Otaku draws anime fans to Port Arthur

 

 

You are otaku about something…

The Otaku food and anime festival has hit Central Mall twice now. This second time, May 11-12, I had to go. After hearing of great crowds and tempting food offerings, I wanted to see all the costumed fans and vendors. Super cute keychains looked like bowls of ramen. It was great fun to see people of all ages having some fun and the mall was packed.

Otaku is a Japanese word for people with consuming interests, such as manga, video games or computers. I’ll bet you are otaku about something.

So, here are some foodie, travel and gadget topics for people like us:

                  Let’s Go – Explore the World in Your Kitchen is a tagline I can go with. Also, Doro Wat intrigued me. Spices to make a red lentil stew over brown rice, a citrus reamer and a pin of the flag of Ethiopia got me cooking and researching. The adventures at www.eat2explore.com help young ones shop, cook and research crafts, culture and places of various countries on the list. How fun is that? The Explore Ukraine version touches on pysanky decorated eggs, embroidery, stuffed cabbage, meatballs and includes a cookie cutter. www.eat2explore.com

Move It! - Do I really need to tell you that you'd probably feel better if you moved more? 3DFitBud could be your motivation. I've tracked 10,000 steps a day for years and would not feel right if I didn't hit my mark. It's bragging if it's true, and I know plenty of people of all ages with higher goals than that. This product is old school and modern at the same time. Clip on this 3D sensor with extra large display get going. It doesn't record your life story, it counts your steps. That's just what I wanted it to do. 

 Alarmee – Hook this sleek baby on your keychain to have an alarm and flashing light that could help out in an emergency. It’s a simple safeguard and I see how it could be of aid to seniors who have fallen. 

 Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who would love a tour of Japan’s cherry blossom and ramen hotspots. darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Salad from scraps

I’ve been saving and potting onion bottoms for years, and snip off some lovely fresh greenery from a patio pot. This year I branched out after finding a broccoli stem in the compost had offered up some green leaves. I’ve had fun watching celery, garlic and ginger come up from pots and I’ve enjoyed a salad or two from my efforts. If I can get excited over this project, imagine how much fun kids could have. Give it a grow!

For Goddesses –  Two baggies of green herbs arrived in a package at my door and the aromas hit me with a blast. This was the good stuff, a note advised, full flavor and not like that dry stuff commonly circulating out there. I’m talking abut oregano and basil, y’all, From Demeter’s Pantry. When you name your business after the Greek Goddess of Agriculture, who was said to teach men to make flour and women to bake bread, you’ve got high standards to live up to. I don’t think I’ll have a meal without these two spices until my baggies are empty. Go to www.demeterspantry.com and see if you can find your own spice.

A Good Marble – Who doesn’t love a good marble? This question is posed on the site promoting Dr. Schär's Gluten-Free Marble Cake, which I haven’t yet tried, but I trust. The line, born in the heart of the Alps, stems from good-for-you food that tastes good, too. I enjoyed a dinner starting with their gluten-free spaghetti and will continue to pick up this brand, found in local markets. I simply hadn’t noticed it before. After finding www.schaer.com, I’m getting educated.

"God's Earth is Something to Fight For" - Start a compost heap. This is a great foodie tip to help children understand how to protect our earth. Sadly, this basic love of earth is sometimes controversial. Amy Houts explains the situation in this children's book.  Kris Smolskaya's illlustrations, that include Jesus talking to folk, bring the message home. Biblical quotes and people being kind to one another work for me. Share with the children: Other ways to reduce your carbon footprint: Save water. Stop food waste. Recycle.  

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie saving her scraps to regrow. Salad anyone? darraghcastillo@icloud.com