vol 32 no 1 december 29, 2012 – january 4, 2013

VOL 32 NO 1 DECEMBER 29, 2012 – JANUARY 4, 2013 FREE 31 YEARS YOUR VOICE

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage PaidPermit No. 746Seattle, WA

■ 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 • f. 206.223.0626 • [email protected] • [email protected] • www.nwasianweekly.com

The Top 10 Most Read Articles of 2012

#1 — CELEBRATING DA

D » P. 8

#3 —

Wo

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broken hip after dog scare, gets $200,000 » P. 4

#10 — 10 unexpected (a

nd natural!) ways to keep your stre

ss in

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#4

— W

here

do re

d envelopes come from? » P. 7

#7 — My happiness list » P. 10

#2 — China Wom

en’s Basketba

ll vs. U.S. Wom

en’s Basketball » P. 9

#9 — API athletes represent U.S. at 2012 Olympics » P.

9

#

6 — Inslee, McKenna appear at co

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unities of color forum » P. 4

#5 — C

ooking

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with Mom » P. 8

#8

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sian Americans immune to b

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ing overweight? » P. 52012 was an amazing year for Asian and Pacific Americans. To celebrate and to welcome the New Year, we look back on the top 10 most-read stories of 2012, as determined by views on our website. These stories are not breaking news. Rather, they are the stories that you, our readers, decided were important.

Disagree with what we included? Let us know what your favorite story of the year was at our website, www.nwasianweekly.com!

2 DECEMBER 29, 2012 – JANUARY 4, 2013 asianweeklynorthwest

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS

■ IN MEMory of

Pearl LeungCommunity Relations Manager

Vulcan

Yoshiko HardenVice President, Diversity

Bellevue College

Tina Kuckkahn-MillerDirector, Longhouse EducationThe Evergreen State College

Vivian LeeVolunteer

UW

Debbie BirdCommunity Ambassador

Valley Medical Center

Sharon ParkerAssistant Chancellor, Equity & Diversity

UW Tacoma

Nikki GaneFounder

Dignity for Divas

Ellen FergusonCo-chair

Wing Luke Asian Museum

Michelle NitzExecutive Director

Washington Women In Need

Manuelita YbarraProgram Analyst

Department of License

Jane NishitaMarket Development Manager

CenturyLink

Carmen Julia AguiarChief Executive Officer and Founder

The Aguiar Group

women of power: building bridgesReaching out beyond their own community bringing people together

New Hong Kong Restaurant 900 S. Jackson St. #203, Seattle 206-223-7999 Thursday, January 31, 2013 11:30 a.m.—1:30 p.m.

Honorees

Sponsors

Name: ___________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Telephone: ________________________________________________

Fax: _____________________________________________________

Email: ___________________________________________________

Organization: _____________________________________________

Title (if applicable): _________________________________________

Name of guests: ___________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Mastercard Visa

Card no.: _________________________________________________

Exp. date: ____________ Signature: ___________________________

To reserve your space, fax this form to 206-223-0626 or send a check to Women of Color Empowered by January 28: Women of Color Empowered, P.O. Box 3468, Seattle, WA 98114

Master of Ceremonies

Natasha Burrowes Director of Multicultural Affairs

and LeadershipHighline Community College

Discounted price of $30 if purchased by Jan. 28. Full price of $40 after Jan. 28. Walk-ins $45. Student price of $20 with I.D. before Jan. 28; $25 after Jan. 28; student walk-ins $30. No tickets will be mailed; confirmation is by e-mail only. To sponsor a table of 10 is $1,000 (For details of benefit, go to website at womenofcolorempowered.com). Men are welcome!

To purchase tickets, go to www.brownpapertickets.com/event/265165, or call us at 206-223-0623, or email [email protected].

For more information, visit womenofcolorempowered.com.

Assunta Ng, Charlene Grinolds, Lourdes Sampera Tsukada, Connie Sugahara, Elaine Kitamura, Elsie Taniguchi, Kathy Purcell, Manuelita Ybarra, Reiko Akagi, Yvonne Naum, Bonnie Miller, Chayuda Overby, Noory Kim, and Jacqueline A. Coe

CO-CHAIRS:

PLANNING COMMITTEE:

RESERVATIONS FOR LUNCHEON:

Leny Valerio-Buford, Francine Griggs, and Chayuda Overby

Nikkei Concerns presented with mobility van by Toyota

Nikkei Con-cerns, a winner of the Toyota 100 Cars for Good con-test, was awarded a new Toyota mo-bility van on Dec. 20, 2012 by Toyota of Seattle. Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good contest is a major philanthropic ini-tiative in which the automaker is giving away 100 cars to 100 nonprofits over the course of 100

days, based on Facebook votes from the public. Voting began on May 14.

Facebook users in the United States were able to vote for the nonprofit they believe can do the most good with the ve-hicle. The nonprofit with the most votes at the end of each day won one of six Toyota models. Nikkei Concerns won the most votes on Aug. 19.

“We are grateful to Toyota for providing us a wonderful op-portunity to win a much needed mobility van for our residents and participants.” Said Jeffrey Hattori, CEO of Nikkei Conerns. “This couldn’t have happened without the tremendous support of the Nikkei Concerns ‘family’ throughout the United States!”

Melissa Miller, Toyota of Seattle General Manager will pres-ent the new Toyota Sienna van to Nikkei Concerns.

Asian community celebrates Ferguson and Hasegawa victories at community dinner

The Asian community of Seattle came together at a cel-

ebration dinner for Attorney General–Elect Bob Fergu-son and State Sen-ator–Elect Bob Hasegawa at the House of Hong last Thursday, Dec. 20. Approximately 90 people attended, with leaders from the Chinese, Fili-pino, and Japa-nese organizations present.

Both Ferguson and Hasegawa won their respective elections in November. Previously, Ferguson was a King County councilmember, and Hasegawa was a representative of the 11th district. Both will be taking office in January.

Attorney General-Elect Bob Ferguson (rear right) and State Senator-Elect Bob Hasegawa (rear center right) with members of the Japanese American Citizens League

From left: Ed Yakushijin, Volunteer Driver, Nikkei Concerns; Jeffrey Hattori, CEO, Nikkei Concerns; Melissa Miller, General Manager, Toyota of Seattle; Tony Arellano, District Sales manager, Portland Region for Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.; Ron Higashi, Transporatation manager, Nikkei Concerns

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Akira “Mori” Moriguchi passes away at 73Akira “Mori” Moriguchi, 73, passed

away peacefully on Dec. 22, 2012 at his home in Seattle surrounded by family after an extended battle with cancer.

Born Sept. 30, 1939, in Tacoma, Wash. to Fujimatsu and Sadako Mori-guchi, he graduated from the Uni-versity of Washington in 1965 with a Bachelor’s of Science in electrical en-gineering.

“Mori” as he was affectionately known throughout the com-munity will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Kimberly Sun; daughters, Lena Sadako (Albert), Sarah Kim, and Hanah Sun; his son, Jonathan Michael; his grandsons, Donovan and Dylan; and his granddaughters Savannah and Kyla. He will be greatly missed by his six siblings, Kenzo (Carol), Suwako (James), Tomio (Jenny), Hisako (Harvey), Toshi (Susie), and Tomoko (Koji), as well as an extensive extended family, and many dear and devoted friends.

In his youth, Mori was awarded the Heisman Trophy in All-American Little League Football, and he also played the alto saxophone with the Lotus Skyliners Jazz Ensemble. In 1962, he worked at Boeing as an engineer. He then joined the U.S. army as a paratrooper and was stationed in Germany. He continued his fa-ther’s legacy by working in the family business, Uwajimaya, Inc. From 1965–1988, he spearheaded Seasia, Uwajimaya’s wholesale division, and he helped to establish Food Service International and Kustom Foods, Asian restaurant suppliers. In the mid 1990s, he co-founded and franchised the Magic Dragon restaurant chain and SunLuck products for the non-Asian market. Among his greatest accomplishments was becoming the President and Chief Operating Officer of Uwajimaya, Inc.

As a long-time member of the Rainier Golf and Country Club, Mori will be especially remembered as the “Life of the Party,” with his quick wit and sense of humor. As a brilliant entrepre-neur, he was never afraid to take risks. Everyone could attest to his generosity and heart of gold.

One of Mori’s favorite philosophies was, “Good Food, Good Wine (Stoli rocks with a lemon twist), Good Life!”

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Seattle Keiro Nursing Home.

Memorial Service/Life Celebration Reception details:Saturday, December 29, 2012:

Evergreen Washelli Chapel11111 Aurora Avenue N., Seattle, 206-362-52003:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. : Open Casket Public Viewing

Saturday, January 5, 2012:Rainier Golf & Country Club11133 Des Moines Memorial Dr., Seattle, 206-242-22222:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. : Mori’s Life Celebration Reception

For more information and to sign the virtual guestbook, please visit: www.Washelli.com/memorials/memorials.php/dID/506018.

chec

k

us out!

Akira “Mori” Moriguchi

31 YEARS yoUr VoICE DECEMBER 29, 2012 – JANUARY 4, 2013 3


■ ToP 10

Inslee, McKenna appear at communities of color forumBy Charles LamNORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLy

Washington Communities of Color United for Progress hosted a legislative discussion day and candidate forum to discuss necessary legislative priorities on education, economic development, and criminal justice on Saturday, Oct. 20 at Rainier Beach High School. These priorities will go on to be presented to winning candidates as issues important to communities of color. Approximately 100 individuals attended and participated in the discussion.

The legislative portion of the event took place in the morning and was at times heated.

Participants of the discussion spotlighted

the importance of education catering to minority children, the need for proper training and retraining for teachers, and the role of

the community in caring for children. The importance of disciplinary record keeping was mentioned multiple times.

“It’s important that we not only keep track of the reasons why our kids are disciplined, but also that we keep track of where they ultimately end up,” said a young Black man during the discussion.

A lion’s share of the blame for the unresponsive school system was placed on the legislature. However, Education Committee Chair Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos (D-37), who was present, did not agree.

She said that while the grievances expressed by the discussion had merit, they matched those that the Education Committee had already identified. She stressed that while the legislature had some failings,

{see FORUM cont’d on page 14}

Woman suffers broken hip after dog scare, gets $200,000

By Evangeline CafeNORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLy

As the saying goes, “Every dog has its day.” In this case, a woman injured during a pit bull encoun-ter had her day in court — and won.

In June, a jury awarded more than $200,000 in damages to yuanquin Ge, a Chinese woman who fell and broke her hip after an unleashed pit bull named Raspberry approached her in a Sammamish neighborhood. It happened in May 2009, when Ge and her husband, who live in Shanghai, were in town visiting their daughter. The three decided to go for an evening walk and made their way onto the street in front of the defendants’ home. The de-fendants, a boyfriend–girlfriend couple, had just arrived from a day trip and were unloading their vehicle when their two pit bulls ran from their lawn.

“As they ran toward [the group], Mrs. Ge was approached by one of the dogs, which jumped on her and knocked her down on the ground,” said at-torney Erica Buckley, who represented Ge and her husband at trial.

Raspberry and the other dog were each less than a year old and weighed about 40 pounds.

Ge, who was in her 60s at the time, required hip replacement surgery. She had to cancel most of her plans, including a trip to yellowstone National Park.

{see GE cont’d on page 15}


By Vivian MieziankoNORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLy

Work, study, taking care of others, worrying about finance, and rela-tionships…

For everybody, the list of stressors can go on and on. And the meager amount of sunlight in Seattle does little to help brighten one’s mood or shove away one’s worries.

you may wonder, are there any simple home cures that can diminish the effects of stress? Can you combat stress without spending a for-tune on side-effect-causing pills or rare herbs?

yes and yes.Here are 10 de-stressing tips that neither

break the bank nor involve any pharmaceutical drugs.

1. Some foods are touted for their stress-fighting properties. Complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole grain bread, and ce-real are some examples. According to WebMD, Carbohydrates “prompt the brain to make more serotonin,” and complex carbs, which are di-gested more slowly, can ensure “a steady sup-ply of this feel-good chemical.”

Vitamin-C rich oranges also make the list. “Studies suggest this vitamin can reduce lev-els of stress hormones, while strengthening the immune system.”

Another tress buster is fatty fish. Omega-3 fatty acids found in tuna and salmon “can prevent surges in stress hormones and protect against … mood disorders like depression.”

And don’t forget the black tea that accompa-nies your dim sum. “Research suggests black tea can help you recover from stressful events more quickly.”

2. In an article entitled “Best home cures for your aches and pains” on the Today Show web-site, Brian Berman, MD, director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, states that taking a short break and focusing “on an activity that requires repetitive motion, such as knitting or swimming laps“ is a non-drowsy cure to combat stress during the daytime. He notes that activi-ties that “involve repetition and rhythm are es-pecially effective at distracting you from work.”

3. Mona Fahoum of The University Health Clinic in Seattle, recommends putting an herb

{see UNEXPECTED cont’d on page 13}

■ ToP 10

The only weekly English-language newspaper serving Washington’s Asian community. The NW Asian Weekly has one simple goal:

“To empower the Asian community.”

The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertisement, letter or article. Subscriptions cost $30 for 52 weeks of the NW Asian Weekly and $25 for 52 weeks of the

Seattle Chinese Post. The NW Asian Weekly owns the copyright for all its content. All rights reserved. No part of this paper may be reprinted without permission.

AssuntA ngPublisher

[email protected]

ChArles lAmEditor

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hAn BuiLayout Editor/Graphic Designer

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stACy nguyenEditorial Consultant

412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. [email protected] • [email protected] • www.nwasianweekly.com

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Are Asian Americans immune to becoming overweight?

By Nan Nan LiuNORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLy

Asians don’t get fat…right?“Most Asians I encounter are smaller and

thinner,” said Rebecca Kelley, a Korean Ameri-can who is half white. She is the creator of Me-diocreAthlete.com. “I imagine it’s partly due to genetics and partly their upbringing.”

Genetically blessed with smaller frames and growing up eating low-fat cultural foods, in the past, Asian Americans didn’t normally worry about gaining weight.

That is changing.According to the Center of Disease Con-

trol, in 2009, 33.4 percent of Asians living in the United States were overweight. This is compared to the 34.7 percent of non-Hispanic whites in the same study. The percentage of overweight Asian Americans was not much lower.

“Ten percent of [my clients] are Asian and 8 percent [of my Asian clients] were overweight,” said Domingo Rodriguez, an independent contract personal trainer and fitness ambassa-dor for Lulu Lemon Athletics. “I believe that [being overweight] doesn’t matter in regards to race whatsoever … if you eat terribly, your body will be terrible.”

“Obesity knows no race,” agreed Tony Mo-ses of Tony Moses Fitness. “If you don’t live a healthy lifestyle, your risk of being overweight and obese increases substantially.”

The hefty amount of overweight Asians in the United States proves that despite inheriting the “skinny” gene, Asian Americans are not immune to becoming overweight and obese. In-stead, it’s a matter of food choices and lifestyle.

How is weight-class determined, and what are the risks?

The Body Mass Index (BMI), a simple in-dex comparing weight to height, calculates the weight-class of people, whether they are nor-mal, overweight, or obese.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “[BMI] is defined as a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of his height in meters (kg/m2).”

“A BMI greater than or equal to 25 is over-weight. A BMI greater than or equal to 30 is obesity.”

According to the Centers of Obesity and

Health Control, common health problems and risks from obesity include cardiovascular dis-eases, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, and some cancers.

“A lot of my clients [who] were overweight [had] medical issues, [including] diabetes and [thyroid-related issues],” informed Rodriguez.

A worldwide problem, but America leads the way

Obesity and overweight problems have been spreading all over the world in recent decades.

Take China, for example, a country that had a low percentage of overweight individuals 10 years ago that is now battling obesity.

“you can Google more than 3,000 fast food places in Shanghai,” said yi Zhang, who grew up in China and now studies in Canada. “Ap-proximately 13.3 percent of the 11,839 Chinese children surveyed in Shanghai fall within the classification of overweight. Particularly trou-bling is the 6.5 percent obesity rate, which has increased 24.4 percent over the past decade.”

According to the WHO, “Worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980” and “65 per-cent of the world’s population live in countries where being overweight or obese kills more people than being underweight.”

It seems that the entire world is battling the bulge. However, America is still the fattest country of all.

According to the Organization for Economic and Co-operative Development (OECD), the United States has the highest percentage of overweight individuals of all economically ad-vantaged countries.

“Obviously, there’s a weight problem in the United States. I’m sure it’s a problem in other developed countries to some extent, but it’s def-initely an issue in the U.S.,” said Kelley.

Asians in America versus Asians in AsiaCompared to Asians in Asia, Asian Ameri-

cans appear heavier.When asked which group is more overweight,

Asian Americans or Asians in Asia, Rodriguez immediately replied, “America!”

Gahee Bae, a Korean-born fashion stu-dent, agrees. “People who came from Korea are usually skinnier than the Asian Ameri-cans who are born here. They are tinier.

{see OVERWEIGHT cont’d on page 13}

10 unexpected (and natural!) ways to keep your stress in check


SUN 1/6

WHAT: Celebrate 2013 at the 24th Anniversary of a Bainbridge Island Japanese American community tradition – Mochi TsukiWHERE: IslandWood, 4450 Blakely Ave. N.E., Bainbridge IsleWHEN: 11 a.m.–3 p.m.INFO: 206-855-4300

FRI 1/11 & SAT 1/12

WHAT: Human Trafficking in an Era of Globalization: Forced Labor, Involuntary Servitude, and Corporate & Civic ResponsibilityWHERE: UW, Husky Union Building, North BallroomWHEN: 1/11, program 9–5:15 p.m., keynote & reception 5:30–7:30 p.m.1/12, program 9–4:15 p.m.COST: $150

TICKETS: humantraffickingconference.brownpapertickets.com

SUN 1/13

WHAT: Washington State Korean-American Day Celebration Ceremony: Showcase PerformanceWHERE: Highline Performing Art Center, 401 S. 152nd St., BurienWHEN: 3 p.m.RSVP: [email protected], 253-852-0474

SAT 1/26

WHAT: The Crumbles Pacific Northwest Premier at the 2013 Seattle Asian American Film FestivalWHERE: Wing Luke Museum, 719 S. King St., SeattleWHEN: 6:30 p.m.

INFO: www.thecrumbles.com

SAT 2/2/2013

WHAT: Lunar New year 2013 sneak peak: year of the Snake!WHERE: The Wing, 719 S. King St., SeattleINFO: 206-623-5124

2Nd & 4Th TUES OF MONTh

WHAT: International District Special Review Board meetingWHERE: Bush Asia Center, 409 Maynard Ave. S., SeattleWHEN: 4:30 p.m.INFO: 206-684-0226 www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/preservation/historic_districts.htm

EVERY TUE

WHAT: Asian Counseling and Referral Services Employment

Program OrientationWHERE: ACRS, 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., SeattleWHEN: 3–4:30 p.m.INFO: 206-695-7527, [email protected], acrs.org/services/employmentandtraining

EVERY WEd

WHAT: Seattle University School of Law Citizenship ProjectWHERE: yesler Community Center Computer Lab, 917 E. yesler Way, SeattleWHEN: 5–6:30 p.m.COST: FreeINFO: 206-386-1245

EVERY ThU

WHAT: Free Chronic Disease Self-Management WorkshopWHERE: Kin On Health Care,

4416 S. Brandon St., SeattleWHEN: Every Thursday, 10 a.m.RSVP: 206-652-2330INFO: [email protected]

ThRU 12/30

WHAT: The Space Needle and Bartell Drugs launches “Rocket to the Top of Space Needle,” with exclusive offer to free visits to the Observation DeckHOW: While supplies last, Bartell Drugs is offering vouchers for one free adult or up to two free youth tickets (vouchers valid with purchase of one adult observation deck ticket).WHERE: All 58 Bartell Drugs locations in King, Snohomish and Pierce countiesWHEN: Now until 12/30INFO: www.spaceneedle.com, www.bartelldrugs.com

■ CoMMUNITy CALENDAr

Have an event to promote? Please send us the details at least 14 days in advance to

[email protected].

Architects, Consultants & ContractorsKCLS Library Contract Information Available Online!

Check www.kcls.org/buildings for information about KCLS construction and the latest available

details on current and pending projects.Requests for Proposals•Requests for Qualifications•Current Project Bid Listing•Call for Art Proposals•Site Selection Policy•

Announcements of Finalists•Community Meetings•Contacts•New Releases•

The King County Library System recognizes strength and value within our communities, and we encourage all interested and qualified service providers to review

our public bid construction opportunities.

Contact Kelly Iverson, Facilities [email protected] or 425.369.3308

Reliance MoRtgage, inc.new home purchases & refinancing

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www.reliancemortgage.netMB-69455 | CL-69455


■ ToP 10

Where do red envelopes come from?By Nan Nan LiuNORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLy

Firecrackers, feasts, and exhilarating lion dances — Chinese New year has many interesting traditions. However, one of the most appealing traditions, especially for young ones, is the passing out of red envelopes.

Known in China as “hong bao,” red envelopes are passed out by the elderly and married couples to children and young single adults. The envelopes always contain money in an auspicious amount, and are never marked by presenters’ names. In essence, they are like Christmas presents in what they represent — cheery ways to celebrate the holidays. They are tokens of love between families and close friends.

“When I was a kid, I received an average of 20 to 30 red envelopes from my grandparents, parents, relatives, and my parents’ close friends every year,” said Joyce Hsu, who came to the United States from Taiwan. “I didn’t need to do anything to receive them in general except that all the kids did prepare a performance as a group and as an individual in front of my grandmother at New year’s Eve.”

“It [didn’t] matter what kind of performance,” added Hsu. “It could be anything — sing a song, tell funny jokes, magic shows, dance, play piano … then she gave a New year wish and a red envelope to each of her grandchildren.”

The tradition of red envelopes has wide-spread popularity all over Asia, not only in China.

Vietnam, and Japan, for example, have similar practices. It has even reached the United States, where immigrant and racially mixed families celebrate the Lunar New year.

The Legend of Ang Pow

Like any age-old tradition, red envelopes

trace their history back many years — so long ago that there’s no documented literature on how the practice started.

“There is no direct information [on the origin of red envelopes],” said Peter Lee, a Boeing engineer who grew up in China.

But according to folklore from the Song dynasty, the red envelopes’ origin lies in the Legend of Ang Pow.

In the legend, the people of Chang-Chieu village suffered from an evil, dragon-like creature. No one was able to defeat it, and villagers lived under constant fear until a young man named Ang Pow came along. Ang Pow, with a magic saber named Ma Dao, waited for the creature to appear, slayed it, and saved the entire village.

The villagers were so overwhelmed with happiness that the elders presented Ang Pow with a red packet filled with money. They

believed that by giving him a red packet, they would forever ward off evil.

From that day on, red envelopes were viewed as a way to fight inauspicious spirits.

The Tradition Behind Red Envelopes

According to various sources, such as Holidays.net, the tradition of giving red envelopes on New year’s traces back to the Qing Dynasty.

The Qing Dynasty was founded by Jerchen Aisin Gioro clan leader Nurhachi, who united the Manchu people in northeast China. At the time, China was under Ming Dynasty rule, and the general population was of the Han clan. In 1644, the Ming capitol in Beijing was overtaken in a peasant uprising, which issued in the short-lived Shun dynasty. Shun was quickly overtaken by Prince Dorgon, son of Nurhachi, of Qing.

Over the next few hundred years, the Qing dynasty integrated Han traditions, appointing Han civil servants and officials who celebrated the New year.

During that time, coins (that were round in shape with a square hole in the middle) were used as money, and the printing press was not yet common. For New year’s, elders gave

children coins tied together by a red thread. This practice eventually led to red envelopes.

Red Envelopes Today

Today, envelopes are used for the coins. They are red and have auspicious decorations like “double happiness” and “good fortune” symbols.

“In general red is the symbol of luck and fortune in Asian society,” said Hsu.

“Red will bring instant happiness,” added Lee.

Hsu, whose husband is not Chinese, wishes to continue the tradition for their son.

“yes, for sure,” said Hsu, “when he is a little bit older.”

Rachel Wu, who also works for Boeing and grew up in China, wants to continue Chinese New year traditions in her family, even though her children are completely Americanized.

“[We give] two envelopes for each kid. One envelope from me and one from my husband,” said Wu. “We usually celebrate our gathering prior to the first day of Chinese New year … with some traditional foods [like] whole chicken, lettuces, sweet-candy, and vegetarian dishes the night prior to the first day of the New year.”

“[My kids] are very excited. We give them some for buying their toys and foods, and the rest we put it in their bank account,” continued Wu. “I think it is important to keep the traditions and know where we come from.”

“Knowing your cultural background will enrich the life of individuals,” said Lee.

Nan Nan Liu can be reached at [email protected].

Want to become a fan on Facebookor follow us on Twitter?

Visit www.nwasianweekly.com.

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■ ToP 10

Cooking and eating with Mom — Food writers share stories about their mothers and foodCompiled by Pat TanumihardjaFOR NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLy

For many, food is the link to cul-tural roots, the lens through which we view our culture. Through food, we learn about traditions (eating noodles for longevity) and values (allowing elders first dibs at the food as a sign of respect). Most importantly, food can be a conduit for love. Whether we’re eating chicken soup on sick days or store-bought chocolate cake on birth-days, mothers have often been the source of this love.

Here, some of Seattle’s best known food writers and bloggers share fond food memo-ries, with their moms in the starring roles.

Alice Currah“I’ll never forget the day when I made Jap-

anese curry in a pressure cooker. My mother used to prepare this for us growing up, and it’s a family favorite. My late father also en-joyed it. He passed away later the same year

when he was hit by a car while crossing the street. My siblings and their families, as well as my fam-ily, were honoring my mom with a Mother’s Day potluck dinner that also included rice, salad, fresh fruit, garlic sesame king salmon, and aspara-gus. Mom, unfamiliar with this type of pot, grabbed the release valve from the lid. The whole family and I watched the curry spew from the valve opening like a violent volcano and cover our

white dining room ceiling like a coat of fresh mustard-yellow paint. Mom was horrified but found some comic relief when she joined my siblings and me in a moment of uncon-trollable laughter.”

Alice Currah is the author of “The Savory Sweet Life Cookbook: 100 Simply Delicious Meals for Every Family Occasion” and pop-ular food blog SavorySweetLife.com. She writes a bi-weekly column for PBS and was named by Forbes as One of the Best Food

{see MOM cont’d on page 15}

Image by Denise Sakaki

CELEBRATING DAD — Single-dad of Apolo Ohno, other dads, challenge traditional rolesBy Evangeline CafeNORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLy

He is one of the most widely-recognized single fathers in the world. yuki Ohno has spent the past two decades cheering his son on from the stands, prodding him to believe in himself and to never give up. His son, Apolo Anton Ohno, grew up to become the most decorated American Winter Olympian after winning eight medals in short track speed skating. Ohno told Northwest Asian Weekly that while being a single father has been the most challenging experience of his life, it has also been the most rewarding.

“It was tough. At the beginning, I did not have confidence that I could do this alone. I wasn’t sure at all, but I had no choice but to do it,” he said.

Apolo’s mother left when he was a 1-year-old. Ohno made ends meet by managing two hair salons. But with no family around, he struggled to balance work with raising a son. During the weekends, when most day cares were closed, he had no choice but to bring Apolo to work.

“I didn’t have any relatives here. I was all

alone. I had to put blankets over the carpet in the salon and hope Apolo would stay in one place,” he recalled.

But Ohno soon discovered that his son could not keep still. As Apolo grew up, his passion for sports became palpable. He loved to skate, and Ohno’s instincts told him to support his son’s

athletic dreams.“Apolo has been competitive in sports since

he was very young, like 6 years old. Sometimes, competitions were held out of town, and we’d drive or fly up there. By participating in those sporting events, he and I became a team, setting out to accomplish one thing,” said Ohno.

“I would tell Apolo, ‘If you’re going to do an event, I will be there. No doubt, you can count on me.’ ”

Ohno acknowledges that his relationship with his son has not always been smooth. During his son’s teenage years, in particular, the pair would often clash. “There were some bad days,” he said. “I was the only parent to provide mentorship and decision-making,

{see DAD cont’d on page 11}


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■ ToP 10

China Women’s Basketball vs. U.S. Women’s BasketballNational team plays Olympic warm-up in SeattleBy Jason CruzNORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLy

Left image: Swin Cash, former Seattle Storm player, now with the Chicago Sky (Photo courtesy of Seattle Storm). Right im-age: The China International Women’s bas-ketball team

Basketball is back in Seattle as the U.S. Women’s National Basketball team will play a special exhibition game on Friday, May 11, at Key Arena against the Chinese Women’s Na-tional basketball team. Current Seattle Storm point guard Sue Bird and former Storm player Swin Cash will play for the U.S. team in the exhibition game against China. The women from China are the champions of Asia, and the team is using its visit to Seattle as a tune-up for the London Summer Olympics. This visit will be a rare opportunity for basketball fans to see the team from China.

They won the 2011 FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Asia championship gold medal.

“The opportunity to bring this internation-al exhibition game to Seattle is in large part because of our fan support here.

The game will also illustrate how much the game of women’s basketball and the players have continued to elevate the quality of play

both domestically and internationally,” Storm President and CEO Karen Bryant said.

Basketball is back in Seattle as the U.S. Women’s National Basketball team will play a special exhibition game on Friday, May 11, at Key Arena against the Chinese Women’s Na-tional basketball team. Current Seattle Storm point guard Sue Bird and former Storm player Swin Cash will play for the U.S. team in the exhibition game against China. The women from China are the champions of Asia, and the team is using its visit to Seattle as a tune-

up for the London Summer Olympics. This visit will be a rare opportunity for basketball fans to see the team from China.

They won the 2011 FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Asia championship gold medal.

“The opportunity to bring this internation-al exhibition game to Seattle is in large part because of our fan support here.

The game will also illustrate how much the game of women’s basketball and the players have continued to elevate the quality of play

both domestically and internationally,” Storm President and CEO Karen Bryant said.

The Chinese National Team will also play an exhibition game later this month against the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA in Pasadena, Calif.

“It is a valuable opportunity for us to play with the WNBA and USAB (USA Basketball) teams. We hope that we could learn more les-sons and [improve] from these games, know [more] about U.S. basketball, and meanwhile, make faster improvement in individual skills and team plays,” said a member of the Chi-nese National Team.

The team’s coach, Sun Fengwu, added, “This year is an Olympic year. Our team is working very hard for the preparation of [the] London Olympics, it is a great training oppor-tunity for us to play with WNBA and USAB teams here. USAB represents the highest level of women’s basketball in the world. We hope that from these games, we could do a better job in identifying our own weaknesses, build up our confidence, and to be better pre-pared for the Olympics.”

Prior to the basketball game Friday night, the Chinese team will be hosted by the

{see BASKETBALL cont’d on page 11}

Left image: Swin Cash, former Seattle Storm player, now with the Chicago Sky. Right image: The China International Women’s basketball team

API athletes represent U.S. at 2012 OlympicsBy Evangeline CafeNORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLy

More than a dozen Asian and Pacific Is-lander American athletes will represent Team USA at the Summer Olympic Games in Lon-don, and several more will serve as back-ups or replacements. The competitors will join hundreds of fellow Americans in their quest to reign in their respective sports and bring home the gold.

Below are Asian and Pacific Islander Ameri-cans who are qualified to compete in the 2012 Olympics.

Nathan AdrianSwimming

Adrian of Bremerton, Wash., 24, began swimming at the age of 5, after seeing his brother and sister take up the sport. Adrian’s mother, who was born in Hong Kong, is a nurse for the Bremerton School District and his father is a retired nuclear engineer. Adrian won gold when he swam in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. He will compete in the 100-meter freestyle and 4×100-meter freestyle relay events in London. Adrian holds a pre-med degree from the Uni-versity of California, Berkeley, and hopes to one day become a doctor.

Howard BachBadminton

Bach was born in Vietnam in 1979. By the encouragement of his father, he began playing badminton at a local yMCA in San Francisco

as a child. His father, also an avid player, served as Bach’s training coach over the next decade. Bach’s talents earned him a spot to compete in the 2004 Olympics in Athens. One year later, he and Tony Gunawan won the men’s doubles title at the 2005 World Badminton Champi-onship. The victory marked the first time an American badminton team ever medaled at a world championship. In 2008, Bach and an-other partner became the first U.S. badminton team to reach an Olympics quarterfinal. Bach reunites with Gunawan this summer to com-pete in the men’s doubles event in London.

Kayla Bashore-SmedleyField Hockey

South Korean-born Bashore-Smedley grew up in Shoemakersville, Pa. and currently lives in Chula Vista, Calif. She first picked up a hockey stick when she was 15, when a high school coach suggested that she give the sport a try. Her skills caught the attention of college recruiters and earned her a scholar-ship to Indiana University, where she led the school to its first-ever NCAA tournament. Bashore-Smedley was also named the 2005 Big Ten Player of the year and became the school’s sole First Team All-American. That same year, she also completed a degree in biol-ogy and chemistry. In 2008, Bashore-Smedley was part of the U.S. women’s field hockey Olympics team, which finished eighth overall.This summer, she joins a roster of 16 women who will compete for the gold in London.

{see OLYMPICS cont’d on page 12}

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My happiness list

By Assunta NgNORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLy

What really matters? Ask yourself this be-fore you make your New year’s resolutions. Write down what you find valuable. Writing helps you understand yourself and empowers you to achieve what you want.

My friend Vi Mar said, “you must love yourself before you love others. If you don’t love yourself first, you cannot help others.” When you are miserable, you will not be able to contribute to others. It might sound selfish, but I take care of myself first, so I can serve my family, friends, and community longer and more efficiently.

What I’ve discovered is that some items on my list of simple joys cost little money. These things are easy to do, so why not do them more often? It’s nice to rediscover the things you love and learn about yourself every now and then.

1. My mom remembersMy mom has dementia. Every Saturday, I

talk to her on the phone and remind her of some of the good things that have happened in her life, which she often doesn’t remember. When she is reminded, she’s happy. I am, too.

2. A pair of rose pliersI used to be frustrated every time a neck-

lace got tangled or pendant’s hook got bent. In the past, I had to take them to a jeweler to fix. Last year, my friend Elizabeth younger,

a jewelry designer, showed me the magic of what a small pair of pliers can do. Now, I fix my own jewelry in a few seconds.

3. Making use of old stuffWhen my four-stranded pearl necklace

broke, I was initially upset. But with Eliza-beth’s help, I took some of my own ideas, and a few new sets of jewelry were designed. I then donated these new products to charities. I feel awesome, being creative and supporting important causes.

4. Experimentyippie! I can dry clean my clothes my-

self! The other day, I decided to wash my own white coat, which had big black stains on the sleeves. My aunt once told me that liquid dish detergent is good for removing blemishes from delicate clothes. I cleaned the stains with soap first. Then I put my coat in the washing machine with a dash of detergent and switched on the cycle for delicates. All the dirt and grease disappeared. Then I put the coat into the dryer under the anti-wrinkle setting for 20 minutes and hung it up to dry afterward. Guess what? It looks great. I saved $2, plus the cost of gas driving to the dry cleaners. It’s not so much about the money as it is about feeling a sense of accomplishment.

5. Watch kids excelIt doesn’t have to be my own kids. I enjoy

watching my friends’ kids grow from babies to toddlers, teenagers, and adults. I get a kick out of seeing innocent kids become sophisti-cated, well-mannered grown-ups.

“Remember me?” say some former schol-arship recipients and our leadership alum when they see me occasionally in public. (The Asian Weekly Foundation gives out di-versity scholarships annually and organizes a summer youth leadership program.) It’s

rewarding to know we change lives — that these people have made good use of the schol-arship funds.

6. Good food with good companyThe husband of the late French cooking ex-

pert Julia Child once asked his wife what she wanted to do with her life?

“Eat,” she said.So do I.Whenever I need a little boost, I always

think of some treats to cheer myself up with, including chocolate or stuff made of choco-late. A good meal with family and friends al-ways makes my day memorable.

7. My travel boxI save all my travel photos, books, and bro-

chures in a box. It does wonders when I look at them and remember all the fond memories of our adventures. It makes me laugh when I dig into the box every once a while.

8. Triumph with work and playLast year, on Sept. 23, our Women of Color

Empowered luncheon was packed with 300 people. The room was full of diversity and energy and had a wonderful vibe. After the luncheon, my husband and I jumped in the car and made it on time to board the Clipper to Victoria, B.C., for a mini-vacation. I felt a sense of triumph in being able to integrate work and play.

9. A beautiful verbNext to love, help is the most beautiful verb.

I don’t exactly count the number of people I help each year. These are people who need help, whether it be in writing letters, brain-storming ideas, planning events, explaining American culture, resolving differences and conflicts, raising money, and serving meals to homeless women. Despite my busy schedule,

I try my best to serve. One of the most satisfy-ing moments occurred when the community, within 10 days, rallied behind the fundraising efforts for Japan’s tsunami relief dinner at the House of Hong, raising $76,000. What a joy to see the results of teamwork!

10. Serendipitous momentsSeveral juicy moments come to mind. One

was when Ambassador Gary Locke decided that I could interview him instead of just vis-iting the Embassy in Beijing last November. Another was when Sen. Maria Cantwell in-vited me to visit her home, among all the for-mer honorees of her Women of Valor award last week. Imagine being invited to the sena-tor’s home for the first time.

Do you recall the moment you shocked people? I had one of those. Last May, when I was a recipient of the University of Wash-ington Charles Odeegaard award, I presented a check for a scholarship to Vice President Sheila Edwards Lange of the Office of Minor-ity Affairs and then-Interim President Phyllis Wise. Both of their jaws dropped. Lange said, “We are honoring you. you don’t need to do that.” Their faces were priceless.

Now, it’s your turn to develop your own happiness list. Keep it for the time being, and bring it out at the end of the year to see what really matters. What you loved before might not be dear to your heart anymore. What ex-cited you might not thrill you at all anymore. That’s OK. your vision is constantly chang-ing. your environment is never the same. En-joy your year!

■ ToP 10

Want to get the inside scoop on the latest happenings of Seattle’s Asian American community? Follow Publisher Assunta Ng’s blog at nwasianweekly.com under the Opinion section.

Former NWAW editor Carol Vu with her husband, Mark, and her daughter, Madeline. I've known Madeline since she was born. Now she's an active toddler!


{DAD cont’d from page 8}

so if Apolo didn’t like my way, it was rough. There wasn’t another person there to buffer the differences.”

Through sports, their relationship was strengthened. The proud father watched as his son went from a young boy on roller blades at Federal Way’s Pattison’s West skating rink to competing on the world stage at the Winter Olympics.

Ohno said that what he loves most about being a father is the bond that he has developed with his son.

“It’s almost like [Apolo’s] a teacher to me. He taught me so much,” said Ohno. “I acknowledge him for how he handles the world, how he treats people, and just how he behaves,” he said.

“It’s more than just a father-son relationship. The feeling I have towards [him] is more like a best friend. Being a father and being able to say that is really special.”

Ohno encourages other single fathers to listen to their instincts and take the time to be with their children, as the rewards can be plentiful.

“I know there are so many things a father has to do, but do the important thing. Be with your child. There’s a time your child really needs you, in person. you gotta be there,” he said.

“And same goes for single mothers. Don’t feel like you’re anything less. It’s up to you, and you can care for your child if your husband or partner is gone,” he said.

The stay-at-home dadDavid Wilson of Phinney Ridge recently retired from his career

as an attorney to become a stay-at-home dad. He and his wife, Sarah Leung, have a 5-year-old son and 5-month-old daughter. When Leung returned to her full-time corporate attorney job following maternity leave two months ago, Wilson began serving as the children’s primary caretaker.

While Wilson’s typical workday used to entail advising corporate clients and drafting legal memoranda, it now involves chauffeuring his son to preschool and changing his daughter’s dirty diapers. Wilson quickly discovered that being a stay-at-home dad comes with its own steep learning curve.

“I find there are two main challenges,” said Wilson. “The first is constantly remembering that the baby’s needs come first and not to get frustrated that the day isn’t going the way I wanted it to or the way I thought it was going to go.”

“My motto has become ‘Every day is different,’ ” he said.

“The second challenge is trying to carve out some time for myself during the day and not to get completely lost doing kid stuff,” Wilson added.

Despite the challenges, Wilson said he loves being at home with the kids.

“I really enjoy watching [our daughter] develop from day to day and seeing the changes in her. When you’re not at home with [the kids], you see the big changes, but the little ones and the progress they make often get missed,” he said.

Leung said that the family is still getting used to the new parenting arrangements, but so far, the changes seem to be positive.

“The baby has the somewhat unique experience of being raised primarily by her dad, with one-on-one attention, and our 5-year-old has options now. He can participate in a wealth of activities that he wasn’t able to before, because we didn’t have a parent available to attend with or drive him,” she said.

Challenging gender rolesLeung hopes that by example, she and her husband are also

teaching their children to be open-minded about gender roles.“Men are capable of excelling at being the primary caregivers

for their children, of managing the household, cooking family meals. Women can have fulfilling careers outside of the home,” said Leung.

Ken Barnes is a dad who hopes to challenge traditional notions of fatherhood. He is a gay father of two daughters and he believes that there is more than one way to define a father.

“I think a father is more than just having kids,” he said. “I think it’s someone who puts their kids first, no matter what the situation is, making sure that they’re okay,” he said.

“I think of myself as a father who happens to be gay,” said Dr. Ken Hapke, licensed Seattle psychologist who works with fathers. “I think of myself as a father first. Another way I can describe myself is that I am a gay man. … [I]n no way do I think that diminishes or changes the relationship I have with my kids, the love I have for my kids, and the hopes that I have for them.”

“I’d like to think that a father is a collaborator in development. We learn just as much from our kids as they do from us,” he said.

Hapke has been divorced from his children’s mother for about 13 years and has been with his current partner for about 10 years.

“I think it’s really important to be reminded that fathers come in all flavors and shapes and sizes,” he said.

PEPSWilson has been able to make a smooth transition to being a

stay-at-home father thanks in large part to a group called Program for Early Parent Support (PEPS). PEPS supports parents of infants and young children through information sharing. Wilson joined the PEPS for Dads group this year and has found it to be very beneficial.

“One, I’ve made some new friends, and we hang out during the days with the kids. It’s been a way to have some time with adults.

Second, it has been valuable talking with the other dads about our situations and problems. I’ve gotten a few ideas on feeding and sleeping issues as a result. Lastly, the parent [education] portion has been helpful, particularly in thinking about the changes that kids bring to the marriage relationship. Some of the things we’ve discussed at PEPS have definitely strengthened Sarah and my relationship,” said Wilson.

Mary Power, program director of PEPs for Dads, said that the group was created in light of the growing trend of stay-at-home dads.

“PEPS for Dads was created because we knew that there were more and more dads who are serving as primary caregivers for their babies,” she said. “Taking care of a new baby can be very isolating, and getting out and meeting others who are going through the same experiences that you are as a parent is very helpful.”

PEPs for Dads groups meet for 11 weeks, and each meeting starts with 45 minutes of sharing about each father’s parenting “highs and lows” from the past week. After that, the group spends 45 minutes discussing a weekly topic, such as brain development, sleep, routines, feeding, the couple’s relationship, and childcare.

“The children benefit from having happier, calmer, less stressed-out parents. Dads learn a lot about child development, activities to do with their children, and where to take them, et cetera. Wives or partners benefit because the primary caregiver is receiving support and information to help them do their job better, and the whole family benefits from that. All parents and children benefit from having a community that supports them,” said Power.

Evangeline Cafe can be reached at [email protected].

{BASKETBALL cont’d from page 9}

Northwest Asian Weekly on Monday, May 7, at the Ocean City Restaurant in Chinatown. “The Seattle Storm asked me to do a welcome dinner and I agreed to it because it’s so excit-ing to have them playing in Seattle before they play each other in London this summer,” said Seattle Chinese Post and North-west Asian Weekly founder Assunta Ng. “When you watch them live on TV this summer, you will treasure the fact that you have met them in Seattle. This is also an excellent chance to show them Washington state’s hospitality.”

“If you are curious whether Chinese female basketball play-ers are as tall as yao Ming or as good as the men’s basketball team, this is your opportunity to meet them at the dinner.” Ng added. “Take photos with them and ask them the questions you are dying to ask.”

Along with the welcome dinner for the Chinese team, there is an event at Niketown with the USA Women’s National

Team on May 12 at 2 p.m.What should you expect if you go to the game? Are there any

differences between the U.S. game and the game in China?“[I]t’s really a very difficult thing to compare the style

played in the United States to every style of basketball from around the world,” said USA assistant basketball coach Carol Callan.

“[T]hey are extremely disciplined in the way they play the game. Other areas of the world, you might see a flexibility in positions as post players move to the perimeter and guards try to post up, but China will play a more traditional style with effective perimeter shooting, penetration when possible, and strong post play.”

Basketball is such a global game now that training methods in China are similar to the ones here.

“The NBA is very popular in China and China teams have traveled to the U.S. to train with WNBA and college teams. Consequently, they have used the best ideas from home and

abroad,” explained Callan.Callan also gave a brief scouting report on their opponents

next Friday.“The China National Team is typically very well-disci-

plined. They have a lot of very good shooters and the team moves the ball very well.”

On May 12, Cash will represent the U.S. team and face off against the players she bonded with while playing China.

“[B]asketball is a universal language,” said Cash, “and once I’m out there on the court, it’s game time no matter where in the world I might be.”

For more information on the welcome dinner on Monday, May 7, please contact the Seattle Chinese Post at (206) 623-0623. A ticket to the game will be included with admission to the dinner.

Jason Cruz can be reached at [email protected].

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{OLYMPICS cont’d from page 9}

Lindsey BergVolleyball

Berg began honing her volleyball skills on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, where she grew up. In 1998, Berg graduated from Punahou High School in Honolulu, alma mater of President Barack Obama. She went on to play volleyball for the University of Minnesota. There, she led the program to its first Sweet 16 appearance and became a three-time All-Big Ten Player of the year. Berg competed in her first Olympics in Athens in 2004, where the U.S. women’s team took fifth place. She took home a silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The volley-ball star has a mixed heritage. Her mother is Hawaiian-Chinese-Portuguese and her father is Lithuanian.

Clarissa ChunWrestling

Chun will make her second Olympics appear-ance this summer. Standing at 4’11”, she is a force to be reckoned with. In 2008, the Honolulu native became the first Hawaiian-born wrestler to compete in the Olympics and placed fifth overall. In addition to wrestling, Chun enjoys water polo, swimming, gymnastics, judo, and bowling. She is half Chinese and half Japanese and is currently studying communications at the University of Colorado.

Tony GunawanBadminton

Indonesian-born Gunawan has won interna-tional stardom for versatility and consistency in his sport. In 2000, while representing Indone-sia, he won a gold medal in men’s doubles at the Olympic Games in Sydney. In 2001, he and a different partner won gold for Indonesia at the World Championships in Spain. In 2005, repre-senting the United States, Gunawan and partner Howard Bach won the men’s doubles title at the World Badminton Championship. Gunawan moved to the United States in 2002, but because he was still in the process of obtaining his U.S. citizenship, he was unable to represent Team USA at the 2008 Olympics. Gunawan became a U.S. citizen in September 2011 and has reunited with Bach to represent Team USA.

Ariel HsingTable Tennis

Born and raised in California’s Bay Area, Hs-ing began playing table tennis when she was 7 and, at the age of 15, became the youngest wom-an to win the U.S. National Championships in the sport. She defended her title at the U.S. Na-tional Championships in 2011. Hailed as a ping pong prodigy, Hsing’s talent has impressed the likes of Warren Buffett and Bill Gates. Buffett is so fond of her that he has invited her to play against himself and shareholders at his com-pany’s annual meetings. Hsing’s father, who grew up in Taiwan, and her mother, who grew up in China, are also avid table tennis players. No U.S. competitor has ever medaled in table tennis at the Olympic Games. Hsing hopes to be the first.

Lee KieferFencing

Keifer was born in Cleveland and currently lives in Lexington, Ky. The 18-year-old, whose mother is Filipino, comes from a family of fenc-ers. Her father fenced for Duke University, her older sister fences for Harvard University, and her younger brother recently won the Cadet Eu-ropean Cup in fencing. In 2011, Kiefer became the only fencer in the world to achieve individu-al podium finishes at the Senior, Junior, and Ca-det World Championships. She is the youngest member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic fencing team.

Alexander MassialasFencing

Massialas follows in his old man’s footsteps as he heads to the Olympics this summer. His father, Greg, is a three-time fencing Olympian and one of Alexander’s current coaches. In 2010, Massialas became the youngest person to win a men’s foil Division I National Champion-ship, at the age of 16. In 2011, he defended his

Cadet World Championship title and became the youngest athlete to medal at the Seoul World Cup, where he won bronze. Massialas was born in San Francisco and plans to attend Stanford University this fall. His Chinese mother was born in Taiwan and immigrated to the United States during her mid-teens.

David McKienzieVolleyball

McKienzie will make his Olympic debut in London this summer, as the U.S. men’s vol-leyball team seeks to defend its 2008 gold medal. Although both of his parents played and coached volleyball, McKienzie really became interested in the sport when his sister, Joy, en-couraged him to play. Joy was a part of Long Beach State University’s 1993 NCAA national championship team. McKienzie’s parents met in the Philippines, when his late father, William, coached the country’s national volleyball team, of which McKienzie’s mother, Elvira, was a member. Elvira, who is Filipina, told Northwest Asian Weekly that the Philippine government had hired William and other American coaches to train Filipino athletes headed to the Asian Games. The couple married in the Philippines in 1971 before moving to Colorado, where they raised their children. In 2001, David graduated from LBSU, where he was a three-time All-American volleyball player.

Paige McPhersonTaekwondo

McPherson was born in Abilene, Texas. She was adopted when she was just four days old. She graduated from Black Hills Classical Christian Academy in 2009 and currently at-tends Miami-Dade College in Florida. In 2011, she earned a silver medal at the Pan American Games and won the Outstanding Female Athlete award at the USAT National Championships in 2009. In 2008, she received the Chris Canning Award of Excellence. McPherson is one of four American taekwondo athletes that will compete in the 2012 Olympics. The 21-year-old, who has earned the nickname “McFierce,” is half Fili-pino and half African American.

Tamari MiyashiroVolleyball

Miyashiro will compete in her first Olympic games in London this summer, as Team USA seeks to turn its 2008 silver medal into 2012 gold. She will serve as the team’s reserve libero, a defensive specialist position. Miyashiro is of Japanese, Chinese, Hawaiian, Irish, and Ger-man descent, and comes from a family of ath-letes. Her mother was an All-American college volleyball player for the University of Hawaii and her father was a college football player. Miyashiro grew up in Honolulu and graduated from Kalani High School. She later attended the University of Washington in Seattle, where she holds the university’s record for career digs. She graduated in 2009 with a degree in interdisci-plinary visual arts.

Kyla RossGymnastics

Ross, 15, is the youngest person on Team USA’s gymnastics roster. She was born in Ho-nolulu and currently lives in Aliso Viejo, Calif. Ross, who has the nickname “Mighty Mouse,” is a two-time U.S. junior all-around champion. She made her senior international debut at the Pacific Rim Championships in March, where she finished second all-around. Two weeks lat-er, she won all-around gold at the City of Jesolo Trophy competition in Italy. Ross earned the second-highest scores on the uneven bars at the 2012 Olympic trials. Her father is Japanese and Black, and her mother is of Filipino and Puerto Rican descent.

Sandra UptagrafftShooting

Singaporean-born Uptagrafft will make her Olympic debut in London this summer as she represents the United States in the women’s 25-meter sport pistol and 10-meter air pistol events. Her husband, Eric, will make his second Olympic appearance as a member of the U.S. rifle team. Sandra is a Petty Officer 1st Class in

the United States Navy Reserves and is also a Microsoft certified systems engineer. She and her husband live in Los Angeles.

Rena WangBadminton

Wang is the sole American that will compete in women’s badminton at the London Olympics, set to compete in singles. The Southern Califor-nia native typically partners with her sister, Iris, but Iris did not make the Olympic trials. The duo has succeeded around the globe in other competitions, winning third place at the 2012 Polish Open International Badminton Cham-pionships and silver at the 2011 Pan American Games. Last year, Wang won the 2011 Peru In-ternational badminton championships in wom-en’s singles. Wang is a biology major at the Uni-versity of California, Los Angeles. She speaks Mandarin.

Timothy WangTable Tennis

Wang of Houston, 20, is the sole men’s table tennis competitor that will represent the United States at the London Olympics. He will compete in the singles events. Wang won the men’s sin-gles competition at the 2010 U.S. Nationals and placed third in 2011. Although he plays with his right hand, he is naturally ambidextrous. The Chinese American was introduced to table ten-nis when his dad brought him to clubs to watch his brother play.

Erica WuTable Tennis

Wu of Southern California, 16, started play-ing table tennis after a family friend suggested that she give the sport a try. Around age 9, she dropped all other activities to focus on table tennis, and began taking weekly lessons. The right-handed hitter won a bronze medal along-side teammates Ariel Hsing and Lily Zhang at the 2011 Pan American Games. She also won the 2011 USA women’s doubles competition and was a semifinalist in the singles tournament. Wu will compete in both the singles event and team events at the London Olympics.

Lily ZhangTable Tennis

Zhang of Palo Alto, Calif., 16, is one of three young women, all Chinese American, who will represent Team USA in the London table ten-nis events. Zhang won a singles bronze medal at the 2011 Pan American Games and also earned a team bronze, alongside teammates Hsing and Wu at the competition. In 2009, she won the Canadian junior open singles event. Zhang is a right-handed hitter.

Natalie CoughlinSwimming

Coughlin grew up in California’s Bay Area, and began swimming lessons at a local yMCA when she was 10 months old. She began swim-ming competitively at age 5. Coughlin took home five medals at the 2004 Olympics in Ath-ens and, in 2008, became the first female ath-lete to win six medals in one modern Olympic Games. Coughlin graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2005. She is one-fourth Filipino and three-fourths Irish. Her mother is from Cavite City, Philippines.

Lia NealSwimming

Neal, 17, qualified for the 2012 Olympics when she finished fourth in the 100-meter free-style event at the U.S. Trials. Neal, who grew up in Brooklyn, N.y., is the second female swim-mer of African American heritage to represent the United States at a Summer Olympics. She is also half Chinese and speaks Cantonese and Mandarin fluently. Her mother emigrated from Hong Kong as a teenager. In 2011, Neal won a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle and a sil-ver medal in the 50-meter freestyle at the World Junior Champs.

Amy SwensenField Hockey

U.S. goalkeeper Swensen competes in her second Olympic Games this summer. Swensen was a member of Team USA. when the women’s field hockey team placed seventh in Beijing in 2008. In 2011, she was selected to compete in the Pan American Games team, but was un-able to participate after sustaining a knee injury during practice. Formerly Amy Tran, Swensen is part-Vietnamese. She married longtime boy-friend Mark Swensen in April 2010. Swensen was born in Harrisburg, Pa. and studied mas-sage therapy at the University of North Caro-lina, Chapel Hill.

Logan TomVolleyball

This summer, Tom makes her fourth Olym-pic appearance at the Games in London. The California native was the overall leading scorer at the 2008 Beijing Games, where she helped Team USA earn silver. She was also part of the 2004 Olympic team in Athens, where the team placed fifth and, in 2000, was the youngest person on the women’s volleyball roster when the team took fourth in Sydney. Tom, who is of Chinese-Hawaiian descent, was born in Napa, Calif. and currently resides in Long Beach. In 2002, she graduated with a degree in interna-tional relations from Stanford University, where she was a two-time NCAA Player of the year.



What’s your animal sign?Rat 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 Ox 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 Tiger 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 Rabbit 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 Dragon 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 Snake 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001Horse 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002 Goat 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003 Monkey 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004 Rooster 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 Dog 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 Pig 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

*The year ends on the first new moon of the following year. For those born in January and February, please take care when determining your sign.

RATAre you afraid of getting too close for fear that it will leave you vulnerable? Consider whether the benefits exceed the risk.

OXDoes it seem as if you are simply moving in circles lately? Perhaps it is time to break the pattern and try something different.

TIGERSomething special is brewing, but you have no idea what it could possibly be. As the details slowly emerge, try to remain patient.

RABBITTransforming your dreams to reality is not as complicated as you might think. It could be as simple as turning in a new direction.

DRAGONAvoid making too many changes at once. Doing so can cause even more issues than they solve.

SNAKEDiminishing yourself of your contribution should be stopped immediately. There is no shame in taking credit when credit is actually due.

HORSERemember that a snapshot is a picture of a specific moment in time. It is not always reflective of things normally are.

GOATIt’s not about the goal you are after, but how you get there. Try not to lose sight of what is really important as you make your way.

MONKEYA feeling is all you have to rely on sometimes. Surprisingly, it is quite accurate.

ROOSTERWords spoken carelessly can come across in a completely skewed fashion. If there is any confusion, it is worth it to seek clarification.

DOGTaking care of yourself when there is so much to do might be a tall order. However, you won’t be very effective if you are not feeling well.

PIGFirsthand observation will give you far greater insight into tricky situation than one who has only secondhand knowledge.

For the week of December 29, 2012–January 4, 2013■ ASTroLogy

{OVERWEIGHT cont’d from page 5}

I don’t think [Korea] has plus-size clothing.”Indonesia-born Maria Hermawan also noticed that Asians

in Indonesia “appear to be” smaller than Asians in the United States.

Why? Food and nutrition.“[In Indonesia, people eat] various meats, seafood, rice, vege-

tables, and soy products,” said Hermawan. “[There are] few [fast food places in Indonesia] compared to here.”

“It’s cheaper to eat like crap, plus public school lunch programs aren’t terribly healthy, so if you’re a lower or middle class family who’s trying to make ends meet, it’s more convenient and it’s in-expensive to give your kids a couple bucks for lunch and then pick up burgers or pizza for dinner on the way home from work,” said Kelley. “Eating healthier may not cost too much more, but it does take a lot of effort, knowledge, and time that people may not be willing to invest, or they don’t even know how to get started and figure it’s easier for things to stay the same.”

“American foods are based on bread and fast food,” said Bae. “I used to work at a grocery store during my high school years … I remember some people would buy two full carts of boxed foods — usually mac and cheese — snacks, canned goods, fro-zen meals, and only a few bags of fruits and vegetables.”

“Americans have jobs that don’t allow them to eat well and be active enough to keep healthy and not be overweight,” said Viet-namese-born Ana Le. “[Growing up in Vietnam], I ate lots of home-cooked Vietnamese and Asian meals. In general, I think that Asian foods have less fat and are mostly eaten family-style, which allows us to enjoy our meal and watch what we eat. Lots of times, Americans don’t have the time to enjoy — eating on the run — and eat whatever [there] is easy access. [They eat] sweets, fast-food ….”

“In my opinion, if Asians [in Asia] have the same lifestyle as Americans, they would, over time, become obese,” said Moses. “Keep in mind, calories in versus calories out is a major part of the equation.”

Zhang also made an observation of how China has changed the way people make food due to the United States’ influence, which helps explain why China now faces weight problems, just like the United States.

“We [now] have hundreds of Eastern-like fast food, such as fried noodle, BBQ lamb, or buns places … people have learned from KFC, how to cook and sell [food items] as fast food.”

Culture’s key role“If [Asians in Asia] are [smaller than Asians in America], it’s

probably more due to culture than anything else,” suggested Kelley. “Maybe Asians just know how to be more sensible with their meals than we do in the United States.”

“We are all about excess. Big houses, expensive cars, 15 pairs of shoes in the closet, and a double bacon triple cheese burger for dinner,” said Moses. “Culture dictates our eating habits and patterns. … Culture dictates how we interact with our environ-ment. Do we walk or ride our bikes versus drive or take taxis?”

Rodriguez also attributed America’s overweight problem to an increased usage of technology, which contributes to a seden-

tary lifestyle that has become a part of American culture.“Parents promote sedentary lifestyles in their kids with the

purchase of high-end video consoles,” Moses said. “If Asian kids begin to sit in the house for hours and play video games and mom and dad purchase soda pop and pizza for them, at some point, the child will no longer be healthy or fit.”

In addition to obvious reasons, overweight problems and obe-sity arise from deeper places.

“[People] eat their emotions. If they are not feeling confident, they get depressed and eat, and food is so available. They don’t know how to [exercise]. They are shy. They’ll make 20 excuses before they buy a membership [to the gym], and they are not self-disciplined [enough to go],” said Rodriguez.

“Personal motivation requires a lot of dedication and mental toughness. you don’t have to be a track star or an amazing ath-lete to be healthy; you just need the mental drive to stick with a program that works for you,” said Kelley.

“Losing weight isn’t easy, and people get fed up with the pro-cess and walk away from it,” said Moses.

War against weightHow can overweight individuals win the war against their

weight?“[People] don’t pay attention to it,” said Rodriguez, who sug-

gested raising awareness first. “Just in the last three years — and because of politicians trying to [create] an image [of a healthy lifestyle] — they are finally changing kids’ menus at schools [and getting rid of] soda machines and [providing] vending ma-chines [that] have healthy foods.”

“I think most people are self-conscious to a degree,” said Kel-ley, who used her mom, who is full Korean, as an example. “My mom is totally obsessed with weight. … The last time I saw her, she complained that she had gained weight and was now a whopping 105 pounds.”

Kelley’s mother also put the “skinny” pressure on her chil-dren. “I think that culturally [for Asians,] there may be more pressure from parents — or at least the moms — to be smaller.”

Bae said that because Asians in Asia are more weight-con-scious, they pay more attention to body sizes and are less likely to gain weight.

“Asian people care more about their weight than Americans.”For those who wish to lose weight, motivation is the number

one factor all experts agreed on.“I think everybody’s human and everybody has the will,”

said Rodriguez, who has been a part of many weight loss suc-cess stories since he became a personal trainer. “Everybody has [something] they live for. They want to see their kids grow up.”

In fact, a client of Rodriguez’s recently lost 70 pounds in one year.“She had a child. She wanted something different.” Rodri-

guez recalled, “She told me she never ran before. Now, she runs half marathons.”

“I think a lot of Americans don’t believe in themselves enough to get motivated,” said Kelley. “It’s a shame — the human body is much stronger than people think. Their only roadblock is their own doubt getting in the way.”

Nan Nan Liu can be reached at [email protected].

{UNEXPECTED cont’d from page 5}

“like rosemary, thyme, or lavender in a pot on the stove with wa-ter and let[ting] it simmer.”

“These herbs are calming,” explains Fahoum. “[They] increase mental clarity and are easy to obtain.”

4. Are you one of those people who think that there are not enough hours in a day? Fahoum has some suggestions for those of us whose stress, at least partly, comes from not having enough time to get things done. She has asked patients to “pick a week-end to focus on the to-do list” — cleaning out the closet or clear-ing up desk space, for instance.

“Then, while you’re doing that, set up a stress-free zone,” says Fahoum. It can be “a corner of a room” with “a pillow on the floor” or “a favorite chair.” Remove any clutter and simply make space for yourself “to sit, do nothing, breathe, think, or just have some quiet time reading.”

5. Berman suggests foot rubs for treating headaches. He notes that acupressurists “use points all over the body to treat headaches, but the best results may come from massaging a third of the way down the sole of the foot, where the toes begin.”

6. In the same article, Gannady Raskin, MD, ND, former dean of the School of Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University, treats headaches with a foot bath “made from hot water and a few teaspoons of mustard powder” — the pungent seasoning on your spice rack, which gives your dinner a kick.

Hot water will “cause your body to redistribute blood from” your pounding head “and get it flowing all over,” he says. The es-sential oils in the mustard powder “stimulate the skin, diverting your attention from the pain.”

7. Stress causes insomnia. A night of poor sleep exacerbates stress, yet there are food cures to help you snooze. In his blog for yahoo!, Dr. Maoshing Ni, a doctor of Chinese medicine based in California, lists some sleep-inducing foods.

First, say “yes” to grains at dinner. “Carbohydrates tend to make people sleepy,” since they trigger “the release of insulin.”

Then, have “a warm cup of milk” as a bedtime snack. Rich in “the amino acid tryptophan, [milk] can sometimes aid in deep sleep,” explained Ni. Otherwise, you may have a cup of “natural yogurt” an hour before going to bed.

8. On the other hand, you might want to “cut back on eating bacon, cheese, chocolate, ham, potatoes, tomatoes, and sausage” before going to bed. According to Ni, “These foods contain tyra-mine.” This “triggers the stimulating hormone norepinephrine” and can cause insomnia.

9. To reduce anxiety and induce relaxation, Ni suggests taking a bath with “a few drops of essential oil like lavender or vanilla.” you might also want to get scented candles made of vanilla, lav-ender, or green apple, as Ni mentions research has shown that these scents are “among the best” in this regard.

10. If your family makes Chinese soup, you may find jujube seeds in your fridge or kitchen cabinet. Ni recommends brewing a calming tea with jujube seeds, “a traditional sedative,” before bedtime for its ability to “soothe the mind and spirit” and “[facili-tate] good sleep.”

Vivian Miezianko can be reached at [email protected].


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{FORUM cont’d from page 4}

it is also up to the local school boards to shape local school policy.

After a brief break, the attendees moved to the auditorium, where the candidate forum was held.

The attendees prepared questions for moderator Essex Porter of KIRO 7 to ask the gubernatorial candidates. They included such topics as charter schools, marijuana legalization, and minority business.

Democratic candidate Jay Inslee was first to answer questions on stage, followed by Republican Rob McKenna.

They were not on stage at the same time, and they did not publicly interact.

For the most part, they reiterated their well-worn positions with occasional personal anecdotes to illustrate their positions.

Inslee highlighted his time visiting Seattle area schools when asked about improving education for minority children.

He said that class sizes were too high to properly engage all children and that much of that stress fell on newly minted teachers. He proposed lowering class sizes, primarily in the early grades to help better prepare children to learn, and recruiting more teachers from minority communities — both were solutions which were specifically addressed earlier, during the legislative discussion.

When asked the same question, Rob McKenna spoke on the importance of funding early education preparation programs. Both candidates agreed on a move to all-day kindergarten.

Both candidates’ campaigns are ramping up for the last two weeks before the election.

For more information about Jay Inslee, visit www.jayinslee.com. For more information about Rob McKenna, visit www.robmckenna.org.

Charles Lam can be reached at [email protected].


“Secret Asian Man” comic books are now available at the Kinokuniya bookstore in Seattle.

{GE cont’d from page 4}

Ge sued the dog owners for negligence, claiming her medical bills and general damages, including loss of enjoyment of life. Ge’s husband claimed loss of consortium for the impact that his wife’s injury had on their relationship.

Erica Buckley

At trial, Buckley argued that the dog owners should have done more to keep neighbors and passersby safe.

“The dogs were running without a leash on, and the owners were outside, yet they didn’t do anything to stop them,” Buckley told Northwest Asian Weekly.

Attorney Michael Budelsky, who represented one of the de-fendants, maintained that Raspberry never touched Ge and that although Ge’s injury was regrettable, the owners were not at fault.

“The dogs had never had any prior history of being danger-ous,” said Budelsky. “[They] were just going over to be friendly and say hello,” he said.

“The dogs didn’t bark, they didn’t growl. They were wagging their tails … At the worst, this was an unfortunate incident in-volving an overly friendly dog.”

The court granted Budelsky’s pretrial motion to keep both parties from mentioning the dogs’ breed to the jury.

Budelsky argued that this information was irrelevant to the case because Ge was unaware of the dogs’ breed at the time of the encounter. Buckley, meanwhile, had hoped the court would deny the request.

“The judge granted the motion, and no one was allowed to mention the breed of the dogs during the trial. I think this made a

difference because one of the defense’s arguments was that Mrs. Ge’s reaction to the dogs was unreasonable. However, I believe that if most people saw two unfamiliar pit bulls running toward them, their reaction would be similar, if not more severe than Mrs. Ge’s,” she said.

Nonetheless, the jury ultimately sided with Ge, concluding that the dog owners were negligent when they failed to keep their dogs leashed and that their negligence caused Ge’s injury. It awarded Ge more than $200,000 in damages, including nearly $84,000 for her medical bills.

The jury granted her husband $15,000 for loss of consortium and determined that Ge had no contributory fault.

“The jury basically found that if you have dogs, you have [the] responsibility to control them, keep them on the leash, and make sure they don’t hurt other people,” said Buckley.

The outcome now has other dog owners, with no involvement with the lawsuit, on guard. However, many of them believe that their dogs are much less threatening than people perceive them to be.

“I have had my pit bull for more than two years. Her name is Sage and she is a sweetheart,” said Baltej Khokhar.

“She has been introduced to many people, and I have never had a single complaint about her. She stays inside my house and interacts with my whole family,” he said.

Khokhar said that although Sage may appear intimidating, looks are deceiving.

“A few of my friends are afraid of the way she looks, but they’re obviously overreacting because she’s more afraid of them,” he said. “My family and I have a fluffy white shih tzu, and honestly, he is far more aggressive than Sage.”

Mike Ferrer owned a pit bull named Kilo for eight years. He

reluctantly gave him away when he moved to Denver, which generally bans the breed within city limits.

“With people, my dog was amazingly good. Kids, ba-bies — good,” said Ferrer. “He would get a little aggres-sive when he saw other dogs, but never with people. He was being a best friend with people.”

Although Ferrer does not completely agree with the amount of damages awarded in the case, he agrees that the defendants should have exercised greater care.

“Two hundred thousand dollars is a big chunk, but a responsible owner should have had them on a leash,” he said.

Katie Olsen, director of operations at the Seattle Hu-mane Society, recommends that all dog owners attend training classes to make sure they are comfortable in handling their animal(s) both in and out of the home.

“Pit bulls are incredible dogs that, like all other breeds, require consistent training and both mental and physical stimulation. They are very intelligent dogs that thrive in obedience and agility classes,” she said. The Seattle Hu-mane Society works to find suitable homes for adoptable pit bulls. It conducts temperament testing for each dog, has a thorough application process, and requires training classes for both the dog and the owner.

Olsen provided tips on how a person should react when encountering an unleashed dog.

“If you come across a dog that is off leash, no mat-ter what the breed is, it’s important to pay attention to the animal’s body language,” she said. “First, determine whether or not the dog has an alarming disposition by looking for warning signs, like erect ears and tail, lung-ing, or charging. Submissively remove yourself from the situation by backing away calmly and avoid making eye contact. If the animal continues to approach you, use ob-jects in your environment to place between you and the animal,” she advised.

Although Buckley’s job is to advocate on behalf of those who have sustained injuries, she hopes that every-one will do their part in ensuring safer communities.

“So many people own dogs in Seattle — I have 2 of my own — but we have to remember that not all people like dogs, some are afraid of dogs, and most people do not appreciate strange dogs jumping on them,” she said. “With respect to pit bulls in particular, I think the stan-dard should be the same as with all other dogs. What is more important is for the owner to understand the strength and energy level of their particular dogs and an-ticipate potential problems before they arise.”


{MOM cont’d from page 8}

Bloggers.

Jen Chiu“It was May 1998, and I was home from college. I bought

my mom, Nancy, flowers and planned on cooking up a dinner feast in commemoration of Mother’s Day. As usual, my moth-er beat me to it. On the day when moms around the country are getting pedicures and massages, my mom was multitask-ing and bouncing back and forth like a madwoman, preparing my favorite dishes, which included green onion pancakes, her famous sweet and sour shrimp, and spicy tofu lettuce wraps, to celebrate my homecoming. She even bought egg custard tarts from my favorite Chinese bakery. As I was taking my last bite, she popped up from the table and started doing the dishes. That particular memory is special to me because I al-ways took my mother’s natural inclination to cook for us for granted. As a kid, I always wished she would show more obvi-ous forms of affection. It wasn’t until that day that I realized her way of showing her maternal side was through cooking for us.”

Jen Chiu of RollwithJen.com, a food/travel/lifestyle blog, writes a weekly food truck column for the Seattle Weekly and is on the brink of launching an iPhone application. Rollwith-Jen.com was awarded King 5’s Best Food Blog of Western Washington.

Shirley Karasawa“My fondest and funniest memory of cooking with my

mom was baking American-style cookies and cupcakes with her. She learned to bake by watching neighbors as a teenager when she first moved to the United States from Korea. She made everything really big, so her cookies were always huge, and her cupcakes would overflow their liners. They weren’t perfect and beautiful like other American moms’ baked goods, but they always tasted the best. When I asked Mom why she made everything so big, she told me, ”So you don’t have to eat so many, and it’s bad luck to make anything too

small.” My mom always has an answer for everything.”Shirley Karasawa is an American-born in Paris, France.

She was raised in Tokyo, Japan. She is a Japanese cooking instructor and has taught classes at Williams Sonoma, Whole Foods, Tom Douglas’ Culinary Summer Camp, and the Dahl-ia Workshop. She writes a Japanese Home Cooking blog, Lovelylanvin.com.

Christine Ng“Growing up, I wasn’t allowed in the kitchen often because

my family thinks that kids should pursue their education instead of “playing” in the kitchen. So it was really special when my mom and I cooked together for the very first time on Thanksgiving in 2010. All my life, I had seen my mom as this strict lady. I had never seen her giggle the way she did on the day we had the “funky” turkey. Let’s just say the turkey’s position was suggestive. Before that incident, I didn’t think my mom could joke about stuff like that. Outside the kitchen, we’re mother and daughter. She is the boss and she lets us know it. But inside the kitchen, we’re best friends and equals. In the kitchen, she considers my opinions, but outside the kitchen, her opinions are best. It made me realize that cooking together can enrich relationships.”

Christine Ng is the author of WithaBowlofRice.blogspot.com. She works as a cook at a restaurant in Seattle, and she dreams of attending culinary school in the near future.

Dave Nguyen“Last summer, I visited Vietnam for the first time. I was re-

ally pumped to spend time with family, learn the lifestyle and history, and eat some authentic food. We were eating at a food court in Nha Trang, and I ordered the pork chop with broken rice, while my mom and the rest of the family ordered banh canh bot loc, a noodle soup dish. I was not feeling like soup on this 85-degree day. When the food arrived, I took one bite of the dry pork chop and thought, “This is bad!” My mom saw my reaction and offered me a taste of her soup. The noodles were made from tapioca and served in a crab soup base with chunks of crab and mixed pork loaf. It was super delicious!

My mom saw how happy I was and gave me her bowl of soup. I realized then that throughout my life, my mom has always put me before herself. My mom sacrificing her meal that day just to see me happy was another testament of the things she does to continually express her love for me.”

Dave Nguyen was born and raised in Seattle. He is an inter-nal auditor, CPA, by day, and he chronicles his dining experi-ences on his blog FoodHipster206.com by night.

Denise Sakaki“I remember when my mother taught me how to prepare

rice. I felt like the rookie benchwarmer finally being called up to bat when she handed me the plastic scoop to start measur-ing out the opaque, stubby grains. I heard that familiar metal-lic hiss as they scattered into the aluminum cooking pot. She made sure that I didn’t forget to wash the rice. I flooded the pot with cold water and swirled it with my hand to agitate the excess starch from the grains. I asked her how many times I needed to do this and if there is a precise number of rinses or method, and she simply said, “It’s done when the water runs clear.” She watched me as I washed the rice, carefully drain-ing the milky water. I’m sure I lost more than a few grains, and I still do. With the cooking water added, she let me click the ‘on’ button and let modern technology take over. When that familiar steamy, slightly sweet smell of cooked rice started to perfume the air, it was dinner time, and something simple, but important, was passed on.”

Denise Sakaki is a food writer, photographer, and graphic designer. She cooks meals and posts them on her blog Was-abiPrime.blogspot.com. (end)

Pat Tanumihardja is the author of “The Asian Grandmoth-ers Cookbook — Home Cooking from Asian American Kitchens.” Visit her blog at theasiangrandmotherscookbook.wordpress.com.

Pat Tanumihardja can be reached at [email protected].

vol 32 no 1 december 29, 2012 – january 4, 2013

Documents

women of color empowered

asian americans immune

amazing year

new year

china womens basketball

communities of color

pacific americans

breaking news