One of the most impressive is the FDR Monument.  It’s a particularly great destination if anyone in your party is visually impaired.  There’s a wall with braille and "drawings" built in and popping out that you can feel with your hands.

There are also boulders and platforms that kids can climb on and walk across.

It was one of my daughter’s favorite spots!

The photo is this saying on the door of a Broom closet in Herald Square (New York).

–Mama Lisa

Debbie wrote from Japan about cherry blossoms, which are called sakura in Japanese.  Spring is a favorite time to view the sakura and have picnics.  Here’s what Debbie wrote:

Everything comes in sakura colors right now. Doughnuts. Noodles. Even the exercise ladies in my morning exercise show were wearing sakura-colored t-shirts. Never mind that the cherry blossoms won’t bloom for at least another month where I live. But I like it.

Here’s what Debbie’s friends wrote about cherry blossom colors in Japan:

Nagori: "It’s all PINK!"

Joy: "Yes! At the supermarket the other day they were selling cherry blossom pink, with sakura design, packages of sausages. A special sale for the season, but apparently the sausages were the usual."

Debbie: "The weather forecaster on NHK was wearing a sakura-colored sweater set this evening."

CA:  "Well, spring is in our hearts – and in our clothing – even if everything is still white outside!"

Johnny: "Sakura colored beer would be a great money maker."

Debbie: "They already have that. I saw them drinking it at a flower-viewing party."

Thanks for sharing Debbie (and friends)!

Debbie is an etegami artist.  You can view her work at:  dosankodebbie’s etegami notebook.

All kids should watch this video below for inspiration… it’s a good answer the question, "Why should I do well in school?"

I’ve been having conversations with various people on Facebook about this question.  Below are some of the answers I’ve gotten.  You’ll find the person’s 1st initial and the general location they live in below.  Most of the people are in the US suburbs, rural areas, New York City and London.

K. (Colorado):

Garbage – $20
Recycling – $20
Milk man – $20
Cleaning Ladies – One cleaning worth
Nanny – One week’s worth

Our mail man routinely gives us the wrong mail (so we deliver it to our neighbors each week) and neighbors deliver our mail. I’ve called and complained three times in the last year – $0 since we have to do his job.

D. (N.Y. Rural & Suburbs):  Guess it depends on how good they were all year. Our mail guy takes really good care of us. If everyone on the route would just give $20-$25. He would have a real nice Christmas bonus. Yes, I know some say you shouldn’t tip them they make enough money. You’re tipping them to show that you appreciate them, not how much they make. It’s just like a teacher -if we still had class mom’s -she could collect $5-$10 from each child and instead of the teacher getting 10 coffee mugs -he/she could get a real nice gift. That’s just my own opinion but I always over tip especially for good service. Please post what the consensus says.  I live in the country upstate New York.  When I lived in the suburbs on LI, I gave $20 to the mail person, and to each of sanitation guys. If I get a lot of UPS or FedEx, I do the same.

M. (Upstate New York): Yesterday, I gave $25 a piece to our 2 sanitation guys. (We have a dumpster for trash.) I didn’t give anything to the post person because the individual keeps changing. So, I don’t know who my "regular" person is. I’m already extra generous with my salon lady every 6 weeks, so I don’t tip her extra for Christmas.  We are forbidden from giving the aides any gifts whatsoever. So, I bake them a cake. That’s about all. Except we give extra to our Church.

R. (New York Suburbs):  A bottle of wine for each garbage man. $20 for the mailman. An extra $10 added to the hairdressers tip. I’m my own doorman – so zero.

L. (NY Suburbs)

Mailman $20
Garbage men $20 each
Hairdresser – price of one usual service

L. (Missouri Suburbs): I’d like to leave our regular mailman some cookies at least, but can’t know if he’ll get them because we get temp mail carriers on his route, too. I do live in the suburbs and work during the day so never see the sanitation guys. You’d have to catch them because you can’t just leave money envelopes taped to the trash bags. I don’t even know if ours are regulars or they switch routes. Our newspaper deliverer included a Christmas card with his address on it, stuck into one of the newspapers. I do know the mailman, but don’t leave anything for him as he may not be the one getting it. I debate about mailing the newspaper deliverer something, but haven’t yet. I never see him either. I guess if you have a relationship with them you tend to want to tip them. I do/did deliver cookies to church office, nursing home aides, teachers and elementary school librarians.

D. (Japan):  Wow, I’ve never heard of this custom!

R. (Small City Upstate NY): Guitar teachers usually get 40% of whatever you’ve paid them for lessons over the past year….

C. (Upstate NY): For the hairstylist… 15%(industry standard tip) + additional 10% of your most expensive visit…from someone who is usually on the receiving end:)

G. (New Jersey Suburbs): First I refer to an online guide for their recommendation. Then I adjust the amount based on the following:  1. How much I like the person. 2. Quality of work. 3. How generous I’m feeling at the time.

This year I gave my cleaning lady less than I did last year because she’s not doing as good a job as she had in the past. Ruined bathroom carpets with bleach. Broke glass in a picture frame.

I love my mailman so I give him $25. There are days when he is the friendliest person I see. Yes, nicer than my husband and kids (nothing weird). He’s nice to my kids, dog, my visitors. Just a happy guy, very refreshing!

I like my dog groomer and I gave her $50. I believe the guide said to pay the equivalent of a grooming session, but that is too much ($70-75).

I love my hairdresser, but he owns the place and I tip him well each time I go so I will give him $50. Some years I double the tip and write happy holidays on the envelope. He’s another great person that I value in my life. If I had more money I would give him a better gift. For the shampoo girls, I double their tips for the holiday.

We send the newspaper person $20 in an envelope that she provides.

L. (Minneapolis, MN):  Donate in their name to Kiva micro lending. Also Heifer International. Someone donated a bunch of chickens to a family in my mothers name. I love that.

A. (NYC): I did Kiva for the teachers last year. I’ve done chickens and goats in previous years.

A. (London): I think the postal workers and bin men cannot accept gifts of money but rather only gestures- under £10 or something- which is still money really- and it all adds up frankly.

Starbucks vouchers are given here- M&S, Boots, that sort of thing.

J. (London): We gave our postman a card with a fiver in it today.

R. (Small City Massachusetts): ’round here it’s Dunkin Donuts gift certificates.  Mailman, yes, cause really, they do always get you your mail. music instructor, yes. anyone who does stuff for you on a daily / weekly basis, yes (UPS / Fed Ex guys, child’s tutor/ babysitter/ nanny, etc.). others, not necessary (teacher, advisors, hairdresser, dog groomer. psychiatrists, etc.). Staff, yes, although holiday bonus is usually the way to go (my holiday bonus is going right to the dentist). But, having said that, anyone who you appreciate and wish well, or know could use a little extra.

R. (Upstate NY): Yep to all! Cash, booze or gift cards.

R. (London): Where’s the line? The nice helpful guy at the tube station, the local shop keeper where I buy my milk, the ‘barrister’ at my favourite coffee shop? Most of us provide a service to others – it’s what makes the world go around. Not all ’service providers’ receive tips – in fact many would be happy with a ‘thank you’ (my sister’s a social worker – wonder how often they receive either). For the most part, people are paid to provide their service; whether it’s sufficient or not is another matter (definitely not social workers!). But £250/300 a day in tips….that’s more than most people earn!!! Yes I tip, especially the head washer (having been one – my mum had a salon).

A. (London): I think a lot of people do wonder- I just read an article on it- it said if you normally tip, say every visit to a salon, then your xmas tip is smaller then if you never tip- this same article suggested that if it was someone you paid for a service but never tipped- dog walker or a Pilates teacher, then the tip was the cost of one session- all this seems like a lot of money to me and wonder what the NYC/London tip vs. say a small Midwest town is.

L. (New York City): It pains me to tip the staff in our building. We have something like 20 people. The worst is the superintendent who does nothing for us but if we don’t to him well there might be trouble.

A. (NYC): Do you get that card that lists all their names? Our building did that and I was shocked at how many staff members there were.

R. (London): Maybe one payment for the whole team would do it – let them fight amongst themselves? Much cheaper.

A. (NYC): No- there is a order, like who gets more- the super seems to do the least but is the highest rank- and then there is a whole union thing- who is and who isn’t- I find it all overwhelming- I do know if I order food in on a rainy night I tip more since the poor guy had to trek out in the cold and we all know they get paid crap.

P. (Teacher N.Y.):  You gotta tip the sanitation workers but I usually just tape a twenty to the underside of the lid for them to share…I figure its lunch for them. Don’t tip the postal carrier as I haven’t had one recognizable one in years!

I also have to take care of my kid’s teacher (cause she damn well deserves it!), her classroom aide, her early morning care aide, her two afterschool aides, my two school secretaries, my aide, my teaching assistant, the special Ed teacher (who rocks), my principal, my assistant principal, the custodians, and my teaching partner/social studies teacher….and this year I actually gave each of my 7th graders giant clamshells full of chocolate kisses….which rocked their world as most have never been to the beach! It was an expensive year, but my network of support is large. At the end of the year, I will again take care of the support people in my daughter’s school.

*****

Please let us know how you tip at the end of the year in the comments below. Please let us know the state or country you live in and type of area (suburbs, city, etc.). You don’t have to use your name.

You can read more about tipping around the world here.

Mama Lisa

MoMA Unadulterated

"Each piece of art is analyzed by experts aged 3-10, as they share their unique, unfiltered perspective on such things as composition, the art’s deeper meaning, and why some stuff’s so weird looking."

Here’s a preview…

You can download the tour here.

Enjoy!

Mama Lisa

Jeremy Shatan wrote from New York: "It’s the vernal equinox, the first day of spring. Around this time of the year, my mom would always say: ‘Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, the boid is on the wing.’ Yes, just like that."

This saying is all in "New Yorkese", a New York accent.  It seems of course to come from the New York area. Some quote it from Ogden Nash, but from what I can tell looking through some books, this is incorrect.

The saying is sometimes called "The Brooklyn National Anthem" and it dates back to at least 1940.  There are many versions of it. Here’s one:

Spring has sprung, the grass is ris,
I wonder where the boidies is
The boid is on the wing,
But that’s absoid
From what I hoid 
The wing is on the boid!

Here are other versions I found:

The spring is sprung, The grass is ris, I wonder where the birdies is.
(1951 – The New Mexico folklore record: Volume 6)

Spring has sprung The grass has riz Come out yourself And see how ‘tiz.
(1956 – Canadian bee journal: Volumes 64-65)

And a sadly rye one:

"Spring has sprung, the grass has riz, where last year’s reckless driver is."

Some others:

"Spring has sprung and the grass has riz, I wonder where the flowers is."
"Spring has sprung and the grass has riz, I wonder where the daisies is."‎

However you want to say it, the important part here is that Spring has sprung.

Happy Spring everyone!

Mama Lisa

MP3 of Broadway

Broadway
by Sarah Teasdale

      THIS is the quiet hour; the theaters
          Have gathered in their crowds, and steadily
          The million lights blaze on for few to see,
      Robbing the sky of stars that should be hers.
      A woman waits with bag and shabby furs,
          A somber man drifts by, and only we
          Pass up the street unwearied, warm and free,
      For over us the olden magic stirs.

      Beneath the liquid splendor of the lights
          We live a little ere the charm is spent;
      This night is ours, of all the golden nights,
             The pavement an enchanted palace floor,
          And Youth the player on the viol, who sent
             A strain of music through an open door.

Here’s a photo of Fruit vendors in the floating village on Ha long Bay.

Thanks to Purabi Khisa Tandra for sharing these photos!

Mama Lisa

This fantastic photo was taken in Jamaa el Fna Square in Morocco by Monique Palomares on a visit to the city of Marrakech last year.  The square looks like a market, but it’s actually filled with outdoor restaurants.  The tall tower in the background, with the light on top, is the Koutoubia Mosque.

The name of the square means Mosque Courtyard according to Wikipedia.  But they say the name could also be interpreted as "The Mosque at the End of the World", which is what the BBC called it.  I think that name suits the photo above!

Monique wrote, "I also took a photo just after sunset (below) with the Koutoubia Mosque in the background and Djemaa El Fna square on the foreground.  I took it from the Argana café.  They make delicious "orange-vanille" there, which is two balls of vanilla ice-cream in a tall juice glass with fresh orange juice and sweetened whipped cream."

Below is a close-up of the Koutoubia Mosque that can be seen in the background of both photos above.  The mosque dates back to the 12th century. 

Many thanks to Monique Palomares for sharing these photos from Morocco.  Monique works with me on the Spanish and French versions of Mama Lisa’s World.

UPDATE: We just learned that the Argana Café was the victim of a bombing attack in April 2011.  Our hearts go out to the victims.

Adult humpback whales are 39 – 52 feet long and weigh approximately 79,000 pounds!  If you visit Hawaii during breeding season, you can help count them in an effort to maintain their future health and safety.

Stephanie Spengler Batzer wrote to me about how she’s involved in counting humpback whales in Hawaii. Here’s what she wrote…

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale Sanctuary Ocean Count

Each winter, from approximately December to May, a portion of the endangered North Pacific humpback whale population migrates from their feeding grounds in Alaska to the warm waters of Hawaii to engage in breeding activities.  Hawaii’s pristine marine environment is considered to be one of the most important breeding, calving and nursing grounds for humpback whales in the North Pacific.  For that reason, the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary was dedicated to protect humpback whales and their habitat in Hawaii.

Humpback whale populations are still relatively unknown.  In an effort to provide a relative approximation of humpback whale numbers and distribution patterns locally over the years and to raise awareness of the species, the Sanctuary sponsors community events such as the Sanctuary Ocean Count.

The Sanctuary Ocean Count was initiated as a means to provide Hawaii residents and visitors with the opportunity to observe humpback whales in their breeding grounds by conducting a yearly shore-based census during the peak breeding season.  Although the census does not claim to provide scientifically accurate results, it serves as a tool to supplement scientific information gathered from other research activities.  The count also provides some information on how whales use in-shore waters on an average peak season day.  The Sanctuary Ocean Count serves to promote public awareness about humpback whales, the Sanctuary, and shore-based whale watching opportunities.

The Sanctuary Ocean Count is held concurrently on Oahu, Kauai, the Big Island, and Kahoolawe.  By assisting in the count, volunteers help monitor the number of humpback whales and other marine mammals around our islands and ensure their health and safety for generations to come.

The first count was conducted in February 1996 on Oahu, with approximately 150 volunteers.  In 1999, the Big Island was added to the effort.  Kauai began participating in 2000 and Kahoolawe in 2002.  To date, the Sanctuary Ocean Count covers 60 sites on four islands, with over 2000 volunteers.  My site is Spitting Caves.  In the future, we hope to expand our count to other islands.

So remember, if you’re planning a visit to Hawaii, to check out the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and see if you can take part in this wonderful project!

Mama Lisa

This is the Year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese Zodiac. The Chinese Zodiac is followed in China, as well as Japan.

Ayako wrote to me from Japan about the Year of the Rabbit…

We have twelve different signs (animals) in Chinese lunar calender called “干支”.

We call the men of the year “toshi otoko – 年男” and the women of the year “toshi onnna　年女”. We wish for their good luck and health throughout the new year.

I found an article that said starting January 22nd, we can buy an American stamp with a picture of rabbits on it and the letters “U.S.A.”…

In Japanese, “USA” can be read “うさ” in roman Japanese. Those are the first two letters of “うさぎ – rabbit” in Japanese. It’s a kind of “pun” and it’s interesting!

Thanks for writing about this Ayako! If anyone else would like share anything about the Year of the Rabbit or the Chinese New Year in general, please comment below or email me.

Thanks!

Mama Lisa

My friend Ayako Egawa in Japan sent the photo below of a floral arrangement she made for the New Year.  She wrote, "The berries are ’senryo’, lucky plants for the New Year in Japan.  The other red flowers are a kind of lily I think. I made my original arrangement to feel happy and fresh…."

*****

"But my mom’s style (below) is a traditional arrangement for the New Year with a pine tree branch."  Pine is a symbol of longevity…

*****

Kagami-mochi is a symbolic food for the New Year.  Kagami-mochi are two rice cakes with an orange on top that are often part of the New Year arrangement, as you can see below….

*****

"Kagami-mochi" translates literally as "Mirror Rice Cakes". A "Kagami" is a type of old round hand mirror that these cakes are thought to resemble.  "Mochi" refers to the white round rice cakes.  Here is an example of a Kagami…

Kagami

Kagami-mochi have several symbolic meanings:  the yin and yang, the moon and sun, the human heart, and the departure of the old year and the coming of the new year. 

On top of the two mochi cakes is a daidai, a bitter Japanese orange.  Daidai also means "generation to generation" and symbolizes the continuance of the family line.

In the kagami-mochi pictured in the display above, you can also see a sheet of konbu (kelp) and fern leaves which are traditionally part of the arrangement.

The kagami-mochi is eaten on January 11th in a ceremony called Kagami Biraki, literally "opening the mirror".  The mochi is hammered into pieces.  It must be hammered or broken with the hand and not cut with a knife.  Cutting it with a knife would symbolize the breaking of ties.  Once the mochi is broken, it’s cooked in a soup and eaten. 

Kagami Biraki is also performed at weddings and other important ceremonies for good fortune.  At those events, the mochi is hammered into pieces on top of a barrel of sake.

*****

Ayako mentioned that 2011 is the year of the Rabbit in Japan.  That’s why you see the rabbit in the display.

*****

These symbolic items all add up to a wish for a lucky, healthy new year.

Many thanks to Ayako and her Mom for sharing these photos with us!

May you all have good fortune this upcoming year!

Mama Lisa

Photos of the mirror and the Kagami Biraki ceremony are linked to their original sources.

Watch the full episode. See more Julia Child.

Julia served her Tarte Tatin with creme fraiche in the video.  Creme fraiche is a cream the French serve with tarts.    It’s hard to find actual creme fraiche in American stores.  So Julia showed how to make it with ingredients you can find in the US at the end of the video.

To make creme fraiche, Julia mixed heavy cream with sour cream.  She warmed it in a small pot on the stove just long enough to take the chill off.  Then she left the mixture out overnight to set.  After that, it gets refrigerated.  I haven’t tried to make creme fraiche this way yet, but thought it might be helpful to mention for those who can’t find it at the store.  Enjoy!

Mama Lisa

NOTE: Nowadays, you may be able to find creme fraiche at Trader Joes. 

French Self-Taught, by Franz J. L. Thimm (1905) was just posted on Librivox with mp3 recordings.  (You can listen to it streaming on Internet Archive if you prefer a player.)  You can also read the book online while playing the recordings in the background.

The recordings are broken down by chapter on subjects ranging from French pronunciation and vocabulary to easy expressions.

Each word is said in English and repeated in French.  So if you’re French, you can use these recordings to brush up on your English (though it would be backwards with the English first and the French second).

Check it out if you’d like to learn French (or English for a French speaker) or just brush up on your accent or vocabulary.

Yesterday, we posted some photos of Japan from Shintaro Tominaga, including the one above.  It shows the entrance to a shrine. The kanji text on the stone near the entrance says, “Hirohata Hachiman Jinja’”.  “Kanji” refers to the characters in the Japanese writing system that originally came from the Chinese writing system. 

I asked Shintaro what the Kanji “Hirohata Hachiman Jinja” means.  Here’s what he wrote:

Lisa, thanks a lot for posting the photos which I took… I like your question. I believe many Japanese can’t explain what “Hirohata Hachiman” means right off. Both ‘”Hirohata” and “Hachiman” may be traced back to the ancient period of Japan. Perhaps about 4th or 5th century. It is believed that both of them are originated in the name of a person who came to Japan from the Korean peninsula. Kanji was brought to Japan by ancient Koreans during the period. The ancient Japanese Imperial families took care of those people as intelligent and noble guests. (This is solely my own guessing that ancient Japanese might have revered those who came to Japan from abroad.) Some of them might have been consecrated in shrines.

Kanji seems to have come to Japan by way of people migrating from both China and Korea.  Yet it was the Baekje people of Korea who migrated to Japan in large numbers.  At their height, they controlled land in Japan, in parts of China and southern Asia.  Many of the Baekje royalty travelled to Japan, bringing with them their writing system, books (mostly Chinese), and also Buddhism.  So it makes sense that the Baekje were revered by the Japanese.  They brought religion and knowledge with them and shared it freely with the Japanese.

You can learn more about the Baekje people on YouTube.

Mama Lisa

The rice paddy near the river.

One month later.

“A heron in the river called ‘Ohtsu-gawa’ is trying to hunt a small fish in the water.”

Bamboo

“The main entrance to the shrine.
The kanji on the stone on the left side says ‘Hirohata Hachiman Jinja‘.”

In any shrine in Japan, at least one large tree is taken as a very sacred tree. In this shrine there are three sacred trees, and this is one of them.  there are sacred ropes and paper knots according to Japanese Shintoism. Every sacred tree in a shrine in Japan has them.

“Before one goes to the shrine and pray, one needs to wash one’s mouth and both hands with this water, which is also considered to be sacred.”

The Shrine

Thanks for sharing your photos with us Shintaro!

Mama Lisa

Daisy, Daisy

Daisy, Daisy,
Give me your answer due.
I’m half crazy,
All for the love of you.
It won’t be a stylish marriage.
I can’t afford a carriage.
But you’ll look sweet,
Upon the seat,
Of a bicycle built for two.

Michael, Michael,
I’ll give you my answer true
I’m not crazy
All for the likes of you
If you can’t afford a carriage
there won’t be any marriage
for I’ll be damned
if I’ll be crammed
on a bicycle built for two.

Thanks to Bretta for sending this in!

Note to All Geeks: My husband pointed out that Daisy, Daisy was sung by the computer Hal 9000 in 2001 Space Odyssey as he was being disconnected.

Cheers!

Mama Lisa

Block City
by Robert Louis Stevenson

What are you able to build with your blocks?
Castles and palaces, temples and docks.
Rain may keep raining, and others go roam,
But I can be happy and building at home.

Let the sofa be mountains, the carpet be sea,
There I’ll establish a city for me:
A kirk* and a mill and a palace beside,
And a harbour as well where my vessels may ride.

Great is the palace with pillar and wall,
A sort of a tower on the top of it all,
And steps coming down in an orderly way
To where my toy vessels lie safe in the bay.

This one is sailing and that one is moored:
Hark to the song of the sailors aboard!
And see, on the steps of my palace, the kings
Coming and going with presents and things!

Now I have done with it, down let it go!
All in a moment the town is laid low.
Block upon block lying scattered and free,
What is there left of my town by the sea?

Yet as I saw it, I see it again,
The kirk and the palace, the ships and the men,
And as long as I live and where’er I may be,
I’ll always remember my town by the sea.

*Kirk is the Scotch word for church.

MP3 of Block City

Thanks to Gracie for the drawing! Recording by J. M. Smallheer for Librivox.