Lake Erie Creamery Goat Cheese

Since I really enjoyed the beets salad at Luxe restaurant (Cleveland, OH), I was looking for the ingredients in it. I finally found one of the ingredients, Lake Erie Creamy’s goat cheese at the West Side Market. It’s such a luxurious treat (Yes, it’s relatively expensive comparing to some imported cheeses) for me but it’s totally worth it.  It tastes elegantly sharp but mellowly sweet.  I really love this cheese.

Besides this locally produced cheese, I encountered another local product, Jorgensen’s Apiary Honey at the market.  To be honest with you, I’m not an expert in honey tasting.  All I can tell you is “It’s thick and very tasty”.  And again, I just love it!

Jorgensen's Apiary Honey

After that, I stopped by the local farmer’s market, Gordon Square Farmer’s Market.  It is a cute tiny market and I found some interesting foods and fresh produces there.  I’ve got locally produced eggs (It’s less expensive than the ones I usually buy at the WSM!) and some vegetables including one of the ingredients for the beet salad, Arugura.

Beets Appetizer

Here’s what I finally made mimicking the beets salad from Luxe restaurant.  I put a slice of beet, a little arugura leaves and a drop of Lake Erie Creamery cheese and Jorgensen’s Apiary Honey on a saltine cracker.  This appetizer type of my creation was served at the July 4th dinner.  I think everyone liked it!

I still have some cheese left, so before the expiration(It won’t last more than 3 weeks!) I have to seek for another great use with it.

iPad Peek

I just checked it out for my websites: This site and Japanese blog(www.rgblog.net). Phew, I think my websites all look good!

rgblog.net on iPad browser

endunham.con on iPad browser

To be honest with you, I’m rather careless on iPad than iPhone. I’m more like a “necessity” oriented personality. In other words, if I don’t need it, I won’t waste my money on a small use. So, this kind of tool is very very useful for my professional purpose.

Her work can be expressed as an elegant “zen-like” manner. I really appreciate every ornate detail in her work, which reminds me the sweet home Japan. The stoneware in this photo above is a container with a lit (the upper half of the whole figure). I’ve using it for candies. I guess alternatively it can be used as an incense burner but it might damage the inside with soot. So, candy jar (or maybe jar for a bulb of garlic?) might be the best way to use this stoneware.

If you are interested in her comprehensive styles of work, please check her website:
http://ikukomiklowski.wordpress.com/

All my dogs came from the local animal shelters. In fact, I recently adopted a 9-months old pup used to be a stray. So, I can’t help getting emotional about the horrible situation of animals in Japan. I now really want people to know about this film and to think about the animal protection.

Here’s the introduction and synopsis of this film. I translated the contents on the official website with a permission from the director of the film, Motoharu Iida.

[Introduction]

Do you feel that they are cute or pitiful?

Walking through towns and cities, you will notice the many familiar sights of dogs walking with their owners and cats sleeping in alleyways. That is not to say, however, that all dogs and cats live happily their whole lives. Due to the unprecedented pet boom in Japan, more than 300,000 dogs and cats are disposed of each year. It is a sad reality; 1,000 per day are killed. Have you heard about such dogs and cats?

Beginning a journey to explore the plight of abandoned dogs and cats

This film is the result of a cat-loving elderly lady who wishes to save these unfortunate dogs and cats. Thus began four years of research to complete the film. The director, Motoharu Iida, is known for his documentary, Ashigara-san, about the homeless. From the perspective and eye-level of dogs and cats, he closely captures the relationship between human beings and animals. This film delivers such images as a dog sadly gazing at you through an iron fence and newborn kittens just brought to animal pounds. This film also approaches the situation in one of the leading humane countries of the world, the United Kingdom, and the tremendous hardship that exists for the abandoned animal rescue effort. However, even in such somber circumstances, you will for a moment witness a gleam of humor in the eyes of these animals.

Dogs and cats are reflecting human beings.

Some might not be interested in animals. Yet, the children and people trying to save animals will demonstrate to you their love for “lives.” Not all who abandon animals necessarily hate them. Indeed, many who professionally dispose of animals do love them. The way we treat animals may represent both our ego and love hidden inside of us. We are the humans who abandon dogs and cats, but at the same time, we are the ones who can save them. In this film, you will certainly find some hope beyond your initial sentimental and pitying reaction to these dismal situations.

[Synopsis]

The film begins with the scene where the director, Iida, meets an elderly woman. Ms. Keiko Inaba has voluntarily been taking care of abandoned cats for years. However, she is now concerned about being elderly and so approaches Iida saying, “I want you to create a film that will make people treat animals nicely.” She wants it to make people care about animals. Iida asks her, “Why do you care about cats so much?” She answers, “Although I like people, I think animals are better than them.”

Researching the current situation in the so-called “Pet Great Nation” Japan, it is clear that this country does not provide well for animals. There are, of course, many families who consider their pets as family members. On the other hand, there are unending numbers of greedy pet shops interested only in profits, illegal animal abandonment, and the public’s irresponsible attitude toward the problem. As a result, up to 1000 dogs and cats are disposed everyday throughout Japan. Why does it happen? What can I do to prevent it? Such questions motivated Iida to create this film.

Iida’s first subject is the current situation of abandoned animals in Japanese facilities where the majority of dogs and cats are put to death by gas, carbon dioxide poisoning. Even so, more and more unwanted animals are continuously brought to such facilities. It was more than a little shocking for Iida to see with his own eyes so many friendly dogs and newborn kittens put to death.

Shifting the spotlight to the private sector and humane movement, Iida encounters various people and animals. Unique dogs and cats are shown at the Kanagawa Humane Society. Veterinarians providing spaying services are faced with the dilemma of providing such surgeries for the sake of human convenience. He spoke to a couple who for years watched and photographed stray cats along the bank of Tama River and to an elderly man living at the once-notorious place called “Dog Abandoning Mountain” who cared for such dogs with the help of a group of students. Elementary students are shown nursing pups, using their New Year’s monetary gifts. Iida then looks towards the situation in the leading humane country, the United Kingdom, and the Japanese situation of animal protection during the World War II.

Iida reveals the heartbreak of these small lives and how human ego results in animal abandonment. He continues to film many dogs and cats and the people trying hard to save them.
[Revised 01.11.2010]

(Only Japanese)

Dogs, Cats and Humans

Release Date: 2009 (Japan)
Director: Motoharu Iida
Genre: Documentary
Running Time: 118 min
Official Website: http://www.inunekoningen.com/ (Only in Japanese)

Reference for further readings

• Pet dogs in Japan – love them and leave them… in a gas chamber – Lee Chapman
• Director captures bleaker side of Japan’s pet boom in ‘Dogs, Cats and Humans’ – The Mainichi Daily News
• The Grim Truth About Cats and Dogs – AUK Media

I found a great review for this film. I kinda agree with his point of view as a long-time fan for the Miyazaki Anime world.

In short, if Princess Mononoke was a sumptuous 7-course meal, Ponyo is a well-crafted crème brulee. Which is all well and good, but Miyazaki fans might show up expecting that 7-course meal, and that’s where the inevitable mild disappointment may set in. - Review by Zac Bertschy, Anime News Network

According to the official website of Cleveland Cinemas, it seems to be released at the Cedar-Lee Theatre on August 14th.

[Update Aug 19, 2009]
It seems that the website of Cleveland Cinemas has changed some screening information since the last time I wrote this entry. Also, the trailer I found has been removed from YouTube. I guess it was an illegitimate piece, which someone arbitrarily uploaded to YouTube.

It took me a while to finish redesigning and reconstructing this site! I’m now relieved so much and ready for a job hunting!

Yet, I need to tweak a bit some code in CSS: Especially, I need to examine cross-browsers compatibility. I also need to create a couple more CSS files for handheld and print.

I am very happy to hear your opinion on this design, functionality and other technical or content subjects. So, please shoot me some emails or leave messages here below!

Thanks a lot!

Actually, this film was screened at Cleveland International Film Festival this spring. Unfortunately, I did missed a chance to go see this film. I did not know about this film although I did go see Achilles and Turtle (directed by Takeshi Kitano, 2008) there.

I don’t describe the synopsis of this film here. I think you should check out the official website for more information. But I think the tagline of this film is pretty much summarizing what this film is all about.

You don’t have to be a Rockefeller to collect art.

The official website of Herb & Dorothy: www.herbanddorothy.com
Director: Megumi Sasaki

HERB & DOROTHY Trailer from Herb & Dorothy on Vimeo.

Story behind this work

From 2008 to 2009, I was associated in the mid-size film festival called Japan Film Festival Los Angeles. I was a lead web coder at the first festival but I became a lead designer, theme developer, and web administrator at the second one.

Not to mention the fact that I enjoyed designing theme, I really enjoyed studying all kinds of plugins to find the best feature for this website’s needs. As implementing new plugins, sometimes I encountered the unknown technical issues. In such situations, I really became enthusiastic to solve these problems. When I finally solved them, I was more than happy with the result.

Unfortunately, the website is now inaccessible due to the end of a contract with the hosting server. I really hope to see this website will come back in the future.
[Update]
The new administrator at the JFF website has restored the old website here.

Story behind this work

This is a custom-designed WordPress theme and one of my favorite designs I’ve created. The client, Mrs. Mary Doria Russell was a wonderful lady to work with. She is one of the local novelists who have won several awards in American literature. I am very privileged to be her website designer.

The design concept is simplicity and elegance. Yet, it has to be visually user-friendly since heavy text content dominates the entire website. Thus, considering the design concept and usability, I spent a lot of time to research what is the best practice to bring practicality into being.

I am very happy with what executed in this website design.

Story behind this work

This is the first WordPress theme I ever created 3 years ago. Why do I want to talk about this old work? Well, it’s just because it was the first theme template and I love this design. The design concept is simply derived from the beach where I love in Japan. And yet, I visually meant to emphasize a typical Japanese taste like Hanga (woodcut print) in design. The name of the theme, Pureland Miyako, is associated with the name of beach called Jodogahama (translated to “Pure Land Beach”). Miyako is the name of city where I was born and grew up till my high school hood.

Pure Land Beach is one of the major landmarks in Miyako city. It’s not overstated that the economical resources is sustained by the tourism to this beach and other sightseeing spots by the coast.

Therefore, I would call this theme a dedicated theme template to my city celebrating the nature of Miyako city.

Technically, this theme is very immature since I was not proficient in CSS and WordPress theme structure. I remember that I was sucked into an enormous amount of the WordPress documentation when I was working on this theme. It took me a while to understand the structure of each template file and php template tags.

Although I have not modified this template since then, in near future, I would like to rework and tweak for another public release.

[Update 08.07.2009]
Demo site for this theme template has been closed.