Thursday, April 16, 2009

Master Ice Carver

Chef Steve Buzak master ice carver turns ice into living memories.














Chef Steve Buzak, shot one


















Chef Steve Buzak, shot two


















Chef Steve Buzak, shot three

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Indian Curry


I Enjoyed the real Indian curry at Raga restaurant on Broadway. They have run their restaurant in Vancouver since 30 years ago.

Cherry Blossoms


Spring has come in Vancouver.
These flowers are called "Somei -yoshino" that were from Japan.

Prunus × yedoensis (Yoshino Cherry; Japanese: ζŸ“δΊ•ε‰ι‡Ž Somei-yoshino) is a hybrid cherry of unknown origin, probably between Prunus speciosa and Prunus subhirtella. It occurs as a natural hybrid in Japan, where it has also long been cultivated in Yoshino (after which it is named) and elsewhere; it is now one of the most popular and widely planted cultivated flowering cherries in temperate climates worldwide.

It is a small deciduous tree that at maturity grows to be 5-12 m (rarely 15 m) tall. It grows well in hardiness zones 5-8 and does well in full sun and moist but well drained soil. The leaves are alternately arranged, 6-15 cm long and 4-7 cm broad, with a serrated margin; they are often bronze-toned when newly emerged, becoming dark green by summer. The flowers emerge before the leaves in early spring; they are fragrant, 3-3.5 cm diameter, with five white or pale pink petals. The flowers grow in clusters of five or six together. The fruit, a small cherry, is a globose drupe 8-10 mm in diameter; they are an important source of food for many small birds and mammals, including robins and thrushes. The fruit contain little flesh and much concentrated red juice, which can stain clothing and brick. The fruit is only marginally sweet to the human palate.

Cultivation and uses
Because of its fragrant, light pink flowers, manageable size, and elegant shape, the Yoshino Cherry is often used for ornamental purposes. Many cultivar have been selected; notable examples include 'Akebono', 'Ivensii', and 'Shidare Yoshino'. In Japan there is a legend that each spring a fairy maiden hovers low in the warm sky, wakening the sleeping cherry trees to life with her delicate breath.
The Yoshino cherry was introduced to Europe and North America in 1902. This tree, along with the cultivar 'Kanzan' (derived from the related Prunus serrulata), is responsible for the spectacular pink show each spring in Washington D.C. and other cities. Several of 2000 Japanese cherry trees given to the citizens of Toronto by the citizens of Tokyo in 1959 were planted in High Park.