L.A. trip - Mochitsuki, Emptier Lyon Supply

We flew down to the Los Angeles area yesterday for our annual visit with my family. Today was mochitsuki, where family gets together to make rice cakes for the New Year. Afterwards, Melody, Tynor, and I drove back to Lyon Supply to have dinner with my parents and my Aunt Frances, and we got a chance to see how empty the store looked.

Since my parents needed to work on the store, this is the first year they've both missed mochitsuki that I can ever remember (my mom couldn't make it last year because she had an appointment with her oncologist). Melody, Tynor, and I gathered what we hoped was all the stuff we needed and headed to my cousins' house where the event is held (it used to be in my parents' garage, but one year they couldn't get it cleared out in time, so my cousins graciously offered to host, and it's been there ever since). Here are a few photos from the day. More photos from when mochitsuki was at my parents' house are on the Mochi page. I'll eventually merge some of these photos onto there, too.

Around the cutting/forming table

Around the cutting/forming table

Cutting the mochi

Cutting the mochi

Rice grinder

Rice grinder

Cranking the rice cutter

Cranking the rice cutter

Moving mochi through the cooling tables

Moving mochi through the cooling tables

At the an (sweet bean) table

At the an (sweet bean) table

Packaging cooled mochi

Packaging cooled mochi

Making an mochi (with sweet beans inside)

Making an mochi (with sweet beans inside)

Putting steamed rice into the grinder

Putting steamed rice into the grinder

Finished mochi ready to pack

Finished mochi ready to pack

Rice being steamed

Rice being steamed

We went to Lyon Supply afterwards, and this was my first look at the store since they started moving things across the street. A lot of progress has been made, and we'll start helping tomorrow.

Empty, center bay of Lyon Supply; used to have portfolios, easels, etc.

Empty, center bay of Lyon Supply; used to have portfolios, easels, etc.

Lyon Supply front entrance; used to be pencils/pens, paints, books, engineering, etc.

Lyon Supply front entrance; used to be pencils/pens, paints, books, engineering, etc.