A Mojo Renaissance

14 Years Ago….

I left my home in Hawaii and flew over 2,000 miles of ocean to start a new adventure in California.

I was fearlessly optimistic.  I wasn’t afraid. People always ask me that? I was so young and inexperienced I had no idea what there was to fear or worry about?

My biggest concern was getting a job?  That’s right, I moved without having any idea how I was going to make a living.  I needed a job, so I knew I would find one.

My second biggest problem was keeping warm.  I went from 80 degree Hawaii weather to California in January- Brrrr!  Someone had to explain to me I needed to turn the heater in my apartment on and I figured out how to dress in layers by accident. Bottom line: I didn’t freeze to death, I adapted.

I called home once a week on land line phone.  I was behind the curve on cell phones and the internet, but that didn’t stop me from keeping in touch with friends and family.

I had no car. I still got to everywhere I needed to go.  I walked, biked or caught the bus. 

I made a risky choice, but it was the right choice.  I had that spark to make things happen, against very unrealistic odds. 

If I could go back and tell myself one thing it would be “thank you” for having the courage to leap.  Reflecting on this has inspired me; reminded me of what I am capable of.  Over the years, convention has crept into every part of my life and I started living in “limits” rather than “possibilities.”  It is time to set a revival in motion.  I have no idea what this actually means…yet. Let the Rani Renaissance unfold.

Good-Bye Adventures in Yumminess

     My journey into the kitchen was a loooong one... but it took me from can't cook/don't wanna cook to writing a food blog. I am sharing my story, for those of you out there who think "I can't cook," because I believe anyone can learn.

     10 years ago, I barely knew where the kitchen in my apartment was.  This was ironic, since I did the new hire training for Serv Safe, which covered how employees should handle and prepare foods.  I didn't really like to cook back then, but I loved eating good food. Having to talk about food preparation three times a week, I began to suspect, you can't fully appreciate food until you've tried preparing it. So I started trying..

     My strategy was to learn how to make at least one item from each major food categories.  I started with stirfrys because they were easy as 1-2-3:- 1. pick a protein (beef, chicken, pork), 2. pick some veggies and 3. pick a sauce and wallah- you've got a meal. I progressed to other food categories, one at a time.  For pastas- I mastered a lasagna, for soups- beef stew, for breads- my mom's cornbread recipe, etc. Soon I could actually cook something for any occasion.

     My next source of inspiration came from- of all places- the gym.  Why is it that the TV channel in gyms is always set to the Food Network? ( I still haven't figure out how being tempted with delicious foods helps with getting in shape). It did get my attention though and the Barefoot Contessa and Giada spurred me to the next level of cooking.   I learned about flavoring foods and using in-season produce.  This is when I got excited about cooking. Which is exactly around the time I met Food Muse and our first outing together was the San Francisco's Farmer's Market.  The Farmer's Market was an all-out showing of how fabulous food is and full of enthusiastic (sometimes slightly famous) kitchen magicians. 

     When I think back, the game changing item for me was the Heirloom Tomato. I have always been a fan of tomatoes and to find out they come in such variety and color- each with their own flavor was amazing!  Inspired- I started sprinkling fresh herbs like basil and oregano on tomatoes, I started roasting tomatoes, I started making my own marinara sauce with the roasted tomatoes. Marinara sauce led to homemade meatballs and minestrone soup and on and on and on...until one day I realized that my cooking actually tasted better than eating out. With that realization, I stopped saying "I can't cook" and started my Kitchen Magician apprenticeship.

     What started this blog post was a recent article:  What's keeping America out of the kitchen?

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/whats-keeping-americans-out-of-their-kitchens-national-survey-reveals-the-top-excuses-for-not-cooking-2011-09-08.  

28% Can't cook

25% Don't want to clean up mess

21% Don't have enough time

     It reminded me of how far I have come in the kitchen. I have been a part of these statistics and I missed out by not getting into the kitchen sooner.  I know cooking can be intimidating.  I know it takes time. I know you are afraid of ruining food. But America, cooking is a basic life skill, which 28% of us don't possess?  Start small and keep building your repertoire.  Make learning to cook an adventure and  use it to build relationships with others (people love to talk about food). Surely, my passion for food outweighs my skills.  But hopefully, my story shows you that even the most unwilling can be converted into a decent ambassador for food. 

This was my favorite post from my blog "Adventures in Yumminess" which I have decided to delete. It tracked a year in my life, in which, I really focused on crafting my kitchen skills.  However, it also captured a relationship, which I don't really want to memorialize. It served its purpose because the kitchen is now my favorite room and I really do enjoy cooking.  If I can become comfortable in the kitchen, anyone can!

And now you know....

Here are 10 "getting to know you questions"  and their answers, so now you can say you know:

1.  What’s the story behind the name “Rice Kracker”?

The name is from an almost-business collaboration with my sister. She would make the goods and I would sell them.  My name starts with “R” and hers with “K,” so we picked a business name that represented both of our names.

Another layer of meaning refers to being hapa (the Hawaiian word for being mixed race).  We are half Japanese (the rice) and half white (the kracker). Growing up in Hawaii made being hapa easy, ideal almost. I think being part of multiple cultures has strongly impacted my perspective and mindset in a positive way.   So the name Rice Kracker reflects on key components of my personal identity- growing up in Hawaii, being hapa and my interest in business.

2.  Do you prefer sunrise or sunset?

Sunset. Having grown up on the west-side of an island I have seen the sun set into the ocean more than a few times. The way the sun says good-night is nothing short of phenomenal.

3.  Where do you consider home?

I spent the first two decades of my life in Hawaii with good weather, good people and good food. So why would I move? Two reasons: youth and fearless optimism.   I graduated from college and Hawaii’s economy was not doing well, so I just decided to move. I had met a lot of Californians in college and it seemed like a cool place. People ask me if I was afraid?  Honestly, I was so “green” I didn’t know what to be afraid of and failure seemed impossible.

Hawaii gave me a solid foundation and California gave me a new freedom.  For the first time in my life, I was really on my own. I got to experience a faster-paced life, seasons and made new connections. There was definitely homesickness (and there still is from time to time).  Hawaii is a wonderful place to grow up, but a very hard place to make a living because of the cost of living.

The best way I can explain it is- Hawaii is my childhood home and California is the place I choose to make my home as an adult.  They are both home for me.

4. What are the most important things in your life?

The three F’s: Family, Friends and Food.  Also my iPhone- it really helps me get a lot of things done and it is fun!  P.S: My pets fall under the "family" category.

5.  How do you spend your day?

My day job is a Financial Nanny.  I manage research funding given to UCD professors.  I liken my  job to trying to manage really rich children who are allow to pretty much do what they want. Even though it is a “financial” position there are a lot of interpersonal skills required.

In my free time, I enjoy Crossfit, yoga, cooking, reading, conversing with friends, and playing with my pets. I also enjoy the outdoors by hiking, biking and snowshoeing.

 6.  At what age did you become an adult?

Twenty-seven. It took me almost a decade to acknowledge my being an adult!  I was floating through life without a purpose, just having random adventures and realized I was almost 30 and it was time to get serious about life.

My first adult decision was to go back to school and get my MBA.  I spent 3.5 year working full-time and going to school at night.  It was hard, scary and stressful, but with a lot of support and coffee- I made it through! This was the first thing I did purely for myself. I did not need this degree for my job and my parents would have preferred I got a ring, a mortgage and gave them some grandkids. The experience gave me a lot of confidence and helped me overcome some of my introverted ways. I graduated a grown-up.

7.  If you could afford it, what would you pay someone else to do?

Cleaning. I love living in a clean house, but I don’t enjoy cleaning it.

8.  Who do you admire?

My dad- if you look up the word character in the dictionary, my dad’s picture is there.

Martha Stewart- I was not a fan of her home-making perfection, but I became a fan of her's when she went to prison rather than betray her friend. That kind of loyalty is impressive. Also, at 70 years old, she looks fabulous and is still doing her thing!

Michelle Obama- she embodies an effortless grace and just captures my ideal of a modern woman. 

9.  What food could you eat everyday of your life?

Mmm… Ice Cream. Besides the fact it so yummy, one of my favorite childhood memories is of going to Baskin & Robbins every Friday night with my parents.  Bacon is a close runner up. It is absolutely delicious, but lacks the nostalgia factor. My sister has commented on how blissful I look eating ice cream- happy thoughts, happy taste buds.

My general way of eating is sticking to real whole foods: meats, eggs, veggies, fruits, nuts, and healthy fats (grass-fed butter, olive oil, and coconut oil).  I hesitate to say I am paleo.  At best, I would say I am “paleoish” because I am not strict with my eating.  I grew up in a culture where food is more about love and connection than nourishment and sometimes that trumps nutritional logic. I will say that I look, feel and perform my best when I stick to real whole foods.  Fortunately, both of my favorites ice cream and bacon fit into being “paleoish.”

10.  If you could look into the future, would you?

No.  It is tempting to skip ahead to the end, but I would rather live life as it comes.  Also, I don’t believe the script is pre-determined. So if I did peak into the future, I would then spend all my time proving I could change it!

Welcome to Rice Kracker Girl!

Hi! I’m Rani. I grew up in Hawaii and have lived in California for over a decade.  I am a state employee, a crossfitter, a MBA graduate, a wanna-be kitchen wizard, a hiker and snowshoer, a pet parent, a sister, a daughter and a friend.  I am also a thirty-something cliché for starting a blog and am totally okay with that.

This is actually my third blog.  My first blog centered on career and my second about food, but over time I found writing about just one segment of life becomes a chore.  My sister suggested I call this blog “Rani’s Rants” but I hope to make this more of a place for thoughtful perspectives, recipes, book reviews, etc.  My goal with Rice Kracker Girl is to have an open narrative about whatever is going on in my life.  Maybe someone out there might find something I write about useful, helpful, or inspiring even.   But if not at least I can say I tried- right?

I am just following the advice of one of my favorite quotes from Lao Tsu:

“Open yourself to heaven and earth then trust your natural responses.

Everything will fall into place."