So this has been a time where Traci and I have shown our true colors. Normally, we agree on many things, and we work out the few minor issues that crop up. But this most recent trip we’ve taken-this time to celebrate our grandson’s fifth birthday-really brought out our differences, and in a very good way.
To set the table for this, you need to understand a few things. She grew up in Tucson, spent many years in Northern California, has made a number of trips to Mexico growing up and in her first marriage, and as a result the things that are most familiar to her come from a Southwest bent. She cooks Mexican food like there’s no tomorrow, and long ago in our relationship I came to accept (and enjoy) that part of her.
I also grew up in Northern California and have been to Mexico-once-but the things in my life have more of a Japanese bent, if not outright Asian. San Francisco’s Japan Center-among other places and good memories-remains a favorite place to go, as are places like the Japanese Tea Garden and so forth and a lot of my youth is tied up in those things and that cuisine. A good example is rice: in our house, it was often used in place of bread for dinner.
Back to today. If you’ve met either of us at all, you understand that we bemoan the fact that we have yet to find truly authentic Mexican or Asian cuisine where we live, and with two exceptions in my case-Uwajimaya in Beaverton, and Sunrise Asian in Eugene-I have a hard time finding many things I like/need. Meantime, Traci goes crazy trying to find some of the stuff she is so used to being able to find everywhere. There may be places locally that carry them, but we haven’t found them yet and Amazon is only so helpful. (In contrast, if I order certain things, I have a number of online shops I use. Right now, however, I can only get them shipped if I’m willing to pay DHL for them; standard Japan Mail is still not coming to the States.)
So as I write this, we’re in Southern California. Saturday night, my dinner was fresh made ramen; Sunday at the party we enjoyed fresh street tacos, excellent quesadillas, and mulitas, and today we got to do a little shopping and finding of needed/wanted supplies. We didn’t need much-I can find most food items between the four Asian stores in Salem-and Traci’s still looking at mercados. But the main point is that we found everything we needed/wanted (and laughed as we did so.) It’s going to be easy enough to get them home, and while I will still need to get to Uwajimaya before year’s end, Traci will be set for a small time with what we bought today.
Meantime…we’ve had a ball down here, being Granny and Grandad, and watching our grandson play with his new toys and having a good time.
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