Welcome to Marie*z Fun Zone!
Where you'll find fun facts and games related to the toys created here at Marie*z!
It's also where you can see some of my awesome customers enjoying their crochet goodies!
Enjoy!
Curb scurvy with these delicious mango and banana smoothies!


All About . . .

Geisha
  Geisha are Japanese performers who came around in the early 1800's. They play musical instruments like the Shamisen, they know traditional Japanese dances and they entertain wealthy businessmen. The majority of Geisha are found working in Kyoto, but during certain seasonal festivals around Japan they can also be found performing for larger audiences.
  To me Geisha are like Japanese ballerinas in a way, where both artists go through intense training, wear beautiful and intricately designed outfits and continue their career most of their lives. Whether they're learning, performing, or teaching the next generation.

Check out these fun geisha activities:
 
 Samurai
I don't know very much about samurai but one thing's for sure is that they were skilled and intelligent Japanese warriors. Even after their disappearance following WWII they were smart enough to open schools, become governmental figures, or writers and they lived the rest of their lives pretty well. Although samurai don't exist now, when they did it was their mission in life to protect their country and obey the Bushido.
Learn more about Samurai at Wikipedia and these links, and then test your knowledge with a fun quiz:





Note: Geisha photo is from www.chrisrowthorn.com; and Samurai photo is from Wikipedia.com :)

All About . . .

Japanese Snacks!
Up until now the only Japanese snacks I've ever heard of were Pocky and Dango. But since I've been making Japanese inspired creations at Marie*z I thought it might be fun to show you some of my favorite snacks and the ones I'm looking forward to trying. If you have any favorite Japanese snacks or from any culture I'd love to hear from you at mariezcrochet@gmail.com


Of all of the Japanese snacks, Pocky is a favorite of mine and my family! And someday my house will be stocked with it's chocolatey-stick-goodness!


Dango first caught my eye because of it's colorful, lollipop appearance. This steamed rice snack looks really moist and chewy which is why I can't wait to try some or make some . . . still looking for a recipe!

Yan Yan is what I like to call a do-it-yourself version of Pocky, since you dip the little biscuit sticks into chocolate or whatever flavored dipping you get when you buy it.

 Hello Panda is another cute snack that I see in a lot of NY grocery stores, and it looks both delicious and a little weird at the same time.

My most recent Japanese snack interest is Kara Mucho, because I love chips and it looks like it'd be pretty delish. I've also read that it can be very spicy!

Some Yummy Resources!
Wikipedia List of Japanese Snacks
The Manga Cookbook by Chihiro Hattori
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