Yama Sushi – Dear Liza

Dear Liza,

I miss seeing you and your family every week, but here in Portland I do get to visit with Auntie Katie and Cousins Jasper and Kestrel. Last week we picked up a delicious dinner at Yama Sushi on Division and we had a fun evening.

We got to visit with Sir Isaac Snooten, Kestrel’s hognose snake. He is very friendly and doesn’t mind being handled gently and quietly. He really likes Cousin Kestrel and even likes to climb in her hair!

Grandpa Nelson, however, does not like snakes. He and Cousin Jasper played chess with the new set we got him for Christmas, and Jasper won. He is getting really good.

We also did a nice ceremonial ‘first opening’ of two of Auntie Katie’s gifts, some superhero action figures. Squirrel Girl has been a favorite of their house for years, and Kestrel even dressed up in a Squirrel Girl costume for a Comic Con when she was about three years old. Squirrel Girl comes with her own scooter with a basket to hold

Tippytoe and her other squirrel friends.

The other action figure was Mystique, from the Marvel stories. She seems scarier and comes with hands of different colors for when she changes. And of course, we needed to have our two superheroes go on an adventure together!

When it was time for us to go, we had hugs all around. I hope you have a good week with lots of hugs, too.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

Yesterday evening I walked over to Auntie Katie’s house. I carried all the ingredients for sugar cookies, thinking the butter would soften on the way. Wrong! It was 45 degrees, about the same temperature as my refrigerator.

Anyway, once I got there, we chatted and mixed the dough, then put it in the actual fridge to chill and be ready to roll. While it was chilling, we wrapped up and walked to Yama Sushi, at SE Clinton and 21st. It is a wide, bright space, decorated with sake barrels and whimsical bits of art and fabric.

We ate as much sushi, scallops, bacon-wrapped peppers and halibut collar as we could hold for $37! Such a deal, and a small glass of sake, as well.

When we got back to Katie’s house, the cookie dough was ready to roll. Katie has a wonderful collection of cookie cutters, some that belonged to your great-grandma Billie, that I remember using when I was a little girl. The dough was very cooperative and we rolled and cut quickly, baking as we went.

unfrosted .jpg — **Cookies (and future reading material)**

Then we decorated! I have only ever done this when I was a child or when I had a child….either too young or too distracted to do very carefully. It was fun to decide what I wanted a cookie to look like and make it happen.

What a fun evening!

Today is the first day of winter, called the Solstice. We woke up to a temperature of 30 degrees (that’s two below freezing!) and fog. I put on the regular coat and hat, with two scarves (one for my neck and another for my face) and walked out for a bit.

winter solstice fog.jpg

As they say, there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing. I was grateful for the second scarf.

See you soon!

Love, Grandma Judy

Tag: Yama Sushi

An Evening with the Cousins

Sushi and Christmas Cookies