A day in the country

went out to gunma to visit a friend and her kid.  she drove us out to nasu to a "farm" with animals and rides and games and stuff.  great for kids!  first stop, the swings:

sakura wanted to ride a pony by herself:

arts and crafts with mama:

a long walk through the woods:

soaking our tired feet in the foot onsen:

so nice to be out of the city for a change!  the air smelled different up there:

sakura was quite happy with the finished project:

afterwards, we went back to tatebayashi where her sister and her husband were helping out with a little local matsuri.  Sakura is a completely different kid when she's around her cousins.  Yuuki is so much fun!  such a country kid.

they played games:

there's dad manning the yakisoba stand:

carrying the mini mikoshi:

yum!  shaved ice:

and the little one.  i think his name was toshi:

some REALLY bad magic:

but the kids kinda enjoyed it  anyway.  i love hanging out with little peeps.  kids take their fun so seriously.  such a change from my regular life.  Thanks for a great day!

i'm not saying i'm a fag hag but . . . .

i suppose there's quite a bit of evidence to the contrary.

Dinner at Sohan's New Place

 

Sal's client/friend Sohan started a new restaurant in Azabu Juban called Chef's Table.  She invited me along for one of the best free meals ever.  Started with some very tasty homemade bread:

followed by a carpaccio-like ceviche:

the yummiest flakiest empanada ever:

bistec asado!  soooooo tasty!

Sal twitters her very delish bouillabaisse-ish soup:

dessert!  milk cake with caramel sauce and ice cream with a side of fresh fruit:

sooo yummy!  afterwards, we got a little lost but finally made it to Kenzo Estate's Wine Bar where Sally's Daichan poured us a glass of vino:

heaps of fun!  thanks for a top nite!

Happy Birthday Mabou!

Imagine you're a 62 year old Japanese former salary man with no girlfriend or wife or any real family to deal with. You dad is bonkers in a home, you get a nice fat pension, and you've got a house in the country and one in the city. The only thing that can really disrupt your life is a crazy ass niece who forces you to celebrate your birthday, something you haven't done since you were 8.

When i first plonked down in japan, we were not the best of friends. at least 4 years would go by before things even started to get better. and now, 8 years later, he is forced to celebrate getting older with his birthday-crazed niece. Hey, at least i buy the guy dinner. and lots of beer.


he wanted to go to this little local unagi joint for shirayaki and kabayaki. afterwards, we came home for a mango dessert (he's had a mango themed birthday confection every year for the past 5 years. not that he's really noticed):



hope you made a good wish!

The Visitor

a couple of days after i get back from london, a visitor shows up on my doorstep: rod. rod is my b-i-l's friend from new york. he came to japan to attend a spanish friend's wedding in uwajima and stayed to explore the country for a few weeks. here's a highlight reel from his time in tokyo:

first nite in tokyo and his first time at an izakaya with jax and seishiro:


ramen (tsukemen -- cold noodles dipped in hot broth) in shinjuku:


getting his omikuji fortune at Meiji shine:


watching the rockabilly dancers in yoyogi park:


kickin' it in asakusa (in front of kaminarimon):



trying to pick a yummy plate from the revolving sushi joint:


at the local fish joint having a beer and enjoying some grilled fish head:



a local person willing to to pose with the gaijin:


katsu curry (just to make my sister jeals):


back at the fish joint with the other spaniards who finally made their way up to tokyo (carlos to my right, quino to my left, yuri, quino's girlfriend of about 5 minutes across from him, rafaela, carlos's girl , and rod). they were so much fun!


beers at the standing joint with yuki, dave and toby:


at the fish market (long after the action was over):


a last meal at uojin, my favorite joint, with my uncle and rod's friend yuji:



hope you had a good visit dude!