europe to visit a dozen penfriends in 1/2 dozen countries. Budget died in Sardinia, so got an ESL gig at a private school. At semester's end, the school had a big party. There I met gorgeous Luisa. Oh wow, she blew me away! At end of the evening, she shyly gave her number. "C U later," she said. "When?" I shot back? "How 'bout tomorrow for gelato?" That 1st date was hilariously insane, a cultural train wreck. But we both knew...

What is your favorite memory you've shared as a couple?

Taking our daughter (who by 8 yrs old was fluent in both our languages) to bounce around Europe (Ireland, Germany, etc.) We laughed so hard as she tried (with Italian body language) to talk to kids from Czech Republic. To this day, my wife's laugh turns me to Jell-O inside. I watch her when she isn't looking and wonder, "How did a bad boy get sooo lucky?"

What would you do with $20,000?

For several years, we've been struggling to raise $ for Christmas Apollo (yes, that's his real name), who runs a tiny orphanage in Uganda. His story and pictures always push me to tears. This money would buy a real floor for his 1-room classroom, tables and chairs, and possibly a boat so their kids could safely cross the 2nd biggest lake in Africa to get to his school. We believe empathy is the key to most of the world's issues.

The Best Hamburger in Long Beach

 This is just an FYI for local Long Beach folks. The smash burger at Luna Bistro Cafe on PCH and Bellflower (Not to be confused with Luna Grill at same intersection) is amazing. They have a very interesting menu but I can’t get past the burger it’s so good!

 

Flowers From the Garden

 

                       Painting by Karen Morgenstern 2026

I need to refresh my bowl of garden roses. Even when wilting I appreciate their gentle beauty.

 

Happy Heavenly Birthday Grandma Jingu

 

My sister Jocelyn just reminded me that today is our grandma Miyoshi Jingu’s birthday . She was born July 1, 1893. She led a very full and interesting life. She raised 8 children in San Antonio Texas. Many of you have heard the stories of the Texas Japanese Tea Gardens. If you google Eizo Kimi Jingu (my grandfather)you will see the family history and the part they played in the development of the gardens and the city of San Antonio. . My grandfather died in his mid40’s leaving my grandmother a young widow  to raise the family and run the family tea garden business. She was a strong, resilient woman. After the war the family moved to California. In 1951 life became easier for my grandma. When the family moved to east Los Angeles my grandmother was for the first time in a community of Japanese Americans. She was able to attend church in Little Tokyo, take painting and poetry lessons, flower arrangement lessons and speak Japanese to her Issei (1st generation Japanese American) neighbors. It was in the 1950’s that she answered an ad in the local Japanese newspaper “Rafu Shimpo” to be in a movie. She got the part and that was the beginning of her almost 10 year movie career at around age 63. She became a member of Screen actors guild had an agent (Bessie Loo) and made enough money to buy a ticket to Japan to visit her family whom she had not seen since she first came to America in her early 20’s. She was in movies with Cary Grant, Marlon Brando, Rosalind Russell and other memorable stars of the time. We were fortunate that my grandmother learned to speak English out of necessity for the business in Texas. There were few to none that spoke Japanese in her city so my grandmother also out of necessity leaned to speak Spanish. Near the end of her life there was a comical incident where the paramedics came to our house to take my grandma to the hospital. They had to carry her from the 3rd floor of our home to the ambulance. We were on the 2nd level when my grandma told the paramedics “Don’t  drop me I’m a Movie Star!” They looked very puzzled and thought she might be hallucinating. They looked at all of us and we nodded positively and said “She is!”

Happy 133rd Heavenly Birthday Grandma,  a true shining star on the silver screen and in real life!

 

That's grandma on top of the jeep with the goat.  She was not strapped down well she said.  They just tied a rope around her waist. She said it was scary. 

Happy 3rd birthday Julian

 

Though Jude and Julian's birthdays are only a week apart Athena planned separate and quite different celebrations. Julian who turned three had a small "Teddy Bear" themed picnic with a handful of buddies.  Athena said he was so happy.  She purposely planned it for Monday while his brother was in school.

 

 

  He loved his bear cake and cupcakes

 

 

 and the "pin the hat on the bear" game. 

 

 

The kids enjoyed  the cute bear books his mom read.  All in all a very sweet 3rd birthday for Julian. 

 

Happy 3rd Birthday Julian! 

 

 

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

 

 

Bingo at the Pasadena Buddhist Church

 

Had a great day at the fund raiser Bento and bingo at the Pasadena Buddhist temple.   

 

My sister Jocelyn, and her husband Vicente were among the lucky winners. 

 

 

 

 We saw friends from long ago. 

 

Akemi, Naomi and Mary

 

 Great to see my high school friend Kathy Kubota. 

 

 

 Thanks to my bffs Mary and David for inviting us to participate in this fun event.  

 We are all winners!