Saint Patrick’s Days March 17, 2009

Green, beer smelling, tacky clover ornaments, drunk people, public urination, music, bad attempts to tap dance… just a few words to describe this once a year alcoholic celebration! At least oversea, not sure what it’s like in Ireland.

This year I celebrated not Once but Twice St Patrick! The first time was the official celebration held on Saturday after the traditional Parade… It was quite nice, live Irish folk music, plenty of Guinness, plenty of funny Green outfits… A good festive atmosphere, but unfortunately it was quite cold! Some people danced, although some of the guys started a pogo, which didn’t really make sense with the Irish folk music, a lot of beer crashing to the floor…

The second time was for the actual St Patrick’s day at the Irish Bank… it was absolutely crazy packed! I waited in line for half an hour, and when I got in it took me another half hour to find my friend! The music was a really good mix, the crowd was a lot to take, as I need to get used again to being so tiny compared to everyone else… times like these I definitely miss Asia! I want to be normal size again!!!!

Anyways I had my yearly dose of Guinness, danced a little and witnessed this amazing love for this small island, last place in Europe to have endured Famine.

Live Music and drinking

Shades of Green

Irish Bank, yeah not a really good shot… I’ll blame it on the Guinness

Crowd Irish Bank

Diego… yeah I know all my pictures are crappy…

Girl needs to rock February 22, 2009

Well today I was supposed to walk and walk and get myself tired from walking to go and see the Golden Gate Bridge… Unfortunately I woke up to the charmingly soporific sound of rain, a kind of soft satin rain that the wind can harmlessly brush to its liking. So basically a nice wet rain good for frogs and mushrooms.

So it seemed my plan to go to the Golden Gate Bridge had just gotten damp! Now I can usually handle rainy days, it’s a good excuse to eat comfort food, chocolate and watch whatever you can get your hands on… but as I kept lurking at the window I suddenly realized I was starting to feel “antsy”. Now I guess or I like to think that, we all got our thing, our way to stay balanced. My way is to get my poison out every now and then by going out and just rockin’… Yet it seems I haven’t been doing this in a long time… not good! Well today I was able to keep things under control, but it won’t be long before I feel the urge to get out there and act crazy…

Moi bored

Moi need some fun

We turn to Grey February 21, 2009

I’ve just changed place I’m renting a room in “Pac’height” or as less cool people would say Pacific Height, I’ve got a full view of Lafayette park and I’m quite close to Japan town… and I’ve heard there was a traditional public bath… can’t hardly wait to try that… naked with the ladies again! oh yeah!

Getting more noise and light back in my life, I’m finally waking up in the morning! Which means last Sat I’ve finally gone to the Embarcadero wet market! Yeah! Well it’s a cool small outdoor and indoor market with a lot of “organic” things whatever that means. It’ kind of cool, a little busy, products look good, so if you’re into cooking it definitely is a good place to find “natural” (once again whatever that means) products and funky ideas… well if you’re lazy and not into cooking you can also find plenty of already made products! It is a good place to have lunch… if it’s not too cold or raining… I’m honestly impressed considering this city’s reputation for being cold and rainy at all the outdoor options! At least it means people really make the most of the sunny days!

Well I met up with Mr Josh for lunch and we had Peruvian food at Essencia… it was my first time to try and I liked it, sea food, meat and plantain, it’s got my seal of approval! Then I tried what is supposed to be San Fran’s best coffee at Blue bottle… I wish I could elaborate on that but as much as I like coffee I’m afraid I’m no cafe expert, but in all honesty the cappuccino was really good… now would I go all the way to that place and queue for my small cap… not sure… but I did enjoy it, I guess I should have tried an espresso to really judge… damn now I need to go back!

Well I had a nice Saturday, and Mr Josh was kind enough to take me to “best buy” to get a cable… hence why I’m now connected to the World again with my good old Ibook, that just wont die!

Bay bridge don’t be fooled by the palm trees, this is not sunny cali!

That’s a special call for modelsan, et oui à San Fran aussi il y a une sculpture de Louise Bourgeois, coïncidence? je ne pense pas! c’est un signe! Il faut que tu passes me voir!

Da Bay bridge, nice and grey

Tokyo I’ll miss you December 21, 2008

What to do on your last day? I usually like to do something normal! So for my last day I wanted to have a common Sunday, Willem joined me, we bought some sandwiches from Viron and walked to Yoyogi, enjoyed our lunch with some Shu-hi and just chatted… then we went for some pelicula in Shibuya. And Finally we went to … Buri in Ebisu! Just because!  Melinda and Alice joined us and we had some sake cup! like in the good old days! Unfortunately it had to be an early night cause the next I had to catch an early flight!

I will definitely miss Japan!

 

Make some noise!

Tokyo ending December 20, 2008

And so the last party came! Ikuko booked a table at this wonderful Izakaya in Nishi Azabu, it’s just hidden, a small house with no signs in front, really cool, and the food is great! It’s called Teyandei. After a nice diner we went for one last drink in this really cool bar that has a chimney! called These  (0354663771), I recommend! It was a very nice and small sayonara…

Japan has been good to me and I feel very blessed to have met such good friends. I feel like I have lived my life in Tokyo to the fullest. I find comfort in the sadness that I feel, to me it means it was a real meaningful stay,  it would be depressing to think I can just depart without feeling anything.

I would like to thank all the wonderful people that I have met who have been so kind to put up with me! I wish you all the best in the future and most importantly I deeply hope we will see eachother again.

A special thanks to Ikuko, without whom none of this could have happened!

Here is the song I’ve been listening to in circles lately

All the things that upset you
Overwhelming everything you see
You are snow blind
In a sand storm haze

There’s nothing to connect to
It all descends on you
And you are an empty frame.

With all the things that upset you
Swirling round and round
It seems there is no way to
Draw the poison out.

Snow blind – +/- Plus Minus

Alice and Willem

Yuka Yayoi and Alice

Ikuko and Sophie

Sophie Mariko and Kiyoko

Me and Yuka

Willem caught enjoying a glass of french wine

The Tokyo Crazy ladies December 19, 2008

One last evening with the crazy ladies! It’s been so much fun hanging out with the girls sharing thoughts, complaining, trying to support, doing random stupid things… sight I will miss the crazy bunch… We all came from different backgrounds, with different stories, but we all got along somehow…

I feel sad to be leaving Japan, but I feel even more sad to be leaving my friends. Japan has been in many ways a very unique experience, at a very special point in my life. 

I will miss you ladies!

Salarymen no tokoro December 16, 2008

I no longer work at the Embassy and I’m now jobless… but I still love the after work going for drinks with now ex-colleague Kiyoko! Somehow she always seems very surprised with my choices… I guess I like dirty looking or how I like to call them… “authentic” places! I like a shabby looking bar with salarymen enjoying their drinks and getting red by the minute, I like simple but fresh cooking… But apparently it’s not very feminine to be that way… oh well!

I will definitely miss going out after work, discovering new places… Tokyo is such a gold mine in terms of small, good restaurants… 

 

 

Kiyoko ever so surprised at my choice of restaurant

Yeah sashimi

surviving Fugu December 14, 2008

It’s Fugu season again! But this year thanks to Kiyoko I finally got to try some real fugu… and I’m still alive!

Fugu is the Japanese name for blowfish you can only eat the wild ones in winter. Fugu is poisonous as in deadly, cooks need to get a special license to be allowed to serve it.

But most importantly, Fugu is the privilege of the people for the royal family is not allowed to eat it.

We had fugu nabe style I was very impressed by the texture of the flesh, it’s extremely soft and white, the taste reminds me of sole fish. We also enjoyed some fugu sake, the fins are smoked dried and put in a sake cup, then some hot sake is poured on top… quite an interesting match!

Kiyoko

The art of Nabe

A fin in the cup

A tiger, A white raindeer and a botomless flute December 13, 2008

Saturday night the girls had a master plan… going to “Richard’s party” Richard is a wonderful aristocrat, he loves art, champagne and all the good things in life. According to his own words his best skill is “consuming” I guess I can relate to that… minus the financial ability!

His party was a real happening! Melinda described it as “Gayden” I need to remember that one! The most important feature of the evening was the white raindeer walking around filling your flute before it was even finished… So I have no idea how much Pol Roger we drank… but it seems that by the end of the evening we changed for some Henriot!

Getting trashed with good Champagne… the quintessence of decadence… I love it!

In the mood for love…

Drink up December 12, 2008

Hanging out with Melinda and her Sake craving friends is always lovely, how I will miss this! I love the way Japanese that are so quiet just become roudy and giddy when they drink! It always puts me in a good mood!

My one problem is that I try to learn more about sake, but while doing that I usually drink some, making me unable to remember anything I’ve been taught! Alcohol is a tough subject!

Mischievous!

happy times