CONTRIBUTED BY KELLYERACE
I'm back on caffeine. Well, I've been back on caffeine, but now I am actively searching it out and dragging along my husband and baby Gabe in pursuit of my addiction. About two weeks ago we went to a place called "Good Company", a shop where they roast the beans up for you fresh while you wait....
CONTRIBUTED BY AMY DECKER
Can’t find a decent casual carpet for your living room? Bored with the monochromatic selections and limited styles offered at the base exchanges? Given up on making your Okinawa house functional and beautiful?
Don’t throw in the towel just yet. Get yourself to easy-to-find Living Design Square Awase, a complex of 3 home design and furnishings stores...
CONTRIBUTED BY MEREDITH NOVARIO
A-hem.
Um, we haven't spoken in a while but it's me, Meredith, checking in from Virginia. Joelle is flying back to Okinawa so I'm jumping in to assure you that the world beyond Okinawa still exists. I've seen it with my own eyes.
Now where were we?
We've been in Virginia for almost three months which means that...
CONTRIBUTED BY KANDY
Okay, maybe not one hundred and one tips, but enough to get your beloved furry friend overseas.
The information is compiled from the Erin Blunt's Experience PCSing with our dog in detail which can be read in full detail on OkinawaHaiSociety.
LONG BEFORE YOU LEAVE:
Get your microchip/2 rabies/FAVN things done ASAP!!!!! Seriously, have it done it even if Oki...
CONTRIBUTED BY KIMBERLY MITCHELL
I'm sure you've seem them around. A lightweight, casual kimono worn anytime in the summer, but more frequently seen at bon odori festivals or at ryokan or onsen. The word yukata comes from "yu" meaning bath and "katabira" meaning under clothes and used to be worn by nobles after bathing. Now, anyone wears them although there...
CONTRIBUTED BY STACI HAWLEY
Just think.
If you want to appear really scary and formidable, give a flash of your tattoo the next time you take your kids to a Japanese pool. In doing so, you may earn the honor of being associated with an organized gang (Yakuza). Your ability to endure the colored needle shows your loyalty to the gang-...
CONTRIBUTED BY AVIVA
Your Hair By Rumiko is run by Rumiko who used to work at Cocok's on Route 23. She speaks great English, and is fantastic with kids. (Though I'd recommend you bring a kid old enough to follow directions like "look down" or "hold still".)
The salon is simple, upon entering you notice the white walls and a few...
CONTRIBUTED BY DIANA MIDDLETON
Thanks to my good friend Julie for showing me this great market. When you get a chance, stop by this fish market for all of your seafood needs, including fish, octopus, lobster, & clams, just to name a few. Here you'll find fresh seafood of all kinds and a friendly staff to help you along...
CONTRIBUTED BY KIMBERLY MITCHELL
Who can tell me what this is:
If you live in a typical Japanese style house, you may have a washing machine without a hot water hookup. I spent our first 6 months here wondering why the stains weren't coming out of my clothes. Then I realized that it was only washing in cold. I asked my...
CONTRIBUTED BY NICOLE INGRAHAM
Acupuncture has always fascinated me. The thought of all these points in your body being affected by needles is rather interesting. Check for more scientific information here: acupuncture
So being miserably pregnant, I thought I would solicit some help in finding relief. Luckily, a faithful reader, Nicole Ingraham has shared her experiences with acupuncture. Thanks, Nicole!
Above...
CONTRIBUTED BY HEATHER NORDELL
When Erna invited me to attend her first Zumba class at the Risner Gym I was very excited. After all, any class with a name like Zumba had to be fun. Erna described Zumba as “…a dance-fitness program centered on Latin rhythms and dance styles, as well as integrating other international styles such as bellydance, hip...
CONTRIBUTED BY ELAINE
I live in this little part of Chatan Town called Minato. Here in Minato, we have a restaurant called Orange Diner. They have a variety of good food that fits every kind of budget - from 500 yen and up. They serve lunch and dinner with different sets of menu for each. Like most places, lunch...
CONTRIBUTED BY DIANA MIDDLETON
A reader requested that I bring up the wonderfulness of Coco. What makes Coco so wonderful you might ask? Well, as we all know, Coco's (formerly Hot Spar), Lawson's, and Family Mart are all 7-11 type convenvience stores. But what Jen wanted to point out is that Coco has the uniqueness of fresh baked goods and...
CONTRIBUTED BY HEATHER NORDELL
Every Saturday at 9:30 for the last month we have made our way over to the Emery Lanes. My 5 year old daughter is in the local bowling league. When our neighbors first suggested that she join I almost laughed out loud. What a funny sport for my 5 year old to participate in. Then...
CONTRIBUTED BY STACI HAWLEY
As most things Okinawan, taco rice also has an interesting history. It's a popular Okinawan cuisine that contains ground beef, lettuce and tomatoes appropriately served on a bed of white rice. Apparently, it has even been a staple on the local Okinawan school lunch menu since the early 90's.
Like Spam, you may wonder what the deal...
CONTRIBUTED BY KAHO
With one toddler and a baby, to get a hair cut dropped down on my list of priorities. When flipping through Japanese women's magazines, I see all these beautiful models with cool hair. I want their hair! These days, I feel that if I can blow dry my hair in the morning, I'm lucky.
Anyways, before I left...
CONTRIBUTED BY DIANA MIDDLETON
I'm not really sure which of these signs belongs to the storefront I am covering today. The cashier tried diligently to answer my questions, laced with choppy Japanese, to no avail. So maybe you might know. If you can tell from the signs the name of the store ... please let us know.
Anyhoo, this is...
CONTRIBUTED BY KANDY
One sister for sale!
One crying and spying young sister for sale!
I'm really not kidding,
So who'll start the bidding?
Do I hear a dollar?
A nickel?
A penny?
Oh, isn't there, isn't there, isn't there any
One kid who will buy this old sister for sale,
This crying and spying young sister for sale?
For Sale from Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends....
***This business is closed******
Another great indoor option for the kids brought to you by Julia!
Last summer was brutal. We stayed on-island the entire time and by the end of the summer I was getting burnt out trying to keep the kids entertained while also trying to beat the heat. It was already unbearably hot by 9 AM on most...
CONTRIBUTED BY STACI HAWLEY
Dear Readers. This post (on the surface) may not seem flashy or visually appealing. But please take the time to read about what this guy is doing. I was really moved by his project. Start with Victor's webpage below, and then move to the Stars and Stripes article recently published about him. I first heard of...
CONTRIBUTED BY HEATHER NORDELL
World War II ended on August 15, 1945. In Japan the day is known as Shuusen-kinenbi (終戦記念日), which literally means the "Memorial day for the end of the war". In 1982 the Japanese government issued an ordinance that designated August 15 to be "the day for mourning of war dead and praying for peace”. What better...
CONTRIBUTED BY STEPHANIE
This fancy restaurant is called Gueuleton. It is a place where when you arrive, you don't know what you're going to be eating only because the menu is written all in Japanese. But when we usually eat there, we are never unhappy with the meal. It's a set menu and you get 5 courses. You usually get...
I wanted to share this cool store down the street from my house that sells unique Okinawan instruments, such as taiko drums and sanshins. Whether you want to buy an instrument because you are learning to play, or just as a souvenir or gift, this is the place to go. We bought my son and daughter each a taiko...
For all you parents looking for a preschool that suits your kids, we’re hoping to add a little something to aid in your search. Parents of children who attend various preschools on island have filled out a series of questions about the schools for the benefit of the rest of us. We welcome more than one voice on each...
CONTRIBUTED BY STACI HAWLEY
If you have been shopping or dining recently, you may have noticed an enormous bouquet located at the entrance. I've even seen them proudly displayed at our local gas station. I have admired these bouquets for years, knowing that they must have to do with the opening of a store- or promoting a new venue. Apparently,...
CONTRIBUTED BY HEATHER NORDELL
Since arriving on the island in May we have spent most of our free time in the water. So far we have been exploring all of the wonderful beaches on the island. I do have to admit we are getting tired of the endless piles of sand we end up taking home with us. So we...
CONTRIBUTED BY KELLYERACE
Tonight after dinner, I took Gabe out for an evening stroll. Usually we walk in the morning, but now with the heat being so intense, I’ve changed up my routine. As it turns out it’s much better now. During the day it’s pretty quiet. But in the evening it’s all action. The neighborhood is alive.
We left the...
CONTRIBUTED BY DIANA MIDDLETON
School's starting in less than two weeks ... are you ready?
Where in the world can you find the "just right" backpack for your child? Of course, there is a very limited selection at the PX/BX. Even if you find the one you like there, it might present a problem to little Jimmy when every other kid...
CONTRIBUTED BY KIMBERLY MITCHELL
I wanted to share a fabulous find for kids toys online. Fat Brain Toys . Fat Brain Toys not only ships to APO addresses, they ship here for FREE, and they ship here quickly! And to top it off, they have a great selection of creative and educational toys. My 3 year old LOVES her dado squares--...
CONTRIBUTED BY STACI HAWLEY
If you are like me, you have probably made a fool out of yourself at one time or another. As I drop my son off at school everyday, I know that I am trying to manage several sloppy things at once. I bend over, help Sebastian remove his shoes, my all too large purse inevitably flings...