A Course for Each Year We've Been Married

I really don't know how I'm going to top this one. It may be impossible. I should probably stop now. It's not worth trying. I don't know if I can afford to try.

On October 30, Benny and I celebrated six years of married. Six years ago, we were huddling close together to keep warm on a brisk autumn Iowa day. The whole world was in front of us. And now, in what seems like a blink of an eye, we are living in Okinawa with a 1 year old daughter and more blessings than I can count. It is October and I'm still sweating. Silly Octobers in Okinawa.


Benny and I take turns planning our anniversaries. I planned the 5th anniversary, so this year it was his turn. Last year was also the year that Benny suggest we incorporate the traditional anniversary gift list into the plan. Five years is wood. Six years is iron.

One might think that iron is hard. Stiff. Unromantic. But Benny proved that iron can exciting, memorable, and filling to the stomach. He booked the babysitter and took me out for a teppanyaki (think iron cooking utensils) dinner at Busena Terrance Beach Resort at Onna Village (about a hour from our house). This hotel is set on a private peninsula. It's an open air design. It's modern. It's chic. It's what people are talking about when they say Okinawa is the Hawaii of Japan. Plus it's famous. The hotel was the host location for the G-8 Summit in July 2000. President Bill Clinton came to Okinawa for that summit.


The resort features many restaurants that are considered to be the best on island. The teppanyaki (cooked on a grill infront of you) one uses Okinawa fruits, vegetables, locally caught fish, and beef from neighbor island Ishigaki. In one word, it's delicious.

The evening started with cold appetizers.


Followed by sea grapes.


Followed by hot appetizers.



Followed by garlic chips. Yup, that garlic cut, grilled, and devoured by Benny and I.


Next was a small Japanese salad.



Next was the main course. Benny had the Ishigaki beef tenderloin and lobster while I had the lobster and fish. And the chef was nice enough to offer to share the beef and fish between the two of us.




This beef was perfect. It melted in my mouth. I don't think I'll ever eat another steak this good.

After dipping our lobster in melted butter, we washed our fingers in a bowl of cool water. (I'm so grateful that the waitress explained it to me.)

The courses were bitesize, so we continued one to eat goya champuru, a popular local cuisine and something I will definitely miss when we leave Okinawa.





Then we got to have fried garlic rice. Another favorite of mine. Luckily we both ate garlic so it was bad breath together for our anniversary. The things you do once you've been married for six years.


Then we got a plate of pickled vegetables and a bowl of Okinawa noodles. I didn't eat the noodles. Too full. I'm so happy that I picked a stretchy dress to wear out for dinner.

And finally we got dessert. Benny had a scoop of ice cream with dragonfruit sauce.


I had green tea ice cream and beans. Another thing I've acquired a taste for after living here.


To celebrate six years, we ate a 10-course meal over a course of three hours. It was relaxing and filling. I wonder what we'll eat when we celebrate 25 years of marriage.