The trip was way, way too short, but each day was a delight! Like the day we went to a next door town for window shopping and lunch at the local Irish pub (one of two of the trip).
Monday, May 29, 2006
atomik!
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, but apparently does not regrow severed limbs: Atomik was still the adorable, beefy, three-legged sweetie pie that I said bye bye to last year. He seems to love the new digs, and so did we!
babushka
Chuchu was a very good sport about keeping Ai and I entertained as we packed for our Maryland trip. (Poppo was not so cooperative)
Those eyes!
Those eyes!
Monday, May 01, 2006
Ginza Mikimoto 2
The dazzling new restaurant Dazzle opened over the weekend. Its home is on the 8-9 floors of the Ginza Mikimoto 2 building, which has odd-shaped windows which are apparently supposed to look like seafoam. It was all very atmospheric, with glittery crystals hanging overhead and gauzy pink curtains.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
morning
Popo had a very special appointment recently that he was so excited for.
"Popo, today you are getting your balls cut off!! Doesn't that sound FUN?"
"Yes!" his testosterone-ridden brain thought, "that sounds like a BLAST! Let me show them off one last time, though."
When he got to the vet's, though, he didn't pass his preliminary tests--something was wrong with his liver. So now he is chowing down on meds which will hopefully correct the problem, and then he can try again once he's better.
"Popo, today you are getting your balls cut off!! Doesn't that sound FUN?"
"Yes!" his testosterone-ridden brain thought, "that sounds like a BLAST! Let me show them off one last time, though."
When he got to the vet's, though, he didn't pass his preliminary tests--something was wrong with his liver. So now he is chowing down on meds which will hopefully correct the problem, and then he can try again once he's better.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
open open!
I got to take a sneak peak this morning at the new IKEA in Funabashi, in Chiba. It took a freaking hour and a half each way but it was worth it. I love this store. Going to the one near Seattle was an adventure (no, I do not get out much) and it made me feel like fulfulling my secret desire to become a home stylist diva like Martha Stewart was achievable. Plus they served $1 lattes (this in the land of Starbucks) and sold funny Swedish goodies at the food market. This new one is just a few stops away from Tokyo Disneyland, and the gentlemen leading the tours said that they would be their No. 1 competitor, only half jokingly. It'll be up to the consumers to make this a success or not but I hope it is.
cushy
I came up with a great premise for a novel/movie--a bunch of shoppers get trapped inside of a store. That store happens to be IKEA, so everyone just sets up shop in all of the model rooms and settles in, and gets to know each other really well. Swedish meatballs for dinner every night might get a little repetitive, however.
model bed
I was on a press tour a few weeks before opening, so things were still getting set up. The half-made beds, paperwork everywhere and general disorder actually made it feel more like a real home...
tokyo mosque
Right in the middle of Tokyo, this beautiful building. Islamic design was my favorite during my short-lived architecture phase.
"Contemporary Pops"
You could not get more vague with a genre of music than that.
Miss Ai and her entourage played at Caretta a while ago, while I was on Blog hiatus. Better late than never, right?
The AG fan club were there, including Hisae-san, Satoko & Bolita.
Miss Ai and her entourage played at Caretta a while ago, while I was on Blog hiatus. Better late than never, right?
The AG fan club were there, including Hisae-san, Satoko & Bolita.
smiley singer
I will gladly spend a day at Carette Shiodome anytime. It's classy, it's swell. it's seaside and has a killer view. The big plaza by the turtle fountain is great for events. Like a live concert from Avant Garde!
Sunday, April 09, 2006
2006 Hanami
hey y'all! long time no see.
It's spring in Tokyo, which means cherry blossoms. And hanami. Our company has a hanami party every year, always at Aoyama Cemetery, where the sakura were in full bloom last week. A picnic at a cemetery? Freaked me out a little too, but it was really quite lovely.
It's nice to get out of the office in the middle of the day, on a breezy spring day, together with coworkers, food, and alcohol. Not a bad way to spend a Monday afternoon.
It's spring in Tokyo, which means cherry blossoms. And hanami. Our company has a hanami party every year, always at Aoyama Cemetery, where the sakura were in full bloom last week. A picnic at a cemetery? Freaked me out a little too, but it was really quite lovely.
It's nice to get out of the office in the middle of the day, on a breezy spring day, together with coworkers, food, and alcohol. Not a bad way to spend a Monday afternoon.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Hinaya with Yuko and David
Seattle friends David and Yuko (not to be confused with another D & Y from Seattle) visited Tokyo recently and made the time on Wednesday to go have dinner with me at Hinaya. Back during our Neuhaus Chocolate days, Yuko and I spent many hours chatting away about life in Japan and the US, beer, which chocolates we liked best (liquor-filled dark for me!), inept bosses and beloved kitties.
Hope they enjoy their trip to Japan and have a safe trip back.
Hope they enjoy their trip to Japan and have a safe trip back.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
toriyoshi
Deep fried chicken wings surrounding what I thought were french fries... imagine my surprise at finding out it was deep fried chicken cartilage. Even more surprising is that I really liked it.
Ricardo's
Going away parties are always a little sad and a lot of fun. There's usually drinking involved, and often takes place on Fridays, so everyone's looking to unwind and relax after a the hard week. And let me tell you, children, this was one hell of a week! Our interim art director Ricardo wrapped things up at the office and we trudged around the corner to deep fried chicken wing specialy restaurant Toriyoshi.
Ricardo came to the Halloween party dressed as a scene from Alfred Hitchhock's "The Birds." He was a great guy and great fun to work with.
Ricardo came to the Halloween party dressed as a scene from Alfred Hitchhock's "The Birds." He was a great guy and great fun to work with.
Saturday, December 31, 2005
to DC
We agreed last year that a Christmas reunion in Washington DC would be most excellent, bought plane tickets in the summer, requested my days off from work in September, began counting down the days in November and then the three weeks with family at Aunt T and Uncle D's house flew by like Santa on his sleigh. It was the most magical time of the year!
Sunday, December 11, 2005
cousins and aunts
Hey! I am finally posting again.
Note to all my visitors: I have not yet perfected the art of posting multiple photos so that the one you should be seeing and reading first show up at the top. So, it might make more sense if you scroll down to "Cousins Party Redux" and read up.
With only a few days to go before Miss Ai and I jet off to DC (can't WAIT), our fabulous network of cousins and aunts in Tokyo got together at the Miyoshi's house for a Saturday afternoon get together.
Right to left: Miss Ai, Madoka, Chie, Sumiko obasan, Midori, Mari obasan and Kae. And Pepe there in the lower right corner.
Note to all my visitors: I have not yet perfected the art of posting multiple photos so that the one you should be seeing and reading first show up at the top. So, it might make more sense if you scroll down to "Cousins Party Redux" and read up.
With only a few days to go before Miss Ai and I jet off to DC (can't WAIT), our fabulous network of cousins and aunts in Tokyo got together at the Miyoshi's house for a Saturday afternoon get together.
Right to left: Miss Ai, Madoka, Chie, Sumiko obasan, Midori, Mari obasan and Kae. And Pepe there in the lower right corner.
the nigiri sushi feast
The Miyoshis prepared smoked salmon and duck, guacamole, fried chicken, sparkling wine, soup, roll-your-own sushi with these delectables, and the Takagakis brought sweet sweet strawberries and Mister Donuts for dessert.
We talked about Chie and Ai's music, Kae's work at the hospital, Madoka's recent work trip to Hong Kong, Midori's advice on relationships (she should write an advice column), and talked about plans for future get-togethers in the new year. Disneyland? 24-hour onsen? So many possibilities.
We talked about Chie and Ai's music, Kae's work at the hospital, Madoka's recent work trip to Hong Kong, Midori's advice on relationships (she should write an advice column), and talked about plans for future get-togethers in the new year. Disneyland? 24-hour onsen? So many possibilities.
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